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Warning: The following contains spoilers for the Demon Slayer manga. Demon Slayer is now streaming onCrunchyroll.
What special powers, if any, does the Kamado family hold inDemon Slayer? Even after being mostly wiped out by theDemon King Muzan Kibutsuji, the members of the Kamado family, both past and present, have made waves that will have major effects on the course of history.
And yes, part of that is because of plot convenience. Tanjiroisthe show’s protagonist, so naturally, he and the people close to him will be involved in most of the important events. It’s a so-the-show-can-happen argument. But the point is that they aren’t just haphazardly thrown intoDemon Slayer’s various turning points. There are proper reasons that make the Kamado family incredibly significant to the world around them.
Nezuko as the “Chosen One”
She Who Conquered the Sun
Depending on who you ask, Tanjiro might not even be the most important character in theDemon Slayeruniverse. It might very well be his beloved sister, Nezuko Kamado, who holds the title. The biggest reason is that she is the first demonto develop sunlight immunity, a power Muzan has sought after for over a thousand years. The development of this power led to her being the Demon Slayer Corps' most valuable asset and the demons' most wanted target.
“At last, someone able to withstand the sun has appeared!… The chosen demon. If I devour that girl and absorb her, I, too, will be able to conquer the sun!” - Muzan after learning of Nezuko’s sunlight immunity
But from the beginning, even before Nezuko gained sunlight immunity, the show kind of already revolved around her. Finding a cure that could turn her back to human has been Tanjiro’s main purpose for livingever since Nezuko became a demon. If Muzan killed Nezuko instead of turning her into a demon, there’s, admittedly, still a chance that Tanjiro would have become a Demon Slayer for vengeance. However, without the motivation of his joyful younger sister, who knows how far he would have made it?
Sumiyoshi and Suyako Kamado’s Connection to Yoriichi Tsugikuni
The Preservers of Sun Breathing
First appearing in a dream or flashback inDemon Slayerseason 3, episode 1, “Someone’s Dream”, Sumiyoshi Kamado is one of Tanjiro and Nezuko’s ancestors. He is the spitting image of Tanjiro, except for having longer hair and nothaving Tanjiro’s iconic scaron his forehead. Suyako Kamado is Sumiyoshi’s wife, a compassionate woman with long black hair. So, what makes this couple so special? Well, it’s their relationship with the greatest Demon Slayer to ever live, Yoriichi Tsugikuni. They first met when Yoriichi saved the couple from a demon attack and have become fast friends since then.
When the Demon Slayer Corps found out that Yoriichi’s brother, Michikatsu, became a demon and killedtheir Oyakata (their leader), Yoriichi took responsibility for it and was banished. Feeling lost, Yoriichi decided to stay with the Kamados for the time being. It was Sumiyoshi and Suyako who lifted his spirits back up and gave him the confidence he needed to continue living. As a favor, Sumiyoshi asked Yoriichi to perform the Sun Breathing forms in front of them, which the former memorized and swore to pass on to his descendants. Before leaving, Yoriichi gave Sumiyoshi his Hanafuda earrings, which were also passed down the Kamado family tree.
Not long after Yoriichi’s death, Muzan and Michikatsu,who became known as Kokushibo, sought out all the Demon Slayer Corps' Sun Breathing users, driving them close to extinction. The only remaining knowledge of the Sun Breathing forms now lies in the Kamado family. Sumiyoshi’s conviction to pass on the Sun Breathing forms to his descendants is the only reason it still exists in Tanjiro’s era.
Special Mention: Tanjuro Kamado’s Influence on Tanjiro
As previously stated, Sumiyoshi and Suyako Kamado passed on their knowledge ofYoriichi’s Sun Breathing formsto their descendants. Eventually, it reached Tanjuro Kamado, Tanjiro’s father. And if it weren’t for Tanjuro, Tanjiro would have never learned Sun Breathing. Although Tanjuro was a frail man, using the breathing techniques passed down the Kamado line allowed him to perform impressive feats, such as killing a bear in the wild with seemingly little effort. He performed the Sun Breathing forms, which, by this point, became a dance known as the Hinokami Kagura, in front of his children. And it was the memory of Tanjuro performing the dance that awakened Tanjiro’sability to perform Sun Breathing.
Tanjiro Kamado, the Demon Slayer
Muzan’s Undoing
The main man himself, Tanjiro Kamado, is the one destined to bring an end to the era of demons. A boy who was once just the son of a lowly coal burner grew up to learnthe most legendary swordsmanship styleknown to man and challenged the biggest threat to humankind, Muzan Kibutsuji.
Tanjiro has gone on numerous missions and skirmishes, all in the name of curing his sister and ensuring that what happened to his family would never happen again. Tanjiro’s story is long and arduous and won’t really fit here. But if you’ve seen or readDemon Slayer, you already know how strong this member of the Kamado family is.
Demon Slayer is now available to stream onCrunchyrollandNetflix. The release date for the next season of Demon Slayer, the Infinity Castle Arc, has not been announced yet.
