Naruo Taneda is a central character in the manga Solanin. He lives with his girlfriend Meiko Inoue in an apartment in Tokyo. Taneda works as an illustrator for a press company, a job he finds unfulfilling. He and Meiko graduated from university two years prior to the story's start, and both feel adrift in their adult lives. Taneda is deeply passionate about music, playing guitar and singing as part of a band formed with friends from their university's pop music club. His strong desire to make something meaningful with his music is a core part of his personality, though he initially struggles with uncertainty and a sense that something is missing from his daily routine.

Motivated by Meiko's decision to quit her job, Taneda also leaves his illustrator position and decides to fully commit to his music. He writes his first proper song, a track titled Solanin, and the band sends a demo to record companies. This decision marks a turning point in his life, representing a break from the safe but unsatisfying path of conventional employment. However, when a record company expresses interest, it is only to offer the band a position as backup musicians for an idol group – a compromise that falls short of their artistic ambitions. Taneda is deeply disappointed when Meiko rejects the offer on his behalf, especially after he learns that the company representative is a former member of a band he admired in high school.

Taneda's relationship with Meiko is the emotional core of the story. They share a close, loving bond, but their shared frustrations and the pressures of adulthood strain their connection. After the record company disappointment, Taneda momentarily suggests they break up, only to reconcile with Meiko. Not long afterward, he dies in a traffic accident. The exact nature of his death is ambiguous: it occurs as he rides his motorcycle through a red light while tearfully questioning whether he is truly happy. The author has described the act as a kind of wish – a gamble that if he made it through the intersection, everything would work out. This moment crystallizes Taneda's internal conflict between accepting a contented, ordinary life and clinging to a more idealistic vision.

Throughout the story, Taneda is portrayed as introspective and prone to self-doubt. His motivations are rooted in a sincere belief that music can change the world, yet he struggles to reconcile that idealism with the realities of making a living. His development follows a trajectory from passive drifting to active pursuit of his dream, then to disappointment and a fragile acceptance of simpler joys. After his death, the surviving characters must grapple with grief and reassess their own lives. Taneda's notable abilities include his skill as a musician, particularly as a guitarist and vocalist, and his work as an illustrator, which sustains him financially for a time. His creative talents are central to his identity and his sense of purpose.