Tanjiro Kamado is the lead character in the highly popular anime/manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. He is the eldest child of the Kamado family and the older brother of Nezuko Kamado. Tanjiro holds the rank of Kanoe in the Demon Slayer Corps and is a member of the organization. He became a Demon Slayer with the goal of finding a way to transform Nezuko back into a human and to avenge the murder of his family, as well as his sister’s transformation into a demon.

Tanjiro’s personality

Tanjiro is a kind-hearted individual and is often praised for his gentle eyes. He possesses strong willpower and is very determined, especially when it comes to finding a cure for his sister Nezuko. Despite being strong on his own, Tanjiro Kamado is not afraid to ask for help when needed. He is fiercely protective of his friends and especially of his younger sister. However, even with his kind and understanding nature, Tanjiro does have a limit to his patience and dislikes rudeness. He becomes easily annoyed by Zenitsu’s constant whining and angered by Inosuke’s barbaric behavior.

One of Tanjiro’s most noteworthy traits is his ability to empathize with others, including demons. This often causes him to hesitate before delivering the final blow. Unfortunately, this moment of hesitation has led to some demons taking advantage of his compassion to recover and continue fighting, although this is a rare occurrence. As Tanjiro Kamado gains more experience, he becomes more strategic and disciplined in his decision-making. His dedication to protecting the weak motivates him to face his enemies with respect and honor, whether they are good people or evil demons.

Tanjiro’s Power Before Becoming a Demon Slayer

Hard Skull

Tanjiro Kamado possesses a hard skull that he inherited from his mother, which makes his head extremely durable. With just a single headbutt, he is capable of inflicting significant physical damage on his opponents. For instance, he was able to stun Sanemi, the Wind Hashira, or Muichiro, the Mist Hashira using this technique.

Sense of Smell

Tanjiro’s sense of smell is exceptionally strong, bordering on superhuman. Even before becoming a Demon Slayer, he was known in his village for his incredible olfactory abilities, which were said to rival those of hounds, bears, sharks, and other animals. Tanjiro Kamado is capable of detecting even the faintest scents and can track their source with remarkable accuracy over long distances. His sense of smell is so acute that he can detect the “opening thread,” a slight pause in an opponent’s movement that provides him with an opportunity to strike.

Enhanced Strength

Following his intense training at Mount Sagiri, Tanjiro has acquired extraordinary arm and leg strength, allowing him to perform incredible feats such as effortlessly jumping over buildings and a gigantic Hand Demon. He has also demonstrated his immense strength by casually breaking Genya’s arm with a single blow and shattering Inosuke’s ribs, sending him flying. With his katana, Tanjiro Kamado can slice through huge boulders and entire trees. During his training, he was capable of doing hundreds of push-ups and various other strength-related exercises. In one instance, he carried dozens of large boxes effortlessly, and when he was enraged, he even ripped off an Upper Rank’s leg. During his training with Gyomei Himejima, he was tasked with carrying three enormous logs on his back and pushing a boulder through town. Tanjiro’s strength was further demonstrated when he successfully decapitated Akaza, a feat that even Kyojuro could not accomplish.

Immense Stamina & Endurance

Tanjiro possesses exceptional stamina and endurance, as evidenced by his ability to endure and survive the grueling training on a mountain with little to no oxygen. During this training, he had to navigate booby traps, run, and improve his swordsmanship skills and physique under extremely harsh conditions. His stamina and endurance were further enhanced after mastering Total Concentration: Constant, which allows him to exert himself physically 24/7. Despite nearly reaching his life limit, he was able to rejoin the fight against Daki and Gyutaro shortly after. Tanjiro’s stamina was further improved after mastering the Hinokami Kagura Breathing Style, the same technology that allowed his sickly father to dance till dawn in the snow while barely clothed.

Combined Breathstyles

Tanjiro Kamado combines both the Water Breathing and Hinokami Kagura Breathing Styles, which allowed him to move swiftly and save Hinatsuru from Gyutaro even when he was feeling fatigued. He later utilized this combination of breathing styles again during the Infinity Castle Arc to defeat numerous demons.

Recovery Breathing

Tanjiro created a technique called Recovery Breathing, which enables him to overcome fatigue and stiff muscles that limit his body’s movements. He utilized this technique to recover from the whiplash caused by using Hinokami Kagura techniques twice in a row.

Demon Slayer Mark

During his battle against Upper-Rank Six, Gyutaro, Tanjiro awakens his Demon Slayer Mark for the first time. He later manifests the mark again while fighting the split forms of Hantengu, the Upper-Rank Four, and in his rematch against Upper-Rank Three, Akaza. When he enters his marked state, Tanjiro’s strength, speed, and reaction time increase significantly. For example, in his fight with Akaza, after gaining access to the Transparent World in addition to his Demon Slayer Mark, Tanjiro can move quickly enough to decapitate Akaza without giving him any time to react, which would have killed Akaza if he was not able to overcome his weakness to the Nichirin Sword decapitation. It’s worth noting that Akaza’s compass detection ability relied on sensing battle spirit from his opponent, which Tanjiro Kamado was able to conceal while performing this attack. 

However, Tanjiro Kamado can only enter his marked state on rare occasions, and he can only maintain it for a short time since it causes exhaustion to his body, as demonstrated in his battles against the Upper Ranks.

Repetitive Action

Repetitive Action is a technique that only a few Demon Slayer Corps members practice. It allows a person to achieve the same effects as Total Concentration Breathing by using pre-set repeating movements or recalling intense emotions to open their five senses and raise their concentration level, which enables them to draw out the full physical power of their body for an extended period. It’s possible to combine Repetitive Action with Total Concentration Breathing, which grants the user immense strength that can rival that of Upper-Rank demons. 

Tanjiro Kamado learned this technique after consulting with Genya Shinazugawa. He raises his concentration to the maximum limit by recalling the faces of his loved ones and repeatedly remembering Kyojuro Rengoku’s phrase, “Set your heart ablaze.”

Water Breathing

Tanjiro Kamado was taught the Water Breathing technique by Sakonji, a previous Water Hashira and Cultivator of Water Breathing. This was his original breathing style before he switched to Hinokami Kagura, which was taught to him by his father during his childhood and which he believes is better suited for him. However, through extensive training with Water Breathing, Tanjiro has become highly proficient, allowing him to take on two members of the Twelve Kizuki, Rui and Enmu. 

What are the ten forms of Water Breathing?

First Form: Water Surface Slash

Second Form: Water Wheel (Ni no kata: Mizu Guruma)

Third Form: Flowing Dance (San no kata: Ryūryū Mai)

Fourth Form: Striking Tide (Shi no kata: Uchishio)

Fifth Form: Blessed Rain After the Drought (Go no kata: Kanten no Jiu)

Sixth Form: Whirlpool (Roku no kata: Nejire Uzu)

Seventh Form: Drop Ripple Thrust (Shichi no kata: Shizuku Hamon Tsuki)

Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin (Hachi no kata: Takitsubo)

Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow, Turbulent (Ku no kata: Suiryū Shibuki – Ran)

Tenth Form: Constant Flux (Jū no kata: Seisei Ruten)

Hinokami Kagura

Hinokami Kagura is a breathing style that Tanjiro Kamado discovered during his battle with Rui when he had a near-death experience and remembered his father teaching him this technique. Initially, Tanjiro’s body was not strong enough to handle the strain of using this breathing style, but he persevered through numerous challenges and eventually mastered it. After witnessing Yoriichi Tsugikuni’s Thirteenth Form and regaining consciousness, Tanjiro fully awakened the Hinokami Kagura and transformed it into the legendary Sun Breathing (Hi no kokyū).  

What are the 13 forms of Sun Breathing?

First Form: Dance (Ichi no kata: Enbu)

Second Form: Clear Blue Sky (Ni no kata: Heki-ra no Ten)

Third Form: Raging Sun (参ノ型 烈日紅鏡 San no kata: Retsujitsu Kōkyō)

Fourth Form: Burning Bones, Summer Sun (Shi no kata: Shakkotsu En’yō)

Fifth Form: Setting Sun Transformation (Go no kata: Shayō Tenshin)

The Fifth Form: Setting Sun Transformation (Go no kata: Shayō Tenshin) involves the user executing a backflip into the air and delivering a powerful upward sword slash.

Sixth Form: Solar Heat Haze (Roku no kata: Hirin Kagerō)

The Sixth Form: Solar Heat Haze (Roku no kata: Hirin Kagerō) involves the user charging toward the target and delivering a horizontal slash that appears to be covered in a haze. Although it may seem like the attack misses, it actually lands on the target.

Seventh Form: Beneficent Radiance (Shichi no kata: Kiki Onkō)

The Seventh Form: Beneficent Radiance (Shichi no kata: Kiki Onkō) involves the user spiraling into the air and delivering a powerful slash that surrounds the enemy.

The Eighth Form: Sunflower Thrust (Hachi no kata: Yōkatotsu)

The Eighth Form: Sunflower Thrust (Hachi no kata: Yōkatotsu), involves the user delivering a single thrust attack using the point of the blade.

Ninth Form: Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance (Ku no kata: Nichiun no Ryū Kaburimai)

The Ninth Form: Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance (Ku no kata: Nichiun no Ryū Kaburimai) involves the user executing a rapid and forceful sword attack that resembles a blazing sun dragon. This technique is capable of decapitating multiple enemies simultaneously.

Tenth Form: Fire Wheel (Jū no kata: Kasha)

Eleventh Form: Fake Rainbow (Jū Ichi no kata: Gen’nichi Kō)

Twelfth Form: Flame Dance (Jū Ni no kata: Enbu)

Thirteenth Form (Jū San no kata)

The Thirteenth Form (Jū San no kata) involves the user performing all twelve forms of Sun Breathing in a continuous, repetitive sequence. This technique is designed to increase the user’s accuracy and agility while reducing fatigue. It was specifically created to defeat Muzan, as the repetition of all twelve forms aims to destroy his twelve vital organs (seven hearts and five brains) that can move freely within his shape-shifting body.