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Tanjiro Kamado is the central character of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba and as far as heroes go, it would be find one as complex and beautiful on the inside. He is compassionate, yet driven by the love of his family; his moral compass is definitive, with a very clear view of what’s right and what’s wrong. But interestingly, he casts a wide net of empathy, even towards demons. 

Popverse had the opportunity to speak with Japanese actor Natsuki Hanae who has voiced Tanjiro for the last six years. As the saga closes in on its final chapter, this entire journey has given Hanae-san the opportunity to try to encapsulate his full experience voicing Tanjiro.

“I think about Tanjiro’s sort of thought process when performing a character, and he's the kind of character who's able to look at something and say, well, this is good and this is bad, and is very honest with that sort of lens or the way he values that, and he's able to express that,” Hanae-san explained to Popverse. “So just because he encounters an oni or demon. It doesn't automatically mean oh they must be bad.” 

“Tanjiro is able to listen and sort of understand and even extend a helping hand to the oni or demon if the situation commands it. So that really shows Tanjiro’s own kindness and he’s someone who becomes strong when he's fighting for someone. It's that sort of relationship that drives his strength.”

Tanjiro often gets criticized for being too compassionate towards the demons and while that can be seen as a character flaw, these are similar criticisms in American superheroes such as Batman and Superman who typically don’t kill anyone. But having empathy and showing kindness, is arguably, a more powerful move or gesture, than more bloodshed. Make no mistake, Tanjiro is always driven by his cause and mission.

“I think that's an amazing part of Tanjiro as a character,” Hanae-san continued. “I think about what  scene encapsulates that and in the Tsunami Yashiki Arc, there's a scene where Tanjiro kind of tries to motivate himself. He's saying ‘Gamba,’ or ‘You can do it!’ and he's telling this to himself. I think there's a certain element that shows his own passion and his drive, but also the type of character he is in that moment.”

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle hits US theaters September 12. 

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