Discussion About stupid main characters

Discussion in 'Novel Discussion' started by Godhole, Apr 29, 2019.

  1. Godhole

    Godhole Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2019
    Messages:
    74
    Likes Received:
    47
    Reading List:
    Link
    Why do japanese writters like to make stupid mcs, especially in isekai? Why do the editors even accept stories with mcs like that? A bit naive i can understand, but straigth up retarded mcs are disgusting. Some try to use it for comedy, but it's kinda hard to believe that in 2019 there is still people that find that kind of subpar comedy funny. So, do the japanese readers find it funny? Can someone who knows a lot about the japanese community anwer this for me please?
     
  2. akki

    akki [Ani's C☕ffee-mate #3] [Shady Merchant]

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2016
    Messages:
    13,856
    Likes Received:
    57,689
    Reading List:
    Link
    It’s not just restricted to Japanese novels. Some Chinese novels have idiot mc’s too~
     
  3. Mr Pancakes

    Mr Pancakes Well-Known Pancake

    Joined:
    May 9, 2016
    Messages:
    670
    Likes Received:
    326
    Reading List:
    Link
    I can only find it funny and readable if the mc is smart or at least average but due to certain reasons has no experience and/or knowladge in a certain field. For example - the mc is a genius but grew up sheltered with only his parents and doesn't have common sense( like magi's grandson) or doesn't know how to deal with girls or other people. If done right and moderately this can be enjoyable, at least for me.
     
  4. Hoshiandme

    Hoshiandme A Wandering Star Who Watches From Afar

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2016
    Messages:
    709
    Likes Received:
    1,064
    Reading List:
    Link
    I think it has something to do with the novel’s being geared more towards teens and kids. Adults in this current generation who work in the market that caters towards children tend to dumb things down. It can be seen by the cartoons aired in Tv nowadays. They are batshit fucking about dumbasses doing dumb shit.
     
  5. Beste

    Beste Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2016
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    17
    Reading List:
    Link
    Readers are too used to mary sue characters so most will find everything mc do stupid regardless.
     
  6. EnuoFH

    EnuoFH Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2018
    Messages:
    231
    Likes Received:
    110
    Reading List:
    Link
    And thats where its even more dumb, they shouldn't do that it was never a problem before why its a problem now? How much they avoid so much things that really... even kids probably knows and they keep trying to dumb things even more
     
  7. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2017
    Messages:
    3,635
    Likes Received:
    3,515
    Reading List:
    Link
    By now it has become a Japanese literary tradition so it's pretty much a part of the cultural landscaped. Publishers tend to care less about what's good and care more about what's popular. Books with dumb characters sell, so there's no reason for them to be rejected. So on a couple of different fronts this is a trend that's going to continue.

    And honestly I hope that it does. Sure there are cases where writers do a terrible job with dumb protagonists. But as with all story mechanics there are plenty of good applications, and the effect can be very entertaining. For example, Konosuba is a fantastic comedy because its main characters are a bunch of idiots. Take that away and do something like make Aqua intelligent and the story would be much weaker. Besides, there are plenty of books that do different things out there. Just read one of those instead if this particular mechanic doesn't work for you.
     
  8. SummerMascot

    SummerMascot Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2018
    Messages:
    982
    Likes Received:
    428
    Reading List:
    Link
  9. aminy

    aminy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2018
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    9
    Reading List:
    Link
    against the gods MC has to be one of the stupidest characters of all time. I also hate how the "dense protagonist" japanese MC. It's so annoying and I instantly stop reading the novel.
     
  10. youseiki

    youseiki 『Loves Glasses』

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2017
    Messages:
    1,800
    Likes Received:
    1,208
    Reading List:
    Link
    Intelligent authors are rare in Light Novel industry, most of writers end up writing Novels(which is different from Light Novel), and your opinion is too biased, majority of Chinese and Korean novels are also stupid, it's just that most of them are fantasy of alpha traits(doesn't mean they are alpha) compared to japanese mc's which are totally beta. Just look at the novel Humanity has Declined, totally different from the norm, some of the best Japanese novels out there were not fantasy, they are mostly thriller, horror, mystery and psychological, you should try them if you can.
     
  11. mm38910

    mm38910 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2018
    Messages:
    678
    Likes Received:
    519
    Reading List:
    Link
    Beacase they sell.
     
  12. Snipetress

    Snipetress [Editor, Typesetter, and PR at House of Rain]

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2017
    Messages:
    98
    Likes Received:
    34
    Reading List:
    Link
    DEFINITELY because they sell. Theyre easy to make fun of, theyre easy to exploit, and theyre easy to self identify with. well said!