Top 3 worst MCs (Anime/Manga)
- Thread starter JoNdule
- Start date
Well, if we’re making exceptions for authors going through tough times, I believe Oda’s declining health would qualify…but again, the thousands of posts I’ve written chastising him and his work means I’m not exactly inclined to be sympathetic to either of these mangaka. Maybe there is too much criticism floating around, sure, but all art is subject to personal interpretation and being perceived as something other than the creator intended. One man’s fleshed out and likable protagonist is another’s least favorite part of a story they enjoy, no accounting for taste among a segment of the population long known for not really having any 
And my point wasn't about it being subjective, my point was that people shit on the entire series of AOT just because Isayama fucked up the ending due to his admitted struggles.
Out of the notable manga that I have read, the worst main character for me is Ichigo.
The funny thing with Ichigo is that I don't particularly find him irritating as a character. The fact that he doesn't have a gimmicky catchphrase that he yells every three chapters is a bit of an improvement over some other certain MCs.
Nah, what absolutely kills Ichigo as a main character for me is the writing surrounding him, particularly two main things about the writing:
I) Cause the story follows Ichigo wherever he goes and Ichigo lives in the utterly mundane, mind numbingly boring human world, Kubo drags the reader with him in order to watch agonisingly dull shite like high school.
Say what you will about the likes of Luffy or Naruto but at least through following these characters, we get to see the wider world that they inhabit due to the adventures they have. Not Ichigo though. Following Ichigo is an active hindrance to exploring the world of Bleach because Ichigo doesn't actually live in the interesting part of the Bleach world (the Soul Society), he lives in the stupidly boring normal world and only goes to the Soul Society when some crisis is in full swing.
Ichigo is an outsider that only briefly interacts with the Soul Society, so by following Ichigo we only get an outsider's brief view of the Soul Society. Lel.
II) Ichigo is supposed to be the protagonist but he doesn't have a single proactive bone in his body that moves the narrative of the story forward. Everything Ichigo does is a reaction to an antagonist doing something because the antagonists are the only people who actually get the plot moving in Bleach.
Ichigo is a main character with no drive, no goals, no aspirations and ultimately, no actual story. Following Ichigo isn't going on a journey, it is going on a random series of events that coincidentally have Ichigo involved in them.
Let me put it into perspective.
One Piece is a story about the journey of a young man who seeks to become the Pirate King and his search for freedom in a world of oppression, corruption and totalitarian justice.
Naruto is a story about the journey of a boy who seeks to become Hokage in order to gain the admiration and respect of those who have shunned him.
My Hero Academia follows the journey of a boy who seeks to become a hero in order to emulate his idol and save others while carrying the weight of a legacy.
Bleach is about... er.... a guy who gets spiritual superpowers and beats up whatever sassenach of the week is causing a general inconvenience, I guess.
Seriously, there is no journey, no story, there is nothing that actually connects anything in Bleach together apart from the fact that Ichigo is involved.
The plot treats Ichigo like he is a dog on a leash. It forcibly leads him to wherever it needs him to go and it is never moved forward by Ichigo himself.
If Byakuya and Renji had not come to capture Rukia then Ichigo would have been content to flex on low level Hollows within Karakura Town for the rest of his life. Compare that to Luffy, who no matter what will always aim to be the Pirate King or Naruto, who will always strive to be the Hokage, Ichigo simply has nothing to move him forward.
Ichigo is an utterly flaccid MC that is an active hindrance to the story. Hell, since Aizen is the one who is responsible for nearly everything that happens in this damn story, you could consider him a villainous protagonist and Ichigo a heroic antagonist. Aizen did far more to move the plot forward than Ichigo ever did.
The funny thing with Ichigo is that I don't particularly find him irritating as a character. The fact that he doesn't have a gimmicky catchphrase that he yells every three chapters is a bit of an improvement over some other certain MCs.
Nah, what absolutely kills Ichigo as a main character for me is the writing surrounding him, particularly two main things about the writing:
I) Cause the story follows Ichigo wherever he goes and Ichigo lives in the utterly mundane, mind numbingly boring human world, Kubo drags the reader with him in order to watch agonisingly dull shite like high school.
Say what you will about the likes of Luffy or Naruto but at least through following these characters, we get to see the wider world that they inhabit due to the adventures they have. Not Ichigo though. Following Ichigo is an active hindrance to exploring the world of Bleach because Ichigo doesn't actually live in the interesting part of the Bleach world (the Soul Society), he lives in the stupidly boring normal world and only goes to the Soul Society when some crisis is in full swing.
Ichigo is an outsider that only briefly interacts with the Soul Society, so by following Ichigo we only get an outsider's brief view of the Soul Society. Lel.
II) Ichigo is supposed to be the protagonist but he doesn't have a single proactive bone in his body that moves the narrative of the story forward. Everything Ichigo does is a reaction to an antagonist doing something because the antagonists are the only people who actually get the plot moving in Bleach.
Ichigo is a main character with no drive, no goals, no aspirations and ultimately, no actual story. Following Ichigo isn't going on a journey, it is going on a random series of events that coincidentally have Ichigo involved in them.
Let me put it into perspective.
One Piece is a story about the journey of a young man who seeks to become the Pirate King and his search for freedom in a world of oppression, corruption and totalitarian justice.
Naruto is a story about the journey of a boy who seeks to become Hokage in order to gain the admiration and respect of those who have shunned him.
My Hero Academia follows the journey of a boy who seeks to become a hero in order to emulate his idol and save others while carrying the weight of a legacy.
Bleach is about... er.... a guy who gets spiritual superpowers and beats up whatever sassenach of the week is causing a general inconvenience, I guess.
Seriously, there is no journey, no story, there is nothing that actually connects anything in Bleach together apart from the fact that Ichigo is involved.
The plot treats Ichigo like he is a dog on a leash. It forcibly leads him to wherever it needs him to go and it is never moved forward by Ichigo himself.
If Byakuya and Renji had not come to capture Rukia then Ichigo would have been content to flex on low level Hollows within Karakura Town for the rest of his life. Compare that to Luffy, who no matter what will always aim to be the Pirate King or Naruto, who will always strive to be the Hokage, Ichigo simply has nothing to move him forward.
Ichigo is an utterly flaccid MC that is an active hindrance to the story. Hell, since Aizen is the one who is responsible for nearly everything that happens in this damn story, you could consider him a villainous protagonist and Ichigo a heroic antagonist. Aizen did far more to move the plot forward than Ichigo ever did.
Deku - probably the worst in the current Shonen, and arguably has the worst supporting protagonist right next to him in the bomber kid who’s name I already forgot.
Luffy - He was tolerable in the beginning and was at his peak in the Water 7 Saga, after that he continued to spiral downwards as a character.
I can’t pick a third from the poll, so Imma just throw in Natsu for his friendship nonsense lol.
Luffy - He was tolerable in the beginning and was at his peak in the Water 7 Saga, after that he continued to spiral downwards as a character.
I can’t pick a third from the poll, so Imma just throw in Natsu for his friendship nonsense lol.
Taking a break from talking about Condom-Boy,to talk about other massive taint in the beauty of japanese pop culture:Trash Ketchup.
From the beginning,that boy was unnaturally stupid and incapable of driving his own story. He is embarrassingly unable to do everyday things like cooking and stay informed about matters of the world around him. He is a pathetic excuse for a character whose the whole personality and life begins and ends with a obsession with Pokemon. Everything in his screen time was sloppily executed,from the developments of all of his Pokemon,the competitions with all of his rivals,to the way how he was written off weeks ago. This anime broke a record for wasting money and time.
@JoNdule @Warchief Sanji D Goat @NikaInParis @lee33 @TheKnightOfTheSea @Cross_Marian @Hanners220
@RayanOO @grey matter @Sebastian Michaelis
From the beginning,that boy was unnaturally stupid and incapable of driving his own story. He is embarrassingly unable to do everyday things like cooking and stay informed about matters of the world around him. He is a pathetic excuse for a character whose the whole personality and life begins and ends with a obsession with Pokemon. Everything in his screen time was sloppily executed,from the developments of all of his Pokemon,the competitions with all of his rivals,to the way how he was written off weeks ago. This anime broke a record for wasting money and time.
@JoNdule @Warchief Sanji D Goat @NikaInParis @lee33 @TheKnightOfTheSea @Cross_Marian @Hanners220
@RayanOO @grey matter @Sebastian Michaelis
Satoshi/Ash is the worst because he was a forever loser for 20+ years until the anime director finally pity him enough for him to become the champion of champions.Fandom outrage if he does lose again However in the specials after what said is done. Ash/Satoshi Still lost to Misty in an unofficial pokemon match.
Also wanted to see an adult Ash or his father but the anime director did the middle figure to the pokemon anime fandom after nearly 30 years...
However Ash may be one of the worst MC with most high stakes losses but still a loveable Iconic Main character.
Also wanted to see an adult Ash or his father but the anime director did the middle figure to the pokemon anime fandom after nearly 30 years...
However Ash may be one of the worst MC with most high stakes losses but still a loveable Iconic Main character.
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