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The following contains spoilers for Demon Slayer.
A common criticism ofDemon Slayerand its protagonist, Kamado Tanjiro, is that the MC is too bland, perfect, and lacks an internal struggle to make him truly compelling. According to this view, Tanjiro’s significant lack of flaws and growth as a character over the series makes the audience root for him less and contributes to a feeling of main character genericness.
But is this actually true when looking at the whole ofDemon Slayer? What character development, if any, does Tanjiro ever get for his character in the series, and why does Tanjiro seem to receive this criticism more than other popular shōnen protagonists?
Not Entirely Static
Tanjiro Does Have Character Growth
One reason why some critics ofDemon Slayermay not be as satisfied with the character growth we see from Tanjiro is that there isn’t a clear difference you can point to in his behavior from the beginning to the end of the series. His character arc inDemon Slayeris all about learning how to keep his compassionate, human side intact while living in a dark world of terrible demons where such compassion is a huge weakness.
Through his Demon Slayer training,Tanjiro learns he needs to act quicklyand decisively to save people by swinging his sword to kill demons, despite his feelings. The disconnect for some viewers is thatTanjiro’s ultimate compassionate character trait, which is normally a strength for a character, is actually a flaw in some cases. This flaw often forces him into more desperate situations than if he were to become more callous, like the other powerful Demon Slayers in the world. Because Tanjiro never has a major “turn” away from his ideals, and these ideals are somewhat more passive than other shōnen MCs, this gives a more bland impression of his character for some viewers.
“Life has a way of rewarding good deeds. Often times when you help others, you’re helping yourself.” -Kamado Tanjiro speaking to Muichiro Tokito.
However,it feels like the blandness of Tanjirois overstated by critics. There is a constant push and pull throughout the series, where the rage that Tanjiro feels by the horrors he witnesses nearly forces him to the brink. Tanjiro’s inner turmoil manifests in more aggressive behavior, sometimes becoming so consumed that he loses sight of himself in battle. Tanjiro sees humanity in everyone, even in demons, and sees his demon-slaying efforts as the only way to grant them peace. What makes Tanjiro interesting is the audience guessing how he can hold onto his natural optimism when faced with such a hopeless world that seems full of pain at every turn.
Why is Tanjiro Singled Out?
Aren’t Other Shōnen Protagonists Similar?
It seems unfair that Tanjiro is often slapped with the label of “generic MC” when many protagonists in Shōnen share similar tropes and often seem interchangeable between stories. I think the main difference with Tanjiro is that the power system inDemon Slayeris very one-dimensional.
In many shōnen stories, the protagonist’s character growth is crystallized in the form of a powerful ability or form that represents how much they have changed throughout the series. By contrast, the breathing techniques of the Demon Slayers have specific, defined numbers that can be learned, leading to much less individuality and character expression.Tanjiro doesn’t develop his own techniquesfor the most part and has to learn predetermined breathing forms. Although he acquired the Hinokami breathing technique, this too was something not unique to him, as it was possessed by a predecessor Demon Slayer before him. If Tanjiro existed in a series where the power system allowed for more individual expression, he would feel much less generic and more in line with other popular shōnen protagonists.
There is a sort of undercurrent of conformity present throughout the series that Tanjiro can’t escape from. All the Demon Slayers wear similar uniforms, and all wield mostly the same types of weapons. Although the show does a good job of visually differentiating its characters, the limited power system leads to it being hard to make the MC truly stand out when almost every fight is a sword fight. Instead, the demons are the ones who possess individual powers, and the story adjusts to account for that. In each arc for a major demon villain, they are almost treated like the main character, with their powers exemplifying some flaw or hardship they encountered in life.
This emphasis on villains in the show is interesting and may explainwhy Tanjiro’s character development feels more shallowcompared to the time and attentionDemon Slayerchooses to give to the demons. However, it is only because the story is told through Tanjiro’s compassionate eyes that we get to explore the empathetic struggles of the demon villains. If the story were told from another Demon Slayer’s perspective, we likely wouldn’t be getting the same experience. With what the story sets out to do, the character growth Tanjiro gets is more than appropriate, and allows the viewers to more easily latch onto and empathize with the other characters besides the MC.
Demon Slayercan be streamed onNetflix,Crunchyroll, andHulu.
Demon Slayer
Based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s shonen manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an action anime set in Japan during the early 20th century. Seeking revenge for the murder of his family while also looking to save his sister, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps as they try to eradicate Demons led by Muzan.
