Tanigaki has this quality about him that just makes him loyal to a fault. Now, that is not to say that he is not smart enough to know to bow out when necessary, but he keeps his wits about him and generally, wherever he is, he remains loyal. When he is a part of the 7th actively, he is extremely loyal to Tsurumi, feeding him information constantly. When he changes his mind and lives for himself, he stays behind in Asirpa’s village with Huci and Cikapasi, helping them live. He still feigns that he is loyal to the 7th to their faces, but once they are gone, he reverts back to his old ways. He is also incredibly loyal even when he leaves with Inkarmat and Cikapasi to search for everyone. He still thinks about getting back to help Huci in order to stop her from dying.

Tanigaki’s backstory is more or less what inspired this article. It’s incredibly sad and deals with his sister going to live with his new bride. Unbeknownst to him, his sister falls ill and dies of a disease that would have alienated his whole family in their hometown of Ani. When the groom, his friend, burns their house down with her inside of it, he leaves in search of this man. After drifting, he hears rumors that a man just like the groom is in Hokkaido. Years later, in a bitter battle, he sees a man mortally wounded. Tanigaki realizes that this is the same person, and moves to kill him since no one would know. When Tanigaki learns the truth, he is crushed. His revenge has moved him so far, but realizing that his friend was not the monster he thought, he forgives him as the man dies. Crushing, but so wonderfully written.

A lot of Japan remains a mystery to Tokyoites and it’s why Golden Kamuy makes such a good anime. Genjirou speaks an interesting dialect from Akita as well as being from Ani, which is one culture, he is Japanese military in another, and finally, he blends in well with the Ainu culture while living with Huci. He has all sorts of skills from each of his experiences, and blends them in well. He feeds his mad superior Tsurumi with his Ani Village’s Kanemochi and is well-received. He also tries to keep the Ainu village as safe as possible constantly.

Tanigaki is quite smart. Then again, living in three very distinct cultures allows him to pull from various skill sets honed in each. When the Ainu village is under attack, he learns of a way to get around thing the gunfire and out. The same is true for when he survives during the war as well as his cooking skills with the kanemochi. Not to mention too, he also is a man of few words allowing others to lay their thoughts, suspicions, and intentions bare, before he says anything. This gives him the upper hand.

We already mentioned it, but his cooking skills are par-none. Due to being a Matagi, he knows survivalism and uses it to his advantage. Sure, it might not be the same in Hokkaido where this anime is set, but it does allow for him to get by often. His walnut kanemochi as well as the miso version are always well liked, and he knows to bring them with him at all times in case food or rations run out. We venture to speculate that this may not be the final time that we see him ration out his kanemochi amongst his allies.