When the 1st episode of Demon Slayer aired, the character Tanjiro wore earrings called hanafuda, which caused an unanticipated debate over Japan’s imperial history. I’ll explain why.
Here is the narrative that lies within the debate surrounding the Tanjiro earrings in Demon Slayer, as well as the reason why the appearance needed to be altered for some Asian nations.
The banner-style earrings worn by the hero in the anime and manga series Demon Slayer have been the subject of some criticism since the series’ first release, despite the fact that Demon Slayer now ranks among the highest-rated anime and manga titles available.
Season 2 of the anime, which was given the subtitle “the Entertainment District Arc,” featured Tanjiro and his companions as they embarked on their next assignment in the Demon Slayer universe’s version of Taisho-era Japan’s notoriously named district.
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The hero, who was adored by everyone, kept wearing the earrings, however, he also had to deal with the fallout of the controversy around them.
Hanafuda cards which have been altered and worn as earrings by Tanjiro have been a family heirloom for generations. Tanjuro, Tanjiro’s father, wore the earrings in the 19 episodes of the 1st season of Demon Slayer, titled “Hinokami.” Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the creator of the Breathing Styles, was also shown wearing them in several of his photographs.
Given that he did not have any children of his own, it is reasonable to believe that he donated the earrings to Tanjuro, who then decided to give them to Tanjiro. The earrings are a tribute to the flowery patterns that are often seen on Japanese hanafuda playing cards (“hanafuda” literally translates to “flower cards”).
Nevertheless, the issue surrounding the Tanjiro earrings in the Demon Slayer anime occurred due to the fact that the pattern actually resembled another thing: a Rising Sun, which was the emblem adopted by Japan during World War II.
Throughout the time when the world was at war, Japan joined the Axis powers and occupied many other Asian nations, including China and the Korean Peninsula.
The sign continues to be contentious in numerous Asian nations since it brings up memories of horrific occurrences and the atrocities perpetrated during wartime by the army of the Imperial Japanese Empire. Because of this, the producers finally decided to change the style of the contentious earrings that Tanjiro wore.
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Tanjiro’s Earrings Looked Like a Japanese Imperial Style
The real explanation why Tanjiro’s hanafuda earrings feature a symbol that looks like the sun is because that sign is the emblem of the warriors who practice the Sun Breathing Style, and it ensures that their heritage will continue to be passed down.
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As a consequence of this, Tanjiro’s earrings have indeed been identified by a number of figures, particularly Shinjuro, the father of Rengoku, who refers to Tanjiro as “a practitioner of Sun Breathing” in the Japanese manga.
Muzan is able to identify them on Tanjiro as well, and in the 8th episode of the 1st season of Demon Slayer, titled “The Smell of Enchanting Blood,” he gives the command for his soldiers to murder the “demon slayer who wears hanafuda earrings.”
In a reminiscence, it is revealed that Yoriichi, another demon slayer who wore the same earrings as Muzan, came very close to winning the battle against Muzan.
In the end, as a direct result of the criticism, the creators of the anime redesigned the earrings so that they would be more appropriate for specific Asian nations.
Between these nations are China and South Korea, both of which have streaming services that display an alternative version of the logo. Instead of red sunrays emanating from a red ring, the ring in the Chinese and Korean versions is positioned over 4 blue horizontal stripes.
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The peak at the base of the valley, on the other hand, has not changed. The alternative design is featured on official items sold in these nations as well.
In spite of the unanticipated criticism from viewers, the earrings that were handed down to Tanjiro from her ancestors in Demon Slayer continue to serve as a symbol of strength and optimism inside the universe of the anime.
The Earrings Have Been Passed Down Through the Generations
A flashback is seen in Episode 19, “Hinokami,” with Tanjiro’s father, Tanjuro, wearing the identical pair of hanafuda earrings. Tanjuro eventually leads the audience in the Hinokami Kagura, a fire dance that is performed later in the performance.
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Young Tanjiro inquires about his mother as to how his ailing father can continue to dance for such a long time in the snow. Tanjuro continues by explaining how he is capable of keeping himself from freezing:
“There exists a breathing technique, one that will prevent you from ever exhausting yourself. If you can master the correct way to breathe, you’ll be able to dance forever, too. Even the cold won’t bother you. Tanjiro — this ceremonial dance and pair of earrings — I wish for them to be passed down to you. This is my gift.”
After that, Tanjiro is brought back to the current moment, and he employs the Hinokami Kagura to vanquish the Spider Demon he is now battling.
After instructing their sons in the Hinokami Kagura Breathing Style, members of the Kamado family have handed down these earrings from generation to generation in order to preserve their history as an important part of the Hinokami Kagura Breathing Style. This complete sequence enlightens us on this history.
The renowned originator of the Breathing Style, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, was likewise known to have worn the earrings. Yoriichi Tsugikuni was the only one to carry on his legacy.
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Therefore, it is safe to conclude that he gave the earrings to Tanjuro so that the sign of the warriors who practice the Sun Breathing Style would continue to live on.
Why It Was Appropriate For Demon Slayer To Change Tanjiro’s Earrings
When issues of this kind emerge, production companies and content producers should react in a manner similar to how Demon Slayer’s studio handled the backlash over the Tanjiro earrings.
Altering the appearance of Tanjiro’s hanafuda earrings was indeed a straightforward and uncomplicated alteration that was made in order to remove potentially offensive and inadvertent subtext from the anime in some territories.
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Instead of turning off fans in Korea and China, the show has thrived because of its readiness to change, proving that the choice to make this little adjustment was the correct one.
In the conclusion, Tanjiro is a successful hero irrespective of the particular shape of his earrings, and the fact that a modest adjustment was made to satisfy some fans has only served to make him more widely appreciated overall.
Real Criticism Was Triggered by The Hanafuda Earrings
The hanafuda earrings that Tanjiro wore were designed to be a tribute to traditional Japanese playing cards. Hanafuda cards, which are the Japanese version of playing cards used in the United States, have been around for ages and may be used for a variety of purposes.
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The term “flower cards” comes from the Japanese word “hanafuda,” and most of the cards depict drawings of flowers.
Others believed that Tanjiro’s hanafuda earrings suggested something that was a little bit more problematic, despite the fact that it seemed as if the earrings were designed to resemble flowers themselves.
Some people think that the pattern of the earrings mimics a Rising Sun, which is a symbol that was employed in Japan during World War II when it occupied other Asian nations.
Other people don’t think that the design looks like a Rising Sun. Because it is a constant reminder of the atrocities committed by the Japanese forces during the war, the sign continues to be contentious in many Asian nations today.
As a direct result of the controversy over the hanafuda earrings, the producers of “Demon Slayer” altered the look of the show’s promotional artwork for streaming services in nations like Mainland China and South Korea.
As per Kotaku, the earrings have been modified to incorporate 4 horizontal lines, as opposed to the numerous lines that mimic sunrays that were originally there.
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Even though Tanjiro’s earrings have garnered more negative feedback from viewers than was first expected, they continue to have a great deal of significance for the Kamado family as well as other Sun Breath Users.
They Are Clear Representations of The Power That They Hold
The hanafuda earrings are a powerful sign of Sun Breathing Style warriors and are frequently identified throughout both the manga and anime adaptations of the “Demon Slayer” series.
In the manga, Tanjiro is referred to as “a performer of Sun Breathing” by Kyojuro Shinjuro, Kyojuro Rengoku’s father. Shinjuro immediately knows Tanjiro and his son.
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Muzan Kibutsuji is also able to recognize the hanafuda earrings very quickly. The first time Tanjiro and Kibutsuji come into contact with one another is in Episode 7 titled “Muzan Kibutsuji.”
It is clear that Kibutsuji is upset by their encounter, as shown by the fact that in the next episode, “When he finishes reading “The Smell of Enchanting Blood,” he calls two of his followers to him and declares, “There’s a demon slayer who wears hanafuda earrings. I want you to bring me his head.”
The scene then shifts to another reminiscence, this time depicting a younger Kibutsuji who seems to be defeated by a demon slayer who is wearing earrings that are an exact duplicate of those worn by Kibutsuji.
It would seem that they serve as a jarring memory of a period when Kibutsuji came dangerously close to losing, and as a result, he is eager to get rid of everything that may serve as a permanent emblem of that terrifying moment.
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