Gyomei Himejima serves as the Stone Hashira, a central pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps. Blind from birth, he was raised within the Himejima clan on Mount Hinode. Orphaned young—his mother perished in childbirth and his father during an epidemic—he later sheltered nine orphaned children in a crumbling temple. Despite severe poverty and malnutrition, he prioritized feeding the children, growing frail himself. The temple lay in demon territory, forcing Gyomei to burn protective wisteria incense nightly. Tragedy erupted when one child broke temple rules after sunset and encountered a demon. To save himself, the child betrayed the others, extinguishing the incense and luring the demon inside. The demon slaughtered eight children; only the youngest, Sayo, survived by hiding behind Gyomei. Consumed by desperation, Gyomei unleashed his latent physical strength, smashing the demon relentlessly until dawn. Villagers arriving at the carnage misconstrued traumatized Sayo's cry—"That man is a monster! Everyone... he... killed everyone!"—leading to Gyomei's imprisonment for murder. Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the Corps leader, intervened before his execution and secured his release. Gyomei joined the Demon Slayer Corps and ascended to Hashira rank within two months, showcasing exceptional prowess. His physique is imposing: roughly 220 cm tall, weighing 130 kg, heavily muscled, bearing a horizontal forehead scar and sightless white eyes. He wears the standard Demon Slayer uniform with an olive-green haori and carries large prayer beads, reflecting devout Buddhist practices. He frequently recites "Namu Amida Butsu" and weeps openly, demonstrating profound empathy. Personality-wise, Gyomei embodies gentleness and spiritual humility despite his formidable strength. His traumatic past fostered enduring distrust, especially toward children and strangers, believing inherent human vulnerability breeds betrayal. However, his loyalty becomes absolute once he accepts someone. Initially skeptical of Nezuko Kamado’s humanity, he advocated her execution but later fully supported Tanjiro after witnessing his integrity during training and learning of Nezuko’s selflessness at the Swordsmith Village. In combat, Gyomei is recognized as the strongest Hashira, possessing peak physical abilities. These include immense strength (enabling him to push boulders larger than himself), enhanced reflexes, and extraordinary endurance. His blindness heightened his other senses, particularly hearing; he detects subtle sounds like demonic regeneration and tracks opponents via weapon-chain vibrations. He employs "Repetitive Action"—recalling painful memories to intensify focus—and mastered Stone Breathing, a swordsmanship style utilizing a unique chained Nichirin steel weapon: an axe combined with a spiked flail. Key techniques include "Serpentinite Bipolar" (simultaneous axe and flail strikes) and "Arcs of Justice" (wide circular assaults). During the Infinity Castle arc, Gyomei awakened his Demon Slayer Mark—cracked-earth patterns on his forearms—amplifying his speed and strength. He also gained access to the "Transparent World," perceiving biological processes like blood flow and muscle movement. Against Upper Rank One Kokushibo, he exploited this vision to disrupt the demon’s attacks by altering his own muscle movements. He later turned his weapons bright red to hinder demonic regeneration, a vital tactic during the prolonged battle against Muzan Kibutsuji. These conflicts inflicted severe injuries, including the loss of his left leg. In the Hashira Training Arc, Gyomei oversaw extreme physical conditioning focused on core and limb strength. Tasks included meditation under crushing waterfalls, carrying weighted logs across scorched ground, and pushing massive boulders. He shared his past with Tanjiro during this period, solidifying their mutual respect. He also mentored Genya Shinazugawa, training him in Stone Breathing despite Genya’s inability to use conventional breath techniques. Earlier, Gyomei had calmed Genya after the latter consumed demon flesh, forging their bond. Gyomei’s convictions center on human dignity. He rejected Kokushibo’s offer of demonhood, declaring that Hashira must accept mortality without compromise. His final act was aiding Muzan's defeat, upholding his belief that humans must "live and die as human beings."