Demon Slayer is one of the biggest hits to have come out in the history of shonen anime. While the manga is also stellar in its own way, it's the amazing adaptation brought forth by Ufotable that has left fans in awe. The visuals of Demon Slayer are in a class of their own, with each fight bringing with it a sequence with incredible animation that is truly captivating.
Of course, it helps that the characters of this anime are also pretty likable in their own right, with the protagonist of the series being quite notable in this regard. Tanjiro might not be the most unique shonen anime protagonist around, but he gets the job done without too much of a fuss. Here are some interesting facts about this character that most fans weren't aware of.
10 Tanjiro's Hard Forehead Comes From His Mother's Side
Fans of Demon Slayer would've noticed that Tanjiro has a really hard forehead. The fact that he headbutts people a lot makes his forehead a surprise weapon of sorts, although it's mostly used for comedic purposes.
It seems that Tanjiro's hard forehead is actually genetic. This trait came from his mother's side, meaning that Tanjiro had another part of his mother in him, and an extremely resilient one to boot.
9 He Can Understand What Birds Are Saying
Tanjiro is definitely one of the most peace-loving and down-to-earth people around. His enthusiastic personality is enough to make anyone around him form a quick attachment to this young budding Demon Slayer.
In fact, Tanjiro is so pure of heart that he can even understand what the birds around him are saying! Most people might think that this odd fact takes things too far, but it definitely falls in line with his character.
8 Tanjiro Is A Really Light Sleeper
For someone who exerts himself physically and pushes his body to the limit more often than not, it's surprising how light of a sleeper Tanjiro really is. He's always one of the first people who wake up in the morning and can easily be woken up with the slightest influence.
The only person who could give Tanjiro a run for his money when it comes to waking up was Kyojuro Rengoku. Unfortunately, the Flame Hashira passed away after a brutal fight against Akaza.
7 He Can't Sing To Save His Life
Tanjiro is a boy with many talents. However, singing is definitely not one of them.
He's shown multiple times in Demon Slayer that he can't sing or identify a tone to save his life. This tone-deaf nature never really posed a major challenge to him during his battles, so perhaps it's not really that big a deal that he lacks this talent.
6 His Keen Sense Of Smell Meant That His Village Could Rely On Him To Find Missing People
Tanjiro has a keen nose that allows him to get a lay of the land and identify threats with a single whiff. It's certainly a unique power that could've been used for comedic effect — and it is — but it's helped him save his hide more often than not.
In fact, the people around him in his village were also aware of this sense of smell. This made Tanjiro the local detective who could use his sharp sense of smell to find anyone who had gone missing in the village.
5 He's Found Members Of His Family Dying More Than Once
The first episode wasted no time in showing just how bloodthirsty demons really are, with Tanjiro coming back to a broken home and a sister who'd lost her humanity. However, this is not the first time that Tanjiro has come back to the village and found his family dying.
Tanjiro was the first person to find out that both his father and grandmother were on the verge of dying in the past, with his sharp nose giving their mortality away. He also managed to inform another household in the village about a person in their family who was dying too!
4 His Rising Sun Earrings Are Censored In China And South Korea
Tanjiro's character design is extremely iconic, with his Rising Sun earrings being especially notable. However, the design of these earrings is banned in places like China and South Korea.
This is because the symbol of the Rising Sun is still associated with the atrocities that the Japanese committed during the World War. As a result, Tanjiro's earrings have the symbol of the Sun Disc flag instead.
3 Tanjiro Is A Brilliant Judge Of Character
Most people consider Tanjiro to be somewhat naive, and he definitely seems like it at times. However, Tanjiro only trusts the people whom he judges to be good people — a judgment that he carries out correctly almost all the time.
It's uncanny how Tanjiro can figure out the morality of a person by appraising them for a short while. He made quick friends with Inozuke and Zenitsu after deeming them to be good people within moments of meeting them!
2 His Name Itself Has The Kanji For Charcoal
Tanjiro's family used to deal in charcoal, which is why Tanjiro was away during the fateful day when Muzan slaughtered his entire family. His background is permanently etched into his name.
The first kanji for his name, "tan", is the Japanese world for charcoal. This is paired up with the other two kanji in his name, "ji" (to heal) and "ro" (son).
1 He Can't Keep A Straight Face When He Lies
Given how pure-hearted Tanjiro is, it's impossible to imagine him doing anything deceitful... even against the enemy! In fact, his good nature can be seen in the fact that he inwardly rejects the idea of lying whenever the situation arises.
It's impossible for Tanjiro to lie while keeping a straight face since he just can't find it within himself to fool people. It would be natural to assume that most people could walk over Tanjiro as a result of this character trait, but his headstrong nature and unwavering morals more than makeup for this lack of street smarts.