Tanjiro is not Demon Slayer's chosen one, and it only makes the story better

Demon Slayer's chosen one trope has been a hot topic in the anime and manga community because of Tanjiro Kamado's role as a protagonist. However, while there have been discussions regarding whether he is special or not in the series, it is very clear that he isn't a chosen one, elevating the story to a degree.

Tanjiro's case in Demon Slayer is interesting because he is not ultimately very privileged compared to other people in the series or even within his bloodline, evidenced by the somewhat underrated virtues of his father, Tanjuro Kamado. Moreover, through his endless dedication and determination, he manages to keep pushing forward in the series, which makes sense given his context in the story.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

Explaining why Tanjiro not being Demon Slayer's chosen one makes him a better character and the story improves because of it

Tanjiro as seen in the anime (Image via Ufotable).

There has been a running criticism in the community that Tanjiro Kamado is the chosen one because of his different special abilities in the story, such as Sun Breathing or even being able to walk in daylight as a demon, much like her sister Nezuko. However, it is also worth pointing out that these virtues are not exclusive to his character and he usually has weakened versions of them, which is a major aspect of his journey in the series.

A good example of this can be seen in his father, Tanjuro, who managed to execute the Sun Breathing dance under the snow with a weakened body for hours. Even with intense training, Tanjiro can barely use Sun Breathing during the majority of the series, which highlights how he can be special, but he is certainly not Demon Slayer's chosen one.

Another example is Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the legendary swordsman, who managed to have the mark and still live while also being the creator of the Breathing fighting style. He was even stronger than Muzan Kibutsuji and reached a level that no one else could reach because he basically surpassed that universe's inner logic, fitting perfectly with the chosen one archetype.

More details about this

Yoriichi is the real chosen one of the series (Image via Ufotable).

Another element that defines the chosen one trope is that the character is destined to do something in particular, but that wasn't the case with Tanjiro. His family was killed by Muzan but if the Demon King had stayed in that house to take the protagonist's life or Giyuu Tomioka had shown up later, the truth is that Demon Slayer as a story wouldn't have happened.

Through sheer luck the aforementioned Water Hashira was nearby when Tanjiro's tragedy took place and helped him begin his journey in the story, making what happened later the result of his dedication. Tanjiro trained endlessly throughout the series, which is perhaps something author Koyoharu Gotouge could have shown more clearly, but still makes a lot of sense.

There are two more examples in the series who fit this trope a lot better, one being the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito, who is Yoriichi's descendant and has been a prodigy in combat ever since he picked up a sword. Moreover, the legendary warrior's brother, Kokushibo, is also extremely gifted and powerful from an early age, with his demon transformation only emphasizing his abilities.

Kokushibo as seen in the anime (Image via Ufotable).

While it is definitely fair to claim that Tanjiro was lucky to a degree thanks to his family having access to the Sun Breathing dance, it has been established time and time again in the story that there are individuals more naturally gifted than him, Tanjuro, Yoriichi, Muichiro, and Kokushibo all proved to be more talented than the protagonist and that is an objective fact.

Moreover, his role also fits quite well with Muzan since he was just another casualty of the villain's selfish acts and, ultimately, proved to be his downfall. Muzan's disregard for normal people caused his defeat, which fits with Tanjiro's biggest strength in Demon Slayer being his motivation to avenge his family, thus being something very human.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, Tanjiro Kamado doesn't fit Demon Slayer's chosen one role and the story is better because of it. He was a miscalculation on Muzan's part and ended up being a major catalyst for change in this conflict that was centuries old, which is something more compelling than him being destined to do that.

Related articles:

Edited by Bharath S