Tanjiro, don't give up!
Summary:
- Demon Slayer is very often criticized for its characters.
- Demon Slayer doesn't differ from other shounen in terms of plot.
- Some fans call Tanjiro a Mary Sue.
Demon Slayer is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding anime of our time. It has beautiful animation, an intriguing plot, and memorable characters. But like any great franchise, it suffers from fan attacks. Many things are criticized, but perhaps most often the characters. The main hero Tanjiro is no exception.
Another shounen hero
Tanjiro loses his family. The only surviving family member, his sister, becomes a demon. Now he has only one goal: to help her become human again. To do this, he trains and passes a test to join the ranks of demon slayers. Tanjiro undergoes many trials to learn the secret of the demons and to find their leader. The closer he gets, the more challenges he faces.
Demon Slayer doesn't differ from other shounen in terms of plot. There is a protagonist who starts his journey in a difficult situation, gradually gets stronger and advances towards his goal. Tanjiro doesn't have any special characteristics. He is kind and helpful and tries to overcome all the difficulties he encounters. Along the way, he is helped by his loyal friends, for whom he cares more than for his own life. Perhaps the only thing that sets him apart is that Tanjiro even sympathizes with villains, despite all the bad things they do.
What is Tanjiro's problem?
Some fans call Tanjiro a Mary Sue. This means that the character overcomes all problems without much difficulty, easily finds contact with other heroes, and has a pleasant appearance and personality. These last points fit Tanjiro's description, but he cannot be called a hero who overcomes challenges easily. On the contrary, you can often see how difficulties affect his emotional state.
Another common complaint is the lack of character development. Fans are annoyed by Tanjiro's repetitive motivational speeches, after which the hero gathers his strength and fights back against his enemies. Viewers don't feel the development because his strength remains unchanged throughout many episodes. It's hard to empathize with a character whose dynamics you don't understand.
Tanjiro stays happy all the time. Some people think that it looks boring and doesn't add any variety to the story. Moreover, overly positive characters are sometimes irritating simply because we don't feel an emotional connection to them.