The Hanafuda earrings are the `representation of the relationship between Tanjiro and his ancestors.
Demon Slayer stands among the well-known Anime and Manga series, however, there’s a minor controversy occurred that includes the design of the protagonist’s banner-style earrings. You must be wondering what’s so great about the earring that it had been the talk of the town.
Well, it’s the design of the earring, which triggered this controversy. People believe that it resembles the Rising Sun, which is a symbol that was used by Japan during World War II.
As Japan was an Axis power that colonized Asian countries, so the symbol has become controversial in those countries as it’s said to evoke traumatic memories.
If we talk about what Tanjiro’s earrings mean, well the earring bears a symbol that is much similar to the sun, it’s the symbol of the Sun Breathing Style fighters use to keep their legacy alive.
Furthermore, the earring also has importance to Tanjiro, these earrings represent Tanjiro’s relation to his ancestors. The ancestor of Tanjiro had a friend named Yoriichi, who gave him the earrings as a gift, and since then they have been passed down.
Demon Slayer is one the greatest Anime, almost every person who is interested in Anime, has watched Demon Slayer, so to find out more about it, keep on reading.
Tanjiro’s earrings resemble the symbol of the Sun Breathing, which is also the strongest style.
Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese anime series, which is based on its manga series. It story includes a teenage boy named Tanjiro Kamado, who wants to become a demon slayer, after the death of his entire family.
Demon Slayer is an Adventure, Dark Fantasy, and Martial Arts anime, written by Ufotable and directed by Haruo Sotozaki.
Well, while the plot is quite interesting, it’s the earrings that people find more interesting. Tanjiro wears a pair of earrings that resembles the Breath of the Sun, which is a fighting style that has been taught in Tanjiro’s family for generations.
Tanjiro’s Earrings: What Do They Mean?
The Hinokami Kagura is a Breathing Style that has been passed on from generation to along with a pair of earrings. Fathers of every Kamado generation teach the Breathing Style to their sons. It’s being used in a ritual ceremony that is practiced every new year, in which the user of the Breathing Style provides the Fire God a dance that starts from sunset and lasts till sunrise, this ritual is done to ward off any danger or diseases.
This dance contains 12 parts which are repeated throughout the night until its dawn. Tanjuro noticed that the breathing style when utilized in this dance can help the user move for a long time.
The user of the Breathing Style is Tanjiro Kamado, who was taught by his father, Tanjuro Kamado. Other people can also become users of this technique, only if they’re taught by a descendant of the Kamado family.
In addition, there’re multiple types of Breathing Styles, in fact, Sun Breathing is also a Breathing Style. It mimics the sun and replicates it with the movements, techniques, and abilities of the user. All the users are supposed to imagine themselves manipulating the solar flames when they unleash its technique.
However, what Tanjiro noticed is that when he uses the Sun Breathing Style, it augments his overall abilities like power and speed, which can be because of the fact that his body is more suited to this style rather than the Water Breathing.
Why does Tanjiro have the Hanafuda Earrings?
The Hanafuda earrings have been passed down from generation in the Kamado family.
Tanjiro’s ancestor had a friend, named Yoriichi, who gave these earrings as a gift, and since then they’re being passed down for generations.
Yoriichi is also the same person who knew 12 forms of Breathing Styles, which Tanjiro saw through his ancestor’s memories. There are many users of Breathing Styles, and they aren’t only from Kamado, anyone can become a user if they’re taught by a descendant of the Kamado family.
Here’s the list of all the 14 Breathing Styles and their users:
Flower Breathing
Known Users: Kanae Kocho, Kanao Tsuyuri
Total Forms: 7
Love Breathing
Known Users: Mitsuri Kanroji
Total Forms: 6
Insect Breathing
Known Users: Kocho Shinobu
Total Forms: 4
Serpent Breathing
Known Users: Obanai Iguro
Total Forms: 5
Beast Breathing
Known Users: Inosuke Hashibira
Total Forms: 11
Mist Breathing
Known Users: Muichiro Tokito
Total Forms: 6 (Plus Muichiro’s 7th Form, “Obscuring Clouds”)
Thunder Breathing
Known Users: Zenitsu Agatsuma, Jigoro Kuwajima, Kaigaku
Total Forms: 6 (Plus Zenitsu’s 7th Form, “Honoikazuchi no Kami”)
Total Forms: 10 (Plus Giyu’s 11th Form, “Dead Calm”)
Flame Breathing
Known Users: Kyojuro Rengoku, Shinjuro Rengoku
Total Forms: 9 (Including The Rengoku Family’s Exclusive Form)
Stone Breathing
Known Users: Gyomei Himejima
Total Forms: 5
Wind Breathing
Known Users: Sanemi Shinazugawa, Masachika Kumeno
Total Forms: 9
Moon Breathing
Known Users: Kokushibo
Total Forms: 16
Sun Breathing
Known Users: Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Sumiyoshi, Kamado Tanjiro, Kamado Tanjuro
Total Forms: 12 (Plus Yoriichi’s Unnamed 13th Form)
While all the Breathing Styles can be quite strong, Sun Breathing is considered the strongest, in fact, it’s the oldest one, from which the Wind and Water Breathing Styles were created.
Check out this video to know more about all the Breathing Style:
Are all Breathing Styles powerful as Sun Breathing?
What does Hanafuda mean?
Hanafuda, also called flower cards, are Japanese-style playing cards.
On the front, every card has a depiction of plants, animals, birds, or any man-made objects, while only one card depicts a human. The back of all the cards is plain, traditionally colored red or black. Hanafuda can be used to play a number of games which include Koi-Koi and Hachi-Hachi.
Check out the table below for the meanings of all 48 Hanafuda cards:
Month / SuitFlower
Hikari(20 points)
Tane(10 points)
Tanzaku(5 points)
Kasu(1 point)
January Pine
Crane and Sun
Poetry tanzaku
2 cards
February Plum blossom
Bush warbler
Poetry tanzaku
2 cards
March Cherry blossom
Curtain
Poetry tanzaku
2 cards
April Wisteria
Cuckoo
Plain tanzaku
2 cards
May Iris
Eight-plank bridge
Plain tanzaku
2 cards
June Peony
Butterflies
Blue tanzaku
2 cards
July Bush clover
Boar
Plain tanzaku
2 cards
August Susuki grass
Full moon
Geese
2 cards
September Chrysanthemum
Sake cup
Blue tanzaku
2 cards
October Maple
Deer
Blue tanzaku
2 cards
November Willow
Ono no Michikaze
Swallow
Plain tanzaku
Lightning
December Paulownia
Chinese Phoenix
3 cards
Information about the Hanafuda cards
While in Korea, Hanafuda is called Hwatu (battle of flowers), they are made of plastic and are textured from the back. Hwatu is most played in South Korea on special holidays like Lunar New Year and Chuseok, and The most commonly played games are Go-stop and Seotda.
It’s also played in Hawaii and Micronesia. In Hawaii, Hanafuda is used to play Sakura, while in Micronesia it’s known as Hanahuda and is used to play a four-person game.
In the Demon Slayer, the earrings Tanjiro wears are made from one of these cards, which is why they’re called Hanafuda earrings.
His earrings have a symbol that is similar to the symbol of the Sun Breathing, which is also one of the strong Breathing Styles. Tanjiro is a user of 12 forms, however, he thinks that Sun Breathing works with his body, as it also enhances his power and speed, which is why his earrings also resemble the sun of the Sun Breathing.
Conclusion
Demon Slayer is a popular anime series, which is about a boy who wants to become a demon slayer after his whole family is killed.
What’s interesting is that the Hanafuda earrings are most talked about than the series itself.
The Hanafuda earrings are worn by the protagonist, Tanjiro Tamado. These earrings represent a relationship with his ancestors.
The Hanafuda earrings were given by a friend of Tanjiro’s ancestor and since then they have been passed down for generations.
Hanafuda refers to flower cards, which are used to play different games, like Hachi-Hachi.
The symbol on the earring is said to resemble the symbol of the Sun Breathing Style.
Sun Breathing Style is one of the 14 Breathing Styles, however, it’s considered the strongest style, in fact, Tanjiro believes that Sun Breathing enhances his overall power and speed.
