Tanjiro Kamado (Japanese: 竈門 炭治郎, Hepburn: Kamado Tanjirō) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, created by Koyoharu Gotouge. Tanjiro goes on a quest to restore the humanity of his sister, Nezuko, after his family was killed and his sister was transformed into a demon by Muzan Kibutsuji following an attack that resulted in the death of his other relatives. After an encounter with Giyu Tomioka, a demon slayer, Tanjiro is recruited by Giyu to also become a demon slayer to help his sister turn human again and avenge his family. He uses Hinokami Kagura (Sun Breathing) with his sword. Tanjiro is a prominent member and character in the Demon Slayer Corps and the archenemy of Muzan and Akaza. Besides Ufotable's Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime adaptation, Tanjiro has also appeared in a light novel that acts as a prequel to the manga. Gotouge created Tanjiro following a suggestion from their editor of having a bright main character who would stand out in his dark narrative. His design was partially influenced by Himura Kenshin from Nobuhiro Watsuki's manga Rurouni Kenshin. The character is primarily voiced by Natsuki Hanae in Japanese and Zach Aguilar in English. Tanjiro has been well received by manga and anime critics due to his empathetic nature towards others and relationship with his sister. This has led to the character winning multiple awards with Hanae's performance as him also receiving one. Aguilar's performance was also well received.
Creation and design
Tanjiro Kamado originates from Koyoharu Gotouge's ideas involving a one-shot with Japanese motifs. Tatsuhiko Katayama, their editor at Shueisha, was worried about the one-shot crusade being too dark for the young demographic and asked Gotouge if they could write another type of the main character who would be "brighter". Gotouge has cited issues in the making of the character due to the contrast he has with the dark narrative. For the release of the manga's seventh chapter, Gotouge drew a cover of Tanjiro wielding his sword while smiling. However, due to the contrasting aesthetics the manga had, they discarded the drawing and instead drew a similar design with Tanjiro having a serious expression. In the initial design, Tanjiro did not have a scar or wear earrings, but in the end, they felt these features accentuated the character. In the making of the cast, Tanjiro had four supporting characters who would balance each other due to their different skills. The editor commented about Tanjiro, "[He] is a type of male main character that you don't see much. He's so kind. He has Nezuko, so he's coming from this position where he can't just say all demons are absolute evil. He's in the gray zone." Tanjiro's design was also influenced by Gotouge's editor; he felt that there was no impact in his appearance and wanted something that would make him stand out, like the scar of Himura Kenshin from Nobuhiro Watsuki's manga Rurouni Kenshin. Katayama commented that the earrings were "a little feminine", but that they accentuated his character. Yuma Takahashi, the producer behind the adaptation of the manga said he enjoyed Tanjiro's role in the manga, making him engaged in reading the series. For how Tanjiro's Water Breathing was portrayed, Ufotable received inspiration from Hokusai's ukiyo-e style. The first fight scene between Tanjiro and Giyu was also carefully animated to give viewers an appealing choreography. Tanjiro's water-based techniques were created using a mix between hand-drawn animation and CGI, while his battle against Rui was one of the most worked scenes in the making. Takahashi also said that Tanjiro is his most relatable character from the series due to how his constant hard work inspires him. The anime uses an insert theme song titled "Kamado Tanjiro no Uta," expressing his determination to stand up from despair and protect his younger sister.
When the anime series premiered in China, Tanjiro's design was slightly altered. Due to his hanafuda earrings having Rising Sun-style elements, it was feared it would offend the Mainland leading to brief retouches to them.
Voice actors Tanjiro has been voiced by Natsuki Hanae in Japanese. Hanae noted that multiple responses to his career involved him portraying sad characters. However, in Tanjiro's case, he said Tanjiro is on the easy side because he says what he thinks, and is not the type that thinks one way and other things. Nezuko's actress, Akari Kitō, said Hanae is like a big brother to her at the studio, supportive and if there are parts she has difficulty recording, Hanae would stay and wait till she finishes even though his part has finished. Hanae said he also thinks of Kitō as a younger sister. He also says it is easier for him to do his best when he is around people with whom he is friendly. Tanjiro's fighting style was liked by Hanae who reported he often made Tanjiro's shouts when playing video games. He appreciated the feedback he was given by the viewers of the anime. English voice actor Zach Aguilar was overjoyed when being given the role of voicing Tanjiro in the dub due to him being a fan of the series, as well as noting he was supported by multiple fans. In another news, Aguilar ended liking the character as well as his fellow companions, wishing to find merchandising of Tanjiro. Allegra Clark voices Tanjiro as an infant. Clark admitted she became emotional during the recording of the series and liked the younger incarnation of the character.
Appearances
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