The fight against Upper Moon Four Hantengu was one of Demon Slayer’s most chaotic battles. Just when Tanjiro had an enemy cornered, he would split into another, leaving many viewers asking, “Wait, how many of them are there?!” (Aizetsu Demon Slayer)
If you felt lost, you’re not alone. The Swordsmith Village Arc antagonist has seven forms in total, and we’re breaking down each one step-by-step.
Aizetsu Demon Slayer: Form 1: Where It All Begins with Hantengu, the Demon of Fear
It all starts with the frail-looking old man, Hantengu himself. This is the demon’s true body, and his entire personality is built on one powerful emotion: Fear. Though he appears physically weak and is constantly terrified, he holds the key to the entire battle, making him the Demon Slayers’ real target.
His unique Blood Demon Art activates whenever his fear peaks, especially when he’s attacked. Remember when Tanjiro’s blade first struck his neck? Hantengu didn’t die—he split. This ability allows him to manifest his other powerful emotions as separate demons.
Forms 2-5: Meet the Four Emotion Clones and Their Powers
Hantengu’s fear unleashes an army of four powerful emotion clones, the main source of chaos in the Swordsmith Village battle. Each demon has a unique name, look, and fighting style tied to a specific feeling. Together, they represent Anger, Pleasure, Sorrow, and Joy.
The de facto leader is the furious Sekido (Anger), who takes charge with a special staff that generates powerful lightning. He’s the one who electrocuted and pinned down Nezuko and Genya early in the fight, showcasing his controlling and punishing nature.
In contrast, the laid-back Karaku (Pleasure) uses a large leaf-shaped fan to create immense gusts of wind. Remember when he effortlessly blew Tanjiro across the village and leveled buildings with a single swing? That was him.
Rounding out the quartet are the spear-wielding Aizetsu (Sorrow), whose precise, far-reaching thrusts are almost impossible to dodge, and the bird-like Urogi (Joy), who attacks from the sky with sharp talons and deafening sonic screams. Fighting any one of them proved difficult, but facing all four at once pushed the Demon Slayers to their absolute limit.
Aizetsu Demon Slayer: Form 6: The Fused ‘Boss Mode’ — Zohakuten, the Demon of Hatred
So if defeating the four clones wasn’t an option, what happens when they’re cornered? They don’t die—they combine. In a desperate act of self-preservation, Sekido absorbs the other three clones to create Zohakuten, the physical manifestation of Hantengu’s pure Hatred. He sees the Demon Slayers as villains bullying a weak, helpless old man, justifying his terrifying rage.
Appearing as an imposing youth who commands massive wood dragons, Zohakuten is Hantengu’s strongest form. He can unleash the abilities of all four clones—lightning, wind, sonic screams, and spear attacks—but amplified to a devastating new level. His overwhelming assault is what finally forced the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, into the battle.
Form 7: Urami, the Final Trick and a Desperate Last Stand
Just when Tanjiro finally pinpoints Hantengu’s minuscule true body, the demon unleashes one last deception: Urami, the manifestation of his Resentment. This form appears as a larger, angrier version of the main body and acts as a final decoy to protect the real Hantengu hidden inside.
Urami is the embodiment of Hantengu’s bitterness at being discovered. While this larger, resentful form rages to hold off the Demon Slayers, the tiny “Fear” body attempts to flee. The true challenge wasn’t about overpowering the clones, but about solving the puzzle of Hantengu’s emotions. To win, Tanjiro had to see past the Anger, Pleasure, Sorrow, Joy, and even Hatred to finally strike the cowardly Fear at its core.