Speaking of contemporary Shounen anime, one cannot discuss it without bringing up Demon Slayer. With such a large fan base, the show frequently has its supporters participating in different headcanons. One such headcanon held by certain fans of Demon Slayer is that the program could have concluded sooner if a single character’s appearance had been altered.
Koyoharu Gotouge wrote and drew Demon Slayer, which debuted in 2016 and lasted for four years before concluding in 2020. The manga gained even more popularity after UFotable’s 2019 anime adaptation of it. It was already quite well-known.
We’re excited for Demon Slayer Season 4 after three great seasons and one box-office hit film. There will be some of Tanjiro’s toughest tests yet in the Hashira Training Arc.
Within the fandom, Demon Slayer enthusiasts are quite engaged, always debating various theories. Their admiration for Tanjiro’s previous appearance as well as their active imaginations led to the creation of this new canon.
Had Tanjiro retained his long hair, the Demon Slayer could have come to an early conclusion.
A fan claimed on Reddit that Demon Slayer’s course would have been altered and the show would have concluded far sooner if Tanjiro had maintained his long hair like he did at the start. Many other fans agreed, arguing that Tanjiro’s long hair may have contributed to the series’ shortened runtime.
They said that Tanjiro’s long hair would have set off Kibutsuji Muzan, who would have suffered a heart attack upon seeing him. Some fans made jokes about how Muzan’s PTSD would have been triggered by Tanjiro’s mere sight, making him run into the sunlight or scream for his Upper Moon demons to save him.
Some fans believe this is the case because Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Tanjiro have similar looks. The only person to have defeated Muzan was Yoriichi. Indeed, on their first encounter, Yoriichi thoroughly overpowered Muzan and nearly killed him. After hundreds of years, Muzan’s body still dreaded the thought of Yoriichi due to the encounter’s extreme agony.
Tanjiro’s first encounter with Muzan would have been different if he had maintained his hair long. Muzan would have cowered at Tanjiro’s appearance; with his long hair and earrings, he would have resembled Yoriichi even more. We could be wrong and the demon progenitor simply fled into the sunshine to avoid Yoriichi’s fury. Demon Slayer would have been cut short by that.
