Complex protagonists are something we always want to see in anime. One way to write such a main character is to give them a tragic backstory and then explore the effects of their trauma. Here are 5 anime that do that in a very mature and realistic way.
Guts from Berserk is perhaps the most famous example of a brutal backstory. Berserk is the go-to recommendation for dark fantasy in anime, and it only gets darker and darker as it goes on.
The past of the protagonist, Guts, is absolutely brutal and includes years of abuse, as well as a lot of gruesome deaths and trauma. Let’s put it this way: he was born out of the corpse of his mother, and then it only got worse.
Despite being a mecha anime set in a grim world where humanity has to fight for survival, Neon Genesis Evangelion actually deals with very mundane problems that could happen to people in real life.
The protagonist, Shinji, is often criticized for his “whiny” behavior. But honestly, what do you expect from a 14-year-old kid, whose mother dies and whose father was never there for him? Shinji wasn’t really best friends with his own classmates, either, and now this lonely and sad boy has to save the world. Give him some slack.
Vinland Saga’s opening arc culminates in Thorfinn’s father being killed by Askeladd for his pacifist beliefs. As if that’s not enough for the poor boy, he goes on to be raised by Askeladd — while trying to kill him.
And, of course, the story goes on from there, but Thorfinn’s hardships don’t even end — they get even worse by the second season.
If you’ve just seen random clips of Gintama, you would have probably thought it’s a really weird comedy. And, well, half of the time, it is — but many fans love it for its serious arcs.
Gintoki Sakata, the protagonist, has been through a lot. It’s hard to say what exactly without spoiling it, as the anime slowly reveals this information and shows how brutal his life was. Still, behind the facade of an easygoing lazy bum, there’s a heavily traumatized war veteran.
Tragic backstories are not specifically reserved for action anime. A good example of a tragic — but realistic — backstory is Rei Kiriyama from March Comes In Like a Lion (3-gatsu no Lion).
Rei, a professional shogi player trying to integrate back into society a year after not applying to high school, has been through a lot. He’s been bullied throughout his childhood, and, if that wasn’t enough, he lost his entire family in a traffic accident.
During the series, he has to sort out his own mental problems while also learning once again how to interact with others.
Yet somehow, there’s still hope every time.
Complex protagonists are something we always want to see in anime. One way to write such a main character is to give them a tragic backstory and then explore the effects of their trauma. Here are 5 anime that do that in a very mature and realistic way.
Guts from Berserk is perhaps the most famous example of a brutal backstory. Berserk is the go-to recommendation for dark fantasy in anime, and it only gets darker and darker as it goes on.
The past of the protagonist, Guts, is absolutely brutal and includes years of abuse, as well as a lot of gruesome deaths and trauma. Let’s put it this way: he was born out of the corpse of his mother, and then it only got worse.
Despite being a mecha anime set in a grim world where humanity has to fight for survival, Neon Genesis Evangelion actually deals with very mundane problems that could happen to people in real life.
The protagonist, Shinji, is often criticized for his “whiny” behavior. But honestly, what do you expect from a 14-year-old kid, whose mother dies and whose father was never there for him? Shinji wasn’t really best friends with his own classmates, either, and now this lonely and sad boy has to save the world. Give him some slack.
Vinland Saga’s opening arc culminates in Thorfinn’s father being killed by Askeladd for his pacifist beliefs. As if that’s not enough for the poor boy, he goes on to be raised by Askeladd — while trying to kill him.
And, of course, the story goes on from there, but Thorfinn’s hardships don’t even end — they get even worse by the second season.
If you’ve just seen random clips of Gintama, you would have probably thought it’s a really weird comedy. And, well, half of the time, it is — but many fans love it for its serious arcs.
Gintoki Sakata, the protagonist, has been through a lot. It’s hard to say what exactly without spoiling it, as the anime slowly reveals this information and shows how brutal his life was. Still, behind the facade of an easygoing lazy bum, there’s a heavily traumatized war veteran.
Tragic backstories are not specifically reserved for action anime. A good example of a tragic — but realistic — backstory is Rei Kiriyama from March Comes In Like a Lion (3-gatsu no Lion).
Rei, a professional shogi player trying to integrate back into society a year after not applying to high school, has been through a lot. He’s been bullied throughout his childhood, and, if that wasn’t enough, he lost his entire family in a traffic accident.
During the series, he has to sort out his own mental problems while also learning once again how to interact with others.
