“No Other Main Character Like Tanjiro” – Shonen Jump Knew What Made Demon Slayer Special With One Scene

Demon Slayer is best known for its relatable, dynamic, and lovable characters. One of the most noteworthy heroes in the entire series is the protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado. Tanjiro truly stands out as unique and different from the other amazing heroes, thanks to one quality showcased in an interesting and heartfelt scene from the first season of the Demon Slayer anime.

In an interview with Demon Slayer editor, Tatsuhiko Katayama, published on the website MANGA Plus, he discussed one of Tanjiro’s most impactful scenes in the series and how it set the hero apart from other shonen protagonists. In chapter #8 of the manga and episode #4 of the anime, during the Final Selection process, Tanjiro encountered a villain called the Hand Demon, who was attacking and killing droves of innocent humans.

The aspiring demon slayer used Water Breathing to chop off the demon’s head, ending his reign of terror. However, in the villain’s final moments, Tanjiro showed him sympathy in spite of the demon’s murderous history.

Tanjiro Showed Sympathy To The Hand Demon

In spite of his evil deeds, the hero made sure to give the villain a relatively peaceful death

“When I first heard of that scene, I thought there was no other main character quite like Tanjiro, and I got goosebumps.” – Tatsuhiko Katayama, Demon Slayer editor

After realizing he was going to die, The Hand Demon desperately reached out one of his hands towards the aspiring demon slayer. Although Tanjiro could’ve rejected this gesture, he instead took the demon’s hand, offering him some final comfort at the end of his life. Katayama stated in the interview, “When I first heard of that scene, I thought there was no other main character quite like Tanjiro, and I got goosebumps.” Although Gotouge, the creator of Demon Slayer, suggested cutting out the emotional scene, it was left in because it beautifully represented the protagonist’s merciful character and nature.

This tragic moment is one of the first in the series to really showcase the type of person Tanjiro Kamado is. Katayama elaborated on why he loves the scene so much, explaining, “The enemy too has experienced his own sadness, and in squeezing his hand Tanjiro shows mercy.” Many of the characters in Demon Slayer hate demons and show them no compassion or leniency whatsoever when killing them, since their vile actions have harmed humanity so greatly. Tanjiro is perhaps the only hero in the series to truly attempt to empathize with demons, while still not excusing their horrific actions.

Tanjiro Strikes A Balance Between Showing Compassion To Demons And Stopping Their Evil Actions

Tanjiro Shows Kindness to Demons in their Final Moments

It’s surprising Gotouge wanted to remove this pivotal scene from the storyboard for the manga because it is such a crucial and important scene for Tanjiro’s character development and showing how far he had developed in his strength and abilities during the Final Selection, which was a strenuous and lengthy process. The young hero had to survive a mountain full of demons alone for seven days to prove he was worthy of joining the Demon Slayer Corps. The Hand Demon fight was definitely one of his most difficult battles yet and proved the young hero was deserving of the Demon Slayer title.

The battle did more than just prove the physical strength he had gained through training and show off his impressive use of his Water Breathing though. It also gave fans a glimpse into Tanjiro’s heart. By choosing to hold the Hand Demon’s hand, Tanjiro showed the demon undeserved mercy and even seemed to feel true sadness for the demon’s predicament, realizing that the villain did not ask to become an evil creature. His pity for demons appears again and again throughout Demon Slayer, and although he kills them to protect others from their bloodthirsty ways, he becomes emotionally affected by their suffering.

Tanjiro Is The Most Kindhearted Shonen Protagonist Of All

It is a blessing that this Hand Demon scene was left in Demon Slayer because it portrayed Tanjiro as a revolutionary shonen protagonist, different from other, more merciless heroes. Tanjiro certainly hates evil, which is a common trait for shonen heroes to have. However, the aspect that sets him apart from the rest is his connection with his emotional side, his gentleness with even those who do him wrong, and his seemingly limitless mercy. A ruthless killer like the Hand Demon, who murdered fifty humans, including participants in the Final Selection, was arguably undeserving of any kindness, but this didn’t change Tanjiro’s behavior.

Although he possesses a lot of similarities with typical heroic characters, such as physical might and amazing powers, Tanjiro’s emotional side is one of his most uniquely beautiful strengths and where he differs from the rest. For example, Jujutsu Kaisen’s Gojo does not show mercy to curses, and Attack on Titan’s Eren does not sympathize with the Titans. But Tanjiro feels pity for demons, recognizing that most of them didn’t choose that fate, and this sympathy pushes him to fight harder towards his goal of defeating Muzan. As one of the strongest shonen heroes, he magnificently proves that showing emotion isn’t a weakness.

Tanjiro’s Emotional Intelligence Helps Him Achieve His Goals

His Caring Nature Is a Strength, Not a Hindrance

Tanjiro’s support for his friends, care for his younger sister Nezuko, and kindness towards everyone he meets prove that he is perhaps anime’s nicest hero. However, the understanding and compassion he shows to even the worst villains truly places him on another level and makes him immensely memorable. If anyone has a right to hate demons, it is Tanjiro. They murdered almost his entire family and transformed his beloved sister into a demon. However, he patiently listens to demons’ backstories, shows them physical comfort through acts such as hand-holding, offers words of comfort, and sometimes weeps for them.

Tanjiro does kill a great number of demons in the series and never excuses the way they prey on and harm the innocent, condemning their horrible actions. However, he doesn’t draw out their deaths or make them suffer, delivers swift blows, and stays by them in their final moments. It is truly shocking how big his heart is after all he has been through, and this is one of his greatest strengths. Even after enduring horrible circumstances, Demon Slayer protagonist Tanjiro’s kindness and sympathy prevail, making him a new kind of shonen hero, characterized by remarkable emotional strength, not just physical might.

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