Most fans of Demon Slayer also raised this very important question since episode 1, but let it go as they progressed through the series, especially when they learned that Muzan was the progenitor of demons, and that there is no such thing as humans with demon blood in their genes. But since Muzan was a person before, a lot are still wondering whether Tanjiro is a demon, or prone to becoming another Demon King.So does Tanjiro ever become a demon and when does it happen?
Tanjiro Kamado is not a demon in Kimetsu No Yaiba, and he does not possess any demon gene of some sort, as there is no such thing. Demons were created from humans by Muzan Kibutsuji’s blood or by getting exposed to a demon’s blood. However, Tanjiro did become a demon at some point in the series.
That is what I am going to explain to all Kimetsu No Yaiba fans out there to bust all myths regarding Tanjiro being related to demons. After all, it is a recurring theme in some shonen manga series for the main character to be somewhat, if not closely, related to an element in the series that’s related to the antagonist. Gladly, as a fan of this awesome anime/manga series, I will show you everything I learned about “Demon Tanjiro”, what it did, how it happened, and how badass it looks (yes, I love the way Tanjiro’s demon form was drawn!).
Is Tanjiro A Demon?
Tanjiro was never a demon at the beginning of the series, or any point before the series timeline. Tanjiro is a pure human, much like all demons in the series before they transformed into demons and started eating humans. Take note that there is no such thing as a human with genes of a demon due to some ancestral background, or whatever their parents attained.
The Origin Of Demons
Let us recall a little bit about how demons are created in Kimetsu No Yaiba and the reason why all demons are linked to Muzan Kibutsuji, the main antagonist of the series. Muzan Kibutsuji was a human, who was experimented on by a doctor to save him from death. The reason behind this is that he was struck with a horrible disease that would kill him before he reaches twenty years old.
The treatment was about to become successful, as all it is left is to take the final part of the medicine the doctor created from a flower called Blue Spider Lily. However, Muzan grew tired and frustrated from all the treatment done to him, thinking that it only makes him suffer more without any way to get his disease cured. As a result, he killed the doctor before the whole process got finished.
Afterward, Muzan then realized that the treatment was effective, as it delayed the disease from progressing, thus prolonging his lifespan. However, it also took his humanity, which turned him into what is now called a Demon. Despite being a demon, Muzan regrets killing the doctor, not because of mercy, but because he failed to take the Blue Spider Lily medicine, which counters the side-effect of getting burned by sunlight.
Since the Blue Spider Lily is almost impossible to find, along with Muzan’s obsession with walking under the sunlight once again, he resolved in finding it by creating a legion of Demons using his blood. At the same time, Muzan was hoping that he would eventually create a demon that’s immune to sunlight, or one that could find the flower for him. This eventually turned Muzan into the Demon King, the strongest of all demons in the series, and the progenitor of the demon race.
Therefore, Demons are created through Muzan’s blood. But take note that demons are never born or conceived. However, another demon can turn another human into one of them. If the demon is powerful enough but never will become more powerful than Muzan, a human they killed can also turn into a demon if it gets exposed enough to the demon’s blood. This is how Tanjiro’s sister Nezuko became a demon after another demon killed her and the rest of Tanjiro’s family.
This is a fact that effectively debunks the theory that Tanjiro might have demon blood in him. Also, Tanjiro was never related to Muzan in any way, as evident by Muzan’s background and last name. However, I have to agree with the fact that Tanjiro became a demon at some point in the series.
As you read the article further, you will soon find out the events that caused Tanjiro to become a demon. However, you need to be aware that there are major spoilers behind the next details that we will discuss. But still, the things I discussed above are already spoilers, so I guess it’s best to go further.
Does Tanjiro Become A Demon?
Tanjiro became a demon at some point in the series. This happened in Chapter 201 of the manga, which is near the end of the series. Tanjiro’s transformation into a demon occurred right after the battle against Muzan. But take note that his transformation into a demon also saved him from certain death. To give fans a recap about this, I will discuss what exactly happened after the final battle.
As Tanjiro and the remaining Hashira are struggling to defeat Muzan, who turned into an infant, the sunlight ultimately killed him for good. But due to the severe injuries sustained by Tanjiro, as well as getting infected by Muzan’s poison which blocked one of his eyes and made him weak in the process, he succumbed to his death. That’s right, Tanjiro died at the end of the final battle, while kneeling and holding his sword. This was confirmed because he had no pulse, and is not breathing anymore.
Muzan, still having a bit of consciousness as he gets disintegrated by the sunlight, used his remaining power to turn Tanjiro into a demon, just as he planned when he injected Tanjiro with his blood. The reason behind this is that Tanjiro might develop an immunity to sunlight once turned into a demon, just as what happened to Nezuko. Another reason why Muzan wants this to happen is that he has a similar ability to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, which Muzan fought a long time ago.
Because of this, Tanjiro woke up while Nezuko and Giyu were mourning Tanjiro’s supposedly dead body. But this time, Tanjiro is now a demon and is thirsty to kill the remaining Demon Slayer Corps and his former allies. Despite being an ally and a friend to them, Giyu did not hesitate to order everyone to kill Tanjiro as sunlight is not affecting him. This, along with the tremendously huge boost in power when turned into a demon, made Tanjiro the new Demon King.
Why Is Tanjiro A Demon?
As stated earlier, Muzan’s ultimate goal is to become immune to sunlight by consuming the Blue Spider Lily and to create a demon that has sunlight resistance. Muzan also believed that Tanjiro could achieve this just like how Nezuko attained such ability. Thus, Muzan already planned to inject Tanjiro with his blood during the final battle.
Tanjiro’s demon transformation was done by performing what Muzan did to other demons. But take note that Tanjiro was also a very powerful demon. This was made possible because Tanjiro was turned by directly getting exposed to the Demon King’s blood, as well as the fact that Tanjiro also has the same ability as Yoriichi, which is another Sun Breathing user and a very powerful demon slayer.
Is Tanjiro A Demon King
Tanjiro can be considered the new Demon King when he transformed into a demon. The reason behind this was that the former Demon King has finally been defeated, and there is no other demon left after the Final Battle. Take note that Muzan never possessed Tanjiro because it was heavily implied in the conclusion of the battle that Muzan disintegrated due to his lack of immunity against the sunlight.
Also, you have to remember that Tanjiro also has an enormous boost in power when he got turned into a demon. The reason behind his power boost was because of how strong he was as a human and a demon slayer. This increase in his power is another reason why he became the second Demon King, as his blood is also strong enough to expose a dead human to another demon.
Is Tanjiro’s Father A Demon?
To ultimately wipe out the myth that they possess demon blood, which is linked to the reason why Tanjiro’s demon form is overpowered, you have to understand that no one in the Kamado family has demon blood. Tanjuro Kamado, Tanjiro’s father, also never became a demon; he did not become a demon slayer either, despite bearing the Demon Slayer Mark on his forehead just like his son.
Does Tanjiro Kill Anyone As A Demon?
The battle against Tanjiro’s Demon form was short-lived, as Nezuko was able to help Tanjiro get rid of his demon curse. The battle against Tanjiro started when Muzan turned Tanjiro into a demon, as he believed that Tanjiro would fulfill his dream. Giyu was good in immediately ordering everyone to kill Tanjiro without any question, as it prepared everyone against the new Demon King to avoid any deaths.
Damages That Tanjiro Caused During His Battle As A Demon
Giyu noted that if he did not order them all, as well as charge through Tanjiro, one of the remaining Kakushi would have been killed. Giyu almost died in the process, but Inosuke tried to ambush Tanjiro. However, Tanjiro effortlessly blocked his attack. Inosuke was about to get killed at this point as well since everyone is tired and unable to fight anymore. Gladly, Nezuko came into the scene and hugged Tanjiro while trying to convince him to regain his humanity.
Nezuko got hurt in the process, now that she is a human, but was stopped by a Kakushi and Zenitsu, then eventually Inosuke who hit him on the head. But Tanjiro repelled them all but did not kill anyone as well. Tanjiro then started protruding spine-like whips on his back to injure his allies and was about to fire an energy blast out of his mouth. Nezuko, despite being human, being in the range of all his overpowered attacks, and finally learning the taste of blood after injuring his sister, is not getting killed despite clinging to her brother.
This is a notable occurrence in Chapter 202 because despite Tanjiro going berserk, he never thought about killing his sister. Kanao, who also interrupted on this part to convince Tanjiro not to make Nezuko cry, got pierced by one of Tanjiro’s protrusions, but also did not die in the process. This woke up Tanjiro’s human subconsciousness, and thus began his internal struggle to go back to human once again. Tanjiro’s wish to go back home, along with Nezuko’s plead for Tanjiro to stop, caused Tanjiro to become human once more.
The reason why I explained the short-lived battle against Tanjiro is to prove that no one got killed by Tanjiro as a demon. This then avoided the possibility of Tanjiro creating a new legion of demons, stopping the demon race for good.
Is Tanjiro A Good Demon?
Tanjiro never became a good demon like his sister or Tamayo. He blindly went on a rampage after Muzan ordered him to wipe out the entire Demon Slayer Corps and fulfill his dream of having a sunlight-resisting demon. There was no slight hesitation from Tanjiro’s Demon form when he started fighting everyone else.
When Tanjiro woke up as a demon, he did not hesitate to fight all of his allies. Instead, he hurt some of his most important friends and then started showing off his own Demon Blood Art. During the battle, he also gradually transformed into a more horrifying-looking demon with powers that are just as horrifying as his appearance. This is the reason why Giyu ordered everyone to immediately prepare for battle.
The only exception was when he stopped as his inner mind struggles to resist Muzan’s demon blood curse in Chapter 203, right after Kanao got pierced by Tanjiro as she told him to not make Nezuko cry. This stopped the demon Tanjiro from going all-out, triggering his inner mind to wake up.
What happened next was a battle of wills within Tanjiro’s mind as he tries to resist the curse, which came in the form of Muzan grasping him. Tanjiro was giving up, as the Muzan in his subconscious is tempting him to completely turn into a demon and never go back. But Tanjiro’s determination to finally see his sister as a human again and go back home is strong. This, along with the help of Nezuko and his friends, as well as the humanizing drug of Tamayo, Tanjiro ultimately resisted the curse and became human once again.
The demon form of Tanjiro may not be a good character at all, but Tanjiro’s will was good enough to defeat his demon form from the inside.
What Is Tanjiro’s Demon Blood Art
Tanjiro’s demon form also has a Demon Blood Art. But it was neither explained nor named in the battle against him. This Demon Blood Art is the same as Muzan’s Biokinesis, which lets Tanjiro manipulate all parts of his body. The reason behind this is that Tanjiro assimilated Muzan’s blood, and as a final will of Muzan.
Tanjiro’s Biokinesis causes him to create whip-like spinal protrusions on his back that he can use just like an actual whip or as tentacles. However, since Tanjiro turned into a demon that mindlessly went on a rampage only for a short period, his actual skill in using this ability was never revealed. Most fans state that if Tanjiro’s Demon Form had a conscious mind, he would’ve been more skilled than Muzan.
Another property of Tanjiro’s Blood Demon Art was a regenerative ability that’s so overpowered to the point where it can combat the sunlight. This made Tanjiro immune from the sunlight. Giyu stated that Tanjiro could be an invincible demon thanks to this unique ability, as well as being a very powerful demon that’s almost on par with the first Demon King himself.
As for the rest of his abilities as a demon, his raw strength was not shown, though he can release a powerful scream that can repel everyone around him away. He can also use this scream to create an energy beam, which is strong enough to create a small crater as Tanjiro charges it up. Its full power was never revealed as Nezuko interrupted Tanjiro by clinging onto him.
Tanjiro’s Demon Form
Tanjiro’s transformation removed the growth covering the right side of his face, and also regenerate the arm that he lost in the fight against Muzan. The transformation gave Tanjiro eyes with slit pupils, much like all demons in the series. His Demon Slayer Mark turned into a flame-patterned mark, as well as one on his right jaw. Another smaller flame-like mark also grew on the right part of his head, which goes all the way to his eyebrow, when he acquired sunlight resistance.
His signature Demon Slayer Mark also became flame-shaped and is now longer than before. His Demon Slayer Mark is now the largest flame mark found on Tanjiro’s head. All the flame marks appear like they are pointing toward his nose. This is believed to be an indication of his evolution into a more powerful demon, as seen in how he developed a smaller mark after becoming immune to sunlight.
His body remains the same, but his hands gained claws similar to the demons. His back now has spine-like protrusions as a result of his Blood Demon Art. As he goes into a rampage, his eyes turned white, and is now standing on the ground with his feet and hands, just like a wild beast.
Fans stated that there could be more of Tanjiro’s transformation at this point, as they believed that it was gradually occurring as he is starting to succumb to the curse. But thankfully, Tanjiro’s friends did not let him down, and ended his dreadful and overpowered new form for good.
