炭治郎 Main character
Tanjiro Kamado: everything about the hero of Demon Slayer
In short. Tanjiro Kamado is the hero of Demon Slayer. The eldest son of a family of charcoal sellers, he becomes a demon slayer after his family is slaughtered, to give back her humanity to his sister Nezuko, who has been turned into a demon. Gifted with an extraordinary sense of smell, he learns Water Breathing before rediscovering his father’s Hinokami Kagura, the Dance of the Fire God, heir to Sun Breathing. His blade is black, his hanafuda earrings come from his ancestors, and he fights Muzan Kibutsuji to the very end.
- Water Breathing
- Dance of the Fire God
- Black blade
- Hanafuda earrings
一 Demon slayer card
Tanjiro Kamado’s profile
Demon slayer
Tanjiro Kamado
竈門 炭治郎 · Kamado Tanjirô
- Age
- 13 at the start of the story, 15 at the Final Selection
- Height and weight
- 165 cm, 61 kg
- Birthday
- July 14
- Master
- Sakonji Urokodaki
- Family
- Tanjuro (father), Kie (mother), Nezuko, Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru and Rokuta
- Ancestor
- Sumiyoshi Kamado
- Fighting styles
- Water Breathing, Dance of the Fire God
- First appearance
- Chapter 1 of the manga, episode 1 of the anime
- Japanese voice
- Natsuki Hanae
- French voice
- Enzo Ratsito (seasons 1 and 2, Mugen Train movie), then Martin Faliu
二 Origins
Who is Tanjiro Kamado
Tanjiro grows up in the mountains, the eldest son of a modest family. When his father Tanjuro dies of illness, he becomes the support of his mother Kie and his five younger siblings, and regularly walks down to the village to sell the family’s charcoal.
One evening, held up in town, he spends the night at an old man’s house. When he returns, his family has been slaughtered by a demon. Only Nezuko is still breathing, but she has been transformed. Giyu Tomioka, a demon slayer passing by, is about to kill her when Nezuko protects her brother instead of attacking him. He spares them and sends Tanjiro to his former master.
From then on, a single goal drives Tanjiro: to give his sister back her humanity and find Muzan Kibutsuji, the first demon, who is responsible for the massacre. He joins the Demon Slayer Corps to get there, with Nezuko asleep in a box he carries on his back.
What strikes you first about Tanjiro is his kindness. He never gives up, asks for help without shame, and feels empathy even for the demons he has just defeated, to the point of sometimes hesitating before the final blow. This gentleness has its limits: Zenitsu’s whining and Inosuke’s brutality get on his nerves, and he cannot stand anyone picking on the weak.
This kindness is anything but naive: Tanjiro knows he is killing beings who were once human, where most demon slayers in Kimetsu no Yaiba only see monsters to be put down.
三 Fighting techniques
Tanjiro’s abilities
A hunter’s nose, two breathing styles and a mark that appears in the middle of a fight: this is what Tanjiro brings to bear against demons.
An extraordinary sense of smell
Tanjiro can smell demons from a distance, but also the emotions and intentions of the people around him: anger, sadness and lies all have a scent. In combat, this sense lets him perceive the thread that leads to his opponent’s opening.
Water Breathing
Sakonji Urokodaki teaches him Water Breathing for two years on Mount Sagiri. Tanjiro becomes formidable with it, to the point of adapting its forms to each situation, but his body is not built for this style.
The Dance of the Fire God
On Mount Natagumo, about to die at Rui’s hands, he remembers his father performing the Dance of the Fire God, the ritual the Kamado family performs at the start of each year, from nightfall until dawn. This ritual is in fact Sun Breathing, the very first breathing style.
Exhausting at first, the dance becomes his main style, and Tanjiro learns to blend it with Water Breathing. Both styles are detailed on our page about the breathing styles of Demon Slayer.
The mark and the Transparent World
Facing Daki and Gyutaro in the Entertainment District, the Demon Slayer Mark appears on his forehead, where an old burn scar used to be. It multiplies his abilities.
Later, Tanjiro reaches the Transparent World, a perception that lets him see through his opponent’s body, its muscles and its blood flow.
水 Water and sun
Two breathing styles in a single blade
Water learned from Sakonji Urokodaki, Sun passed down through a family dance: Tanjiro switches from one to the other over the course of his fights. Each breathing style has its forms, its masters and its signature techniques.
All the breathing styles explained四 Attributes
His blade, his earrings and his haori
Three objects are enough to recognise Tanjiro at a glance.
A black Nichirin blade
Tanjiro’s Nichirin blade is black, a rare colour. Rengoku tells him he has never seen a swordsman with a black blade become a Hashira; it is in fact the colour of Sun Breathing. Forged by Hotaru Haganezuka, his blade is broken or chipped three times, by Rui, by Akaza and against Daki.
After the Swordsmith Village, Tanjiro fights with an ancient blade found inside the Yoriichi Type Zero puppet, fitted with the guard of Rengoku’s sword. The colours of every blade are explained on our page about Nichirin swords and their colours.
Hanafuda earrings
His hanafuda earrings, decorated with a rising sun, come from his father. Their story goes back to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who wore them and left them to Sumiyoshi, the Kamado family’s ancestor.
Muzan recognises them at first sight, and Tanjiro becomes a target.
A green and black checkered haori
His green and black checkered haori is one of the most recognisable patterns in Kimetsu no Yaiba. It can also be worn outside the pages of the manga, with the Tanjiro costume with the checkered haori or the green checkered wearable blanket.
五 Timeline
Tanjiro’s journey, arc by arc
Tanjiro is at the centre of the twelve arcs of Demon Slayer. A detailed summary of each one can be found on our page covering every arc of the story.
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1Final SelectionFamily slaughtered, two years with Sakonji Urokodaki, survival on Mount Fujikasane.
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2First missionThe swamp demon, his first fight alongside Nezuko.
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3AsakusaHe crosses paths with Muzan in the street and meets Tamayo and Yushiro.
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4Tsuzumi MansionHe meets Zenitsu and Inosuke and defeats Kyogai.
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5Mount NatagumoHe rediscovers the Dance of the Fire God against Rui.
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6Rehabilitation TrainingTrial before the Hashira, Total Concentration Constant at the Butterfly Mansion.
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7Mugen TrainHe fights Enmu alongside Rengoku and witnesses his death against Akaza.
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8Entertainment DistrictWith Tengen Uzui against Daki and Gyutaro; his mark appears.
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9Swordsmith VillageA new blade, the fight against Hantengu, and Nezuko finally withstands the sun.
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10Hashira TrainingHe goes from Hashira to Hashira before the war against Muzan.
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11Infinity CastleAlongside Tomioka, he overcomes Akaza by reaching the Transparent World.
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12Sunrise CountdownHe faces Muzan until sunrise, is turned into a demon by his enemy’s final act, then brought back to humanity thanks to Tamayo’s cure.
六 Companions
Tanjiro’s allies
Tanjiro rarely moves forward alone. Around him are a sister, masters, two travelling companions and several Hashira. Each of them has a profile in our character directory, and the nine Hashira who train him are presented in our complete guide to the Hashira.
The bond that matters most remains the one that ties him to Nezuko. The whole story of Demon Slayer rests on this big brother’s promise: to protect her, carry her on his back by day and bring her back among humans. Nezuko, for her part, refuses to devour anyone and fights to defend her brother in every arc. This bond is also what leads Kagaya Ubuyashiki, during the trial, to accept a demon into the Corps.
Hover over or tap a card to flip it.
Turned into a demon, she refuses to devour humans and protects her brother in every fight. Everything about Nezuko, Tanjiro’s sister.
A former Water Hashira in a tengu mask, he trains Tanjiro for two years on Mount Sagiri.
The demon slayer who spares Tanjiro and Nezuko on the night of the massacre, then sends him to Urokodaki.
Cowardly and talkative, he becomes formidable once asleep, carried by Thunder Breathing.
Raised by boars, he fights with two chipped blades. Tanjiro’s rival at first, then a loyal friend.
His mentor for one night on the Mugen Train, whose courage marks Tanjiro forever.
He takes Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke to the Entertainment District, to face Daki and Gyutaro.
Unable to decide anything without tossing a coin, she learns from Tanjiro to listen to her heart.
Freed from Muzan’s control, she devotes her life to finding the cure that will make Nezuko human again.
七 Opponents
Tanjiro’s enemies
The common thread of his story is Muzan Kibutsuji, the first demon, who slaughtered his family. Along the way, Tanjiro faces several of his Moons, whose ranks and powers are presented on our page about Muzan and the demon Moons.
- RuiLower Moon 5, Mount Natagumo
- EnmuLower Moon 1, Mugen Train
- Daki and GyutaroUpper Moon 6, Entertainment District
- HantenguUpper Moon 4, Swordsmith Village
- AkazaUpper Moon 3, Infinity Castle
Against them, Tanjiro keeps the same attitude: he fights without mercy when lives are at stake, then takes the time to comfort the dying demon, often a human who was broken long before the transformation.
This way of looking at the enemy is one of the signatures of Demon Slayer: almost every defeated demon is granted a memory of their former life, often revealed the moment Tanjiro meets their gaze.
八 Anime, movies and games
Tanjiro on screen: anime, movies and games
In the anime by studio ufotable, Tanjiro’s French voice changes along the way. The seasons, the movies and the watch order are gathered on our page Demon Slayer watch order.
Japanese version
Natsuki Hanae
He has voiced Tanjiro since the first episode, which aired in Japan in April 2019.
French version
Enzo Ratsito, then Martin Faliu
Enzo Ratsito in seasons 1 and 2 and the Mugen Train movie, Martin Faliu from season 3 onwards.
He is also the hero of the Hinokami Chronicles, the games that let you relive the story controller in hand, presented on our page about Demon Slayer video games.
読 On the blog
Blog articles about Tanjiro
His portrait, his legacy, his masters and every stage of his journey in Demon Slayer each have their own article on the blog.
Who is Tanjiro
The story of Tanjiro, from charcoal seller to the final battleRead the article
How old is Tanjiro over the course of the story?Read the article
The Kamado family: Tanjuro, Kie and Tanjiro’s siblingsRead the article
Tanjiro’s nose, an extraordinary sense of smellRead the article
Why is Tanjiro one of the most loved shonen heroes?Read the article
His legacy and his techniques
Tanjiro’s hanafuda earrings and their legacyRead the article
The Dance of the Fire God, Hinokami Kagura explainedRead the article
Tanjiro’s mark, origin and evolutionRead the article
Why is Tanjiro’s blade black?Read the article
Who is Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the first demon slayer?Read the article
Tanjuro Kamado, Tanjiro’s fatherRead the article
The haori patterns and what they meanRead the article
His masters and his companions
Sakonji Urokodaki, the former Water Hashira and Tanjiro’s masterRead the article
Sabito and Makomo, the spirits of Mount SagiriRead the article
Tanjiro and Giyu, from merciful executioner to brother in armsRead the article
Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke: the story of the trioRead the article
Tanjiro and Kanao, a relationship that growsRead the article
His journey, from the Final Selection to the last battle
九 In the shop
Tanjiro products in our shop
Along with Nezuko, Tanjiro is the most featured character in our catalogue: more than 130 products in his image, from clothing to laundry baskets. The first two figures sum up his two breathing styles, water on one side and fire on the other.
Tanjiro dragon figureView the product
Tanjiro fire dragon figureView the product
Tanjiro sweatshirtView the product
Tanjiro Kamado plushView the product
Tanjiro wearable blanketView the product
Tanjiro fox figureView the product
Tanjiro backpackView the product
Tanjiro in flames posterView the product
For a shelf, our Demon Slayer figures bring together Tanjiro, his allies and his enemies. The checkered haori can be found among our cosplay costumes and accessories, and as a blanket in our throws with patterns from the series. Younger fans will prefer the character plushies.
Every product family is presented on our Demon Slayer Universe page.
十 Did you know
Trivia about Tanjiro Kamado
- His first name contains the character for charcoal, a nod to his family’s trade. His surname combines the characters for furnace and door.
- He ranked first in the manga’s first popularity poll, with 6,742 votes, then fourth in the second.
- He is unable to lie: as soon as he tries, his face twists into a grimace he cannot hide.
- From his mother he inherited a forehead of fearsome hardness, which Sanemi Shinazugawa learns the hard way during the trial.
- Inosuke never manages to remember his name and calls him, among other things, Gonpachiro Kamaboko.
- In his early versions, Tanjiro had neither a scar nor earrings, and his personality was more serious.
- The burn on his forehead comes from an overturned kettle: he stepped in to protect one of his brothers.
- In Japan, he shares his voice with Sieg, the hero of Fate/Apocrypha.
問 Your questions
Frequently asked questions
How old is Tanjiro?
He is 13 when his family is slaughtered, and 15 when he passes the Final Selection after two years of training. He was born on July 14.
Which breathing style does Tanjiro use?
Water Breathing first, then the Dance of the Fire God inherited from his father, which is none other than Sun Breathing. He often combines the two.
Why is Tanjiro’s blade black?
A Nichirin blade changes colour in the hands of its wielder. Black is rare, and it is said in the Corps that those who wield it never become Hashira. It is in fact the colour linked to Sun Breathing.
Where do Tanjiro’s earrings come from?
They come from his father and go back to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the creator of Sun Breathing, who left them to the Kamado family. It is by seeing them that Muzan understands who he is dealing with.
Does Tanjiro become a demon?
Warning, ending spoiler: yes. In his last moments, Muzan turns him into a demon to pass on his power. His friends hold him back, and Tamayo’s cure gives him back his humanity.
Who voices Tanjiro in French?
Enzo Ratsito in seasons 1 and 2 and the Mugen Train movie, then Martin Faliu from season 3 onwards. In Japanese, he is voiced by Natsuki Hanae.
道 The road ahead
To explore more of the Demon Slayer universe
