Does Tanjiro defeat Muzan or become The Demon King?

The last few chapters of Kimetsu no Yaiba tested the tenacity of the entire fandom. The scar in our hearts represents the emotional toll of these events, and the predictable end with Muzan’s defeat came with some gruesome twists to the story.

The line of thought gripping fans was whether Tanjiro would die or if he’ll become a demon instead — to give you some assurance, all of that happened and then some.

Tanjiro dies while fighting Muzan but survives and becomes The Demon King due to the demon blood transfusion. He’s quickly saved by Kanao when she turns him back to a human using Wisteria flower medicine. Ultimately, Tanjiro dies of old age after living a fulfilling life with Kanao.

1. Did Muzan kill Tanjiro? 

With Nezuko cured and Muzan dead, it seemed as if the Demon Slayers could rest easy now. However, chapter 201 gave a big shock to everyone.

Technically, Muzan simultaneously killed and saved Tanjiro. The latter sustained many injuries during his final battle against Muzan. He did die, for a brief moment, until Muzan’s consciousness kicked in and revived Tanjiro – making him the new Demon King.

It was revealed that when Muzan engulfed Tanjiro in his body, he saw the potential Tanjiro held in his hands.

Muzan, therefore, transferred his consciousness into Tanjiro so that he may live on in Tanjiro’s now-dead body.

2. Did Tanjiro become the new Demon King?

Tanjiro becomes the Demon King when Muzan enters his body during the finale. But after Tamayo’s medicine and Nezuko’s calling, Kamado fights against Muzan in a power struggle for his own body. And wins!

A. How did Tanjiro defeat Muzan’s Conscience?

All hope seemed lost for Tanjiro until chapter 204, which opened the window for Tanjiro’s return. In Chapter 202, it is shown that Nezuko attempts to appeal to the human within Tanjiro as he undergoes his transformation.

She hugs him and refers to him as ‘Onii-chan’ to evoke a feeling of familiarity and affection that might help Tanjiro overpower Muzan’s will.

Firstly, Kanao injects a medicine likely to prevent his transformation into a demon or at least slow down the physical transformation.

This remedy was created by Shinobu and was meant for Nezuko. Tanjiro seemed to have regained a little control over his consciousness after hurting Kanao and after the effects of the medicine kick in. 

Muzan tries to coax Tanjiro in many ways and even tries to discourage him by saying that people outside will hate him as he hurts them. Still, Tanjiro did not fall for any of it.

Propped by the hands of the deceased Hashira, and led by the voices of his friends, encouraging him, Tanjiro successfully reverts back to his human state.

3. About Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoge. Its publication in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump began in February 2016 and ended in May 2020 with 23 collected tankōbon volumes.

In a world filled with demons and demon slayers, Kimetsu no Yaiba follows the lives of two siblings Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado after— the murder of their family at the hands of a demon. Their hardship does not end there, as Nezuko’s life is spared only for her to live as a demon.

As the oldest sibling, Tanjiro vows to protect and cure his sister. The story traces the bond of this brother-sister or better yet, demon slayer and demon combo against the odds of an arch antagonist and the society.