Demon Slayer's "Entertainment District" arc introduced the next guiding force for the series' main trio in the form of Tengen Uzui. Previously, Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke were taken under the wing of the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, whose courageous act was guaranteed to be difficult to follow. Rengoku left an impact on everyone around him, which surely set up the next Hashira for failure.
However, Tengen's introduction in Demon Slayer was far from disappointing. Despite having to compete with the late Rengoku, the Sound Hashira left just as much of an impression on the budding demon slayers who idolized him. In many ways, Tengen showed the audience that Rengoku can still be held on a pedestal by fans -- but the Hashira to come will be just as worthy of praise.
Tengen Uzui’s Narrative Placement Is His Most Important Feature
What makes Tengen so likable is not necessarily his character, but rather the unique role he played in Demon Slayer's narrative. He had to follow directly after Rengoku in the midst of the Mugen Train film's success. Rengoku was undoubtedly the most popular character the movie adaptation introduced, combining an incredible character design with moral conviction, and the physical prowess and innate strength to back it up. He resonated with Tanjiro and his friends and won the hearts of fans, which made Tengen's introduction far more difficult.
Rengoku's ever-increasing popularity boosted expectations of the next Hashira, but in the end this became a strength for Tengen. Overall, there isn't anything too unique about the latter's character. He's the flamboyant Shinobi, a subverted archetype that acts as an extension of Uzui's resentment toward and rejection of the traditional Shinobi lifestyle. While this is masterfully executed, it's not necessarily revolutionary, as subversions of traditional character types are often how many beloved characters are born. Therefore, the value of Tengen's placement in the narrative was really what strengthened him.
Tengen Is the Hashira Most Similar to Rengoku
Of all the remaining Hashira in Demon Slayer, Tengen is the most similar to Rengoku. Both are eccentric young men whom many perceive as odd with unbreakable moral conviction, and a strong commitment to prioritizing the lives of others over their own. The pair are also the only members of the Hashira to not have had their lives directly influenced by the impact of demons. Tengen became a Sound Breathing demon slayer to oppose his previous Shinobi lifestyle, and Rengoku was following in his ancestor's footsteps. Yet while they overlap, they also serve as completely different characters.
Unlike Rengoku, Tengen has some selfish tendencies -- but these are often complicated by his sense of morality. He places less importance on trust and feelings for those he has not yet let into his inner circle, which is why it takes him more time than Rengoku to embrace the trio's help. When it seemed as though Zenitsu had been killed, Tengen practically forced Tanjiro and Inosuke to leave the operation, saying his actions were irresponsible and refusing to let anyone other than himself get hurt. While this is valiant, Rengoku would have immediately taken the children under his wing and allowed them to fight alongside him. For Tengen, this same level of trust and belief took more time to build.
These differences do an excellent job of conveying that Tengen is not Rengoku, and his inferiority complex consolidates this. Despite his charisma and confident declarations of godhood, the Sound Hashira truly views himself as the least of his peers -- which is the reason he always puts his own life on the line. Both in the confines of the storyline and the narrative's greater meta-aspect, Tengen is trying to live up to Rengoku's legacy. He doesn't believe he could do what the Flame Hashira did, but he will aim in his own way to stand true to his convictions -- which is the best way Demon Slayer could create a follow-up character to Rengoku.
By allowing the Hashira who is most similar to Rengoku -- and yet a wholly different character with his own struggles -- to show the audience that not everyone will be like the Flame Hashira, Tengen became the perfect follow-up. Each Hashira strives to defeat demons and protect the people around them, but Tengen's narrative placement showed fans that each pillar will take a different approach to this.