Falco from Attack on Titan bears many similarities to Tanjiro

Attack on Titan starts like any other Shonen manga. It’s loud, reactionary, and the world is very simplistic. At the beginning of AOT, the plot revolves simply around Man and Monster.

The people of Paradis Island are touted to be the last civilization and humanity’s last hope. These people are constantly surrounded by Titans who want to eat them, and the characters’ one goal is surviving and eventually defeating all Titans.

As Attack on Titan progresses, viewers find out that the story is not so straightforward, and this is best seen through its characters. Eren, the typical Shonen protagonist, struggles to handle this world of Black, White, and even Grey. His moments of determination mean nothing, as the reality of the world hits: the world is not determined by willpower. Eren starts changing as a response, and at the end of AOT, he still tries to divide the world into Black and White.

Many characters developed complex ideals as a result of the world’s reality. The likes of Jean, Armin, and Mikasa see that the topic of good and evil is no longer straightforward. These characters take a neutral approach to solving things.

However, there was one character who saw things through one lens from their introduction to the end, and that character is Falco. He is one of the few characters in the series who preserved his Shonen attributes to the very end, just like Tanjiro from Demon Slayer; here is why Falco is similar to Tanjiro.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers.

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Why Falco from Attack on Titan bears similarities to Tanjiro

Falco is bereft of hate in Attack on Titan (Image via MAPPA)

To understand what makes Falco and Tanjiro similar, one needs to know the audience Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer were made for. AOT and Demon Slayer are both Shonen, and their stories are usually made for a younger audience.

The concept of good and evil is usually straightforward, and the characters are not written to be very complex. Attack on Titan, however, veers off the stereotypical Shonen route and dips its feet into Seinen.

Seinen stories are typically mature, and as Attack on Titan progressed, the stories took on a mature look that could be reflected in their themes. The themes shifted from just survival to racism, morality, and free will. Many characters in Attack on Titan also embodied this shift; however, Falco was one character who didn’t change.

Some fans have found it weird that Falco kept his goodwill despite the many tribulations he faced, while some have even called it a blip in Isayama’s near-perfect writing, but it isn’t. Falco represents those who see the ugliness of the world and still search for the beauty within it.

Falco is both kind to Eldians and Marleyans (Image via MAPPA)

Falco’s attitude is reminiscent of archetypal Shonen MC, as their lives are centered around positivity. Naruto, Luffy, and Bakugo are similar to Falco, but the most recent character who bears the most similarity is Tanjiro.

Despite Tanjiro’s life being destroyed by demons, he still searches for the humanity in them. Eventually, his approach gets adopted by most of the Demon Slayer Corps. Falco is like that, too; he is one of the most emotionally balanced characters in the entire series. He sees the suffering from both sides, and chooses not to do the easiest thing—give in to rage.

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Final thoughts

Apart from the similar behavior between Tanjiro and Falco, where they can see beneath the ugliness of the world, they have one more similarity. Tanjiro and Falco in the anime use the same voice actor, Natsuki Hanae. He is known for taking on roles of characters with good will. He also voiced Okarun in Dandadan and Takumi Aldini in Food Wars: Shougeki no Soma.

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