If you’ve watched Demon Slayer, you’ve probably noticed the absence of a key character, Tanjiro’s father. Tanjuro Kamado was only present in a few scenes, yet his appearance was remarkable.
This might leave you wondering about many things regarding this character. After all, anime lovers know how the dads are always a great motive and support to the protagonist.
Tanjuro Kamado is a crucial part of Demon Slayer as well. Not only does he resemble his son, but he also continues to inspire Tanjiro a lot in terms of skill and personality.
In this article, we’ve gathered all the released information about Tanjiro’s father, both from the Demon Slayer anime and manga. So, if you have any questions about the beloved Tanjuro, you’ll find all the answers in this article.
Beware of major anime and manga spoilers ahead though!
Who Was Tanjiro’s Father?
Tanjuro Kamado was the father of Demon Slayer’s protagonist, Tanjiro. He sadly passed away before the events of Demon Slayer took place, when Tanjiro was only seven years old.
He was married to Kie Kamado and had six children, including Tanjiro and Nezuko. However, little is known about the married couple’s relationship.
Despite his humble occupation as a coal burner and his frail sick state, Tanjuro was highly capable. In fact, he passed down all his abilities and knowledge to Tanjiro.
Additionally, Tanjuro never failed to perform the annual dance ritual, which he also taught Tanjiro to do.
Tanjuro Kamado is a part of an extremely powerful family. As a matter of fact, the Kamado family possesses the first and most powerful of all breathing styles, sun breathing.
Tanjuro Kamado’s Appearance
It’s pretty easy to figure out that Tanjuro is Tanjiro’s dad. Not only are their names identical, but they also look practically the same!
Tanjuro has the same blood-red hair as Tanjiro. Furthermore, he also bears the same scar on his forehead.
Adding to the confusion between the two characters, both father and son wear the same haori. The only difference is that Tanjuro’s is orange and black, while the main character has the unforgettable green and black haori.
Yet, what distinguishes the two characters from each other is obviously their age. Tanjuro appears to be older and also looks a lot paler and slimmer than his son. He also looks incredibly fragile to signify his life-long illness.
Scar
Tanjiro’s forehead scar is probably the thing that makes him stand out most among other anime protagonists. So, it can be a bit confusing how his father bears the same birthmark.
However, the scar that both father and son share isn’t just a birthmark. It was actually revealed by Rengoku, a flame Hashira, that the scar marks those who can utilize Sun Breathing.
Additionally, this scar is speculated to be a Demon Slayer mark. It can grow and change in size the more the demon slayer’s abilities grow. However, Tanjuro wasn’t a demon slayer.
Hanafuda Earrings
The resemblance continues even more! Tanjuro wore the signature Hanafuda earrings, which he later passed down to Tanjiro.
The Hanafuda earrings are proof of just how powerful the Kamado family is. They bear great significance in the Demon Slayer universe.
That’s because the earrings were originally worn by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a legendary demon slayer who created the breathing styles. Yoruichi’s mother made the Hanafuda earrings as a charm when Yoriichi was thought to be deaf.
Later, Yoriichi gifted the earrings to his close friend Sumiyoshi. Sumiyoshi is the ancestor of the Kamado family, so the earrings were passed down until they reached our beloved main character, Tanjiro.
In fact, even the great demon king, Muzan Kibutsuji, recognizes the Hanafuda earrings during his first interaction with Tanjiro, and they instill a lot of fear in the powerful demon.
Tanjuro Kamado’s Personality
Tanjiro’s father was extremely peaceful and selfless. That wasn’t just because of his ill state, but Tanjuro achieved the highest fighting style of all, the selfless state.
This selfless state allows its user to become completely detached from their surroundings, thus allowing Tanjuro to focus only on the battle.
This means Tanjuro was tranquil throughout his life. He bore no anger, bloodlust, or will for revenge. So much so that Tanjiro remembers his father as being almost like a plant, completely gentle and one with nature.
In fact, Tanjiro’s father was so poised that he apologized to a deadly bear. Tanjuro realized the bear was hungry and had no intent to kill the monster. Yet, this had to be done to protect his family, so Tanjuro simply killed the bear.
In other terms, Tanjiro’s charismatic and forgiving dad was the best role model for his son. So, it’s easy to imagine why Tanjiro’s memories of his father are enough to get him through any hardship.
Tanjuro Kamado’s Skills
Even though Tanjuro Kamado wasn’t a demon slayer, he wasn’t just a regular human. He was extremely powerful with his abilities rivaling that of a strong demon slayer.
Tanjiro’s father had extreme prowess and stamina. For starters, he had the signature scar on his forehead. This means he was able to use the most powerful form of breathing, sun breathing, or Hinokami Kagura.
The Hinokami Kagura is a legendary breathing style known only by the Kamado family. It’s the first breathing style ever made by Yoriishi Tsugikuni.
What’s more is that Tanjuro was able to access the transparent world. Having access to this transparent world means Tanjuro can speculate his opponent’s attacks and gestures, since he could see their muscle movement and blood flow.
What further proves Tanjuro’s abilities is that he was able to perform the Hinokami Kagura dance ritual for almost a full night without any rest, even though he was immensely sick at the time.
This dance consists of 12 different segments that are performed from dusk until dawn every new year. Despite Tanjuro’s sickness, he needed to perform this dance as an offering to the fire god to ward off any evil.
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Death
Tanjuro’s death is a mystery for Demon Slayer anime and manga lovers alike. We all know that Tanjiro’s father died when Tanjiro was only seven years old, yet no one knows the cause of his death.
There are many speculations about Tanjuro’s death. For instance, he is shown to suffer from a secret illness. Still, it was never stated what type of illness Tanjiro’s father suffered from.
Nevertheless, a widely-accepted theory is that Tanjuro’s death was due to the Demon Slayer mark. In the manga, the upper moon 1 states that anyone who possessed the Demon Slayer mark was set to die before turning 25.
That’s why many people believe the scar that Tanjuro had was actually a demon slayer mark, especially since he’s also shown to possess sun-breathing abilities. So, this might’ve been the cause of his death.
Tanjiro’s Father in the Anime
Tanjuro passed away before all Demon Slayer events took place. However, like all anime fathers, he had a huge role and was often present in event-altering flashbacks.
Needless to say, anytime you see any of those flashbacks, you should know that a major shift in Tanjiro’s character will follow.
During the Mount Natagomo Arc in season one, Tanjiro’s father appears during one of the most beautiful scenes in anime history. This flashback showed him performing the Hinokami Kagura dance ritual.
Tanjiro was struggling during a fight with Rui, one of the twelve Kizuki. The Kizuki is a group of the closest minions to the demon god, Muzan Kibutsuji.
Additionally, Nezuko was being held captive by the powerful demon, thus adding to the pressure of the situation. However, remembering Tanjuri’s dance inspired a defeated Tanjiro to fight on.
Since Rui is a hugely powerful demon, it requires more than the skills of an ordinary demon slayer to beat him. This means that Tanjuro’s dance served a great purpose in aiding Tanjiro against such a strong enemy.
To Conclude
Tanjuro Kamado is one of the most beloved anime fathers of all time. That’s because he was extremely powerful, yet he was unassuming and calm.
What’s more is that Tanjiro’s father taught his son a lot. So, if you’re a fan of Tanjiro or Nezuko, there’s no way you wouldn’t also admire their father.
Though he wasn’t a demon slayer, Tanjuro possessed powers and skills comparable to even the strongest Hashira. He was able to access the transparent world and use sun breathing, the most powerful breathing form.
Despite not being present in the events of Demon Slayer all that often, Tanjiro’s dad is always remembered through flashbacks where he helps Tanjiro unlock even greater skills.
Sadly, Tanjuro’s death remains a mystery. However, there are many fans who theorize that he might’ve died due to having the demon slayer mark, others think his death was simply a result of his illness.
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