"Demon Slayer: Who is Tanjiro's Father? Unraveling the 3 Mysteries of Kamado Tanjuro: Strength, Mark, and Hinokami Kagura"

Preface: The Most Low-Key Strongest Character in Demon Slayer

In the story of "Demon Slayer," the protagonist Tanjiro's growth journey is filled with help from benefactors and self-breakthroughs. However, among all the characters who influenced him, one character's existence is crucial yet incredibly mysterious—that is his father, Tanjuro Kamado. Tanjuro had already passed away from illness before the story began, appearing only in Tanjiro's memories. Yet, the teachings and figure he left behind were the key for Tanjiro to break through his limits at critical life-and-death moments. How many secrets did this frail, sickly charcoal seller hide? This article will take you through solving the three major mysteries surrounding Tanjiro's father.

Who is Tanjuro Kamado? The Gentle, Frail Father

Tanjuro Kamado is the father of the protagonist Tanjiro and Nezuko, an ordinary man who made a living selling charcoal. In Tanjiro's memories, his father was bedridden for long periods, extremely weak in body, with a calm and peaceful personality, showing almost no emotional fluctuations, described as a "person like a plant." Despite his seemingly frail appearance, he was the important figure who passed down the family's hereditary "Hinokami Kagura" and the Hanafuda earrings to Tanjiro.

Mystery One: The Inheritor of Hinokami Kagura and Sun Breathing

During his battle with Lower Rank Five "Rui," Tanjiro first unleashed a powerful slash using the "Hinokami Kagura" stance, which originated from his father Tanjuro's teachings.

"Hinokami Kagura" is a ceremonial dance passed down through generations in the Kamado family. At the beginning of each year, the male family members would perform this dance to pray for protection from disasters and illness. What's puzzling is that the frail Tanjuro could dance this highly demanding dance all night without stopping. Later in the story, it's revealed that this Kagura dance is actually a variation of the lost "Original Breathing: Sun Breathing."

Tanjiro's ancestor, Sumiyoshi Kamado, was a close friend of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the creator of Sun Breathing. During the lowest point of his life, Yoriichi visited Sumiyoshi's family and demonstrated all the forms of Sun Breathing before them. Sumiyoshi memorized these dance-like sword forms and passed them down in the form of a "Kagura dance," thus preserving Sun Breathing in another form to this day. Therefore, although Tanjuro was not a Demon Slayer Corps member, he was one of the most orthodox inheritors of Sun Breathing.

Mystery Two: Natural Demon Slayer Mark and "Transparent World"

The two major leaps in Tanjiro's strength—the "Demon Slayer Mark" and "Transparent World"—are both closely related to his father Tanjuro.