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While many fans are excited to watch the first of the threeDemon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arcmovies soon, others are turning to the previous anime seasons to revisit Tanjiro’s journey. He has come a long way since he became a demon slayer, but he’s not going to stop anytime soon, especially now that he has the perfect chance ofdefeating Muzan and his demonsonce and for all.
Without a doubt, Tanjiro has some of the most amazing scenes inDemon Slayer, as he wields his Nichirin Blade against demons over and over again. However, one of his most heart-wrenching scenes almost didn’t make it past the storyboard phase because the creator, Koyoharu Gotouge, wanted to cut it out. What is this Tanjiro scene, and why did Demon Slayer’s creator consider deleting it?
Demon Slayer’s Creator Wanted to Cut This Emotional Tanjiro Scene
Tanjiro and the Hand Demon’s Final Moment
Tanjiro is one of themost compelling anime protagonists of all time, not just because of his impressive demon-slaying skills, but also because of his endearing personality. Calling him kind and selfless is an understatement, considering he still shows mercy and forgiveness to various demons wanting to kill and devour him and Nezuko. Instead of cursing these demons, he chooses to look beyond their suffering and offer kindness.
One particular demon fromDemon SlayerSeason 1, episode 5, witnessed Tanjiro’s gentle and forgiving nature during his final moments. The Hand Demon, otherwise known as Teoni, was infamous for killing 13 of Urokodaki’s students, including Makomo and Sabito. However,he failed to kill Tanjiro, who had the strength enough to slice his neck during the Final Selection. And in his final moments, Tanjiro held his hand, praying for his next life as a human rather than a demon.
“God, I beg you. When this person is reborn, I hope you won’t let him become a demon”—Tanjiro Kamado to the Hand Demon
While the final scene betweenTanjiro and the Hand Demonis heart-wrenching among many fans, includingDemon Slayer’s editor, Tatsuhiko Katayama, Koyoharu Gotouge wanted to cut it out of the storyboard. In an interview with Manga Plus, Katayama revealed the conversation he had with Gotouge, which mentioned the creator’s initial desire to delete the scene:
“If I were to talk about something I has to be careful about… there was a demon called “Teoni” or the “hand demon”, wasn’t there? After defeating him, there’s a scene where Tanjiro holds his hand, praying that he would never turn into a demon again. Although it was a really heart wrenching scene,Gotoge-sensei wanted to cut it out of the storyboard. When I first heard of that scene, I thought there was no other main character quite like Tanjiro, and I got goosebumps. The enemy too has experienced his own sadness, and in squeezing his hand Tanjiro shows mercy. I remember saying “No wonder that enemy is all hands… everything’s connected. That’s amazing, isn’t it?” I was shocked when Gotoge-sensei replied with something the likes of “Oh, is that so?” (laughs) And so I had to make sure that none of Gotoge-sensei’s strong points slip past. Maybe there was a bit of a struggle in that. I feel I have to bring up those unique qualities in the discussion, or else there’s a chance they may get cut. Gotoge-sensei has an oblivious side to him, and sometimes he can’t objectively see his own strengths.”
-Tatsuhiko Katayama (Demon Slayer Editor)
It’s interesting how talented manga artists like Koyoharu Gotouge also struggle to realize their own genius. Thankfully, the process of creating a manga and an anime is a collaborative effort, where an editor like Tatsuhiko Katayama could step in to ensure none of the creator’s strengths are overlooked.
In the end, Tanjiro’s final scene with the Hand Demon stayed, showing just how compassionate of a protagonist he was. It’s one of those scenes that setsTanjiro apart from most shounen MCs, given his deep empathy and sadness for his opponents even in the face of danger.
Demon Slayer’s Creator Finds Tanjiro Too Normal
The Struggles of Creating Tanjiro
In the same interview, Tatsuhiko Katayama also recalled some moments with Koyoharu Gotouge contemplating Tanjiro’s character. While many fans are celebrating Tanjiro for being a one-of-a-kind anime protagonist,Demon Slayer’s creator had doubts, which his editor shared:
“Even when it comes to Tanjiro he (Koyoharu Gotouge) makes comments like“He’s too normal, I can’t decide if he’s interesting”, so I have to insist that he’s fine that way. There are points that while I think are great, Gotoge-sensei thinks nothing of. It’s just how he is, so I have to ensure that those interesting qualities don’t get missed.”
-Tatsuhiko Katayama
Clearly, without Katayama, fansmight have gotten a different Tanjiro, someone who possibly has the usual main character traits, like being loud, edgy, and bursting with many gimmicks and tricks up his sleeve. If he were rewritten to be flashier and edgier, the reception might have been different and would not have carried the same emotional weight.
At a glance,Tanjiro may look normal and ordinary, but that’s what makes him special compared to any other main characters. He is painfully human, grounded, and kind, which draws manyDemon Slayerfans to him from the very beginning. His empathy toward the demons makes him unique, contrary to the other characters in the series who don’t feel any care or concern for these flesh-eating monsters.
“Helping others often ends up helping yourself”—Tanjiro Kamado
All in all, Tatsuhiko Katayama’s revelations offer a fresh look at the manga creation process behindDemon Slayer. Who would have known that Koyoharu Gotouge, despite being a creative genius, also struggles to recognize their own strengths? This only shows Gotouge’s humility but also their openness to receive comments and suggestions that could improve their work.
