With the broadcast of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Pillar Training Arc" scheduled for 2024, the Pillars are currently garnering a lot of attention, but which Pillar character is your favorite? Each of the Pillars in this series has a fascinating personality and past, making them some of the most popular characters in the series. However, did you know that some Pillars don't get the attention they deserve because the most popular Pillars stand out too much? Gyomei Himejima, who appears as a Pillar in this series, is a prime example of this, boasting some of the most powerful abilities in the series, but not ranking highly in popularity polls. Compared to the other Pillars, he tends to be somewhat shunned due to his rugged appearance. However, while Himejima may not look flashy, his abilities and sense of justice make him particularly noteworthy compared to the other Pillars. In this article, we'd like to introduce the appeal of Himejima, one of the most powerful Pillars. He's a Pillar who doesn't usually get much attention, but we hope this article will pique your interest in him!
The Blind Pillar
Gyomei Himejima is a character who is completely blind. While being blind is a major handicap in combat, he has proven himself effective even in such conditions, earning his place as a Pillar, a testament to the Demon Slayer Corps's elite.
Loss of Vision Due to High Fever
It is said that Himejima lost his sight due to a high fever as a child. Infectious diseases such as smallpox, which were prevalent at the time, caused high fevers in patients, and many people actually lost their sight due to these diseases. Date Masamune, also known as the One-Eyed Dragon, also contracted smallpox as a child and lost the sight in one eye, and it is likely that Himejima experienced similar symptoms.
Making full use of his sense of smell and hearing
Although Himejima lost his sight since childhood, he appears to use his sense of smell and hearing instead in battle. In real life, there are many examples of people who have lost their sight developing other sensory organs, and such physical changes are not uncommon. However, it is impressive that he is able to display such strength, even overpowering the sighted Pillars, despite being completely blind.
His performance doesn't suggest he's completely blind
Thus, despite losing his sight, Gyomei Himejima makes full use of his other sensory organs to perform his duties. There are almost no scenes in the story where he is troubled solely by his lack of sight, suggesting that after losing his sight, Gyomei Himejima made painstaking efforts to sharpen his various sensory organs.
Temple Raised
Though Himejima continues to perform on the front lines despite losing his eyesight, he was raised in a temple from a young age. As is evident from his appearance, his temple upbringing often leads to statements and actions throughout the story that reflect his deep knowledge of Buddhism, making it clear that this past has had a profound impact on his identity.
Farewell to Parents
The reason why he grew up in a temple is that although he had a family, his mother died during childbirth, and his father died in an epidemic. Thus, he lost both parents at an early age and ended up living in a temple. Because he was unable to feel his parents' love for long, Himejima is often depicted crying when he sees families passing by, demonstrating his strong feelings for his family.
A Sad Past
His tragic past doesn't end with the death of his parents. Later, while living at a temple, he was betrayed by the orphans he had taken in, and the children he had been raising were killed by demons. This brutal betrayal left a deep scar on his heart.
The Terrifying Thing of Compassion
It is precisely because of such painful experiences in his past that Himejima grew up to be an extremely compassionate person. However, at the same time, his compassion also has a terrifying side, as he sometimes pities Nezuko, who has become a demon, but will not hesitate to kill her. It is precisely because he knows the reality that so many children have been killed by demons in the past that he is able to direct his hostility toward demons without question.
One of the Demon Slayer Corps' Most Powerful
While Himejima possesses both a tragic past and a compassionate nature, his combat abilities are actually among the best in the Demon Slayer Corps. He's not a particularly prominent character, so many fans were probably surprised to learn that he possesses the most powerful abilities of the Demon Slayer Corps.
A figure even the Pillars respect.
The Demon Slayer Corps is made up of many eccentric characters, and their relationships are often complicated. However, all of the Pillars seem to have a great deal of respect for Himejima. As a result, characters who would normally have difficulty coordinating with each other are able to work together smoothly through Himejima's presence. His overwhelming strength is also one of the reasons the Demon Slayer Corps is united as one.
The Strongest Character in the Series
He is one of the strongest characters in the series, even considering characters other than the Demon Slayer Corps, and is essential to humanity's victory over demons. This makes him an incredibly reliable character in combat scenes, so be sure to pay attention to his combat scenes.
Demonstrating Leadership
One of his most notable achievements in the series is his leadership, evident in battle scenes. As mentioned earlier, the Demon Slayer Corps is made up of talented members, each of whom is full of confidence and doesn't listen to others. This is why Himejima, who excels purely in combat, is needed to give orders as a leader.
The Pillar with the Most Practical Experience
He himself has been a member of the Demon Slayer Corps for the longest time and is arguably the Pillar with the most combat experience. While he is naturally skilled in pure combat, his excellent judgment, born from having experienced countless battles, is also the reason he is the leader.
Working with Ubuyashiki
Having served as a Pillar for such a long time, Ubuyashiki himself places particular trust in Himejima among the other Pillars, confiding in him details of operations that were not shared with the other Pillars. While Ubuyashiki is the head of the Pillar Mansion, Himejima is the on-site leader, acting as a sort of middle manager for Ubuyashiki and the Pillars.
A Unique Person Among the Pillars
As such, he is one of the most skilled and experienced of the Pillars, and is close to Ubuyashiki, making him an indispensable member of the Demon Slayer Corps. He is such a reassuring Pillar that it could be said that without him, Muzan would never have been defeated in the first place.
Mastering the Breathing Technique of Rock
Hyomei, one of the most powerful members of the Demon Slayer Corps, utilizes the Breathing Technique of Rock. From here, I would like to provide a detailed explanation of the Breathing Technique of Rock that Himei uses. This breathing technique is used by the most powerful of the Pillars, so please pay close attention.
Possessing the Strongest Shield and the Strongest Spear
The greatest feature of the Breath of Rock is that it combines the strongest maneuver and the strongest gait. Compared to other breathing techniques, the Breath of Rock lacks mobility and trickiness, but instead excels at increasing pure offensive and defensive power, enabling physical upgrades strong enough to withstand most attacks.
The Breathing Technique That Best Suits Himejima
Himejima is a person with exceptional physical abilities, as evidenced by his first battle with a demon, in which he repelled it using only his fists. The fact that Himejima's physical abilities are already high without any effort, yet he further strengthens his body through breathing techniques, shows how well Himejima and the Rock Breathing Technique are a perfect match.
Easily wields heavy weapons
Himejima's weapons are particularly heavy, powerful enough to crush an opponent with a single blow. His ability to effortlessly wield such heavy weapons is likely due to his naturally high physical abilities and the physical augmentation properties of the Rock Breathing technique.
The Other Pillars Are Too Popular
Even in this work, Himejima, the Rock Pillar, possesses overwhelming abilities. So why isn't he more popular? The sad reality is that, while his abilities may be one thing, the other pillars are far more visible. Many of the pillars, in particular, are strong characters, so Himejima, with his reserved personality, inevitably receives less attention.
He's gradually starting to get attention, but...
He's gradually gaining attention as his appearances increase in the second half of the series, but compared to characters like Rengoku, who played a major role in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train," one of Japan's biggest hits, he's still a lesser-known character. It will be interesting to see how much his popularity increases in the Pillar Training Arc. I'm sure Himejima fans would like to see more Himejima merchandise, so I'd love to support Himejima in the Pillar Training Arc.
Voice actor: Tomokazu Sugita
His character and charm aren't the only things worth noting about Gyomei Himejima. His voice actor, Tomokazu Sugita, is also a well-known figure in the voice acting world, so be sure to check him out. Here's a brief introduction to Tomokazu Sugita, the voice actor for Gyomei Himejima.
Passionate Performances of Numerous Famous Characters
Tomokazu Sugita is a voice actor who has previously voiced Haruhi Suzumiya, the protagonist of "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya," and Gintoki Sakata, the protagonist of "Gintama." He's known for his unique voice, so many anime fans have likely heard his name at least. He's typically known for playing playful characters, so there were some surprises when it was revealed he would be voicing Himejima, who has a rather calm image.
An assassin from "Gintama"!?
At a time when "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" was receiving a lot of attention, "Gintama" was also moving toward its conclusion. Gintama's creator, Sorachi, made a joke about the fact that the same voice actor is used in both series, saying, "We're sending spies into Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," which became a hot topic. Because of this, even Demon Slayer fans at one point treated Tomokazu Sugita, who plays Gyomei Himejima, as a spy, even though it was just a joke.
Check out our official YouTube channel!
Sugita Tomokazu, a talented voice actor with a humorous side, has now opened a YouTube channel and is active as a YouTuber. In addition to mentioning Himejima from the series, he also posts many nerdy anime topics that only voice actors would know. Fans who became interested in Sugita through this series should definitely check it out.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we've introduced Gyomei Himejima, the Rock Pillar, one of the most talented characters in the series. While he's not particularly prominent, his past and outlook on life are fascinating, making him a character with depth. We're sure to see even more of Himejima's exploits in the Pillar Training Arc, which will air this year in 2024, so fans who've become interested in Himejima after reading this article should definitely keep an eye out for his exploits in the anime.
