Who wants to become Hokage?
Summary:
- It is very important to have an emotional connection with the protagonist in shonen.
- Naruto is the most emotionally relatable hero.
- Nowadays, "realistic" heroes are more popular than the idealized characters of the early 2000s.
The key to the success of any shonen is a great protagonist. When you talk about shonen, the first thing you think about is the main character. For the viewer, he is a role model and a source of inspiration. Almost every plot in shonen is a story of overcoming adversity, so it is very important to have an emotional connection with the protagonist. Naruto is one of the best shonen in history, but is the main character really that good? Let's find out.
The Big Three
Looking at the Big Three (i.e. Naruto, One Piece and Bleach), Naruto seems to be the most emotionally relatable hero. Ichigo Kurosaki is too calm. He seems like a lone hero, almost like a mysterious villain. Although Ichigo is a spectacular character in his own way, it is unlikely that you can give your heart to him.
Another matter is Monkey D. Luffy, the head of the Straw Hats, who is searching for the mysterious treasure One Piece and bringing freedom to the humiliated races. There is another issue with Luffy – he is too optimistic. No matter what happens in his life, he always has a big smile. To be honest, it can be annoying sometimes. From time to time, you want the hero to experience the difficulties he faces more emotionally.
Naruto seems like the best option. He's not a superhero, but he wants to be. Naruto begins his journey as an outsider, which makes it much easier to empathize with him. We wonder how his adventure will end because his goals are clear from the beginning. He wants to become Hokage. Naruto's constant optimism makes his journey more exciting instead of irritating the viewer. Not to mention the fact that he is stubborn in a good way to achieve his goal, but at the same time he does not lose his cheerful attitude towards life, meaning he does not become boring.
Time has changed
However, we must understand that Naruto began airing in the early 2000s, more than 20 years ago. Since then, the anime industry has changed dramatically. What are the most popular titles now? Among the most popular are Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin), Chainsaw Man, and Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba). What do they have in common? Complex protagonists. Eren Yeager turns from a typical shonen hero into a villain. Denji, in his simplicity, seems like a genre mockery. Tanjiro, though very kind, has a truly deep inner world: he is compassionate, not afraid to show emotion, but not lacking in determination.
All of these heroes are more "realistic" than the idealized shonen heroes of the early 2000s. Such protagonists are more interesting to follow; you want to empathize with them. It's great to have a role model in the series, but it's much more exciting to solve complex moral dilemmas with the characters. Maybe the era of heroes like Naruto will return. However, it seems that it all depends on what you are looking for in an anime. If you're looking for inspiration and a role model, Naruto would still be an excellent choice today, even 20 years after its premiere.