Tahomaru

Tahomaru
Kanji	多宝丸
Personal Information
Age	15
Gender	Male
Species	Human (formerly) Demon (currently)
Status	Alive (Anime) Deceased (Manga)
Relationships	Kagemitsu Daigo (Father) Nui No Kata (Mother) Hyakkimaru (Elder Brother)
Physical Characteristics
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Black
Media
Debut	Episode 1
Japanese Voice	Shōya Chiba (Japanese)

Tahomaru (多宝丸, Tahōmaru) is the secondary main antagonist of Dororo. He is the second son of Kagemitsu Daigo and his successor until Episode 22, Asura claimed that Tahomaru is not the rightful heir to succeed his father, as well as the younger brother of Hyakkimaru.

Appearance

Tahomaru is a youth who bears resemblance to his father, Kagemitsu Daigo. He has a pair of black eyes and black hair that spikes outwards. His hair is also brushed back and tied into a ponytail. Similar to his father, Tahomaru has slanted eyebrows, which gave him a serious look by default.

Later on, he lost his right eye after getting slashed and has a scar blinded his eye after his humiliating defeat by his elder brother, Hyakkimaru. He has a scar on right side of his forehead after their second encounter. After made a pace for Asura, Tahomaru has 3 eyes one is his and the others are Hyakkimaru's eyes.

Personality

He was once a headstrong, daring adolescent, who wanted to be the best for his parents; often doing dangerous acts to get attention. Although he is still young, he feels confident enough to take over his father's mantle and fight for his country. Unlike his father, however, he is level headed and is willing to risk his life for his subjects.

Rather than standing his ground for morality, he understands that killing his elder brother may "save" his father's land.

Tahomaru harbors extreme jealousy towards his elder brother, as their mother, Nui No Kata, focused her attention more on Hyakkimaru by going as far as stabbing herself for her love for him. On the other hand, Tahomaru couldn't get any attention nor any love from her at all, even during his childhood. Due to Nui's favouritism towards Hyakkimaru, Tahomaru believes that his mother doesn't care nor love him. After his defeat by Hyakkimaru and losing his right eye.  When he receives news that  his mother's waking from a coma, a side effect from a suicide attempt. He feigns ignorance and leaves Daigo's land after receiving word of a demon residing in a nearby village which he later discovers is a rat ghoul. He successfully eliminates it by setting fire to entire house, leaving the rat demon and its progeny which was nearby to perish, exhibiting a kind of ruthlessness which wasn't present earlier. 

Tahomaru became vengeful and embarrassed of his scar from his humiliating defeat by his elder brother. Since then, he has adopted a colder and ruthless personality, killing his enemies including civilians without remorse and forbidding his emotions from getting in the way of his life and fighting as much as his father. Now, he is bent on fighting Hyakkimaru once more by training with his retainers from day till night to prepare for his rematch against his brother. In spite of this, he still retains his emotions when Hyogo is severely injured from the rockfall from Shiranui caused forcing them to retreat. Nui feared that Tahomaru would lose himself in his desire to slay Hyakkimaru and protect Daigo's land. This fear ends up being correct as he indeed becomes the incarnation of the Asura and gives himself and his servants parts of Hyakkimaru's body after pleasing the demon and made a pact with the demonic being.

Tahomaru is also a fool as his father, Kagemitsu Daigo. He is so arrogant and so persistent claiming himself to become the "best swordsman in the land" until his brother, Hyakkimaru single handily defeated him and Tahomaru couldn't deal any injuries against him which makes Tahomaru's strength to be too weak even though he trained and his servants back him up is still not enough to defeat Hyakkimaru. His tremendous arrogance will lend Tahomaru to his death.

Plot

History

Tahomaru was born a year after Hyakkimaru's birth. He was crowned as his father's successor and lived a comfortable, luxurious life. However, during his childhood, Tahomaru wasn't able to get the attention of his mother. Because of this, he became suspicious of his parents' secret and learnt about a baby who went missing 16 years ago, which turned out to be his elder brother. After confronting his father, Daigo and questioning his choices, his father demands if he would sacrifice the prosperity of his/their land for the sake of Hyakkimaru. Torn by this revelation, he strengthens his resolve and vows to eliminate the 'demon' Hyakkimaru and enter a land of prosperity once more. 

He then fought against Hyakkimaru and called him a demon. However, he was easily defeated and was severely wounded after losing his right eye in the process. He witnessed his mother attempt suicide as she offered herself as a sacrifice for the Demons by stabbing herself. The Buddha the god of mercy shattered to protect Nui No Kata.

After retreating, Tahomaru felt embarrassed and ashamed of his eye scar from his humiliation caused by his brother, Hyakkimaru and intends to have a rematch by training everyday with his servants till night. He constantly keeps tabs on Hyakkimaru and his travels and promises to eliminate him. 

Relationships

Kagemitsu Daigo

Tahomaru is loyal to his father. Kagemitsu tells him to get back to training, saying that he is not yet ready to face actual wars. Kagemitsu refused to answer Tahomaru's questions regarding his search for a baby who disappeared 16 years ago. Upon learning the truth, Tahomaru was given a choice to either give in to his moralities and help his elder brother or assist his father for the greater good of his land. For the sake of his people, he decided to help in assassinating his brother but only to be defeated so easily by him. However, his three failed attempts of killing Hyakkimaru has disappointed and failed his father and will give no more chances to his son after Hyakkimaru slashed Tahomaru at his forehead from their third battle. Unbeknownst to Kagemitsu, Tahomaru has disobeyed his father's direct orders for his last attempted suicidal battle against Hyakkimaru.

Nui No Kata

Despite being her son, Tahomaru wasn't able to get his mother's attention at all, due to her focus and her non-stop prayers for her eldest son, Hyakkimaru and his safety. Tahomaru believed his mother didn't care or love him even during his childhood. He became suspicious about her secret. After Tahomaru's defeat by Hyakkimaru, he became horrified when she stabbed herself and asked for his forgiveness and declared her love to Hyakkimaru instead of Tahomaru. When Nui awoke from her coma, Tahomaru doesn't care about his mother much as his father does. In Episode 21, Nui feared that Tahomaru will lose himself and become the incarnation of Asura. Episode 22, Tahomaru's thoughts of his mother never love or cares of Tahomaru were turned out to be true when Nui always treasures Hyakkimaru as her greatest gift for her life and doesn't care about Tahomaru from the beginning even through his childhood and the day when he was born. Unbeknownst to Tahomaru, His mother has betrayed him and Kagemitsu and broke her ties to her land to side with Dororo and Hyakkimaru.

Hyakkimaru

Hyakkimaru is Tahomaru's elder brother and enemy due to their mother who gives her complete attention to Hyakkimaru through constant prayers while abandoning Tahomaru. When they first met, Tahomaru asked who he is. He learned that Hyakkimaru is the answer to his parents' secret, Hyakkimaru turned out to be his lost brother. After being deceived by his father, Tahomaru fought against his brother but easily lost against him and in the process lost his right eye. After the defeat by his brother and his mother always loving Hyakkimaru, Tahomaru holds a strong hatred toward his brother and swears to have a rematch against him by training till night. He dispatched with his troops to kill Hyakkimaru but ended up as a failing when Shiranui interrupted and retreated. When encountered the third time, Hyakkimaru slashed his brother again at his forehead and disowned him as a brother. Tahomaru's destiny is to die at the hands of his brother along with his servants even though they have Hyakkimaru's arm and eyes. .

Mutsu and Hyogo

Mutsu and Hyogo were Tahomaru's childhood friends and servants. They were loyal to him and he is a respectful leader to them. They always found Tahomaru in the same place when they first met. When attempting to kill Hyakkimaru, Hyogo was severely injured from the sacrificial rockfall by Shiranui causing them to retreat.

When they encounter a third time, Hyakkimaru cuts off Mutsu's right arm and Hyogo's left with his powerful swords crafted and purified by Munetsuna, leaving them incapacitated in battle. Forcing Tahomaru to save them when Hyakkkimaru attempts to kill them.

After learning that Asura will only aid Daigo's land once it obtains Hyakkimaru's body, they make a pact with Asura to go and kill Hyakkimaru. Until they were killed with Midoro.

Power & Abilities

• Sword Proficiency - Like his brother, Tahomaru trained in swordsmanship during his youth. He has an excellent talent for sword wielding and seemed to be confident that he would be the best in the country. However, his skills is not strong enough and being too weak fighting against Hyakkimaru as his katana was broken and was easily defeated by him and wasn't able to deal any injuries to him. For his third battle and despite of training everyday till night, Tahomaru is still not strong enough after got slashed by Hyakkimaru at right side of his forehead. In his final battle against his brother, tahomaru only deal minor injury to Hyakkimaru or rather temporary injury.
• Leadership - Like his father, Tahomaru possess excellent leadership qualities . He doesn't leave without his aides Hyogo and Mutsu. He by effectively uses a small force of soldiers to completely overwhelm Hyakkimaru,Dororo and, Itachi's band of bandits at the Island where Dororo's treasure is buried and attempts to kill him but is unsuccessful. He also cares deeply for his subjects  being forced to retreat when Hyogo is severly injured from Shiranui's suicidal rockfall or showing compassion while feeding a father and his son with a ball of rice when their land suffers from famine.

Gallery

Possessed Tahomaru after being restored by Hyakkimaru eyes for making pace with Asura.

Tahomaru episode 23 endcard.