Tanjiro goes on a quest to restore the humanity of his sister, Nezuko, who was turned into a demon after his family was killed by Muzan Kibutsuji following an attack that resulted in the death of his other relatives.

Besides Ufotable's Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime adaptation, Tanjiro has also appeared in a light novel that acts as a prequel to the manga.

Tatsuhiko Katayama, their editor, was worried about the one-shot crusade being too dark for the young demographic and asked Gotouge if they could write another type of the main character who would be "brighter".

[5] Tanjiro's water-based techniques were created using a mix between hand-drawn animation and CGI, while his battle against Rui was one of the most worked scenes in the making.

[6] The anime uses an insert theme song titled "Kamado Tanjiro no Uta," expressing his determination to stand up from despair and protect his younger sister.

After seeing Tanjiro's skills in battle as well as Nezuko's unwillingness to devour her brother, Giyu Tomioka sends the siblings to Sakonji Urokodaki on Mt.

[17] The siblings later meet friendly demons named Tamayo and Yushiro and assist with their research to find a way to restore Nezuko's humanity.

[18] Later in his battle with the demon Rui, Tanjiro remembers Tanjuro's family dance which his father wanted him to pass on his next generation alongside his rising sun earrings.

His sword's color is black, occasionally turning crimson red and becoming much stronger when combined with Nezuko's Blood Burst, a technique he later learns to perform without her help.

Tanjiro is poisoned by the enemy and at the brink of death he has a vision of one of his ancestors and his encounter with Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who developed the original fighting style which was passed along the generations of the Kamado family in the form of the Hinokami Kagura.

Though he eventually avenges his family during the final battle, losing his arm and eye in the process while being fatally wounded, he recovers after Muzan turns him into the ultimate demon before his death.

His left arm which grew back when he became a demon now takes the appearance of that which an older person may have, becoming wrinkled and skeletal, and he loses all feeling in it below the elbow and thus the ability to move it from his forearm down.

He is later revealed to have married Kanao Tsuyuri, having two great-great-grandsons: Kanata and Sumihiko A light novel entitled Demon Slayer: Flower of Happiness chronicles the lives of Tanjiro and Zenitsu before the start of the main series.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow expressed fears for its similarities with the character, stating that while it is not a copyright violation, he was disappointed by the lack of creative rights.

[35] In October 2021, Shueisha failed its appeal to trademark the clothing patterns for the following Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba including Tanjiro among others.

Otaku USA found Tanjiro an anti-stereotypical take from the shōnen main characters due to his desire to fight being solely to find a cure to protect Nezuko, calling him a "fascinating breath of fresh air", while highlighting his friendly personality in a dark story.

[38] Comic Book Bin felt Tanjiro's journey was inspirational due to the pain he goes to save Nezuko, making him likable.

[42] Anime News Network said that while he keeps being well meaning in following arcs, he still shows a more aggressive side when fighting demons, making him multi-faceted.

Tanjiro's relationship with Nezuko was acclaimed by IGN as "one of the most endearing parts of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, if not arguably its beating heart and soul".

[46] In Jungian Dimensions of the Mourning Process, Burial Rituals and Access to the Land of the Dead: Intimations of Immortality, the writer Hiroko Sakata addressed similarities the Kamado siblings with the Forgotten God Hiruko, the Oni Katako and the child K, citing the Kamado' stories as modernized version of Japanese myths, comparing them with Yuta Okkotsu and Rika Orimoto from the manga Jujutsu Kaisen 0 as both aim to control the Oni element present in the narrative and become fighters in the process.

[47] In regards to Ufotable's handling of the series, Manga.Tokyo liked his visual appearance, finding it outstanding within the shonen genre, but felt that his struggle with Giyu was harsh, making the main character more likable.

[49] The Fandom Post enjoyed Tanjiro's debut in the series due to how Ufotable handled the character's shock upon the tragedy of his family and how he battles Giyu in order to protect his sister.

[50] The Fandom Post enjoyed how skilled Tanjiro became in the manga's tenth volume, making it one of the best reasons to keep following the printed media.

[52][53] Writing for Comic Book Resources, Sage Ashford praised the protagonists, whom he called "the most likable male and female leads of the decade".

[57] In late 2019, IGN wondered about the possibilities of Tanjiro dying in the manga at the hands of Muzan due to the multiple wounds he suffered in his match against the demon.