Seinen Protagonist



A seinen protagonist is a protagonist usually seen in a seinen manga and anime.

Why This Trope Rocks

 * 1) Their stories are usually realistic, as they experience more than battle hardships. In fact, these said stories are focused on their relationships with others and internal struggles.
 * 2) They are considered deconstructed versions of a shonen protagonist, which makes their stories more refreshing and compelling.
 * 3) Like their shonen counterparts, they grow not only in terms of abilities, but in terms of strength of character as well.
 * 4) They possess a strong sense of willpower.
 * 5) Most of them are relatable, as they are explored as complex characters who are dealing with personal and social struggles.
 * 6) Their sense of morality is complex as well, as they know that the world is not completely black-and-white.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Many seinen protagonists are known for being cynical and apathetic, albeit in a sympathetic manner.
 * 2) As a result of their personal hardships, many seinen protagonists experience so much emotional and/or mental distress that it causes them to isolate themselves from others and to develop trust issues.

Qualifications
In order for a character to be qualified as a seinen protagonist, they must have at least 4 necessary traits.

Necessary Traits:
 * Heroic/anti-heroic
 * Cynical/apathetic
 * Is a complex character
 * Sophisticated and mature
 * Hard-working
 * Hot-blooded
 * Is morally ambiguous
 * Stubborn to a fault
 * Reflects and/or questions on his/her actions
 * Is a determinator (a type of character who refuses to give up, regardless of the obstacles.)

Additional Traits:
 * Has anger issues
 * Has killer instinct
 * Has rivals and/or mentors
 * Has a tragic backstory
 * Stoic
 * Is lustful for sex
 * Rebellious

Anime & Manga

 * 1) Afro Samurai (Afro Samurai)
 * 2) Atsushi Nakajima (Bungou Stray Dogs)
 * 3) Osamu Dazai (Bungou Stray Dogs)
 * 4) Doppo Kunikida (Bungou Stray Dogs)
 * 5) Ranpo Edogawa (Bungou Stray Dogs)
 * 6) Kyoka Izumi (Bungou Stray Dogs)
 * 7) Ryunosuke Akutagawa (Bungou Stray Dogs)
 * 8) Chuuya Nakahara (Bungou Stray Dogs)
 * 9) Guts (Berserk)
 * 10) Re-l Meyer (Ergo Proxy)
 * 11) Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
 * 12) Saichi Sugimoto (Golden Kamuy)
 * 13) Ryuko Matoi (Kill La Kill)
 * 14) Shinichi Izumi (Parasyte)
 * 15) Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul)
 * 16) Kaguya Shinomiya (Kaguya-sama: Love is War)
 * 17) Miyuki Shirogane (Kaguya-sama: Love is War)
 * 18) Taiga Aisaka (Toradora!)
 * 19) Rin Shima (Yurucamp)
 * 20) Homura Akemi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
 * 21) Golgo 13/Duke Togo (Golgo 13)
 * 22) Akira Fudo/Devilman (Devilman)
 * 23) Naoto Fuyumine (Dogs)
 * 24) Badou Nails (Dogs)
 * 25) Heine Rammsteiner (Dogs)
 * 26) Mihai Mihaeroff (Dogs)
 * 27) Hori Yoshio (Dokudami Tenement/Dokudami Singles Apartment)
 * 28) Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)
 * 29) Saichi Sugimoto (Golden Kamuy)
 * 30) Asirpa (Golden Kamuy)
 * 31) Ri Shin (Kingdom)
 * 32) Shiraishi (Kubo-San Doesn't Leave Me Be (A Mob))
 * 33) Kubo (Kubo-San Doesn't Leave Me Be (A Mob))
 * 34) Josuke Higashikata (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 8: JoJolion)
 * 35) Nao Kanzaki (Liar Game)
 * 36) Shinichi Akiyama (Liar Game)
 * 37) Seto (Naughty Gyaru Anjou-san)
 * 38) Anna Anjou (Naughty Gyaru Anjou-san)
 * 39) Various Characters (The Ravages Of Time)
 * 40) Nomiya Tomomi (Real)
 * 41) Togawa Kiyoharu (Real)
 * 42) Takahashi Hisanobu (Real)
 * 43) Jun Sakurada (Rozen Maiden)
 * 44) Kintarō Yajima (Salaryman Kintarō)
 * 45) Emilico (Shadows House)
 * 46) Kate Shadow (Shadows House)
 * 47) Reiji Kurose (Shōnen no Abyss/Boy's Abyss)
 * 48) Kujaku (Spirit Warrior)
 * 49) Ken Kitano (Sun-Ken Rock)
 * 50) Various Characters ( Terra Formers)

Cartoons & Comics

 * 1) Sterling Archer (Archer)
 * 2) Stan Smith
 * 3) BoJack Horseman
 * 4) Huey Freeman (The Boondocks)
 * 5) Riley Freeman (The Boondocks)
 * 6) Robert Freeman (The Boondocks)
 * 7) Batman
 * 8) Deadpool
 * 9) Kaz Kaan (Neo Yokio)
 * 10) Rick Sanchez
 * 11) Samurai Jack
 * 12) Player (Friday Night Funkin' Logic)
 * 13) Frank Castle/Punisher (MAX Comics)
 * 14) Jesse Custer (Preacher)
 * 15) Proinsias Cassidy (Preacher)
 * 16) Tulip O'Hare (''Preacher)
 * 17) Rac Shade (Shade, the Changing Man)
 * 18) Various Characters (Sin City)
 * 19) Spider Jerusalem (Transmetropolitan)
 * 20) V (V for Vendetta)
 * 21) Dream (Vertigo/DC Comics)
 * 22) Lucifer (Vertigo Comics)
 * 23) John Constantine (Vertigo/DC Comics)
 * 24) Various Characters (Watchmen/DC Comics)
 * 25) Various Characters (Fables)
 * 26) Albert Francis Simmons/Spawn (Image Comics)
 * 27) James "Logan" Hewlett/Wolverine (Marvel Comics'')
 * 28) Peter Griffin
 * 29) Philip J. Fry (Futurama)
 * 30) Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)
 * 31) Gary Goodspeed (Final Space)
 * 32) Avocato (Final Space)
 * 33) Manny The Mammoth

Literature

 * 1) Tyrion Lannister (A Song of Fire and Ice/Game of Thrones)
 * 2) Stefan and Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)

Live-Action Film & Television

 * 1) Walter White (Breaking Bad)
 * 2) Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)
 * 3) Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
 * 4) Anthony "Tony" Soprano (The Sopranos)
 * 5) Sam Winchester & Dean Winchester (Supernatural)
 * 6) Niklaus "Klaus" Mikealson (The Originals)
 * 7) Nicholas Angel (Hot Fuzz)
 * 8) Hope Mikealson (Legacies)
 * 9) Various characters (The Wire)
 * 10) *Jimmy McNulty
 * 11) *Omar Little
 * 12) Jason "Tre" Styles III (Boyz n the Hood)
 * 13) Kaydee "Caine" Lawson (Menace II Society )
 * 14) Lucious Lyon (Empire)
 * 15) Quincy "Q" Powell (Juice)
 * 16) Kool (Hot Boyz)
 * 17) John Wick (John Wick)
 * 18) Marty Byrde (Ozark)
 * 19) James Bond (007)
 * 20) Earnest "Earn" Marks (Atlanta)
 * 21) Chiron (Moonlight)

Video Games

 * 1) GTA Protagonists (Grand Theft Auto)
 * 2) Solid Snake
 * 3) Cole McGrath (InFamous)
 * 4) Delsin Rowe (InFamous: Second Son)
 * 5) Alex Mercer (Prototype)
 * 6) Sgt James Heller (Prototype 2)
 * 7) Joel Miller (The Last of Us)
 * 8) Ellie (Pre-mh:crappygames:The Last of Us Part II)
 * 9) Arthur Morgan (mh:awesomegames:Red Dead Redemption 2)
 * 10) Kratos (God of War)
 * 11) Jin Kazama (Tekken)
 * 12) Sly Cooper (Sly Cooper)

Web Animation/Comics

 * 1) Dominic Deegan (Dominic Deegan)
 * 2) Roy Greenhilt (The Order of the Stick)
 * 3) Haley Starshine (The Order of the Stick)
 * 4) Durkon Thundershield (The Order of the Stick)
 * 5) Elan (The Order of the Stick)
 * 6) Belkar Bitterleaf (The Order of the Stick)
 * 7) Vaarsuvius (The Order of the Stick)
 * 8) Bass (The Kings of Nowhere)
 * 9) Various Characters (The Big Lez Show)
 * 10) *Lez
 * 11) *Mike Nolan
 * 12) *Sassy the Sasquatch