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The Strongest Shonen Protagonist Isn't Necessarily the Best One (Patreon)

Published:
2026-11-06 01:00:07
Imported:
2026-11
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Content

Unpopular opinion...Hear me out before casting stones at me 😂

One thing I've noticed throughout my anime reaction journey is that some of the most compelling protagonists aren't necessarily the strongest in their universes.

Sure, watching a protagonist unlock a ridiculous power-up after screaming for three consecutive episodes or 100 push-ups is entertaining.

But as a psychotherapist, what fascinates me is what happens when a character's beliefs about themselves and the world are challenged.

What happens when strength isn't enough?

What happens when the hero fails to protect someone they love? When their ideals are challenged? When they realize that their greatest enemy might not be the villain standing in front of them, but their own fears, insecurities, or inability to change?

Mob Psycho 100, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, or Death Note, to name a few.

This is why I appreciate shonen protagonists who experience genuine psychological growth.

Not simply becoming stronger, but becoming more self-aware, emotionally mature, and capable of making difficult choices.

Because in real life, growth doesn't always look like winning.

Sometimes, growth means acknowledging our limitations, asking for help, or choosing a different path despite our sunk cost or effort.

So here's the ultimate SHONEN DEBATE:

What makes a truly GREAT shonen protagonist?

A. Strength, determination, and resilience

B. Emotional depth, vulnerability, and character development

C. Meaningful relationships, loyalty, and sacrifice

D. A hero's journey, moral courage, and undeterred willpower

Which one are you choosing, and which shonen protagonist best represents your answer?

Let's hear your thoughts, Sora Anime, OtakuSteph, OtakuBroz, and Dana DUBS!!

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Comments

Holy Arathi

Hot take? No that’s basic logical thinking. One could argue that Saitama is the “strongest” protagonist….. but I think we can agree he isn’t the best character.

HBelmont67

This shouldn't be a hot take tbh

Chanfyr

I honestly tend to avoid shows with powerful MC's as a selling point. Spiderman got more popular than other heroes not because he's stronger or smarter than them. He's popular because despite being strong and smart, he has struggles like the rest of us. JoJo's fights are good because of the ingenuity and perseverance against seemingly unbeatable odds.

Lilanea

One of my most favorite characters is Sakura Haruka in Windbreaker (totally forgot to put this one last discussion). He is very physically strong but he is one of many characters in the story that is strong. What makes him standout so much is that he is someone who grew up with much hatred, violence, self doubt, and a lot of self hate. He is convinced that fighting and being on top is what he needs until he is embraced for the first time by this new community and first time friends. As the series goes on, you see at his core he is actually a very kind (in a gruff way) and caring person. He starts to realize how important bonds, friendships and so on are instead of only physical strength. He becomes the one that so many turn to and depend on--but not just because of physical strength but more that he has an innocence and honesty that is part of his character. He is an outsider that becomes the center of the town and community. He is physically strong but it is his protectiveness and caring that is what is most special about him. All the negativity he was surrounded with did not kill the kindness he carried deep inside. The hardest part for him is being able to accept that he is worthy or that other people really care about him.

Andrestian

Ngl, Gon has all 4 of them Imo! But if I have to choose one, Id say B, if I was younger Id easily picked C or D but at my age I want some psycological and ethical depth, and I think we are in a world when we need a post-hero's-journeism, to make smarter choices instead of the hard to make but easy to acknowledge one, Idk if I explained myself correctly

Zero

The true answer is really E. All of the above. A. While the best shonen protagonist may not be the strongest or the best, and I would argue that this is actually never the case. Shonen protagonists are historically defined by their struggle to become stronger in their chosen field. With part of the story dedicated to examining the protagonists reasons for wanting said strength, and challenging their resolve. If we look at some of the biggest shonen of the past it often starts with them being weak in some aspect and pushed to get stronger, improve themselves, to rise to the challenge. The displays of their strength is often mostly as a way to demonstrate the result of their effort and training, not as a pure dominating power fantasy. If you only watch clips, or the most popular moments of the specific anime you might have that idea, but most of those moments come from previous setup and build up. B. This is probably the one you could most easily take away from the list at first glance. Most Shonen protagonists are portrayed as inherently "simple" minded and oblivious people. Goku being a fairly good example of more or less a one track mind and not really caring much about any details. But if we look at characters like Naruto, or Ichigo, there's absolutely a lot emotional depth to their stories, specifically in the earlier parts of their respective stories and I absolutely still think this part is vital for a good and memorable shonen protagonist. Even someone who is as seemingly carefree and simple as Luffy has some insane hidden emotional depth to him, and that is one of the major reasons we love him. C. I mean the power of friendship isn't synonymous with shonen by some sort of mistake, it's practically part of the definition. A shonen protagonist is nothing without their friends and their relationships, sometimes to the point where the ensemble take the spotlight completely. I think this is especially prominent in One Punch Man, where Saitama is essentially beyond equal in any physical feat... aside from that one mosquito. But the story isn't about his strength, it's about his relationships and how they make his life better, more enriched, and how he himself actually becomes happier with more people around him. D. I think this one ties in a bit with some of the examples from A. as undeterred willpower slots in nicely with determination and resilience. And my personal conviction is that the hero's journey is not a description of an actual plot progression or character progression, but rather a framework like any other that you then find elements from any story to fit in. But that's a different discussion. Anyway, just like I wrote in A. the protagonists aren't really defined by their already possessed strength, but instead by their strive to increase it, which can really neatly fit into a hero's journey and their own character development. Often during their many challenges they are pushed to examine over and over again, not what they are fighting for, but why they are fighting for it. And often times the reason changes and grows over the time of the story. Naruto wanted to be Hokage to get recognition because he was isolated from a young age. Later things shifted, I won't spoil too much but it went from a kind of selfish goal born from trauma to a much more grand and noble goal born from the love he felt for his friends and the whole world. In conclusion, all four pillars are required to make a truly great shonen protagonist. Like a table, or a chair, remove one leg and it will fall. (That last metaphor usually works best with three pillars, as you can still have a perfectly good table or chair with three legs but you do need at least three legs to have a table or chair standing at all.) Is it a cheap and cowardly answer? maybe, but I'll stand by it.