Really?
Friends?
Sei Kyou was at best, an ally of convenience to Shin, Rinko was an enemy that respected Shin but an enemy nonetheless and Mangoku hated Shin and straight up threatened to haunt him if he did not keep his promise.
Or are we taking “friendship power” to mean any form of inner strength that is sourced from a character’s relationship to any other character, past or present? Does that mean characters who are motivated by the loss of their loved ones have “friendship power”?
Do characters that are motivated by revenge such as Guts, Goblin Slayer, The Punisher etc. now have “friendship power”? Lol.
It does. If the concept was first introduced in the Shin vs Houken dual then we would all be calling it a complete arse pull. Lol.
I wholeheartedly disagree. People will always push themselves to their limit in order to protect what and (in the case of the concept we are now discussing) who they hold most dear.
It is not an inherently bad concept. It is a concept that can be difficult to execute without coming off as cheesy but if executed correctly it is a simple but heartwarming concept that strikes a relatable cord with a basic element of our human nature, the desire to protect our own.
Which brings us to a different but related point.
As
@Admiral Lee Hung once eloquently said...
In a manga about humanity, could Hara actually avoid the concept of people drawing strength from their connections and relationships to others? Of our desire to protect those or the memory of those (as is the case of inherited will) who are dear to us, no matter the cost? Of one of the most basic traits that makes humanity ultimately, human?
The answer in my opinion, is no. For Hara to avoid such a basic concept that is inherently part of human nature in a manga about humanity would be akin to attempting to write a love story without romance.
Ultimately, Hara chose the spiritual route of “friendship power”/motivation through character relationships/whatever you perceive it as, through the concept of Inherited Will.
Arguing that a concept within a series is inherently bad merely because other series have explored the concept is like arguing that Burger King’s burgers are inherently bad because MacDonald’s, Supermac’s, KFC and Eddie Rocket’s also serve burgers, regardless of whatever seasoning, condiments, sauces or side dishes each outlet serves with their respective burgers.
It is not so much the basic concept within a story that matters but the execution of said concept.