Demon Slayer: Does Tanjiro Marry Kanao?

Though Demon Slayer isn't particularly big on romance, the series hasn't failed to establish love interests for most of the main characters. Still, the manga never officially confirms any of these couples and instead gives us hints from which to draw out the answers.

This has, of course, left many fans wondering whether or not Tanjiro and Kanao get together. Because even though we see the chemistry, the manga doesn't really spend much time developing them as love interests.

So what happens? Does Kanao die? Does Tanjiro marry her? Read on to find out!

Does Kanao Die?

Kanao doesn't die in Demon Slayer. Though it does seem like she might die during the Infinity Castle Arc, she survives till the very end of the manga. Despite being grievously injured, Kanao and Inosuke team up against Doma to avenge Shinobu and win thanks to the latter's sacrifice.

It was a very close call, and the possibility that Kanao could take on an Upper Rank Two demon and still win seemed a little far-fetched. However, before her death, Shinobu managed to overdose Doma with a lethal poison (seven hundred times the lethal amount) and signaled to Kanao that she could kill him.

As soon as she understood what Shinobu had been trying to say, Kanao wasted no breath to behead Doma.

After the fight, Kanao safely joined up with the rest of the gang and prepared for their final stand.

Can Kanao Talk? What Happened To Her?

Kanao Before And After She Was Rescued

Kanao can talk, but she rarely does. Before they sold her off to slavery, Kanao's parents frequently abused and starved her. The effects of this psychologically broke Kanao, who stopped speaking by the age of 5, responding instead with one-word answers to most conversations. 

Even after Kanae and Shinobu rescued her, Kanao continued to struggle with speech and displayed signs of being nearly catatonic. Though Shinobu seemed frustrated with the kid, Kanae remained patient and loving.

After Kanae's death, Shinobu took on her role and displayed similar motherly affection towards Kanao. She trained Kanao to be a Demon Slayer, and eventually, Kanao began showing signs of healing.

It took her a long time to heal entirely, but by the time the manga had come to an end, Kanao was speaking significantly more than she used to, primarily thanks to the friendships she'd forged with Tanjiro and his companions.

Does Tanjiro Marry Kanao?

Tanjiro Telling Kanao To Follow Her Heart

Tanjiro marries Kanao in the aftermath of Demon Slayer's ending. In chapter 205, we meet the descendants of all major characters who survived the battle against Muzan. Among them are Kanata and Sumihiko Kamado, the great-grandchildren of Tanjiro and Kanao.

Though it's never officially confirmed, these blatant hints obviously mean that sometime after their reunion under the cherry blossom, Tanjiro and Kanao fell in love before eventually getting married. They went on to live a peaceful life undisturbed by demons, surrounded and loved by their friends and children.

Apart from the Kamado descendants, we also meet Yoshiteru and Toko Agatsuma, great-grandchildren of Zenitsu and Nezuko, as well as Aoba Hashibara, great-grandson of Aoi and Inosuke Hashibara.

There are, of course, reincarnations of characters like Kanae and Shinobu and the descendants of Hashira families like Rengoku, Giyu, and Tengen.

When Did Kanao And Tanjiro Fall In Love?

Tanjiro And Kanao In The Butterfly Mansion

Though Tanjiro and Kanao liked each other very early in the series, they only fell in love after the war against Muzan and his Twelve Upper Moon. It's unclear how things progressed between them, since the manga ended with them going their separate ways — Tanjiro to his old house and Kanao to the Butterfly Mansion — but ultimately, things seemed to have worked out fine.

Both Kanao and Tanjiro lost most of their eyesight by the time the war ended, and out of everyone else, they seemed to share similar kinds of burdens. This likely led to their bonding and becoming closer to each other.

What Happened At The End Of Demon Slayer?

At the end of Kimetsu No Yaiba, Tanjiro kills Muzan, erasing every demon from the face of the earth. Soon after, the Demon Slayers disband, as there is no need for the organization to continue, though most of its swordsmen are already dead.

Three months after the war, Tanjiro is still recovering from his injuries at the Butterfly Mansion. He loses both an eye and an arm during the battle but remains grateful that Nezuko and the rest are unscathed. Nezuko, sitting around his bed with Zenitsu and Inosuke, mentions that the Cherry Blossom looks beautiful.

She looks at her brother's disheveled arm and asks him if it hurts, but Tanjiro shakes his head, saying that he can't feel his arm below the elbow. Tanjiro asks how Nezuko is doing and apologizes to Nezuko for attacking her while he was a demon. She beams and tells him that she's just fine and that he has nothing to apologize for.

As it turns out, Tanjiro was able to turn back into a human thanks to Shinobu's medicines, and Nezuko didn't turn back into a demon because her body had developed immunity to Muzan's cells.

On the other hand, Kanao is left almost blind in her right eye. She used her final form in her battle against Doma, which helped her follow the demon's movements as of he was in slo-mo, but the strain on her eye left most of her blood vessels ruptured, resulting in her partial blindness.

As Tanjiro comes out to see the Cherry Blossom, he meets Kanao under it, who tells him that the tree is called 'Victory' and that the first Flower Breath user planted it. She adds that she came out to tell the tree that they've finally defeated Muzan.

Tanjiro asks her how she's doing, and as Obanai Iguro's pet snake, Kaburamaru, slithers out of her collar. She tells Tanjiro that Sanemi gave her Kaburamaru to help her as a guide.

Eventually, the pair goes their separate ways. But not for long.