Tahomaru is the second son of feudal lord Daigo Kagemitsu and his wife Nuinokata. Born after demons claimed his older brother Hyakkimaru in exchange for the Daigo domain's prosperity, Tahomaru grew up as the cherished heir, oblivious to the dark pact or his brother's survival. Raised amidst privilege yet burdened by duty, Tahomaru dedicated himself to mastering swordsmanship and governance. He forged a deep camaraderie with his loyal bodyguards, Hyogo and Mutsu, united by their devotion to the Daigo lands. Witnessing his people's suffering from famine and conflict, Tahomaru developed a sincere commitment to their welfare and the domain's endurance. The shattering revelation of his father's pact and the existence of his mutilated, demon-hunting brother Hyakkimaru plunged Tahomaru into turmoil. Learning that Hyakkimaru's quest to reclaim his body parts endangered the land's stability forced an agonizing choice between his people's survival and the injustice inflicted upon his brother. Initially, Tahomaru resolved to eliminate Hyakkimaru, convinced this sacrifice was necessary to uphold the demonic bargain and prevent the domain's ruin. Their clashes grew fiercer when Nuinokata, his mother, abandoned the family upon recognizing her firstborn, leaving Tahomaru wounded and blaming Hyakkimaru for shattering his family and unleashing suffering upon the land. Driven to desperation, Tahomaru embraced demonic power, merging with the demons Asakura and Saburota to gain strength against his brother. This transformation warped his body and eroded his humanity, straining his bonds with Hyogo and Mutsu. In their final confrontation, as the land crumbled under the broken pact's wrath, Tahomaru confronted the devastating cost of his father's ambition and his own path. Seeing Hyakkimaru's humanity sparked a searing realization. Acknowledging his brother at last, he grasped the tragic futility of their conflict. Mortally wounded and accepting his role in the calamity, Tahomaru perished alongside Hyogo and Mutsu amid the collapsing fortress. In Tezuka's original manga, the counterpart Tahōmaru shares the core background as the second son raised as heir following Hyakkimaru's sacrifice. This version hunts Hyakkimaru under paternal orders, perceiving him purely as a threat to the domain's stability. His fate diverges: he survives the central conflict only to die years later at Hyakkimaru's hands during a clash between their lands. The 1969 anime adaptation features no direct equivalent to Tahomaru.