Demon hunter
{{Short description|Character in fiction who hunts and destroys demons}}
{{other uses|Demon hunter (disambiguation)}}
File:B-Schattenpuppe-Zhongkui (Peking).JPG is a Chinese deity who was considered to be a vanquisher of ghosts and other evil beings.]]
Demon hunter or demon slayer is a demonology-related historic occupation or folkloric character which specializes in killing demons, monsters, or undead creatures.{{cite book | last=Netton | first=I.R. | title=Islam, Christianity and the Mystic Journey | publisher=Edinburgh University Press | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-7486-8813-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=achvAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA31 | access-date=July 16, 2022 | page=31}}{{cite book | last=MacRae | first=C.D. | title=Presenting Young Adult Fantasy Fiction | publisher=Twayne Publishers | series=Twayne's United States authors series | year=1998 | isbn=978-0-8057-8220-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ELpZAAAAMAAJ | language=de | access-date=July 16, 2022 | page=}} A demon hunter typically is involved with a deity and angels, and they typically wield religious text, holy water, and relics.{{cite book | title=Demon hunter's handbook. | publication-place=Bellevue, Washington | date=2013 | isbn=978-1-60125-554-9 | oclc=841673121 | page=}}
The character type has diverse roots in myths, Abrahamic religions, African magic, Christian media, Classic Chinese Novels, and Japanese urban legend.{{cite web | last=Linden | first=Sheri | title=Review: 'Journey to the West' a rollicking tale of demon hunters | website=Baltimore Sun | date=March 6, 2014 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/la-et-mn-journey-to-the-west-review-20140307-story.html | access-date=July 16, 2022}}{{cite web | last=Voigt | first=Andrew | title=Heaven's Metal: An Oral History Of The Genesis Of Christian Metal | website=HM Magazine | date=June 8, 2021 | url=https://hmmagazine.com/feature/heavens-metal/ | access-date=July 16, 2022}} Variants include other monster hunters, such as the dragonslayer and the vampire hunter.
In fiction
Some fictional demon hunters are Hellboy, Buffy Summers,{{cite book | last=Genz | first=S. | title=Postfemininities in Popular Culture | publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-230-23441-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IN0YDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA159 | access-date=July 16, 2022 | page=159}} Dante,{{cite web | last=Lee | first=Jonathan | title=Doom Eternal's first expansion, The Ancient Gods: Part One, announces release date | website=Yahoo | date=August 28, 2020 | url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/doom-eternal-first-expansion-ancient-202315352.html | access-date=July 16, 2022}} Doomguy,{{cite web | last=Lee | first=Jonathan | title=Doom Eternal's first expansion, The Ancient Gods: Part One, announces release date | website=Yahoo | date=August 28, 2020 | url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/doom-eternal-first-expansion-ancient-202315352.html | access-date=July 16, 2022}} Guts,{{cite web | last=Kogod | first=Theo | title=10 Best Fight Scenes In Berserk | website=CBR | date=November 16, 2019 | url=https://www.cbr.com/berserk-best-fight-scenes/ | access-date=July 16, 2022}} Illidan Stormrage, Nezuko Kamado, Tanjiro Kamado,{{cite web | last=Kemner | first=Louis | title=Demon Slayer: 10 Most Fearless Characters, Ranked | website=CBR | date=October 25, 2021 | url=https://www.cbr.com/demon-slayer-fearless-characters/ | access-date=July 16, 2022}} Spawn, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester,{{cite web | last1=Kripke | first1=Eric | last2=Thompson | first2=Robbie | last3=Drum | first3=Nicole | title=Jensen Ackles Reveals if He'd Consider a Supernatural Reboot | website=TV Shows | date=July 14, 2022 | url=https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/jensen-ackles-reveals-if-hed-consider-a-supernatural-reboot/ | access-date=July 16, 2022}} and Bayonetta.{{cite book | last=Cook | first=Caleb D. | title=The eyes of Bayonetta 2 : Bayonetta 2 official art book | publication-place=Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada | date=2014 | isbn=978-1-77294-084-8 | oclc=1078895556 | page=}}