One of the more prominent characters from the Demon Slayer is Kanao Tsuyuri. Fans often look for anime characters like Kanao from other anime they may watch, being impressed by her personality. Featured in episode 4 during the Final Selection arc, Kanao left an impression on viewers.
Qualities such as great willpower, strength, and staying calm under pressure support her strong suit, while her indecisiveness and tragic past contribute to an interesting outlook. Anime characters like Kanao can be found in different anime who take up several or even a few of her traits.
Disclaimer: This article reflects solely the opinions of the writer.
Nico Robin, Akame, and 8 other anime characters like Kanao from Demon Slayer
1) Nico Robin (One Piece)

Similarly to Kanao, as seen in the anime, Nico Robin from One Piece has a calm and stern face when she is introduced. They both also showed a similar tendency to stay reserved at the beginning of their anime but later opened up to people they trusted. Both of them are also very skilled fighters. While Kanao uses her Flower Breathing techniques, Robin relies on her Devil Fruit powers.
Both also share a very tragic past, which connects them even further. While Kanao was sold off by her parents into slavery, who abused her as well, Robin's home was destroyed, and her mother was killed, as revealed in episode 275 of the One Piece anime.
2) Touka Kirishima (Tokyo Ghoul)

Touka Kirishima from the anime/manga Tokyo Ghoul resembles Kanao Tsuyuri from Demon Slayer in terms of their attitude. Both stay very reserved and emotionally guarded.
For instance, in episode 3, when Kaneki first meets Touka, she acts very dismissive and cold towards him. Similarly, in episode 25 of Demon Slayer, when Tanjiro asks Kanao why she flips a coin to decide everything, she replies that she was taught to shut off her emotions.
Both are also very skilled fighters, as seen throughout multiple of their fights in the anime and manga. Both of them fight using speed and agility, a fighting attribute that also binds their character similarities.
3) Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach)

Rukia Kuchiki from the anime/manga series Bleach is very calm and reserved when interacting with others, similar to Kanao. Both were adopted and raised under strict discipline and were taught to suppress their emotions from childhood. While Kanao was rescued and raised by the Kocho sisters, Byakuya took in Rukia and raised her as a Kuchiki.
Their ultimate moves also have a similar effect of self-inflicted harm in common. Rukia's Bankai, Hakka no Togame, allows her to freeze her enemies, but with the cost of dropping her body temperature extremely low. The similarity can be seen in Kanao's ultimate technique, where she blinded herself to defeat Doma in the Infinity Castle arc.
4) Rock Lee (Naruto)

Moving aside to a different mentorship aspect, Rock Lee from Naruto shared a similar relationship with Guy, just like Kanao with the Kocho sisters. The Kocho sisters, Kanae and Shinobu, took in Kanao and mentored her. On a similar note, Guy was seen throughout the anime teaching and guiding Lee.
Both Lee and Kanao even went on to inherit their mentor's moveset and utilize them in battle. Rock Lee learned the use of the Eight Inner Gates from Guy, while Kanao mastered Flower Breathing, a specialty of the late Flower Hashira, Kanae Kocho.
5) Misora Haruki (Sagrada Reset)

Both Misora from Sagrada Reset and Kanao have a cold and emotionless attitude in common. Kanao was taught to suppress her emotions and use a coin flip to make decisions. Similarly, Misora is very unemotional at the beginning of the show.
Hariki suppressed her altruistic personality and emotions and created a set of rules to abide by in life to affect others negatively. As the show progressed, she started to become more emotionally involved, a similar thing seen with Kanao upon being acquainted with Tanjiro.
6) Akeno Himejima (High School DxD)

Akeno Himejima from High School DxD and Kanao from Demon Slayer both shared tragic pasts that left scars in their lives. While Kanao was sold off by her abusive parents, Akeno watched her mother die in front of her and blamed her father for not being there to protect them. Both of them put on masks to hide their trauma.
While Kanao made herself emotionally distant, Akeno behaved more playfully and flirtatiously to hide their trauma. Both are strong and skilled fighters as well. In episode 26 of Demon Slayer, Kanao uses her speed and agility to outmatch Tanjiro in training. Similarly, in episode 3 of the High School DxD anime, Akeno used her signature lightning-based attacks to take down multiple enemies.
7) Yuki Sohma (Fruits Basket)

Sharing a traumatic past and appearing reserved are a few of the factors that make Yuki Sohma from Fruits Basket and Kanao Tsuyuri from Demon Slayer alike. They both also commonly open up later due to the involvement of a person in their life. Upon meeting Tanjiro, Kanao slowly starts opening herself up and expressing herself, meanwhile, Tohru coming into Yuki's life made him start opening up.
Despite initially acting cold and emotionally distant, Kanao eventually opens up and shows care for her comrades and loved ones. Yuki may also appear distant in the anime, but he is shown to be incredibly thoughtful and kind to those around him.
8) Akame (Akame Ga Kill!)

Both Akame from Akame ga Kill! and Kanao were sold as children, leaving scars on them for the rest of their lives. The past trauma made both of them emotionally distant. While Kanao was made to suppress her emotions during training, the same happened to Akame as she was also trained to be an assassin.
Both Akame and Kanao are proficiently skilled with the sword. While Kanao uses her Flower Breathing in battles, Akame wields the Murasame, a cursed sword meant to kill anyone it cuts in one strike. While Tanjiro made Kanao open up more emotionally, Akame's time in the Night Raid made her realize she was more than a killing machine.
9) Yuno (Black Clover)

Being emotionally distant and stoic is a shared personality trait between Yuno from Black Clover and Kanao from Demon Slayer. While Kanao was sold out by her parents, Yuno was abandoned at the church in Hage Village. Yuno is one of the anime characters like Kanao, also because of their shared strength in battle.
Both Kanao and Yuno find people who aid them to grow stronger and open up. Tanjiro helps Kanao open up more, while Yuno's rivalry with Asta pushes him to grow stronger. Both of them are also very skilled in combat, as shown throughout the anime.
10) Mirajane Strauss (Fairy Tail)

Ties with tragic backstories bind the characters of Mirajane Strauss from Fairy Tail and Kanao from Demon Slayer. Both Mirajane and Kanao have seen tragedy happen repeatedly in their lives. They hide themselves behind calm and collected personalities, which change drastically when they fight.
As shown in the manga, during the Infinity Castle arc, Kanao activates her Final Form: Scarlet Spider Lily, which nearly defeats the Upper-Rank two demon Doma. Episode 96 of Fairy Tail similarly shows Mirajane using Take Over: Satan Soul and defeating Freed, demonstrating how terrifying she can be despite her pacifist and cheerful appearance.
In Conclusion
Kanao Tsuyuri became a fan favorite, especially during the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle arc in the manga. Anime characters like Kanao are often seen in other anime, grabbing the fans' attention and keeping them engaged.
With the upcoming Infinity Castle arc around the corner, fans of the anime anticipate Kanao's role in the arc. A list of anime characters like Kanao gives the fans something to relate her to throughout other anime they watch.
Also read:
- Demon Slayer Arcs: The Complete List of All 12 Arcs
- 10 best anime movies to watch while waiting for the Demon Slayer Infinity Castle Arc trilogy
- 7 most memorable anime original moments from Demon Slayer-Hashira Training arc so far
- Demon Slayer: 10 anime main characters who can effortlessly defeat Muzan