Underdog upsets & mind games · Superhuman
Tanjiro Kamado vs Blade
Two demon hunters, both with swords, each convinced the other is a monster.
Tale of the tape
| Demon Slayer | Universe | Marvel |
|---|---|---|
| Superhuman | Tier | Superhuman |
| Sun Breathing and a nose that smells openings | Strength | A daywalker with vampire strength and none of the weaknesses |
| Too kind to demons | Weakness | Thirst he has to control |
| 0–1 | Record on Versus | 1–1 |
The Arena
Blade was hunting vampires through a rift into another world, and the rift dropped him onto a mountain path in old Japan, where he smelled the familiar stench of something undead nearby. Tanjiro Kamado smelled something too: the scent of a demon, mixed strangely with human blood, coming from a tall man in black with a sword on his back.
Tanjiro drew his black Nichirin blade. “You smell like a demon.” Blade drew his own sword. “Funny. I was going to say the same about you.” Somewhere nearby, inside a box on Tanjiro’s back, his demon sister Nezuko stirred.
Round One
Tanjiro attacked with Water Breathing, his sword flowing like a river, each strike precise and graceful. Blade blocked them all, surprised by the boy’s skill, and answered with brutal efficiency, his sword strikes carrying superhuman strength.
Tanjiro was knocked back, his arms numb from blocking. He realised his opponent was stronger and faster than any human. Blade realised his opponent was a far better swordsman than any human teenager had a right to be.
Tanjiro adjusted his breathing, slowed his heart and watched the man’s shoulders instead of his sword. He began to read the rhythm of the attacks, and the next exchange went his way, a shallow cut across Blade’s forearm that closed almost as soon as it opened.
The Turn
Tanjiro switched to the Hinokami Kagura, the Sun Breathing style, and his sword burst into flames. His speed and strength rose sharply, and his next strike cut through Blade’s coat and drew blood. Blade stepped back, looking at the fire on the blade with sudden respect. Sunlight was the one thing he had never had to fear.
Blade answered with silver-tipped throwing stakes and a burst of speed, his daywalker strength overwhelming. Tanjiro smelled every attack coming, his nose reading Blade’s intentions, and dodged most of them. But not all.
The Finish
Blade was simply too strong. Superhuman strength, speed and healing, combined with decades of experience hunting monsters, gave him an edge the young demon slayer could not overcome. A powerful strike knocked the burning sword from Tanjiro’s hands, and Blade’s blade stopped at his throat.
Then Nezuko burst out of the box, small and fierce, and placed herself in front of her brother, growling. Blade froze. He smelled her: a demon, but one who had never fed on a human, who was protecting a human. Something he had only ever seen in the mirror.
He lowered his sword. “She doesn’t feed,” he said slowly. Tanjiro, gasping, shook his head. “Never. She’s my sister.” Blade sheathed his weapon and looked at the two of them for a long time. “Then we’re on the same side,” he said. “I hunt the ones who do.”
The verdict
Blade wins
Tanjiro is a superb swordsman and his Sun Breathing hurts even Blade, but Blade is a daywalker with superhuman strength, speed and healing, plus decades more experience hunting monsters.
- Superhuman physiqueBlade is stronger and faster than any human fighter.
- HealingTanjiro’s cuts close while they fight.
- ExperienceBlade has hunted monsters for decades.
How the rematch could go differently: A later Tanjiro with the demon slayer mark, a see-through world and fully mastered Sun Breathing could close the physical gap.
Who do you think wins?
Who would win in a fight between Tanjiro Kamado and Blade?
Blade wins. Tanjiro is a superb swordsman and his Sun Breathing hurts even Blade, but Blade is a daywalker with superhuman strength, speed and healing, plus decades more experience hunting monsters.