Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Demon Slayer.
Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado, a brother-and-sister duo, are victimized in a mysterious demon attack in the very first episode of Demon Slayer. Despite his existence, his identity remains ambiguous for a while as other plot threads dominate the scene.
Why is Tanjiro and Nezuko's father absent from the beginning of Demon Slayer, anyway? Was he there or is he still alive?
What happened to Tanjiro and Nezuko's father?
The two demon-slaying siblings remained happily married to their hard-working coal burner family, which included their father, Tanjuro Kamado (not to be confused with hiseldest son, Tanjiro, the antagonist in the story). They had six children, four of whom were named Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru, and Rokuta.
Tanjuro shared many characteristics with his younger brother Tanjiro, such as his unusual red hair and eyes. Perhaps most significantly, they shared The Demon-Slayer Mark, which appears to be a crimson forehead scar or birthmark. The father also wore an orange-and-black haori that closely resembled his son's turquoise-and-black version in Demon Slayer.
Tanjiro is shown to have fond memories of his father. Tanjuro was a humble, kind, and compassionate family man who would do anything to protect and support his loved ones. He was also quite athletic, having once killed a bear with a sword in the blink of an eye. He knew how to perform The Hinokami Kagura Sun-Breathing Technique with Tanjiro.
Tanjuro was unfortunate to acquire a strange illness that made his skin appear dull and weak. Sadly, this illness prematurely ended his life before the first episode of Demon Slayer, leaving his family vulnerable to attack.