Joining the Demon Slayer Corp is no easy feat on Demon Slayer, and anyone who finds themselves amongst its ranks can be considered a decent opponent. But of the three main Demon Slayers we follow throughout the anime, Zenitsu is probably the least skilled when it comes to physical combat. In part, that's because he's a coward — something that prevents him from acting more often than not.
Zenitsu's best fighting moves have been demonstrated when he falls asleep, thus letting go of all the fear he carries with him when he's conscious. Of course, such circumstances don't make for a decent fighter. Thankfully, there are situations Zenitsu has managed to get himself out of. But when it comes to who Zenitsu can defeat, the list is currently on the small side. Hopefully, his current Demon Slayer training will change that.
Here are 5 characters Zenitsu can beat (& 5 that he can't).
10 Can Beat: Murata
Murata was among the Demon Slayers who were trapped by the family of Spider Demons living on Natagumo Mountain. His comrades were easily wiped out by Rui's mother, and even Murata would have perished if it hadn't been for Tanjiro and Inosuke. The Hashira later comment on the lack of skill Murata and his comrades had, and it's hard to deny there's truth to the sentiment. Newer recruits did overcome what they failed to.
And while Zenitsu never faced off against the Mother Spider Demon, he does battle Rui's elder brother. Given that Zenitsu managed to come out of that situation alive, we'd say he's more powerful than Murata.
9 Can't Beat: Tanjiro
Demon Slayer seems to be setting Tanjiro up as one of the most powerful new recruits, as well as the most likely to join the upper ranks of the Demon Slayer Corp. Comparing him to Zenitsu, it's a no brainer to determine who would win in a fight. Tanjiro's confidence alone would allow him to overpower the other boy, but his knack for strategizing and skill with a sword would certainly help too.
Given how talented Tanjiro is, it's likely he'd defeat Zenitsu, even if the latter could fall asleep and call on his powers. Tanjiro's demonstrated his ability to take down more powerful demons and adapt to training on more than one occasion, so it just makes sense.
8 Can Beat: Kanao
Comparing Zenitsu before his stay at the Butterfly Estate to Kanao, we'd probably guess that Kanao would defeat him easily in a one-on-one match. But after Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke train with Kanao and the others residing at the estate, Zenitsu manages to best her — in terms of speed, at least.
Whether this equates to him being more suited for combat than she is remains to be seen, but we’d surmise he at least as a chance at beating her.
7 Can't Beat: Inosuke
Inosuke is probably the closest to Zenitsu in terms of power, considering they're both new Demon Slayer recruits and they're both less skilled than Tanjiro. If they ever were to face off, however, it's likely Inosuke would win. While Zenitsu tends to cower and hold back initially, Inosuke fights purely on instinct — and that would give him quite an advantage over his friend.
In fact, we even see an example of this when Inosuke and Zenitsu first meet one another. Zenitsu attempts to protect Nezuko from Inosuke's attacks, but his refusal to fight back winds up getting him hurt in the end.
6 Can Beat: Brother Spider Demon
The family of Spider Demons Zenitsu and his friends run into on Natagumo Mountain are all pretty powerful, and it's a wonder that any of them make it off the mountain alive. But Zenitsu does prove himself worthy of being a Demon Slayer during this arc, taking down the Rui's older brother, a demon who uses venom to kill his opponents.
To be fair, Zenitsu does almost die when taking down the Brother Spider Demon — but he still comes out on top, and that’s what counts, isn’t it?
5 Can't Beat: Giyu
As a member of the Hashira, it's no surprise that Giyu would be able to win against Zenitsu any day — at least at this point in the series. The Water Pillar has proven himself capable of taking down far more powerful demons than any of the new recruits could manage, and he's proven himself stronger than Tanjiro and Inosuke when it comes to physical combat.
While it’s possible that Zenitsu could reach the level of the upper members of the Demon Slayer Corp one day, there’s just no way he’d be able to hold his own against Giyu currently.
4 Can Beat: Tongue Demon
The Tongue Demon is one of the less powerful demons viewers meet during the Drum House arc, and it's the one that Zenitsu finds himself face to face with before getting ejected from the strange home. And during their encounter, Zenitsu proves that he's stronger than this monster by falling asleep and taking him down with ease.
If Zenitsu were always able to fight like he did against the Tongue Demon, he'd rise the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corp in no time.
3 Can't Beat: Nezuko
Nezuko may not be the most powerful demon out there, but she can be intimidating when she wants to be — usually when her brother is in trouble or when someone is threatening him. Her strength and speed when she’s embracing her new demon abilities are pretty impressive, and she’d likely give Zenitsu a run for his money if they were to fight.
Also, let’s be honest for a moment — with his obsession with “cute girls,” Zenitsu probably wouldn’t actually attack Nezuko in the first place.
2 Can Beat: Swamp Demon
The Swamp Demon is one of the first demons that Tanjiro and Nezuko come across following the Final Selection arc. It’s one of the weaker demons viewers meet during the anime, and while Zenitsu has never had a run-in with it, it’s probably safe to assume he’d find a way to defeat it — even if that involves him being unconscious.
To be fair, the Swamp Demon does tend to strike at night. That might even give Zenitsu an advantage, making it easier for him to fall asleep mid-fight...
1 Can't Beat: Rui
Although Zenitsu managed to overcome Rui's elder brother, it's unlikely he'd be able to do the same with Rui. Given that Rui is one of the Twelve Demon Moons, he's an incredibly powerful creature — one that almost kills Tanjiro, who's more capable than Zenitsu is when it comes to dispatching demons.
If even Tanjiro wasn't able to defeat Rui, it's doubtful that Zenitsu would be able to, conscious or not.