Top Demon Slayer Ships Guide: Nezuko and Zenitsu, Tanjiro and Kanao

Ships are a part of life that fans cannot avoid. No matter what form of media, ships are inevitable. Such is the case, especially when the series is popular like Demon Slayer. There are, in fact, few manga and anime out there that can claim to be as popular as this series. This makes the top Demon Slayer ships guide a rather lengthy one.

Given how massively popular this show is, there are plenty of couples that fans want to see together. They will create fan art, write fan fiction, and do their best to pretend like it is accurate. This, of course, means looking into every single detail on the page to find a hint of romance. We will break down the best of these in our top Demon Slayer ships guide.

Bottom Line Up Front

The top Demon Slayer ships will boil down to a few factors. First and foremost, the characters must have interactions with one another or at least know of one another. There should be circumstantial evidence within the story that at least hints at a possible connection.

It would be nice if some chemistry existed between the two characters. Furthermore, it should at least be realistic in some aspects. Lastly, tragic couples are not out of the realm, but they should avoid the unfortunate familial and other ships that some fans propose. Here are the top Demon Slayer ships that we have come up with:

  • Tanjiro and Murata
  • Tamayo and Yushiro
  • Tamayo and Muzan
  • Uzui and Hinatsuru
  • Shinobu and Giyu
  • Inosuke and Tanjiro
  • Zenitsu and Tanjiro
  • Rengoku and Tanjiro
  • Rengoku and Akaza
  • Sabito and Giyu
  • Shinobu and Mitsuru
  • Mitsuru and Obanai
  • Inosuke and Aoi
  • Tanjiro and Kanao
  • Sanemi and Nezuko
  • Sabito and Makomo
  • Zenitsu and Nezuko

What Makes a Good Ship?

Tanjiro and Murata

Before we jump into the best ships in Demon Slayer, you should know something. More than likely, you already know what a ship is, but just in case, I should explain. Ships is another word for a couple that fans have come up with.

They will write fan fiction, dream up scenarios of them together, create fan art, and look way too much into their interactions. Of course, some shippings will end well, but most will not. That does not stop fans from popularizing the romance between two characters, nonetheless.

As for what makes a good ship, there are several factors. For one, it needs to make sense simply. If it does not make sense, there is no reason for the ship to be on this list. For it to make sense, there has to be some sort of evidence or interaction that at least seems to point towards a possible romance.

Or, at the very least, some sort of loose connection that puts the two characters together. They should have some kind of personality or other chemistry as well. Furthermore, it would be good if they seemed like they could be interested in one another, even if it is only one-sided for now. These are the stipulations that make up a great ship.

Does Romance Make Sense in Demon Slayer?

While it is inevitable that a series as huge as Demon Slayer is bound to have ships, does it even make sense in this series? Demon Slayer is a tragic story about monster-like demons eating and turning humans. With the main characters being the ones who hunt down these demons, does romance even fit into this?

Honestly, I think, yes, it does. While Demon Slayer is all about the action, gore, and horror of the demons, there is more to it than that. For such a depressing series at times, it is surprisingly funny, too. In this, there is enough room for romance to blossom.

There are even hints to that with certain characters pining for other ones canonically. And, of course, there are instances of married couples that exist in the series as well. As such, I think that romance makes sense in this world where someone could die at a moment’s notice.

Top Demon Slayer Ships Explained

Shinobu and Giyu

When creating this top Demon Slayer ships guide, I scoured through loads of fan art sites and so on. I also thought up some of my ships that made sense to me. As such, I think that this is the definitive list (at least in my opinion) of the best ships from this manga and anime series.

I certainly left some of the more popular ones out, and that was, indeed, intentional. There are some characters that I will not simply ship, like in the case of brother and sister relationships and so on. Keep in mind that this list is in no particular order, either. I will tell you about both characters in a ship and explain why I think it works.

What I would also like to say is that you do not have to worry about manga spoilers here. If you are an anime fan, I will not cover anything that has not happened in the beloved adaptation. That said, I will not shy away from noting certain events that already happened up to the point of the Entertainment District Arc.

Furthermore, I will be using evidence strictly from the first story arcs in the series. This could mean that I will even cover some canonical relationships in the manga, but I will not note that here. I will only be using supporting evidence from up until the anime has covered thus far, mostly. There are a couple of exceptions to this but minor ones.

Tanjiro and Murata

Starting off this list, we have a ship that I did not see anyone talking about and thought I’d share. I believe that the main character Tanjiro and the side character, Murata, would be an exciting couple. Murata is a forgettable slayer who is seemingly relatively new, like Tanjiro.

The two meet early on in one of Tanjiro’s missions, and they meet up again a couple of times during the series. These interactions are very few and far between, but there is an apparent friendship between the two. After all, Murata is the only one of the newcomers other than Tanjiro that survives the infamous mountain mission.

There is not much to this ship, admittedly, but I think the friendship between the two could become more. After all, it is sometimes those side characters who are barely seen with the main character that blossom into a relationship.

Tamayo and Yushiro

Tamayo and Yushiro

Coming up next is a rather famous ship for the intelligent and peaceful demon Tamayo. She is the doctor who is researching a way to cure demons. As such, she plays a crucial role in the future for Nezuko. Tamayo’s loving assistant is Yushiro.

Yushiro has feelings for the older woman and does not hide it too well. This is a true romance on his part. However, does Tamayo reciprocate those feelings? It is hard to tell, but this is one relationship we could see happen. The main problem here is the age difference between the two.

Tamayo and Muzan

The more exciting and disturbing ship for Tamayo is with Muzan. As you may know, Muzan is the lead villain in the series from the start and the source of suffering for, well, everyone in the series. He turned Nezuko into a demon and a whole bunch of other people.

This even includes Tamayo herself. As such, this is a fairly twisted coupling between the aggressor and the victim. That said, perhaps their story could have played out differently if Muzan was a more understandable villain. The old once villains turned lovers trope is fun and interesting, and could have possibly worked with these two in a different setup.

Uzui and Hinatsuru

Uzui and Hinatsuru Demon Slayer

Uzui is one of the main Hashira in the Demon Slayer series. As the Sound Hashira, he joins Tanjiro and the gang in the Entertainment District Arc. During this arc, we find out that he is actually a married young man. But he is not just married to one woman and not two but three at the same time.

The four have known each other for a long time since growing up as shinobi. Setting aside any thoughts on his marriage to three women at once, I think that there is a clear winner of the three with Hinatsuru. I’m not saying that she is the best of the three women; just that she is easily the best for Uzui. Their personalities match nicely and they look fantastic together.

Also, during the fight with Daki and Gyutaro, Hinatsuru plays the largest role in helping out Uzui. During this, you can see the deep romance and love between the two. Their connection is amazing and you can really tell that Uzui gives a lot of his attention to Hinatsuru.

It is still uncertain necessarily why he married all three women. Perhaps he does romantically care for each of them and they do not mind. Regardless, Hinatsuru and Uzui just make the most sense together of the pairings. This is especially seen in the emphasis that she gets over the other girls in her story and near death experience.

Shinobu and Giyu

Speaking of Hashira, this next one is one of the most popular in the entire fandom. Giyu Tomioka is the Water Hashira while Shinobu Kocho is the Insect Hashira. They are two of the first ones that the fans meet in the series.

These two immediately share a lot in common with one another, the first being their Hashira status. Secondly, they partner and fight alongside each other often as see in Shinobu’s introduction in the arc. As such, there is some element of chemistry that likely exists, even on work purposes.

Then there is the matter of how Shinobu is playful with Giyu and even teases him at times. It is hard to imagine the stoic Giyu liking someone but I would not be surprised if Shinobu at least has some sort of feelings for him. If anyone could break through his serious personality, it is possibly her.

Inosuke and Tanjiro

Inosuke and Tanjiro

Next up, we have a trio of Tanjiro ships. He is the main character so there are going to be plenty of couples that fans imagine up for him. The first of these is between Inosuke and Tanjiro. The two main characters travel with each other and spend a lot of time with one another.

Given that they are close friends, there is the inevitability that some fans will ship the two. That said, Tanjiro and Inosuke do deeply care for one another. This makes the ship a little bit more reasonable than the next one in all honesty.

For the most part, Tanjiro and Inosuke have a rival-themed friendship with one another. That said, this type of tension in fighting with one another could lead to something else later down the line. That said, it is worth noting that the sexuality of these characters is not made clear.

Zenitsu and Tanjiro

The other main companion for Tanjiro is Zenitsu. This one is a bit more of a stretch for reasons I’ll get to later but it is still a distinct possibility. And there are enough fans that ship the two nonetheless. Like with Inosuke, Zenitsu is the best friend of Tanjiro.

They certainly have a more heartwarming friendship than the rivalry with Inosuke, which lends some credence. There is also the fact that they have the Final Selection exam together to become slayers. But the one element here that throws a wrench in things is Nezuko.

Being that Tanjiro is the older brother of Nezuko and protective over her, it is hard for Zenitsu to see anyone other than her. Also, there is no confirmation at all if Zenitsu is into other guys or not.

Rengoku and Tanjiro

Rengoku and Tanjiro

By far, one of the more striking ships for Tanjiro in my opinion is with Rengoku. Sure, we all know how this particular story ends but that does not stop me from making the connection. During the Mugen Train Arc, Tanjiro and the gang join up with the Flame Hashira Rengoku.

Immediately, there are sparks literally flying between Tanjiro and Rengoku. Sure, you could chalk it up to just the master and apprentice relationship but who knows if Tanjiro means a little bit more? They both have similar slaying techniques and passions. Tanjiro’s future and personality are even shaped by his time with Rengoku.

After the Mugen Train Arc, all Tanjiro does is think about Rengoku and is affected by what happened then. There is no doubting his love with the Flame Hashira. The only matter here is whether it was romantic or not. As mentioned, there would be spoilers for what happened in the anime thus far. With the untimely death of Rengoku, this is one ship we will never have confirmation on.

Rengoku and Akaza

Speaking of Rengoku, this next ship is another twisted one. Rengoku is hunting down the demon that is ruling over the Mugen Train. In the end, Rengoku, Tanjiro, and the others are able to take down this demon. However, the twist at the end of this arc is the arrival of Akaza.

All of the main characters are already so damaged and weak from the fight with the previous demon that Akaza takes advantage of this. The weakened Rengoku is not guaranteed a win against this high-ranked demon. As such, he pretty much loses the fight.

That said, he gives Akaza a run for his money and nearly defeats him in the process. Of course, there is a lot of concern about a ship between the murderer and his victim. That said, Akaza did not seem to want to kill Rengoku and had some admiration for him.

That is why he offers him the chance to become a demon before Rengoku dies. Had Rengoku chosen to become a demon in an alternate universe, perhaps their relationship would grow more. And there is the chance that this could have developed into something more.

Sabito and Giyu

Sabito and Giyu

While I did say that mostly the ships would not come from the events in the manga, this one is the exception. That said, I do not think these are major spoilers that will hurt your perception of the series at all. Sabito is a character that is introduced during the Final Selection Arc.

In this time, Tanjiro is training under Urokodaki to join the Slayer Corps. In the process, he finds out about how all of Urokodaki’s previous trainees died against the same demon. One such person is Sabito who acts as a spiritual guide for Tanjiro in this arc.

Tragically, the manga later reveals that Sabito and Giyu Tomioka were best friends. They cared deeply for one another and it seems that Sabito was perhaps the only person to have a connection to the stalwart Hashira. With this apparent connection, it has not stopped the fandom from shipping the two. And, honestly, it makes a whole lot of sense for Giyu from how he talks about Sabito.

Shinobu and Mitsuri

Shinobu and Mitsuri are the only two female Hashira in the group. As such, there is no stopping the fandom from shipping the two together. It is not an unrealistic ship, either, as there is a little bit of connection there to at least make some sense.

For one, they are both Hashira and likely have a friendship in this way. Furthermore, Mitsuri is the Love Hashira and cares deeply about others. Shinobu is a nice tease and their personalities mesh well with one another. While it might not be the best ships for each person, there is a chance there.

Mitsuri and Obanai

On the other hand, the best ship for Mitsuri is with Obanai. Again, this is another manga-centric area but one not too spoilery. Obanai is the Serpent Hashira and the two work well together. They have an interesting connection with one another, despite their personality differences.

When the two are working alongside one another later on in the manga, it is clear that Mitsuri and Obanai have great chemistry. There is also the possibility that at least one of them has a crush on the other. Both being Hashira, they have at least have some commonality and understanding as well.

Inosuke and Aoi

Inosuke and Aoi

While Tanjiro and the group are recovering at the Butterfly Estate, Inosuke meets Aoi. Aoi is technically a member of the Slayer Corps but she has a complicated history. Since she is sort of afraid of fighting demons, she remains behind and helps to take care of the injured.

Inosuke and Aoi have an immediate connection with one another. Though she also connects with Tanjiro, the almost hostile relationship between Inosuke and Aoi’s load personalities is fun to watch. It does not last too long in the series during this arc but it is enough to whet the appetite for what could possibly happen between the two.

Tanjiro and Kanao

One of my favorite ships and for many others is Tanjiro and Kanao. During that same section of the Butterfly Estate storyline, Tanjiro is recovering as well. As part of this, he is training and gets to know Kanao more. The two have an instant connection on a deep level and it hints at possibly more.

There is the whole matter of Tanjiro helping Kanao to develop her own individual personality and not be shackled to the past. This opens her up more as a real person. It hints that Kanao begins to like Tanjiro because of this moment and I would not be surprised if that is the case.

The question remains if Tanjiro sees her in the same way. That is something that we will have to wait and see about later down the road. But given his prior connection to her as joining the Slayer Corps at the same time, it seems that he has some interest in the shy slayer.

Sanemi and Nezuko

Sanemi and Nezuko

One of the more obscure and strange ships is with Sanemi and Nezuko. Sanemi is another Hashira, known as the Wind Hashira. He also has one of the most notable personalities of the bunch. When the entire Hashira group is first introduced, Sanemi makes a bold impression on the viewer.

This is, unfortunately, due to his antagonization of Nezuko. Since she is a demon, he immediately wanted to kill her. It did not matter that Tanjiro and others vouched her. He tried to bring out her demon hunger for humans to have an excuse to kill her.

However, this is stopped and there is a part later in the manga where we see him apologize for this action. Nezuko’s reaction gives off the impression that she could possibly have a crush on him or at least think he is attractive.

There is also the fact that their relationship going from enemies to lovers would be interesting and attractive to some fans.

Sabito and Makomo

Sabito and Giyu is one of the most talked about ships in the Demon Slayer community. That said, there is one that I did not see anyone really mention and it is of interest to me, personally. Sabito and Makomo makes a lot of sense to me, and it is also one of the most tragic possible romances in the series.

As mentioned early, Sabito is the spiritual guide to Tanjiro as the fallen former apprentice of Urokodaki. At the same time as Sabito is mentoring Tanjiro, so is the cute and wholesome Makomo. She was another failed apprentice who died at the hands of the demon right around the same time as Sabito.

The two together already have a lot in common in their connection to one another from this alone. However, it is much deeper than that as it is revealed that they were orphans growing up together. This intense connection from a young age certainly could open up the possibility for romance.

In the end, I think this is most likely the one ship on this list that is never truly confirmed that is actually canon. It makes a lot of sense for these two tragic orphans to love one another and basically die together. Sorry, Giyu.

Zenitsu and Nezuko

Nezuko and Zenitsu

Finally, we have the crown ship of them all: Zenitsu and Nezuko. There is likely no other ship on this list that could compare to the popularity and passion of this one. After all, Zenitsu is one of the few characters confirmed to have feelings for someone else.

He makes it abundantly clear that he has a crush on Nezuko and continuously shows that in his actions. This is even disturbingly apparent in the dream sequence during the Mugen Train Arc. There is no doubting that Zenitsu has feelings for Nezuko.

So, the problem with this ship is the other side of the equation. Does Nezuko actually care about Zenitsu in the same way? The problem is that it is hard to tell with her. Her communication is a bit limited as a demon so finding out directly is a challenge.

Overall, it does seem like she mainly treats Zenitsu as a loving friend that she wants to protect. There is little more than that shown in the series up until the anime adaptation so it is hard to tell. In fact, she shows little affection for anyone outside of mainly Tanjiro.

However, that does not stop me and many others from wanting the two to end up together.

FAQs

Question: What is the Most Popular Demon Slayer Ship?

Answer: The most popular Demon Slayer ship is most likely Nezuko and Zenitsu. This is a clear winner for many fans due to the obvious crush that Zenitsu has on her.
Another major one that I think is quite popular is the ship of Giyu and Shinobu. They are both Hashira with their lives on the line and they have a partnership already, at least work-wise.

Question: Who is Giyu in Love with?

Answer: Giyu Tomioka does not canonically have anyone that he is in love with. That said, Shinobu is the most likely person that he could love. As mentioned already, they work together quite well with one another already as Hashira.
They have some chemistry and there are hints of possible romance. Unfortunately, we do not have an answer to whether or not Giyu is in love with her.

Question: Who Married in Demon Slayer?

Answer: This is the only spoiler section that we are going to have in this guide. If you do not want to know who marries who in the series, back away now. This is going to spoil some major relationships that have not possibly happened yet in the anime.
Still here? Alright, the main marriages that happen at the end of the series have to do with four couples. The first of these is the unsurprising one in Nezuko and Zenitsu marrying.
The second is main character Tanjiro ending up with fellow slayer Kanao. The third is Inosuke and Aoi. The fourth and final one is the seemingly reincarnated versions of Mitsuri and Obanai.

Conclusion

The top Demon Slayer ships guide was a tough one to make. After all, it meant pouring through tons of fan sites to see fan fiction and, of course, coming up with some of my own. That said, I think that these are the couples that make the most sense and are worth mentioning.

But, of course, this is only a small glimpse into the world of Demon Slayer. In the past, we made a Demon Slayer characters guide that covers many of these characters and many others. If you want to have a better idea of who some of these characters are, be sure to check that out for more information.

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