8 anime characters who are like Tanjiro from Demon Slayer

The protagonist of the popular anime Demon Slayer, Tanjiro Kamado, is one of the most loved Shonen anime characters. He is selfless, kind and extremely hardworking, so it is no surprise that everyone loves him. He has even shown sympathy towards demons who realized their mistakes, even though his own family was killed by demons and his sister Nezuko was turned into a demon.

Despite his traumatic past and the hardships he has faced, he never backs down when it comes to helping others. Being a demon slayer, he has put his own life at risk many times to protect others. Tanjiro is undoubtedly one of the most responsible and lovable characters in the Demon Slayer series.

If you are curious about other anime characters with similar traits and features, we have you covered. We have listed 8 anime characters like Tanjiro below.

Note: This article reflects the author's personal views.

Atsushi and 7 other characters similar to Tanjiro from Demon Slayer

1) Izuku Midoriya

Izuku Midoriya and Tanjiro Kamado have a lot in common, even apart from their personalities. Both of them were feeble in the beginning. While Izuku was born quirkless, Tanjiro could not save his family. However, both of them were lucky enough to have mentors who guided them and molded them to be strong enough to pursue their goals. All Might mentored Izuku, while Urokodaki helped Tanjiro.

Both of them underwent vigorous training in a short span of time, yet they refused to give up. Despite all the hardships they faced on their respective journeys, they continued to be hopeful and optimistic. Kind and friendly in nature, both of them were willing to sacrifice their lives for others' well-being.

2) Atsushi Nakajima

Atsushi Nakajima - Image via Studio Bones

Despite their tragic past, Tanjiro and Atsushi did not lose sight of their path. Atsushi had a harsh upbringing which was almost as painful as Tanjiro losing his family. They were always willing to help others withot thinking of themselves. Since both of them were friendly and compassionate, everyone found it easy to interact with them.

They suffered a lot in life but did not lose their faith in humanity. Instead, they only became stronger with each obstacle. Atsushi, like Tanjiro, has a strong sense of responsibility and cares about protecting his friends above all else.

3) Yuichiro Hyakuya

Yuichiro's friends were his only family in the post-apocalyptic world ruled by vampires. However, all of his friends were murdered by a vampire soon after, while his best friend Mikeala was turned into a vampire. He could not help but feel guilty about being unable to save his friends.

His story is similar to that of Tanjiro whose family was murdered by demons while his sister Nezuko was turned into a demon. Both of them vowed to avenge their families and find a cure for their respective loved ones.

Yuichiro has a habit of going to great lengths for his friends. He almost sacrificed his humanity for the purpose of saving his friends, despite knowing the consequences.

4) Ken Kaneki

Ken Kaneki can easily relate to Tanjiro since his happy, easygoing life was turned upside-down in a single moment. Kaneki was like every other normal teenager but he then turned into a half-ghoul after his date, a ghoul, attacked him. Tanjiro, on the other hand, was forced to become a demon slayer.

However, while Tanjiro was able to find his place in the demon slayer corps, Kaneki's life took a much darker turn.

5) Edward Elric

At the beginning of Demon Slayer, Tanjiro's sister turned into a demon. Ever since, he has been on a mission to find a cure for his sister. His goal pretty much aligns with that of Elric whose brother was half-human. Elric even sacrificed his ability to use alchemy to save his brother. Like Tanjiro, he was always willing to prioritize his loved ones' safety above all else.

His sheer will and determination could be compared to that of Tanjiro in Demon Slayer. He was kind and empathetic, never being able to ignore others' pain. His actions truly reflected his selfless nature.

6) Leonardo Watch

Tanjiro is the possessor of the "Hinokami Kagura" or Sun Breathing technique, which is the most powerful breathing style in Demon Slayer. However, Tanjiro never wanted any of it. Similarly, Leonardo too bears the burden of power that he never wanted, a power that separated him from his sister. Both characters know what it is like to lose a loved one.

Like Tanjiro, Leonardo soon found his place in an organization that fought aliens. Though he did not like violence as much as Tanjiro, he was often forced to showcase his powers for the sake of other people.

7) Tohru Honda

Many fans might argue about how she resembles Tanjiro since Demon Slayer and Fruits Basket belong to two entirely different genres. However, both of them are overwhelmingly kind, and that is a quality to be valued highly.

She was an orphan like Tanjiro, and had to survive on her own from a young age. Kind, caring and selfless, Tohru is quite similar to Tanjiro in terms of personality. Both of them try to remain positive and optimistic, which influences the people around them to feel better as well.

8) Asta

No one knows better than Asta what it feels like to be the odd one out. In a world where magic is in abundance, Asta was born without any magic. However, he chose not to give up and instead of focused on his goal of becoming the wizard king. Hard-working and compassionate, Asta resembles Tanjiro in certain ways.

Asta has the demon Leibe inside him which often surfaces when the situation becomes dire. It makes Asta strong enough to face his opponent, much like Tanjiro's Hinomkami Kagura from Demon Slayer. When Tanjiro is outpowered during a battle, he uses Hinokami Kagura which makes him considerably stonger.

Conclusion

These anime characters have all faced many hardships, but they do not let their futures be dictated by their tragic pasts. They remained true to themselves and pursued their goal without losing hope.