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Hantengu - Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer)

Hantengu (半天狗 Hantengu) is one of the Twelve Demon Moons and held the position of Upper Moon Four before being killed and replaced by Nakime in the Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer) series. Hantengu's main body takes the form of an old man who appears to be in a constant state of fear. He is always seen shivering or cowering while trying to hide from something. He has two horns protruding from his head, and between the horns is a large bump larger than the size of a fist. He has slanted eyes and eyebrows that further emphasize his droopy eyes, giving him a frightened look. He has many wrinkles on his face that make him resemble a wrinkled old man, with his hairline extending from the back of his head reinforcing this demeanor. Hantengu wears a kimono, half plain black and half with an intricate floral pattern. The patterns are reversed when it goes beyond her striped obi.

"It's pretty terrifying. Gyokko forgot how to count during our long absence."
—Hantengu to Akaza and Gyokko, Demon Slayer Chapter 98

Profile

Race: Demon
Age: 100+ years (mentally)
Race: Demon
Manga Debut: Chapter 98
Status: Deceased

History

When Hantengu was a human, he committed many crimes. He robbed and murdered people, but claimed he was innocent and had not committed any crime. He claimed to be blind and blamed his hands and that he himself was not involved, showing that he was mentally unstable even as a human. He was eventually captured for his crimes and sentenced to death despite his claims of innocence. His objections were silenced when he was threatened with having his hands cut off, as they were the culprits of his crimes. While imprisoned, he was approached by Muzan Kibutsuji , who offered to help him and transformed him into a demon. After becoming a demon, he killed the official who had imprisoned him. As the official was about to die, he told Hantengu that he would be punished for his sins in the future, no matter what. Later, he is seen at the Blacksmith Village with Gyokko to investigate. He fights the Demon Slayers present and continues to claim that he is innocent despite having killed many humans to gain the position of Upper Moon Four. He almost manages to escape the Demon Slayers but is caught and killed by Tanjiro Kamado . Before dying completely, he reports to Muzan Kibutsuji about Nezuko's immunity to sunlight.

Personality

Hantengu has many different personalities due to his Blood Demon Arts. His main form has a very fearful personality, always hiding and acting fearfully of his surroundings. Due to his paranoia, he believes the whole world is out to get him and considers himself innocent. The rest of his personalities are based on the Japanese Four Primal Emotions (喜怒哀楽).

Sekido (積怒 Anger) - The personification of Hantengu's anger. This form is in a constant state of animosity.
Karaku (可楽 Joy) - Hantengu's most relaxed and laid-back clone.
Aizetsu (Sorrow) - This form is always downcast and negative and he constantly describes everything as depressing.
Urogi (空喜 Pleasure) - The most cheerful personality and treats the battle against Demon Slayers as a game.
Zohaukten (憎珀天 Hatred) - This personality was easily enraged and was incredibly spiteful and hateful towards his enemies, considering them "evil" for attacking his "innocent" self.
Urami (恨み Resentment) - The most hypocritical and delusional personality and is the embodiment of Hantengu's resentment due to being punished for crimes he claimed he did not commit.

Skills and abilities

Enhanced Stealth: Hantengu is very adept at hiding his presence as a demon. He was able to sneak into the blacksmith village undetected and even managed to enter a house. Tanjiro Kamado and Muichiro Tokito both noticed that there was someone nearby, but they did not recognize him as a demon despite Tanjiro Kamado's enhanced sense of smell.
Blood Demon Art (血鬼術 Kekkijutsu): Demons of the Four Primal Emotions (喜怒哀楽の鬼): Hantengu can divide into several different forms, each with its own personality and powers. Each form is based on one of the four primary emotions: joy, anger, sadness, or pleasure, identified by a kanji on the tongue.
Hantengu (怯 Fear): Hantengu's main form. It is a smaller version of his original body and constitutes his core. This body has incredible durability, making it difficult to penetrate his flesh.
Sekido (積怒 Anger): This form creates a shakujo, it summons lightning and thunder attacks that are powerful enough to completely paralyze Demon Slayers.
Karaku (可楽 Joy): This form creates a Tengu fan that he uses to create powerful gusts of wind capable of easily leveling an entire building and carrying people far away.
Aizetsu (哀絶 Sadness): This form can create a long spear that can then extend and shrink at will, performing powerful simultaneous thrusting attacks.
Urogi (空喜 Pleasure): This form is shaped like a harpy demon with bird-like wings and talons, it can produce powerful sonic screams from its mouth.
Zohakuten (憎珀天 Haine): The most powerful form of Hantengu. It is formed by Sekido after forcibly absorbing all the other clones: Karaku, Aizetsu, and Urogi. This clone can create five-headed wooden dragons to attack its opponents. The wooden dragon heads are capable of producing the attacks and powers of the other forms.
Avici Karmic Wood: Zohakuten unleashes his wooden dragons upon his opponents, rapidly growing them and multiplying their heads as they rush toward his opponent. In Buddhism, Avici or Avici is the lowest level of the Naraka or "hell" realm.
Urami (恨み Resentment): A larger and more physically powerful version of his "core" Hantengu (怯 Fear) whose main purpose is a living armor used to hide Hantengu's true body inside his heart.