How To Write A Shonen Protagonist.

[@lingling4897]

I feel like a lot of people here just ignored masked man's video and points.

[@LordYamcha]

You're right - but some of these comments are gold I wish I could favourite them

[@lingling4897]

@@melancholyman369 care to elaborate?

[@enryukhun6849]

@@melancholyman369 which one. I have one point that I don’t agree with. But what points r u talking bout

[@enryukhun6849]

@@melancholyman369 1 there isn’t any standard for writing a protag. U didn’t really explain ur first point so I don’t even know what u mean. What standard is there? 2 I think execution is way more important then concept. Concept is kinda like the end point(ex be hokage, find one piece or save ur friends) the execution is the path u take to the endpoint. U can have as many paths as possible. No matter how simple or boring ur concept or goal is if executed well the sky is the limit. For example I watch a vid about a manga that’s about drinking wine. The concept was boring as shit the key was it was executed perfectly

[@enryukhun6849]

@@melancholyman369 what r some examples where concept is more Important then execution. Hunterxhunter the concept of the Mc was a kid looking for his dad. No one actually gave a shit about that, what made gon an amazing protagonist was his execution. Tokyo ghoul good concept of a boy that gets turned into a ghoul and adjust his life. But the execution was that good. The Mc of Tokyo ghoul kaneki he had a good concept but it was the execution of the concept that made him a good protagonist. Blue exorcist good concept, bad execution Overlord good concept, bad execution Almost all freaking Isekai anime- good concept, bad execution All GOOD Isekai(like konosuba or sum shit)-good concept, bad execution But I’m curious do u know any anime with bad execution that the concept carried?

[@MAR-sc7np]

Half the time when someone says "be original" or something about an anime. They usually don't have anything original themselves.

[@colstratos6320]

Almost everything has already been done. It ultimately just revolves around presentation and perhaps specific characteristics for extra depth.

[@fvsander7766]

I would not think like that. Having someone say to you that you need to be original or think different may be a great advice, even coming from someone that is not too deep in the anime/manga world. In youtube and all anime/manga communities people are always criticising the published works, sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way, and that criticising can be on point even if the person it's not an artist.

[@biggiesmells7738]

Well yeah I’m not the one writing the story am I? It’s not my job to be original it’s the authors and like the other dude said almost everything original idea has been taken so it comes down to presentation for example goku, luffy, and naruto are almost identical in characters although they do differ in some aspects that’s not original

[@hellothere10yearsago97]

People really need to understand that generic doesn’t always mean bad. Look at Naruto, he’s generic as hell but he’s still a good character.

[@insertname485]

Consumers say all the time that they want original narratives, but if they want original narratives then why don't they read a genre they don't usually read? If they want novelty why don't they search out novelty instead of reading shounen manga after shounen manga after shounen manga. The originality or lack of originality the media a consumer consumes is entirely dependent on the consumer not the creator. And the fact is most people don't care about novelty, they care more about sticking with what they've enjoyed in the past - just like how creators stick with what worked in the past.

[@RingsideSumo]

Now I feel like his 3rd personality is gonna be his author persona announcing he's writing his own manga

[@buffbaby4168]

Yep I would honestly love to see that

[@trizz1350]

One can only wish

[@ohmatokita8113]

Man this would be perfect

[@Thetopnoobpro]

He already is writing his own manga, well webtoon, it’s been on hiatus for a long time though.

[@trizz1350]

@@Thetopnoobpro what is the name

[@jojonta2119]

Denji is one of favourite protagonists in recent times: - Doesn't scream/cry all the time - Not scared of girls - Has realistic but still entertaining goals (my man just wants to smash)

[@LordYamcha]

Your right he just wants to live and survive- he wants companionship that we take for granted and his relationship with Makima and how far he will go for that companionship is so real and sad

[@Mario_Todorov]

When Denji said Oh I need to have a goal I found it fun and for me it felt like Fujimoto(the author of CSM) kinda ironized the typical shonen protagonist

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

Yuji and Denji are my favourites

[@jojonta2119]

@@ClipsCentral_HD Yuuji too he's great

[@deathlydashi]

Denji does scream too much

[@realkingofantarctica]

Pro Tip: Don't feel forced to make them a hero, just make them a neutral protagonist and have them develop naturally with the plot and themes.

[@szilveszterforgo8776]

That's a shit tip

[@Ash_Wen-li]

@@szilveszterforgo8776 It's actually pretty good. Most shounen characters are not good for the sake of being good. They have morals and goals and that's what propels them. It's really their ideology and personality that should be forming them not an imposed hero archetype

[@szilveszterforgo8776]

@@Ash_Wen-li Yes, but he didn't say that

[@bonerpants7203]

@@szilveszterforgo8776 That is what he said

[@thisistotallylegal-yepdefi15]

@@szilveszterforgo8776 You can't read

[@seiyap3075]

Just a slight point We disagree on: I think that it’s fine if the side characters outshine the main character. As a simple example literally every Isekai has painfully terrible side characters because they are never given the spotlight. From what I’ve seen it is much better to treat the main character like a side character by giving him/her the spotlight and when a side character has the spotlight, have the main character take the supporting role. Mangas like Jigokuraku, Yu Yu Halisho, and HunterxHunter all execute this well having a great supporting cast whilst also having a good protagonist.

[@LordYamcha]

True Kuwabara had to be my all time favourite side character

[@Manganization]

More often than not, I'd drop a series for having a weak supporting cast than the other way around.

[@iamdareal8870]

this is facts

[@LordYamcha]

@@Manganization I have to agree with you sometimes it's not the MC that makes the story but the cast around that MC that makes him/her great

[@AlexT7916]

Yu Yu Halisho ? Where can I read that ?!

[@-.-sheeesh6744]

Long story short: it’s all about E x e c u t i o n

[@vovabars1234]

Truuuue

[@djtwister6997]

Ye

[@PatThomson89]

I thought that only applied to fullbringers

[@PatThomson89]

@Lionard Kirsch I loved it aswell. So many people hated it. But it was the battle ichigos character needed

[@shotgunwithafarmer1598]

- Duke Dennis

[@mraz708]

kakashi: throws someone in a pool to learn to swim gojo: does the same but puts some bricks on the person

[@LordYamcha]

Gojo reminds me more of Urahara

[@jawbreakergg7144]

@@LordYamcha yh I started thinking abt it when I heard jjk was inspired by bleach and he does seem more like urahara

[@LordYamcha]

@@jawbreakergg7144 yh the only reason he's linked to Kakashi is spiky whitish hair and eyepatch - it's sad seeing so many ripoff comments about him

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

Before I watched JJK and I heard Gojo was inspired by Urahara my favourite character from Bleach i knew he would be my favourite character in the series

[@hennigod8957]

@@LordYamcha literally the only similarities they share are the white spikey hair thats it gojo is no damn rip off smh hes completely his own unique character that completely stands out.

[@charleshaynes7019]

I feel like itadori is such a greatly executed protagonist in the sense that he starts off seemingly like any other uppity, determined, never gonna give up kinda shounen protagonist and then reality just constantly slaps him in the face over and over and he ends up where’s he’s at now. (if you read the manga yk)

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

I 100% agree Yuji is a great protagonist that has a lot room to grow

[@estevaoborges6537]

True but do you only think that like that a mc is good??? I think is becoming a litle bit cliche and with time will be more clear, the protagonist from different mangas could have different pruposes and be good, important or ,not as important, complex in his own way in his own series

[@therrealsupersayian9737]

I also agree because it’s unique to me. I’m used to seeing the protagonist go through hard ships and loss but it never really shakes them, like yeah they a little depressed for a while but nothing really changes. With yuji I like how the losses immediately affect him and makes him question and later change in his ideology. He learns from his experience and that pushes him in a different direction than what he was previously he was going to take. And that’s why he is my currently my favorite “new generation” (I don’t know how to put it) Shonen protagonists.

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

@SoulReaper 85 I disagree but its your opinion

[@oreoex-rwbyhater599]

Shounene are supposed to be targeted to kids so having people like itadori isnt really inspiring. Thats why i dont think HxH should be a shounen. You can say what you want about the quality of shounen. No one really cares. Point is they have there own targeted audience. Which are ususally freaking kids. No kid needs to know what a "slap in the face by reality" feels like.

[@ilewdlolis939]

fun fact about Bleach, Rukia was actually suposed to be the protagonist until kubo came up with Ichigo. the series was gona be called Snipe and everyone would use guns instead of swords while Rukia would use a scythe

[@watoyatoauto8526]

Basically, Burn The Witch

[@ilewdlolis939]

@@watoyatoauto8526 yeah kinda. just thiccccer noel best waifu

[@gremmy5339]

What's really interesting is how Kubo actually made some of these a thing, specifically Rukia using a scythe (Fade to Black).

[@Tethloach1]

That explains why the story is so good, that much character development for Rukia really made the difference. Rukia is a huge reason why Bleach is the greatest show of all time, her role in the story is very important.

[@ilewdlolis939]

@@Tethloach1 there's also the fact that kubo said on past that his female characters are inspired by some of his real life friends so that's probably why she feels so human. Unlike sakura in Naruto Kubo treated Rukia with respect

[@hellothere10yearsago97]

People who watch tv shows other than anime are not actually judgemental. They’re always like “if I enjoy it, it’s good”. But anime fans are always like “oh yeah it needs to have a complex plot, complex characters, complex everything”. They are so damn picky over everything.

[@ranksblex336]

Honesty your right it's honestly so annoying can't we just accept that all of them are great in their own way honestly I love JJK, Black clover, Chainsaw man , Jigokuraku and even edens zero I have many more but I don't have a favorite they are all great and I honestly enjoy them all.

[@anushk4670]

Facts

[@nomative8915]

Idk. Plenty of anime fans just want escapism.

[@UnifiedEntity]

Very true. When anime was fresh and new in the days of Toonami but still on the low, there seemed to be something for everyone. But now if it's not filled to the brim with melodrama, monologue and "deep" on the nose heavy characters....it's simple and if it's simple....it's shit apparently.

[@UnifiedEntity]

@@nomative8915 if they want escapism, then why the fuck do they go on and on about relatability, and all that bullshit. Or it's gotta be all dark and depressing with so much emphasis on character deaths being the defacto means of it being good or not. Tbh for me personally, alot of anime fans are two faced as hell

[@NaturalHypertrophy]

Shueisha stopped hassling you with the copyright strikes? Good to see you using panels to illustrate your points again

[@Rekozin]

Don’t jinx it bro 😬

[@Manganization]

@@Rekozin Too late. Karma is processing the request.

[@khomu604]

Wow i see you everywhere lol

[@stan5825]

Holy shit I didn't know you could get striked for panels...

[@imsentinelprime9279]

Stfu or I steal you're gains

[@kaustubhfadtare1125]

" generic and cliche" is such a generic and cliche criticism

[@kevinkonneh9640]

Execution is all that matters

[@Hyperslayer_X]

That is just not true and only excuses mediocrity, and execution doesn’t matter if it’s not unique execution. You can execute something generic well, but that only means you played it safe if all you did was just do the same thing as the other guy. I understand it’s annoying to hear all the time, especially when it’s not backed up, but think about the counter argument. You can’t just say “this has certain elements of being different so it’s totally not the same” Take away the goals of most of these Shounen protagonists and they’re essentially the same. Good guys who want to protect the innocent and their friends/loved ones. There’s nothing wrong with that but by itself it is indeed generic and cliche. Ever notice how most Shounen protagonists grow in terms of power but never in terms of personality? Not much anyway. A lot of them are already ideal good boys who have no moral or ethical complexity. Just because their journey is different doesn’t mean they are not generic. Why do you think Shounen tends to recycle the same “I wanna be a/the....” goal? It’s recognizable as a formula that works. Formulaic leads to generic cliches that inevitably enable mediocrity. I don’t completely disagree with y’all, since people do use “generic and cliche” as a way to dismiss something, and I do agree that execution can make something generic very interesting and fresh. Despite all that, you have to go into detail about how those considered to be generic/cliche are executed in a unique way if you’re going to defend them.

[@kevinkonneh9640]

@@Hyperslayer_X Ah yes execution it's all that matters

[@mikemorro140]

@Michael Okedasi Or can understand that there's a reason things are cliche and that good execution is what really matters

[@RagiCore]

@Michael Okedasi lmfaooo elitist logic ong

[@doomstaff8506]

Ichigo from bleach and Yusuke from YuYu hakusho are both protagonists with no lofty goals rather they’re teenagers acting out of necessity in a dangerous world, causing them to shape their identity. YuYu hakusho is a great series and has some if the best character dynamics, Bleach took a lot of inspiration from it and it shows with Ichigo’s and Yusuke’s charecter arcs, although yuyu hakusho does have a stronger cast of supporting characters imo.

[@MikhailPashkovski]

But... But Gotei 13. Yu Yu Hakusho's cast is not that good, if you go beyond main 4 and the grandma.

[@doomstaff8506]

@@MikhailPashkovski you have Botan, Toguro, and Sensui. I’m talking about the main cast of characters, those core charecter do enough to drive the show and while the minor characters a nothing to complex are still quite likable and it never dragged the show down.

[@billyboleson2830]

@@MikhailPashkovski It's almost as if YYH having a smaller cast which helps in giving said cast development works as opposed to having an over bloated cast with literal who's you don't care about

[@dankdino2771]

One thing I like about ichigo is that he doesn’t eat crazy amounts of foods

[@suf1an658]

Watching luffy makes me hungry

[@LordYamcha]

It's probably due to him not following a cliche main characters have in droves a sign of difference I guess I like that he's just an ordinary guy who doesn't want to fight monsters for no reason

[@vovabars1234]

Tbh it made sense why Goku,the trope starter,eats so much-its a trait all saiyans share Others just kinda copied it for unknown reason

[@suf1an658]

@@LordYamcha how many shounen main characters are there really that did that before ichigo. I only know 2

[@lopde1290]

@@LordYamcha He literally is the opossite of a normal guy

[@DrJones0801]

I consider Gintoki from Gintama the best shonen protagonist out there. Right from the get-go, unlike most shonen protags, he is in his mid-late 20's and has already been through his own shonen anime. We get to see him go about his daily life where he goofs around with his friends. At first, it doesn't seem that deep, but moreso just a bunch of goofballs partaking in fun shenanigans. But after a certain point, after witnessing Gintoki's backstory, his current relationships seem so much more meaningful, and you suddenly understand why he is the way he is and why he cherishes the people around him in the Kabuki District.

[@giornogiostar3214]

Edward Elric is still the best Shonen protagonist of all time.

[@KaiserReb]

@@giornogiostar3214 no

[@KaiserReb]

Gintoki a war veteran just trying to pay rent

[@giornogiostar3214]

@@KaiserReb Yes.

[@mmallowsmallows2575]

Eren and gintoki prolly the goats

[@Ash_Wen-li]

One of the most unique shounen protagonists is Joe from Ashita no Joe. One of the most iconic manga in Japan

[@LordYamcha]

You have great taste my friend

[@assaad729]

Logh fans do be spitting fax

[@maxfordgaming9278]

Ashita no joe is fantastic.

[@joiboya]

Truly one of the most criminally underrated but greatly emerged unorthodox shonen protagonist I have ever seen.

[@kristopherwillis8075]

Great Taste 😁

[@PoSer_1]

I don’t understand people that immediately try to compare newer shonen to older ones, we saw it with Demon Slayer and now JJK like just give it some time we’ll see

[@eldenlean5221]

I mean in the case of JJK it makes sense since the author has gone multiple times on record talking about how naruto and bleach specifically inspired him. Naturally the comparison is gonna be made and so far I think the dudes work is defenetly a worthy successor to those series.

[@uncleiroh4650]

Because it’s a normal human reaction to group things together for simplicity’s sake. And, it’s not inherently wrong to compare series. It only becomes toxic when you use surface level similarities to call a story a rip off of another. But comparisons are just ingrained into us whether we search for them or not.

[@vovabars1234]

Uncle Iroh agreed

[@franklintaveras9605]

@@eldenlean5221 actually his biggest inspiration was HxH, which makes a lot of sense considering how dark jjk is

[@eldenlean5221]

@@franklintaveras9605 I didnt know it was his biggest inspiration, I only saw that he is a huge fan and that the sensui arc in yuyuhakusho inspired him into writing evil villains that werent necessarily wrong. But Ive seen him compare JJK directly to bleach in interviews, and the premise is defenetly closer to bleach than HxH.

[@ourbeautifulfantasia001]

Love this so many people are quick to judge characters without truly realizing the characters purpose at that point in time I.e eren early aot.

[@ugobrown2357]

Early Eren got the anime version of Korra hate treatment she still gets to this day despite both being great characters.luckily Eren escaped from that horrible fate by season 4

[@kakashihatake6052]

@@ugobrown2357 by seaso 30

[@KaiserReb]

@@ugobrown2357 Korra?

[@ugobrown2357]

@@KaiserReb Korra from Legend of Korra, she’s a great character by the end of series but gets a lot of hate similar to Eren pre Season 4 cuz of her personality and desicions.

[@ugobrown2357]

@@kakashihatake6052 By season 3 he was a great character but people still gave him hate

[@shandaniel2999]

how to write a shonen protagonist step 1: control C step 2: control V

[@soulkingabstr4kt887]

😂

[@TheMaskedMan]

Took me a second but I Got it😂

[@arnavpandey3823]

@@TheMaskedMan man i read the first 4 prologues of berserk n they weren't that great when does it start getting good, can i directly read the 1st chapter n skip the prologues entirely. Please help me out man im stuck

[@40.yashjha76]

@@TheMaskedMan hey can u make one more video on ur top 10 protagnist

[@pratikchakraborty6354]

@@arnavpandey3823 bruh noooo. Read the whole thing. It will all be worth it in the end

[@alexvsss]

I think that the shonen demographic became darker because of Attack on Titan. Shueisha regrets rejecting Isayama and now they're picking darker material.

[@teomankaya769]

Lmao

[@Tm-oe8ch]

No not really. Wasnt because of Attack on Titan. You had multiple series that popularized it. FMAB, Death Note, HxH etc etc.

[@joshgroban5291]

@@Tm-oe8ch I feel like FMAB, and DN are more mature rather than straight up dark though. AoT feels darker than those except hxh but idk haven’t watched it in a while

[@Tm-oe8ch]

@@joshgroban5291 Nah JJK also becomes very mature from Shibuya on out. Also very reality heavy imo

[@freddice8156]

@@joshgroban5291 DN and FMAB is not dark? I don't know if we watched the same thing. They literally discussed topics like human's psych, body experimentation and the idea of life and death. I don't know what you mean by them not being as dark as AOT?

[@haseebmir9730]

Another great and unique shounen protagonist is Himura Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin. I highly recommend reading it if you haven't yet.

[@LordYamcha]

Great recommendations bro

[@joyaljomy3655]

Writing a likable character is easy... but creating a conflicted character is hard and most people wont even like them.. for example, sasuke is a very layered and well written character but most people hate him because he comes out as selfish and annoying.

[@orangefantaafan]

no

[@farhankhan2482]

Tbh. Sasuke is a bad example.. Half of the stuff he does made no bloody sense at all..

[@amaninawhale8061]

Yeah Sasuke isn't a very good character at all. If you wanted to point out a good character you should've mentioned itachi instead of Sasuke. Sasuke really was selfish and annoying. Until naruto gave him a good di c kingdown

[@charleschiemekaekeogu6908]

The replies under your comment prove your point, lol.

[@N-Khal]

@@farhankhan2482 You don't understand his character at all

[@shakimbaylor8808]

He’s back in the form of the Masked Man? He finally mastered it

[@bruis1527]

In my opinion itadori is traditional “shounen” protagonist done right. He has the same tropes as the others (dumb guy who’s strong and cares for others/wants to help them) but he actually goes through good character development, his excitement and reaction to things feel a bit more realistic and all in all he feels very grounded despite being super strong

[@Blockoumi]

There is no real definition of done right. “Done right” is pretty much decided by how the viewer base of the series thinks of the character. A realistic character can be just as good as an unrealistic character. It really just depends

[@bruis1527]

@@Blockoumi they can but most of the time they aren’t. The only time they aren’t is whenever the author is self aware about the crazy dumb insanity they’ve written. And as for the “done right” part, done right typically means that an over generalized or overdone concept is utilized, but in a manner that changes at and makes it entertaining, at least in this context

[@Blockoumi]

@@bruis1527 okay, if other authors incorporated the parts that makes itadori a “done right” protag, basically making him an overdone trop, would he become a worse character? I don’t like the idea of looking at a character by comparing characters from another story. He would still be a good character

[@bruis1527]

@@Blockoumi he would because he would still be original, but there’s a difference whenever characters are made to be their own ideas vs when their made to be reflections of others

[@CharlesDuchemin-ip1yf]

The author of JJK takes influences from so much things done in the past it's mindblowing. I love the series and can't even tell you why.

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

Favourite Protagonist: Luffy, Yuji,Eren,Light,Gintoki, Denji, Goku and Ichigo

[@gabrielvalenzuela4722]

Based as fuck

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

@@gabrielvalenzuela4722 I don't get what you mean

[@gabrielvalenzuela4722]

@@ClipsCentral_HD its like... Based.

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

@@gabrielvalenzuela4722 you mean Biased?

[@gabrielvalenzuela4722]

@@ClipsCentral_HD no, "BASED", just look up what it means in urban dictionary.

[@keno4770]

Metamorphosis fucked Asura up so much he put the mask back on

[@Isaiah_McIntosh]

He was afraid to see what he'd become.

[@Grayson-Winchester]

Ichigo, Gon and Edward are my favorite protagonists in all of shonen

[@LordYamcha]

I would Put Yusuke and Eren there but great taste bro

[@kingofbrawl3000]

@@LordYamcha Guts is Seinen

[@itwasallpartofmyplanforyou4083]

@@LordYamcha guts isn't from a shonen

[@MAR-sc7np]

My favorite are gohan,yuji, shikamaru

[@LordYamcha]

@@kingofbrawl3000 ah sorry man I just put my favourite characters there I'll take him out

[@steampunk1610]

Rules to making a Shonen Protag; _Cut Asura throwing out the Rules_ THERE ARE NO RULES!

[@user-qr8co6hp4r]

Gon And itadori are some of my top protagonist in shonen, because they’re the generic type you’d tend to see but have their own personalities that make them stand out, while knowing they wanna achieve one goal that comes with the journey in the end. There’s many other protagonists who are like this, but the way they don’t need an ultimate complexity to be likeable, and are just good people because of their own free will is what I love most. They don’t overuse their abilities in situations, and try to find other ways to help others

[@funkyzephyr9536]

Great vid masked! I love how you went in on the execution concept. I think thats one of the main reasons why people are enjoying CSM and JJK so much right now. The surface is appealing and the authors are executing great arcs for the MCs/overall story direction.

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

Yh both CSM, JJK and Hells Paradise top tier Manga for me right now

[@okdre9276]

There really is no golden rule on how to write the perfect character. It's all about using them correctly and integrating them into your world. My favourite examples would probably be Bleach and One Piece: Ichigo (reacting to the world), Luffy (world reacts to him) Both work fantastic in their story, but wouldn't in the other

[@Drawingsagespaz]

I think people need to stop focusing on how do I not make my character generic or how do I make them interesting, following a step-by-step guide instead of following your instincts. People are so worried about being “original” that the stories suffer from it and it becomes both boring and unoriginal.

[@Hello-xc6jq]

Hold up Hold up Hold up. Kaguya sama a seinen?!

[@Lucas-dg4zn]

Just like K-On

[@cash3388]

my exact reaction dawg

[@vovabars1234]

Ikr

[@sosukeaizenbutdressedupina4692]

@@Lucas-dg4zn wat now?

[@whyamihere6596]

yo I found out recently too, but I suspected cuz of the jokes

[@Thetopnoobpro]

The best underrated protagonists that don’t have plot armor and really shine from others is Toroy and Chad from High School Music The Manga

[@dingdongchingchong2957]

How to write a shonen protagonist? Me: Ereh

[@mikedanielespeja6128]

Actually, every single one of the famous one are good ones in their own ways as they appeal to different people.

[@EmortalK]

This man Switching forms like Goku

[@shehrlock5780]

My top 3 are Lelouch,Luffy and Eren (Though I like Erwin more from AoT). These guys literally define FREEDOM in their own different ways. (Edit) I love how you ended this video with kid Goku watching Grownup Goku. It feels like all new shounens are looking upto DragonBall (which most mangaka says were inspired by it).

[@jerrberrrr]

In terms of side characters I’m more like to be drawn into stories that has a healthy amount of fleshed out supporting cast. Relying on an MC to carry a story can be a double edged sword especially if they aren’t alluring to the consumer. Best example was GoT

[@makima2883]

bro I really love the Ichigo respect

[@riladan3462]

My favourite protagonist in this "new generation" are Yuji and Denji. I love both mangas, I can't waiting for the anime of Chainsaw man and the 2 and 3r season of Jujutsu Kaisen. Really really dark.

[@LordYamcha]

I like Ichigo's character- a normal dude who got shuttled into another dimension all by chance- he has no hefty goals and really he just wants his family to be safe- he doesn't want to willingly seek out greater power he isn't the cause of action but instead he has drive to protect what he holds close to his heart- he's a teenager who's at that point of life where he's beginning to mold into the person he wants to be- he is beginning to understand what he likes and it's a breath of fresh air

[@Nocturne33]

I think that's kinda lame, who tf doesn't want to be a powerful ghost samurai? Fuck a normal life...

[@KiwiHavok777]

Dude had every power in the show lol

[@kylekgh]

Also all you've done is describe a normal person 😂 who doesn't want to protect their family? That's like the basic goal of nearly every protagonist

[@LordYamcha]

@@kylekgh every protagonist seems to have this lofty goal they strive for since birth - it's not real - it feels antagonising hearing the same 'i wanna be the .... King/Leader/Emperor' and thats why I like Ichigo he isn't a saviour he never claims to be he's just a guy in the wrong situation at the wrong time

[@alfa01spotivo]

@@kyleward7417 not really. Ichigo is cool because he's different and feels more relatable to teens

[@persimmons.135]

I really liked the points that you made in the video. We don't normally sit back and think about what makes the stories we love so great. I thought it was nice to mention the inspiration for people's series. It is really cool to see how people are inspired by others' works but you can tell that it is their own. I think JJK did a great job in taking inspiration but still making its series its own. Great video man Also, dude the thumbnail is so cool. It really caught my eye while I was scrolling through KZbin lol

[@TaiyoOne]

GIMME THAT COLLAB, i want to be on to talk about my top 5

[@Rekozin]

Yo u might actually get the collab lol

[@TaiyoOne]

@@Rekozin Lol I hope so

[@obi_oma]

Character design also plays more roles than surface-level ones. It's very important as it not only provides an aesthetic for the story, but It can tell you a lot about a character's personality, where they live/grew up, fighting style, etc. For example, Kishimoto gave the villages distinct fashion "trends" or styles that weren't as common in the other villages. It helped the characters stand out, and made you believe you were really seeing people from different places. Although I think Boruto is fairly trashy, you can even see how fashion has evolved over the years. The headbands aren't tied, the sandals tend to be shorter, fewer people wear "fishnet" accessories and bandages, etc. And even though I miss these old clothing choices, it's good subtle storytelling to evolve fashion.

[@ZeroHayabusa]

Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin is my favorite Shonen Protagonist .

[@LordYamcha]

Old school - check out the live action movies

[@ZeroHayabusa]

@@LordYamcha I have them on blu ray lol they're pretty good!

[@LordYamcha]

@@ZeroHayabusa awesome man enjoy your day

[@ZeroHayabusa]

@@LordYamcha Thanks man I appreciate that! Same to you!

[@ShiroyashaVince]

I heard good things about him being an samurai etc tho mine is Gintoki idk if they are similar but gintoki is an samurai too tho thats your opinion ima respect it! :D

[@francisco65372]

Some of my favorite examples right now are Baki Hanma (Baki), Ohma Tokita (Kengan Ashura/Omega) and Denji (Chainsaw Man)

[@ghouldash9761]

I highly appreciate Izuku Midoriya, Yuji Itadori, Tanjiro Kamado, Light Yagami, Eren Yeager, Gon Freecss, Undead Andy, Naruto Uzumaki, and Denji. They're just so unique in their own way and I love to see what comes next in their journeys.

[@user-yn2sr8cf8g]

Didn't even mention Yusuke Urameshi.

[@kelanthales1261]

@@user-yn2sr8cf8g yeah Yusuke is the best protagonist imo

[@Hansen_0101]

bruh some that you mention is already generic at some point , u cant claim it unique then just pile on character from the show u like , that's just saying you like them , doesn't mean they're greatly executed and written

[@jeffreyali1456]

Deku isn’t really that unique in the grand scheme of things, but the VH arc did change it up, sadly it didn’t last

[@jakariashafin8685]

What about lelouch vi britania.

[@elina897]

Imo to write a very very good shonen character you need. Character development Character depth Those are the basic things, the more you add without destroying the story's flow the better the overall anime/manga will be(E.G berserk) The character also needs to have an idea. That idea can be simple(Vagabond MC wants to become strongest character and he ends up as 1 of the greatest mcs in animanga. His Idea is simple but execution is amazing and that idea has helped him develop(Making character dev better) and makes us know more about him,his life and the way he thinks(Making depth even better)) or the idea might be slightly complicated like getting a philosopher stone(They look at how its made and decide not to take it. It gives ys development as we see they matured it also shows us how they think and how they still haven't matured fully. It shows us this contrast between their own emotions. A way of thinking that makes you believe they are mature but then immature cuz if they focused on themselves they would of got a philosopher stone without thinking about the dead lifes. It shows us how they are still kids and not realist. They wanna achieve something without sacrificing something which again shows us how they havent matured as they knwo that alchemy is about exchanges. Then at the end Edward matures and realises that a hefty price is needed so his powers were exchanged) Then there has to be some realism. You can make him talented but without much plot armour. Make him face alot of hardships(Comes back to mcs from Berserk and Vagabond both have this) Mc should face many bad things that will change him but also good things that'll change him A mix between things that'll anger him and sadden him and something that'll make him happy You shouldnt make him look depressed but neither have him be the luckiest character. Then finally a good backstory Backstory might be unneeded if mc starts young(Like vagabonds mc) or Backstory can be told bit by bit as story progresses like Berserk. Btw didn't watch vid yet ill check if there wree similar points

[@griffith9964]

Agree with u Vagabond is one of the best examples of character development along with thorfinn and Guts

[@griffith9964]

Try watching Gintama u will love the Mc

[@elina897]

@@griffith9964 Yh ive watched it

[@elina897]

@@griffith9964 MCs are the start of an anime Lets say Edward(From FMAB) He has character development and his philosophies change throughout But thats not the only thing that makes him great. His depth is amazing as well. The more the story progresses the more we know about him and his philosophies And then they add and show us his childhood bit by bit showing us how he changed from a kid Especially development when he met his teacher Then thats the same for Wendy and Alphonse as well. We know them and they change throughout Scar as well Greed etc Think of every or most FMAB characters and you'll realise that each 1 of them plays an important role in story progression as well as they are given alot of depth and development without ruining the story An 'amazing' animanga is 1 that has a really good mc as well as characters who arent the mc but are written as well as the MC add to that an original story and an original 'Superpower' With lots of hidden meanings and then you have FMAB the masterpiece It also has amazing sub and dub and the animation is really really good. Every detail is focused from the MC to the side character to their voices philosophies and why they act that way Everything is meaningful

[@jonc8992]

Yuji from jujutsu kaisen is the next perfect protagonist

[@water-111]

I wouldnt say perfect, theres a lot of fleshiing out still needed but i do agree that hes a good one

[@jonc8992]

@@water-111 I understand once they flush out some things he could be

[@zigazdovc6175]

Until Denji starts his Chainsaw 😁

[@enrique400]

You read the manga I guess

[@MandatoryFruit]

Thank you for this. I want to write a series, and I've had ideas floating around my head for a minute. But I struggle with knowing what I want to do with my mc or even how I want their story to start and end. My issue is that I've seen so many videos about the extremely nuanced depths of characters that I've forgotten that the basics are there for a reason. So thank you for the reminder masked man.

[@kevinkonneh9640]

Gintoki is my favourite Shounen and anime MC in general

[@mraz708]

the asura: this should probebly be scripted me: nailed it

[@soulkingabstr4kt887]

my favourites gotta be yusuke, eren, luffy and ichigo.

[@lucasclyde7424]

Cool my favorite is Goku D. Uchiha from One Deadly Bleach Academia

[@soulkingabstr4kt887]

@@lucasclyde7424 my favourite is Suponjibobu Ichigo D Itadori-Urameshia-Yeager From Attack on Demon Hollows Under The Sea

[@ShiroyashaVince]

i suggest gintama too! gintoki is a great shounen mc.

[@МагжанЖаксылык-м1с]

My favourite main characters in all of shonen are : Luffy from one piece Kenshin from rurouni Kenshin Itadori from Jujutsu kaisen And Tsuna from hitman reborn

[@teomankaya769]

All of them are clishè but it’s ok I guess

[@МагжанЖаксылык-м1с]

@@teomankaya769 clishe doesn't always mean bad , so yeah

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

Good 👍 list

[@teomankaya769]

@Fredrik Opoku not by look ofc

[@justaway6901]

@@teomankaya769 Luffy is probably the most cliche on the list but he is a well developed main character that's why he still stand out as a shounen protagonist even in today's new age of shounen.

[@Limitoveraccel]

i think there are only 2 conditions to make a good shounen protagonist, one, they shouldn't be out shined by the side characters or at least have them all competing for the reader's favorite (zoro/luffy) two, make them have a huge impact on the story, as in, the story literally couldn't happen if the protagonist was a different person after all it's *their* story

[@sonalisatapathy7825]

Zoro is super popular, but he doesnt outshine luffy. Luffy is still always first on the one piece popularity polls. I think one piece does a good job of managing side characters and making them important while also making the main character the most important

[@MikhailPashkovski]

I think people often misunderstand Ichigo's character. They see him as just a Superman, who likes to save people. In the past I also saw him that way. But he's not a Superman. He's Batman. He doesn't save people because he likes it, he saves them because he NEEDS it. He has a psychological trauma from the death of his mother, where she died because of him and he couldn't protect her. So he has this need to protect people in order to escape pain. Combine that with his already good morals - and you can see, why he is so obsessed with protecting people. And unlike many other shounen protagonists, Ichigo is not unbreakable. The longer story goes, the more depressed and broken he becomes. There were a lot of times, when Ichigo actually wanted to give up and somebody else pushed him into action again. You can clearly see moments, where Ichigo is just done with this shit. He has to constantly fight despair in order to succeed. There is one more thing - while many shounen protagonists want to gain power and get some cool title, they don't actually need this power that much. On the other hand, Ichigo never had these kinds of goals, he just wants to have a quiet life. And yet, in some moments, you can see, that Ichigo LIKES power. He likes being strong, he enjoys fighting strong opponents, he loves the feeling of being in control. In his battle with Grimmjow Ichigo admits, that he really wanted to come back and kick his ass. Hollow Ichigo isn't just a separate entity, it's a part of his soul, it actually shows the side of Ichigo, that he doesn't want people to see. Ichigo doesn't like to kill people, but he's not afraid to do it, which separates him from both "goody-two-shooes" protagonists and psycho murderers like Light. All of this makes Ichigo's character way deeper and way more relatable to me, than a lot of other shounen protagonists. His goal is simple, but its really mature.

[@billyboleson2830]

Ichigo is actually more like Spiderman and supes in a way then Bats but your right

[@bradleysmith6478]

Facts that’s why I think he’s more realistic than naruto and luffy

[@justaway6901]

I think it would help if its explored more in the story

[@jakariashafin8685]

He sounds kinda similar to shirou emiya now that I think about it.

[@lionkingflo6355]

In my opinion when it comes to the best written shonen protagonist then I would say Edward, Eren, Gintoki and Luffy. I think that gon with his goal of finding his dad was good written too, but it would be nice to see more of his life, character progression and development after he fulfilled his goal.

[@itsjustvin7630]

but would that fit Gon's character tho? Aleczandxr video on Gon kinda puts things in a different perspective

[@luludraws2732]

Im currently working on story boards, world building, character design and personalitys and all this makes me both excited and scared at the same time XD this Will be a tough road to go on

[@axlrose1874]

I'm never the guy who cares for the protagonists in a manga , but gintoki, kenshin, yusuke and ichigo stood out to me for some reason.

[@ShiroyashaVince]

Gintoki in anyones list is goated nice!

[@ProGamer___]

Do a Shonen protagonist tier list

[@40.yashjha76]

@Lionard Kirsch eren would be s tier

[@wingy9655]

@@40.yashjha76 I would put Eren in A the only S-Tiers for me is Gintoki and Gon

[@wingy9655]

@Lionard Kirsch his character?!?! Gon has always been like this

[@wingy9655]

@Lionard Kirsch Yea how did it get nullified during the chairman election arc?

[@wingy9655]

@Lionard Kirsch lmao u clearly don’t understand his character then so u mean if u get angry once in ur life do u stay angry?

[@Caesar-o8s]

6:36 Ah, a fellow Fire Punch fan. Glad to know we’re still alive.

[@jordanmyers7339]

Thank you for making this video. I've been writing a Shonen like story for a little bit now and I've definitely have asked this question so many times. After watching how people reacted to Asta as a protag I was worried people would say the same thing about any protag I make since there are things about Asta I'd like to incorporate into a protag of my own. Good to know that you can still use those tropes to make a base foundation of a character but you can put your own spin on it. Thanks for clearing my writers block.

[@baohweeb6935]

Day 53 of recommending Fist of The North Star to Asura,to one of The best Oldschool Shounen protagonists: Kenshiro.

[@TheLordShIIva]

He’s my fav protagonist

[@LordYamcha]

Souten No Ken is my favourite check it out

[@Scrim-j7j]

@@TheLordShIIva What makes that anime good and the protagonist? Asking because I was thinking of getting into it myself.

[@mattstyles2498]

Trope exist because they are the most effective efficient way of communicating something. They are used becuz everyone knows immediately what the maker what's them too.

[@JFrost-rf8ix]

When i see all these types of protagonists and then i see Gintoki from gintama I'd say the author nailed it.

[@elmtreecomics6036]

I am writing a manga-influenced comic. It is about a 12 year boy named Maxeeno Manervolkan, who wants to be a Wildman to explore the world, have adventures, make genuinely good friends and make his mark in the world. The main reason is that he doesn't want to pursue a normal career or a normal life. Also, because he doesn't get a lot of appreciation or respect from anyone around him, no matter what good he does, even if he doesn't ask for them. It is also a way for him to cope with the trauma of losing his uncle, who was the closet he had to a father figure, who was a Wildman before him. While he is rebellious, impulsive, somewhat temperamental, and very mischievous, Maxeeno is also optimistic, energetic, goofy, humble, compassionate, diligent and courageous. Overall, Maxeeno wants to be a Wildman not necessarily for seeking heroism, but to create the best life that he can for himself.

[@Ad-zu8bt]

Imo the best written protagonist in shonen are eren, luffy, Johnny joestar, Naruto, gintoki and denji

[@vovabars1234]

Jojo part 7 is a seinen tho

[@sarcartik]

From which anime denji belong

[@vovabars1234]

@@sarcartik chainsaw man

[@sarcartik]

@@vovabars1234 chain saw man doesn't have anime adaptation yet ? Am I right??

[@vovabars1234]

Kartik Sharma yes but it is coming this year

[@SamTheGumMan117]

I love my shonen MC's to grow but seeing a different outlook on the world and those that change the world around them

[@eggmcmuffin6067]

Masked/Asura spits nothing but facts every video, it’s insane.

[@kami_vega]

videos are getting better and better, love what you're doing with the masked man/asura dynamic it's very unique 🔥

[@kevinhaxhihyseni5142]

Man please read ASHITA no Joe. It's the most influential manga of the 70'.its a masterpiece

[@joiboya]

Finally. We need more people like you spreading the words for Joe. As a manga connoisseur,missing this gem is a heinous crime.

[@kevinhaxhihyseni5142]

Man I know. I'd love if the masked tried it. This manga is a classic.

[@joiboya]

@@kevinhaxhihyseni5142 The interesting thing is that Masked never touched retro manga till date which are finished and not talked much nowadays. Like Black Jack,Devilman where shonen protagonists are just built differently. Don't know how's he gonna interpret them.

[@kevinhaxhihyseni5142]

Man I finished today the Devilman manga, before that I only whatched the 2018 anime, Akira is just built different. I loved it

[@kevinhaxhihyseni5142]

I have faith in the masked, I'm sure he'll understand characters like Joe.

[@bfielding91]

Awesome video man. Loved the simple list like style

[@saiki1006]

I highly recommend the manga psyren it’s a shonen battle manga

[@doomsdaygaming9928]

The protagonist is the character or characters that the story revolves around and follows. An antagonist is a character who opposed them. The protagonist doesn't have to be a hero and an antagonist doesn't have to be a villain

[@brandonontama2415]

Alita from Battle Angel is an good protagonist.

[@bnashtay2278]

Nice pfp

[@dreamcastdazia4753]

Your intro was perfect. Thats you for that. To clarify to all the people thag still don't understand what shonen and sienen are

[@delix787]

I like side characters more then main characters!

[@rahulrajumon5573]

@@A-Ylover0FtheLordJesus gintoki

[@S532-DISPOSITION]

Like this video and the message overall but to a degree I throughly enjoy a story that is told through different characters and their perspectives on the events taking place within it instead of flat meaningless villain dialogue for example in bleach when Shunsui Kyoraku and Coyote Stark fight that section is told through Stark mostly and it really helps you to connect with the characters and makes it hard for you to dislike any of the characters what they represent and their role in the story that's all tho great video I like hearing your take on things you got a sub out of me

[@nayemrahman8656]

How to make a Shonda character: - Underdog - Lost all/most family members - Dopey/wimpy - Attractive to most female characters - Trump card is the power of friendship

[@itsjustvin7630]

looks at Beelzebub

[@kurovisuals4272]

Kentaro Miura had tons of inspiration from western film and cinema to fucking shoujo manga which miura was a fan of -Evil Dead (Main character literally looks like guts and has a metal arm) -Bosch and Esher (Miura frequently cites painters he was inspired by for the aesthetic of Berserk including the domain of the godhand and godhand themselves were clear references to mc esher artwork and the depictions of the eclipse and he referenced many paintings of hell from bosch) -Devilman (no surprise most violent manga is inspired by devilman or inspired by something that was inspired by devilman - NO surprise he was also inspired by shoujo manga of all things which is why he has a clear grasp on writing good romance that isn't forced or annoying it was also stated that he was influenced by gag manga of all things

[@calicojack5623]

I like Tanjiro tbh -responsible -doesn’t hesitate to kill -still kind -not afraid of girls -powerful etc..

[@joelongan7145]

yaa.. kill demon

[@teomankaya769]

Clishè

[@RizLazey]

"Not afraid of girls" "doesn't hesitate to kill" i highly doubt that...

[@teomankaya769]

@@RizLazey bruh fr

[@calicojack5623]

@@RizLazey I mean he is super cool even around love hashira even tho he visibly has a small crush on her

[@usmansubhani7482]

For me, the way I implement tropes is by splitting the vision of my story from the vision of the readers. That way, I know which tropes will make them cry, laugh, and when to implement them.

[@Saiyagami]

4:50 Narutos left eye looks demonic like Ichigos Hollow eyes

[@beanos1.071]

I click on the video and immediately try to guess which persona its gonna have.

[@geetee4415]

8:25 The Asura almost came out there

[@TawnyGryn]

This is a tangent. Shonen/Seinen my least used tags, I never think of shows like that

[@thenujayakaluarachchi1766]

Gintoki still the goat protagonist, puts characters like Deku to shame ( no shade I like MHA too)

[@ranksblex336]

Mr masked man you are so right if only people could understand mainly anime fans if only they could understand that all these series are great in their own way they have flaws but nothing is perfect.

[@cubikx8575]

For me, I just like characters that feel their age. This is why I love Denji, Josuke, (so far, 220 chapters in) Ichigo, and Itadori. I just cant beleive characters that are just about 100% good like Deku, Asta or Luffy. Not to say I dont like any of those 3, I like them too. They just feel too perfect.

[@danielpaolotapiceria6480]

Luffy being 100% good is false, if you know, impel down arc, he didn't care if they freed all of the criminals as long as he needs to save ace which makes me question his moraltiy. He just doesn't care sometimes and he only cares for his friends and his goals much like Gon from HxH. Sometimes they don't see the bad consequence of their actions as long as they reach their goals. But there's nothing wrong for being 100% good, it's just unrealistic.

[@cubikx8575]

@@danielpaolotapiceria6480 I said I like those 3, a lot. I never said 100% good, I said about 100% good. Luffy for sure is the least good of the three, but he still is an overly good guy.

[@iordachidenis5026]

@@cubikx8575 he's good only for those he cares or respects, even yuji can be called more kindhearted.

[@gabrielvalenzuela4722]

@@iordachidenis5026 yuji is realistically good, like a firefighter friend

[@cash3388]

bro your thumbnails are so raw 🔥

[@johnoghomi1080]

Yuji and Boruto breaks the Shonen tropes in terms of character progression in my opinion. What they have going for them in the future isn’t as predictable

[@milesgwatidzo4143]

Great video I accept all your points really really on point

[@LordYamcha]

Masked needs to read Sun Ken Rock if he hasn't already

[@werzuiopsa5590]

i think he did

[@vovabars1234]

He did

[@LordYamcha]

@@werzuiopsa5590 oh right thanks for the heads up

[@LordYamcha]

@@vovabars1234 thanks for the heads up 💪

[@vovabars1234]

Yamcha no problem

[@jung.o.2080]

People also don't know that to be in Shonen Jump with lots of other popular shonen, the mangaka have to follow a set frame. Gege Akutami (Jujustu's author) once talked about how hard it was to create their series because SJ wanted them to follow a format where main character received or possesses great power, or they meet another character with said powers (often a female lead). There are also many other details they have to write in their story to make it marketable. Which is why Black Clover has a really typical beginning. Then, if the manga sells well, some mangaka can add what they want into that story and get around the ordered format.

[@ClipsCentral_HD]

Yh a lot of people forget that as well but thats big fax you speaking

[@__-rc1ng]

Gon,denji and ichigo my favorite shonen mcs

[@gabrielvalenzuela4722]

👉👈 you like yuji?

[@NASTAR01]

I would say that any plot that is 1) propelling the story forward, and/or 2) addressing the theme and overall message of your story, is important. I think you can have very strong supporting characters within your narrative; so strong, in fact, that the journey has multiple key POVs who offer a window into different - but equally important - facets of your central theme. There may be a clear focal lens through which the author is telling their story - the 'main character' - but other characters do more than serve as a supporting role; they have real agency, and a compelling journey that is both wholly their own and yet also connected to the main plot - and will ultimately challenge or enforce the main protagonists beliefs and choices. I think if the writer aims to have a clear main character within a very strong ensemble cast then they just have to ensure that they don't become less important; and that, ultimately, it is their journey - their choices - that really drives the plot to its conclusion and delivers on the message of the story.

[@INBCPC1994]

Oh I didn’t knew Tabata was inspired by Miura, I just hope that nothing like the eclipse happens in Black Clover lol

[@jojonta2119]

A few of the underworld panels screamed berserk to me. Also the big ass sword too lol

[@LuisGonzalez-bw7ou]

It would be interesting if they failed in saving Yami and William opening the gate to the underworld and boom half the cast gets killed off, Who knows Lol

[@itsjustvin7630]

@@jojonta2119 and Asta's union form

[@jakariashafin8685]

@@itsjustvin7630 it kinda resembles the berserker armour.

[@kingz1726]

I liked this video some much that I wanted to double like it. Just Wow Bro.