Tanjiro Kamado
Demon slayer seeking to restore his sister's humanity.
Tanjiro Kamado is the lead character in the manga and anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge. After Muzan Kibutsuji kills his family and turns his sister Nezuko into a demon, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps to find a cure for her and seek revenge. He fights using Sun Breathing techniques and is the main enemy of Muzan and Akaza.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Creator
- Koyoharu Gotouge
- First
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba chapter 1: "Cruelty", June 3, 2016
- Last
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba one-shot: "Tanjiro's Status Report", February 4, 2021
- Spouse
- Kanao Tsuyuri (future wife)
- Portrayer
- Ryota Kobayashi; Shogo Sakamoto
- Voice
- Japanese
- Natsuki Hanae
- English
- Zach Aguilar
- Allegra Clark (child)
- Species
- Human; Demon (briefly)
Facts from the source article.
Creation and design
Tanjiro Kamado originates from Koyoharu Gotouge's ideas involving a one-shot with Japanese motifs. Gotouge cited issues in making the character due to the contrast with the dark narrative. For the seventh chapter's cover, Gotouge drew Tanjiro smiling while wielding his sword, but discarded it for a serious expression due to contrasting aesthetics. Initial designs lacked a scar and earrings, but these features were added to accentuate the character. Katayama commented that Tanjiro is a kind male main character rarely seen, who cannot view all demons as absolute evil because of Nezuko. Tanjiro's design was influenced by the scar of Himura Kenshin from Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin, as Katayama wanted something to make him stand out. The earrings were considered a little feminine but accentuated his character. Ufotable drew inspiration from Hokusai's ukiyo-e style for Tanjiro's Water Breathing, and the first fight scene with Giyu was carefully animated. The anime uses an insert theme song titled 'Kamado Tanjiro no Uta' expressing his determination.
Appearances
Tanjiro Kamado is the oldest son of charcoal-seller Tanjuro and Kie. In the first chapter, he finds his mother and younger siblings murdered by Muzan Kibutsuji, with only his sister Nezuko surviving as a demon. After seeing Tanjiro's skills and Nezuko's unwillingness to devour him, Giyu Tomioka sends them to Sakonji Urokodaki to train. Tanjiro trains for two years in Water Breathing and slices a large rock with help from ghosts Sabito and Makomo to enter the Final Selection, where he slays a demon responsible for their deaths. As a demon slayer, he encounters Muzan in Asakusa, who escapes and vows to kill Tanjiro upon seeing his hanafuda earrings. Tanjiro meets friendly demons Tamayo and Yushiro, assisting their research to restore Nezuko's humanity by collecting blood samples from vanquished demons. He travels with Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira. In battle against Rui, Tanjiro remembers the Kamado family dance and performs Sun Breathing, merging it with Water Breathing. After Rui's defeat, Tanjiro and Nezuko are prosecuted by Shinobu Kocho but pardoned by Kagaya Ubuyashiki, and they recover at the Butterfly Mansion.
Reception
Tanjiro ranked first in the first Demon Slayer character popularity poll with 6,742 votes. In a 2020 Anime! Anime! poll, readers voted his first usage of the fire technique as his best action, and his bond with Nezuko was voted as having one of the best quotes. At the 4th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, Tanjiro won Best Boy and was nominated for Best Protagonist; his fight with Nezuko against Rui won Best Fight Scene. Critics praised the scene's visuals and execution, with IGN calling it one of the best television episodes. Tanjiro won the Newtype Anime Award for Best Male Character, and Natsuki Hanae won Best Voice Actor for his performance. He was one of five recipients in Funimation's Best Boys of the Decade fan poll and appeared in TV Time's best characters of 2019. In a Benesse survey, elementary school students voted him the most trusted character. In November 2020, Hong Kong police posted an anti-fraud mascot resembling Tanjiro, drawing concern from activist Agnes Chow. A card illustrated by Gin Tama author Hideaki Sorachi depicting Tanjiro and the Hashira was given to theatergoers of Gintama The Final Film. In October 2021, Shueisha failed its appeal to trademark Tanjiro's clothing patterns.
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