How Is Tanjiro’s Father Connected to Muzan?

As the story of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba continues with Season 3, more and more secrets are revealed. But the most intriguing aspect of them all is Tanjiro’s father. Was he a demon, or was he the demon slayer who almost killed Muzan before? How is Tanjiro’s father connected to Muzan? 

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Demon Slayer manga!

Is Tanjiro’s Father a Demon?

While Tanjiro’s father, Tanjuro Kamado, knows the Sun Dance, Transparent World, and Selfless State, it is confirmed that he is not a demon nor a demon slayer. It just so happens that his ancestors passed down these abilities to him.

It's unfortunate that he was not able to properly teach Tanjiro all of these due to his illness, as it would have been amazing if Tanjiro had mastered all of those skills before becoming a demon slayer.

Is Tanjiro’s Father the Demon Slayer Muzan Fears?

In the anime, Muzan had a flashback showing a moment when a mysterious demon slayer almost killed him. Fans believe that it might be Tanjiro’s father, Tanjuro, as the demon slayer in the flashback also wears the same Hanafuda earrings as Tanjiro.

Later in the manga, it was revealed that it was not Tanjuro but rather Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the human who founded the breathing techniques. He was born almost 400 years before Tanjuro.

But how come they have the same earrings? It was revealed that in Yoriichi’s final days as part of the Demon Slayer Corps, he met Sumiyoshi and Suyako Kamado, who happen to be Tanjiro's ancestors. They were amazed at his beliefs and goals.

Before leaving, Suyako asked Yoriichi to perform the Sun Dance. The performance impacted Sumiyoshi so much that he instantly memorized it, explaining how Tanjiro’s father had learned it.

Yoriichi also gave his earrings to the Kamados for safekeeping, which was also passed down to generations up until Tanjiro.

Is Tanjiro’s Father Connected to Muzan?

The Demon King, Muzan, vowed to eliminate anyone that uses the Sun Breathing Technique to prevent another downfall. He even partnered with Kokushibo, the twin brother of Yoriichi, to achieve this.

While many fans believe that this was why Muzan massacred the Kamado family, it was later revealed in the manga that the Demon King had no idea that the Kamados were capable of doing the Sun Dance.

Everything was purely coincidental, and Muzan was just looking for the demon who could withstand the sun, who, eventually, happened to be Nezuko.

This means that even though the Kamado family had met Yoriichi, passed down the Sun Dance, and wore Hanafuda earrings, Tanjuro is not connected to Muzan.

Tanjuro did serve a great purpose, though, as he passed down the Sun Breathing Technique that helped his son stop Muzan’s reign once and for all.

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