Demon Slayer follows the story of a young boy named Kamado Tanjiro, who lives in the mountains with his parents and five siblings. One day, the boy went to sell charcoal in the village. When he returned, his house was destroyed and everyone was killed by a Demon. The only surviving member of the family was Kamado Nezuko, his younger sister, who turned into a Demon herself.
Tanjiro fights relentlessly to find a cure for his sister. He becomes a Demon Slayer and fights alongside Inosuke Hashibira and Zenitsu Agatsuma. Although his job is to eliminate them, Tanjiro sympathizes with these monsters, because they were once humans. Throughout the Demon Slayermanga and anime, a few of Tanjiro’s quotes sum up his character better than any others.
10 Helping Others Ends Up Beneficial For You
In chapter 107 of the Manga, Muichiro Tokito runs through the forest back to the village. Suddenly, he comes across Kotetsu trying to fight a minion fish Demon. The Mist Hashira knows the young villager would die, but ignores him, as his priority is to save the village chief.
However, just as Muichiro turns around, he remembers Tanjiro telling him: “Helping other people also ends up being beneficial for you at the end of the day.” With those words in mind, he rescues Kotetsu and tells him to hide so he wouldn’t be in the way. It’s not a secret that Tanjiro has his ways of affecting people, as his words affected Muichiro’s actions.
9 Your Whole Being Is Twisted
In the Swordsmith Village Arc in chapter 116, the Kamado siblings and Genya Shinazugawa are seen fighting the Upper-Rank Four Demon, Hantengu. During the fight, he reassembles his four copies into one Demon, Zohakuten, which is the embodiment of Hantengu’s hatred.
Upon seeing the three Demon Slayers, he calls them evil. When Tanjiro demands an explanation, Zohakuten replies that it’s a label for the one who hurts the weak. Furious, Tanjiro yells:
“You’ve killed and eaten a lot of people! So don’t play the victim! Your whole being is twisted! And I can’t forgive that! You devil! I’m going to cut off your head!”
8 I’m Not The Chosen One
At the start of chapter 81, Tanjiro recalls the letter he received from Shinjuro Rengoku, Kyojuro’s father. He thanks him for mourning his son and states that Tanjiro is the chosen one, as he is gifted with powers meant for greatness. And that’s because of the Demon Slayer Mark that he was born with.
However, Tanjiro claims that he’s wrong, as it was an accident and not a birthmark. He explains it by saying to himself:
“There are monsters in this world. Monsters with no souls. Monsters who take life without hesitation, remorse, or regret. Their aggression… is something I can’t forgive!”
Tanjiro accepted his fate, but, instead of giving up, he is trying to kill Demons and save others.
7 That Is The Law Of Nature
While Akaza fights Giyu Tomioka and Kamado Tanjiro in chapter 148, he knocks the Water Hashira through several walls and turns to the remaining Demon Slayer. The two fight until Akaza hits Tanjiro and slammed him into a wall. The Upper-Rank Three began badmouthing the former Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. He tells Tanjiro that it was natural for him to die because he was weak, and that’s the law of nature.
Tanjiro tells Akaza: “The strong protect the weak. Then the weak get stronger and help those weaker than themselves. That is the law of nature!” Then, he fights him with all his power.
6 I Will Be Unbreakable
In chapter 192, during the last battle between Demon Slayers and Muzan Kibutsuji, Tanjiro passes out as he tries to recover from his fight with Gyutaro and Daki. While sleeping, he sees a fragment of a memory from Sumiyoshi, his ancestor. In this memory, the Demon Slayer witnessed how all Forms are performed properly by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the Sun Breathing user.
Later, when Kamado Tanjiro wakes and fights Muzan, he figures out that he needs to perform all Forms consequently to beat him. Before the fight begins, he tells himself:
“How can I prevent Muzan from escaping? I can understand why someone might lose confidence. Can I do what Yoriichi himself couldn’t? Nevertheless, I will do everything I can. I’ll keep my heart burning. I will not lose. I will not break.”
With this quote, fans can see how strong-minded Tanjiro is. He immediately cleared bad thoughts from his mind and tried to win.
5 None Of Them Are Like This
In Tanjiro’s subconsciousness in chapter 203, he is trying to wake up to get back to his loved ones while Muzan is trying to convince him to remain as a Demon. Eventually, hands appear from underneath Tanjiro and try to push him up into the living world.
The Demon keeps clinging to Tanjiro’s waist, telling him to hear the cries of the dead. He claims they all resent him for being the only one who could move on and keep his life. Tanjiro brushes him off and says:
“None of them are like this. There are people that risk their lives for someone else. Because they are people that don’t want others to go through… the same suffering and sadness that they did.”
4 My Bond With Nezuko Is Unbreakable
In episode 19 of the anime (chapter 40 of the manga), Kamado Nezuko and Tanjiro fight Rui, the Lower-Rank Five Demon. When he sees Nezuko protect her brother from a fatal blow, the Demon grows jealous and wants this sibling bond. He offers Tanjiro to let him go if he gives up his sister.
Of course, the Demon Slayer refuses and attacks, while Nezuko coas Rui’s strings with her blood to cut them. The moment Tanjiro decapitates the Demon, he says: “The bond between Nezuko and me… cannot be… severed by anyone!”
3 Why Do You Steal People’s Lives
After concluding that he’s not the chosen one in chapter 81, Tanjiro attacks Daki, the Upper-Rank Six Demon, while she tries to run away from him. Her leg is cut off, and she quickly begins regenerating another one. Tanjiro notices her regenerating ability and tells her:
“A life that’s lost can never return. It’s gone forever. A Demon’s body isn’t made of human flesh. Why do you steal people’s lives? Why do you ruin them? What is it that makes life interesting? What do you think life is?”
Tanjiro holds immense anger towards Demons that kill the innocent for fun, as they don’t need them to survive. This drives him to say these words to Daki.
2 Demons Are Like Me
After Tanjiro defeats Rui in episode 21 of the anime (chapter 43 of the manga), the Demon dies a sorrowful death. He remembers his parents and wishes to apologize for his mistakes. The Demon Slayer comforts him, and gently lays his hand on his back. After Rui’s body completely disappeares, Giyu Tomioka tells him to not feel sorry for those monsters, as they lived thousands of years and killed many people.
Tanjiro was furious that the Water Hashira disrespected the dead Demon and told him:
“In order to soothe the spirits of those it killed, and to make sure it claims no further victims… I will swing my blade down and lop off the head of any Demon without mercy! But I will not belittle those who regret their actions… and suffer over the things they did as Demons. Because Demons were once human. Because they were like me.”
1 You Have To Go On, No Matter What
In episode seven, the Kamado Siblings defeat the Swamp Demon. Tanjiro retrieves a hairpin that once belonged to Satoko, Kazumi’s deceased fiance. Both villagers were taking a stroll at night when the Demon made his move and kidnapped her.
The Young Demon Slayer approaches Kazumi and tells him: “Mr. Kazumi… No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living. No matter how devastating the blows may be.” Furious at his words, the villager grabs a fist of Tanjiro’s clothes and tells him that his life is meaningless and that he can’t live without her. Tanjiro then lays a gentle hand on Kazumi’s arm and says nothing, understanding his grief.
