Inosuke has a more compelling protagonist status in Demon Slayer (& the reason is obvious)

When it comes to Demon Slayer, Tanjiro has always been held as the protagonist figure in the series, with both his character arc and his storyline. However, on closer notice, there is one other character that holds a much more compelling character arc, who could have fitted the protagonist role just as well, if not better.

The character in question here is the master and inventor of Beast Breathing, Inosuke Hashibira. While the other main characters in the series had something going for them that gave them an extra edge, Inosuke, as the main protagonist, would be a story of hard work getting rewarded.

Disclaimer: This article contains potential spoilers from the Demon Slayer anime and manga, and reflects the author's opinions.

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Inosuke's character is the perfect fit for the protagonist of Demon Slayer

When it comes to the Demon Slayer main characters from the series, both Tanjiro Kamado, the main protagonist, and Zenitsu Agatsuma have always had an edge over the third member of their party, Inosuke Hashibira. The latter met Tanjiro and Zenitsu during the Tsuzumi Mansion arc, where he was trapped for 3 days due to Kyogai's Blood Demon Art.

After meeting up with the others, they eventually banded as a squad and stuck around together for several missions under the Demon Slayer Corps, and later played the most significant part in the story. As per the narrative, Inosuke was born into a family with an abusive father, whom his mother, Kotoha, escaped while taking him with her.

Kotoha and Inosuke, who was still an infant, were taken in by the Upper Rank Two demon Doma into his Eternal Paradise Faith cult. While everything was good for a while, Kotoha found out that Doma ate his worshippers and ran away with Inosuke. However, running aimlessly, Kotoha and Inosuku ended up at the top of a cliff. On a last-ditch effort to save Inosuke, Kotoho dropped him before being devoured by Doma.

Inosuke Hashibira (Image via Ufotable)

Inosuke was later found by a group of wild boars and raised by them in the mountains. Unlike the other, Inosuke did not have any backing or any other relation with the Demon Slayer Cops, other than his immense hate for the Upper Rank demon. However, he has managed to achieve numerous feats just like the others, while also inventing a new Breathing Form, the Beast Breathing.

Tanjiro, unlike Inosuke, who has no direct link with the Demon Slayer Corps or any connections with the demon world, belonged to the Kamado family. The family is well known as the only ones who managed monumental feats and are feared by the demons themselves as Sun Breathers. Similarly, Zenitsu was trained by a proper former Hashira and his grandfather, Jigoro Kuwajima, before joining the Corps.

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Final thoughts

Inosuke's actual face, as shown in the anime (Image via Ufotable)

Unlike Tanjiro, who belonged to a renowned and feared family, and Zenitsu, who also belonged to a family with a former Hashira, Inosuke did not have the slightest connection with the world before the fateful night he and his mother met Doma. His drive to avenge his mother and save others from the fate he suffered put him in a great protagonist character arc position.

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