Discussion Problems with bland protagonists.

This is partially a rant. You have been warned!

Often when watching anime, I love having a bland protagonist as the main character so I can immerse myself in the world and pretend that I am the protagonist. This is why so many shows use bland protagonists in their work. My problem with them is that, although they are meant to let us feel we are the protagonist, they sometimes make the bland protagonist dumb. Way too often will I watch an anime and the main character will act like he has no common sense, or even an IQ of over 70. I am pretty sure no one wants to become a character that is stupid.

You will often find these sorts of protagonists in harem/ecchi shows, although I am not against these genres specifically and perverted protagonists (provided that they are done right). "They are not stupid, they are just made to be dense!" This may be the case with some anime, but more often than not, labeling the main character as dense just gives the author free reign to make the character make stupid choices and increase the ignorance meter. Often the choices that these sorts of protagonists decide, make me think the protagonist actually has a much younger mental age.

Don't get me wrong, I still love a lot of these shows with bland characters, it is just that the unrealistic dumb/denseness can make a character feel very unreal, therefore hard to put yourself in their shoes. Although it is fantasy, some parts still have to be realistic, and I personally like realistic characters (Emotions, decisions, thought process, etc) to keep me feeling like I could be the one put in that place and I would be just like them.

Hopefully some people feel the way I do, and hopefully some can try and persuade me otherwise. Feel free to respond with your own thoughts and discuss ups and downs of bland protagonists in anime.

 

I feel that most of bland, generic, and self-insert protagonists are to be a reflection of what the believed audience/fanbase is composed of and wants. Like JP novels make bland Mcs, black-hair average betas. They make them dense and stupid and lucky with girls to give hope that no matter how average, beta, weak, non-active, or stupid you are, you can get chicks.

I don't think I've ever met a truly average or normal protagonist. Even Tadano Hitohito (who's name means just some guy), isn't very average with how well he understands others and how smooth he is with the girls. He's one of my favorite "bland" guy MCs tho since he's not like the stupid beta MCs. Some MCs tho are average can be unrealistically brave in certain situations (saving the girl) despite being beta. Or overly kind. Or overly-lucky and stupid.

PS: When I was writing this a tiny light yellowish-brown f*cking spider was slowly lowering itself down from a thread of web right in front of my face. Like I had to cross my eyes to see it right when it was above my nose and between my eyes. Holy sh*t. I ain't planning to become Spiderman any time soon. Scared the crap out of me.

 

So you guy would prefer established MCs with their own personalities like Geralt of Rivia and Commander Shepard?

 

I don't think it's bad to have bland or normal protagonists. Since most bland protagonists serve the purpose of either self-insert or a contrasting/normal POV of the situation (Kyon from Haruhi) and are usually grown or adapt to their surroundings. The problem lay when the focus of the show becomes the boring MC and not the surrounding or when the MC isn't used or done well within it's purpose.

 

This probably doesn't apply to all bland protagonists that do stupid things, but in the case of harem/ecchi, it's possible that the protagonist has to be dumb in that moment, so it make sense for a relationship with a particular girl (or maybe a friend idk). I don't really delve into this genre too much, so it's just a guess. I could be completely wrong.

 

I think you are overestimating the general population a little.

The better the mc's persobality aligns with the audience, the easier the self insert. And judging how popular most animes are with 'bland' mcs, i think that reflects more on the audience than the storywriters.

Like seriously. The average person is very very dull.

 

Damn Japs, they used to make the manliest mc's, now they prefer the boring ones, that's why I abstain myself from those kind of stories and searches for the classic ones like Guts from Berserk, Kenshiro from Fist of the North star, Duke Togo from Golgo 13 or Reinhard von Lohengramm from Legend of the Galactic heroes

oh, another fan of Komi-san

 

Bland protagonist tend to be always happening to harem anime. Seems like the author was making sure that the MC will not choosing one girl, so that the other girls wouldn't get hurt.
And somehow, they thought that girls love a kind naive and benevolent male, that would solve problems with love and peace. They put morality as priority, yet is that really the case?

 

Need more protagonist like Makoto Itou from School Days

 

LOL, the MC deserve that

 

This is why i choose the plain but interesting motherfucker. These below

-Kenchi from tenchi muyo on geminar
- Shinya from abnormal joshi kei
- Hachiman Hikigaya - snaffu anime
- Kiyotaka Ayanokouji from classroom of elite
I would prefer likebility over relatable
I can get why they would choose mash potato as main character so we can resent them but it can get really boring

My god always complain about
- im loser
- my older sister or big bro way better than me
- im wimp and scary puss
- i cant control my hormoens when i encouter a girl thus i lead to drastic stupid situation

Seriously they really should focus on series when you see a bland mc but eventually become awesome through harsh progress .those who have amazing potential but insecure than a clam . characters like onada from yomuwashi pedal and ippo from hajime no ippo.

 

Hahahahaha that too real

 

Dont everyone actually love dumb protagonist.. ?
Luffy, goku, saitama, natsu...
Most of their behaviour are mostly the same too..
Pretty bland if you ask me.

 

The difference between those you named and the typical "blacnd" MC's is that they currently have no interest in romance. Whereas the "bland" MC's are in fact searching for .... 'romance' *cough* getting laid *cough*.

 

Maybe I just want an intelligent protagonist so I can self-insert to pretend to be smart

 

The World God Only Knows did a good job on it, the rest aren't par on it like Date A Live or totally different like Monogatari Series and Golden Boy

 

The thing that annoys me with these kind of protaganists is them being teenagers and rejecting the punani. too unrealistic ;(

 

I'm the kind of reader who cares a lot about the MC more than anything else so I feel ya.

 

Word. And the cuties were both feminine and badass, as well. I blame the IMF.

 

In my opinion, bland protagonists have become almost like a reflection of a weakened society in general. I mean, its almost like NEETs are a bigger market audience for all these generic isekai that composes at least 20% of every anime season. I have nothing against NEET people (some of us had to play that role at one time or another), but I would at least like to have a protagonist with some redeeming points instead of someone I can relate to.

True that. This wouldn't be a problem if the setting justified all the OP female with some logical explanation. But nope, all harem members are OP so deal with it. Besides, in most cases the male MC is worse than beta (way worse), which makes the level difference even more obvious (and annoying).