Demon Slayer: Does Inosuke Like Tanjirō? Relationship Explained!
The term “ship” in terms of anime is actually a shortened version of the word “relationship” and represents fan-based relationships between the characters in the series. So, if you think that two characters would be great as a couple, you’re “shipping” them together. As far as Demon Slayer is concerned, the series itself has many ships, and while some were confirmed to be canon, others are quite ridiculous. The ship we will discuss belongs to the latter group and involves Inosuke Hashibara, the guy with the boar mask, and Tanjirō Kamado, the show’s protagonist. In this article, you will find out whether Inosuke likes Tanjirō and the actual nature of their relationship.
Inosuke Hashibara does not romantically like Tanjirō Kamado. The two of them are best friends and have had numerous adventures together, but neither of them is homosexual, and save for a deep and profound friendship, their relationship is completely platonic. On top of that, both ended up marrying (Tanjirō to Kanao, Inosuke to Aoi) and having their own separate families.
The rest of this article will explore the nature of the relationship between Inosuke Hashibara, the guy with the boar mask, and Tanjirō Kamado, the show’s protagonist. We will explore Inosuke’s and Tanjirō’s personalities in more detail, as well as the nature of their relationship in the world of Demon Slayer. This article won’t contain too many spoilers, but still, be careful how you approach it if you don’t know the whole story.
Inosuke and Tanjirō were best friends
Due to the nature of the series and the close bonds between some of the characters, the number of ships in the world of Demon Slayer is quite significant, and fans have shipped numerous characters with each other. And while the author has confirmed some of these ships to be canon (e.g., Tanjirō and Kanao, Zenitsu and Nezuko, Obanai and Mitsuri, etc.), some of them are non-canon, and that is completely fine since most anime have a lot of non-canon ships.
Some of these non-canon ships are more probable than others, but some are outright ridiculous. The ship we are going to talk about definitely fits into the latter category, and in the paragraphs that follow, we are going to tell you why the ship involving Inosuke Hashibara, the guy with the boar mask, and Tanjirō Kamado, the show’s protagonist, is so absurd.
Now, you have to understand that the two protagonists of this article had a very rough start to their friendship. The first meeting between the protagonist and Inosuke occurs in Kyōgai’s Tsuzumi Mansion house. Without much thought, Hashibira attacks Tanjirō, who protects the girl from a Demon roaming the house.
After clearing the house, Hashibira tries to attack Nezuko because she senses that she is a demon, which provokes Tanjirō, who loses the fight and is knocked out for several minutes. Later, Inosuke continues to try to provoke Tanjirō, but he does not win. However, Inosuke then realizes that he still needs to work hard to become strong, so he stops provoking anyone into pointless fights. Inosuke and Tanjirō have a poor understanding of city life, unlike Zenitsu. Subsequently, they also get along well and support each other in difficult times, giving advice or choosing the right words.
This was best seen during the Mugen Train Arc and later, when Inosuke is not only seen conversing with Tanjirō normally, but he has also shown a lot of emotions towards his friends and confirmed that he cares deeply for him and his welfare. The two also worked closely during the Entertainment District Arc, and Inosuke was seen checking up on Tanjirō daily while recovering from his wounds (which was also the source of one of the funniest scenes in the series).
He kept pronouncing his name incorrectly throughout the series, but no one was bothered by that fact at that point in the story. By the end, the two of them have – along with Zenitsu – become the best of friends.
Knowing this, it is obvious that there was never any romance between Inosuke and Tanjirō. The two of them were simply friends; they cared for each other deeply, that cannot be denied, but there was never any romance in that aspect, and based on how their relationship was portrayed, it would have been quite odd to see two such good friends become a couple, as it would have completely changed the nature of their relationship. On top of that, their personalities don’t really match.
Tanjirō has frequently been referred to as having soft eyes by others because he is naturally a compassionate guy. He exhibits incredible tenacity and will never give up once he establishes a goal to accomplish. The best illustration of this is his never-ending hunt for treatment for Nezuko. Even though he is physically fit, he is not opposed to asking for assistance when needed. He shows a lot of love to his pals, especially his sister. However, Tanjirō’s most notable quality is his ability to get along with everyone, including demons, which frequently causes him to think twice before killing a demon.
The drawback to these pauses is that they frequently give the Demons time to recuperate so they can carry on battling later. Tanjirō has a raging inner fire of retaliation and rage that burns behind his outwardly affable and compassionate exterior. Tanjirō Tanjirō first encounters Muzan and is about to draw his sword and fight him; we witness this side of him. Tanjirō unleashes his resentment as Muzan makes his getaway and declares he will be the one to execute Muzan. Another time, when the Demon Slayers allowed their necks to be torn by the Spider Demon’s (Mother) threads, Tanjirō displays a visceral wrath that even Inosuke feels.
Inosuke is a very irritable and self-centered young man who believes he is the best fighter ever. He continuously puts the people he meets to the test because he wants them to respect and acknowledge his abilities. Because of his tendency to overestimate himself and attempt to battle powerful opponents even though he has no chance, he frequently finds himself in risky circumstances. Neither can he acknowledge his own failures. Wild boars reared Inosuke, so he lacks a basic grasp of how to deal with other people, at least in the first few episodes of the series. He frequently acts as though anyone who approaches him intends to harm him.
Every time they don’t, he is shocked to a great extent. He doesn’t seem to comprehend the consideration others have for him. Tanjir’s actions increasingly influence Inosuke, and he grows accustomed to kindness and compassion as the plot develops. In addition, he gains an appreciation for the qualities of others and grows close to Tanjiro and Zenitsu Agatsuma, although he maintains his arrogant demeanor and persistent desire for admiration.
As you can see, Tanjirō did profoundly influence Inosuke and his growth, which is why Inosuke respects him so much, but this is just another piece of evidence that the two of them are only friends.
Both Inosuke and Tanjirō ended up marrying and having their own families
On top of that, we just have to add that both of them are heterosexual and that they ended up having their own families, remaining close as friends even after that. Tanjirō would, as expected, go on to marry Kanao Tsuyuri and have a family with her, while Inosuke, in a surprising turn of events, ended up marrying Aoi and having a family with her.