Tanjiro Kamado of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba is depicted as one of the kindest anime protagonists. Even after all the trauma that Tanjiro endures throughout his life, he still maintains kindness toward everyone, even showing it to the many demons that he’s tasked with destroying.
From the loss of Tanjiro's family to fighting in an all-out war to end the Demon King Muzan's reign, Tanjiro goes through so much while bringing the audience along with him to witness it every step of the way. Like all anime protagonists, Tanjiro suffers a lot both physically and mentally in order to become the character viewers know so well today.
This article contains spoilers for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba as well as mentions of death and injury
10 Learning the Truth About Sabito & Makomo
During "Final Selection," Tanjiro comes face-to-face with a hand demon who has had a grudge against Urokodaki for over fifty years. He brags to Tanjiro about all of Urokodaki's students he's devoured, including Sabito and Makomo.
Sabito and Makomo were by Tanjiro's side throughout his training, and after Tanjiro's training was completed, he even asked Urokodaki to tell Sabito and Makomo that he said hi, leaving Urokodaki stunned and confused as to how Tanjiro could have known those names. This is when the viewers learn that Sabito and Makomo had passed away long before Tanjiro met them in the forest. The second the truth about the two is revealed, the viewers can see the rage and hatred take control as Tanjiro seeks to avenge his friends.
9 Nezuko Losing Control
After collapsing before the Upper Six demon, Daki, Nezuko jumps in to save her brother. After her fight, fans see Nezuko lose control as she lunges at an injured civilian.
With Tanjiro barely making it in time to stop her, the audience can hear the panic and pain in his voice as Tanjiro struggles to hold Nezuko back. Through the strain of holding her at bay, the viewers can hear the sadness — as well as the relief — in his voice as Tanjiro sings a lullaby, and it manages to bring Nezuko back to reality.
8 Tanjiro's Fight With The Lower Five
One of the biggest fights of Season 1 of Demon Slayer is during the Natagumo Mountain Arc — specifically, the fight between Tanjiro and Rui. With Nezuko in the clutches of the Lower Five, Tanjiro goes for the final blow, only for his blade to be sliced in half.
Even with his blade broken, Tanjiro continues to fight with all his might while being tossed around like a rag doll. With Nezuko hurt, this pushes Tanjiro beyond his limits as he unlocks a forgotten breathing technique to save Nezuko, himself, and his friends.
7 Tanjiro Being Brought Before The Hashira For Trial
After the Natagumo Mountain Arc, Tanjiro is taken into the custody of the Demon Slayer Corps for trial. There, he fears for the safety of his demon sister, Nezuko. Even after begging and pleading, the Hashira don't believe his story and deem it impossible for a demon to avoid eating humans.
Should Tanjiro be proven wrong about Nezuko, Tanjiro, Giyu, and Urokodaki will be executed by performing seppuku. The audience can feel Tanjiro's fear and panic as Nezuko is tested in front of all the Hashira, as well as the relief when she passes the test.
6 Running Into Muzan
Demon Slayer viewers were angered and shocked right alongside Tanjiro in episode 8 as he chased after the scent that was there when he found his family dead and came face-to-face with the very demon responsible.
With Tanjiro's family's killer found, Tanjiro was about to strike, only for his heart to sink as he saw that Muzan had a human family. Muzan secretly strikes a passerby and turns him into a demon. Muzan sneaks away with his family, but not before hearing Tanjiro vowing to be the one that ends him.
5 Rengoku's Death Was A Shock
Even though Tanjiro and Rengoku's relationship wasn't focused on too much in Demon Slayer, it's clear that Rengoku's death hit Tanjiro hard. After a fight with the Lower 1, everything seemed to have calmed down — that is, until the Upper 3, Akaza, enters and challenges Rengoku.
After fighting for some time, the smoke clears only for the viewers to see Akaza's arm through Rengoku's chest. Tanjiro challenges Akaza, exclaiming how Rengoku was the victor in the fight, as well as how the civilians on the train were still alive because of Rengoku. After everything, Rengoku soon passes, and in the end, the viewers watch as Tanjiro and his friends break down in tears over the death of their friend.
4 The Fight Between The Upper Sixes
Throughout Tanjiro's journey, one of his toughest battles is when he fights against the Upper Sixes, Gyutro, and Daki alongside his friends. Even though the fight didn't take a heavy mental toll on Tanjiro, it took a very heavy physical toll on him.
During the battle, Demon Slayer fans see Tanjiro push his body to its limit as he fights against Daki and Gyutro. One of the biggest moments is when Tanjiro pushes through the pain of being poisoned and stabbed and earns his demon slayer mark.
3 Nezuko Being Turned Into A Demon
If coming home to find his family massacred wasn't heartbreaking enough, Tanjiro then witnesses his sister, Nezuko, turning into a man-eating demon who attacks Tanjiro as soon as she wakes up. If the panic and pain in Tanjiro's voice weren't bad enough, the audience then sees Tanjiro begging Tomioka to spare Nezuko.
Throughout the second half of the episode titled "Cruelty," Demon Slayer viewers see the will and determination that Tanjiro has in order to do whatever it takes to save the only family he has left. This event is what pushes Tanjiro into becoming the character he is today.
2 Being Turned Into A Demon
When the final battle comes, it appears Tanjiro succeeds — until he opens his eyes. Tanjiro becomes the one thing he sought to put an end to: the new demon king. As he's fighting against his friends and family, internally fans see Muzan trying to keep Tanjiro's human side suppressed while also trying to keep Tanjiro under his control.
Demon Slayer viewers see the pain as Tanjiro struggles, and the viewer can feel the relief as he, with the help of his friends and family, wins the battle against Muzan once and for all.
1 Losing His Family
Tanjiro's deep love and devotion to his family were clearly shown from the very start of Demon Slayer when he took on the role of a father figure to his younger siblings after his father's passing. The absolute pain and horror that the viewers are shown in Tanjiro's face before the reveal of the tragedy hit the audience like a ton of bricks.
In the beginning, Tanjiro blames himself for not being there to protect or fight for his family when they needed him most, but as the episode ends, his focus shifts to finding a cure for Nezuko.