Shonen Protagonist



A shonen protagonist is a protagonist that is typically found in shonen manga and anime.

Why This Trope Rocks

 * 1) These kinds of heroes have to work hard to improve their capabilities.
 * 2) Many shonen heroes have grit, as they do not always win and have to push beyond their limits.
 * 3) No matter how many odds are against them, they refuse to give up.
 * 4) They fight for altruistic reasons, most notably to protect their friends.
 * 5) They grow not only in terms of abilities but also in terms of strength of character, as they grow as people throughout their journeys.
 * 6) They can be relatable characters, as they represent the fact that all people have their own goals in life, deal with obstacles and find ways to overcome them.
 * 7) *Their stories show that the destination is not what matters, but the journey and the experiences that are gained from it.
 * 8) They are charismatic, as they can turn their enemies and rivals into friends and allies.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Many shonen heroes are known for being dimwitted, naive, reckless and/or impulsive.
 * 2) Most shonen heroes can be rebellious, mischievous, unruly and/or temperamental.

Anime/Manga

 * 1) Asta (Black Clover)
 * 2) Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)
 * 3) Rin Okumura (Blue Exorcist)
 * 4) Denji (Chainsaw Man)
 * 5) Son Goku (Dragon Ball series) [being the trope's codifier]
 * 6) Vegeta (Dragon Ball series) [Despite being the codifier of the Stock Shonen Rival trope]
 * 7) Allen Walker (D-Gray Man)
 * 8) Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)
 * 9) Shinra Kusakabe (Fire Force)
 * 10) Philip (Futo Detective)
 * 11) Shotaro Hidari (Futo Detective)
 * 12) Gin (Ginga)
 * 13) Jin Mori (The God of High School)
 * 14) Gang Ryong (Gosu)
 * 15) Makunouchi Ippo (Hajime no Ippo)
 * 16) Gabimaru (Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku)
 * 17) Issei Hyoudo (Highschool DxD)
 * 18) Taikoubou (Houshin Engi)
 * 19) Velou (The Hunters Guild: Red Hood)
 * 20) Grimm (The Hunters Guild: Red Hood)
 * 21) Gon Freecss (Hunter X Hunter)
 * 22) Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)
 * 23) Jonathan Joestar (Part 1: Phantom Blood)
 * 24) Joseph Joestar (Part 2: Battle Tendency)
 * 25) Jotaro Kujo (Part 3: Stardust Crusaders)
 * 26) Josuke Higashikata (Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable)
 * 27) Giorno Giovanna (Part 5: Golden Wind)
 * 28) Jolyne Kujo (Part 6: Stone Ocean)
 * 29) Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen)
 * 30) Kinnikuman (Kinnikuman)
 * 31) All Might (My Hero Academia)
 * 32) Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia)
 * 33) Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia)
 * 34) Eijiro Kirishima (My Hero Academia)
 * 35) Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
 * 36) Boruto Uzumaki (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations)
 * 37) Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
 * 38) Himura Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin)
 * 39) Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho)
 * 40) Astro Boy (Astro Boy)
 * 41) Natsu Dragneel (Fairy Tail)
 * 42) Haru Glory (Rave Master)
 * 43) Shiki Granbell (Edens Zero)
 * 44) Saitama (One Punch Man)
 * 45) Inuyasha (Inuyasha)
 * 46) Komi Shouko (Komi Can't Communicate)
 * 47) Ash Ketchum (Pokemon)
 * 48) Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)
 * 49) Yugi Muto (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
 * 50) Jaden Yuki/Judai Yuki (Yu-Gi-Oh! GX)
 * 51) Yusei Fudo (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds)
 * 52) Yuma Tsukumo (Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal)
 * 53) Yuya Sakaki (Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V)
 * 54) Yuga Ohdo (Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS)
 * 55) Pegasus Seiya (Saint Seiya)
 * 56) Simon (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)
 * 57) Kamina (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)
 * 58) Recca Hanabishi (Flame of Recca)
 * 59) Ban Mido (Getbackers)
 * 60) Ginji Amano (Getbackers)
 * 61) Atsuko "Akko" Kagari (Little Witch Academia)
 * 62) Senku Ishigami (Dr. STONE)
 * 63) Sano Tamashii (Apple Black)
 * 64) Cast (Clock Striker)
 * 65) Isao Akia (Bully Eater)
 * 66) Stud Nail Hammer (Hammer)
 * 67) Nilay Rao (The Massively Multiplayer World of Ghosts)
 * 68) Hanasaki Ayumi (Saigami)
 * 69) Dante Alfonse (Soul Beat)
 * 70) Rivet Valor (Paradise Down)
 * 71) Maka Albarn (Soul Eater)
 * 72) Blackstar (Soul Eater)
 * 73) Soul Evans (Soul Eater)
 * 74) Death the Kid (Soul Eater)
 * 75) Meliodas (Seven Deadly Sins)
 * 76) Ma Gangryong (Veritas)
 * 77) Joo Seo Cheon (Volcanic Age)
 * 78) Lee Kyul Ip (Wizard of Arsenia)
 * 79) Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo)
 * 80) Niro (Slave B)
 * 81) Jin Narumi (Tokyo Shinobi Squad)
 * 82) Takemichi Hanagaki (Tokyo Revengers)
 * 83) Ranma Saotome (Ranma 1/2)
 * 84) Tatsumi Oga (Beelzebub)
 * 85) Tyson Granger (Beyblade)
 * 86) Valt Aoi (Beyblade Burst)
 * 87) Jo Pae (Bal Jak)
 * 88) Jio Freed (666 Satan/O-Parts Hunter)
 * 89) Sora Kurumatani (Ahiru no Sora/Sora the Duck)
 * 90) Lelouch Lamperougue (Code Geass)
 * 91) Chitoge Kirisaki (Nisekoi)

Cartoons and Comics

 * 1) Finn Mertens (Adventure Time)
 * 2) Jake Long (American Dragon Jake Long)
 * 3) Avatar Aang (Avatar: the Last Airbender)
 * 4) Avatar Korra (The Legend of Korra)
 * 5) Ben Tennyson (Ben 10 series)
 * 6) Virgil Hawkins/Static (DC Comics/Milestone Comics)
 * 7) Wonder Woman (DC Comics)
 * 8) SpongeBob SquarePants (SpongeBob SquarePants)
 * 9) Timmy Turner (The Fairly OddParents)
 * 10) Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass (Kick-Ass)
 * 11) Jimmy Neutron (Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius/The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)
 * 12) Jenny Wakeman (My Life as a Teenage Robot)
 * 13) Danny Fenton/Danny Phantom (Danny Phantom)
 * 14) Sheriff Woody Pride (Toy Story)
 * 15) Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story)
 * 16) Stitch (Lilo & Stitch)
 * 17) Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible (The Incredibles)
 * 18) Dash Parr (The Incredibles)
 * 19) Lightning McQueen (Cars)
 * 20) Kim Possible (Kim Possible)
 * 21) Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible)
 * 22) Kick Buttowski (Kick Buttowski:Surburban Daredevil)
 * 23) Po Ping (Kung Fu Panda)
 * 24) Gumball Watterson (The Amazing World of Gumball)
 * 25) Steven Universe (Steven Universe)
 * 26) K.O (O.K. K.O., Let's Be Heroes!)
 * 27) Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)
 * 28) Jim Lake Jr. (Tales of Arcadia)
 * 29) The Turtles (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
 * 30) *Leonardo
 * 31) *Raphael
 * 32) *Donatello
 * 33) *Michelangelo
 * 34) Randy Cunningham (Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja)
 * 35) Tommy Pickles (Rugrats)
 * 36) Bart Simpson (The Simpsons)
 * 37) Popeye (Popeye the Sailor)
 * 38) Mordecai and Rigby (Regular Show)
 * 39) Pops Maellard (Regular Show)
 * 40) Hiccup (How to Train Your Dragon)
 * 41) Flik (A Bug's Life)
 * 42) Flint Lockwood (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs)
 * 43) Shrek (Shrek)
 * 44) Oscar the Sharkslayer (Shark Tale)
 * 45) Megamind (Megamind)
 * 46) Cleopatra (Cleopatra in Space)
 * 47) Miles Morales/Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)
 * 48) Fa Mulan (Mulan)
 * 49) Kaz Kaan (Neo Yokio)
 * 50) Thor (Marvel Comics)
 * 51) Johnny Test (Johnny Test)
 * 52) Ace Ambling (Ballmasterz: 9009)
 * 53) Mark Grayson/Invincible (Image Comics)
 * 54) Barry Allen/The Flash (DC Comics)
 * 55) Osmosis Jones (Osmosis Jones/Ozzy & Drix)
 * 56) Merida (Brave)
 * 57) Hercules (Hercules)
 * 58) Lewis Robinson (Meet the Robinsons)
 * 59) Omi (Xiaolin Showdown)
 * 60) Raimundo Pedrosa (Xiaolin Showdown)
 * 61) Tim Hunter (The Books of Magic/DC Comics )
 * 62) Scott Pilgrim (Scott Pilgrim)
 * 63) Rodney Copperbottom (Robots)
 * 64) Nate Diesel (Da Boom Crew)
 * 65) Adrien Agreste/Cat Noir (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir)
 * 66) Andy Baker/Fury (Ghost Force)
 * 67) Zak Storm (Zak Storm)
 * 68) Hiro Hamada (Big Hero 6)
 * 69) Aladdin (Aladdin)
 * 70) Ian Lightfoot (Onward)
 * 71) Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
 * 72) Simba (The Lion King)
 * 73) Miles Woodman (Our Friend, Martin)
 * 74) Rex Salazar (Generator Rex)
 * 75) Axel Mulligan/Action Axel (Power Players)
 * 76) The Ninja (LEGO Ninjago)
 * 77) *Lloyd Garmadon
 * 78) *Kai
 * 79) *Jay
 * 80) *Zane
 * 81) *Cole
 * 82) *Nya

Literature

 * 1) Harry Potter (Harry Potter series)
 * 2) Percy Jackson (Camp Half-Blood/Percy Jackson)
 * 3) Eragon Bromsson (The Inheritance Cycle)
 * 4) Katiness Everdeen (The Hunger Games)
 * 5) Beatrice "Tris" Prior (Divergent)
 * 6) Despereaux Tilling (The Tale of Despereaux)
 * 7) Lyra Belacqua (His Dark Materials)
 * 8) Paul Atriedes (Dune)
 * 9) Beth Harmon (The Queen's Gambit)
 * 10) Kaladin Stormblessed (Stormlight Chronicles)

Live-Action Television and Film

 * 1) Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
 * 2) Henry Hart/Kid Danger (Henry Danger/Danger Force)
 * 3) Peter Petrelli (Heroes)
 * 4) Lab Rats protagonists (Lab Rats)
 * 5) *Adam Davenport
 * 6) *Bree Davenport
 * 7) *Chase Davenport
 * 8) *Leo Dooley
 * 9) Kaz and Oliver (Mighty Med)
 * 10) Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)
 * 11) Rocky Balboa (Rocky)
 * 12) Calvin Cambridge (Like Mike)
 * 13) Earl J. Hickey (My Name is Earl)
 * 14) Dale Cooper (Twin Peaks)
 * 15) Max Keeble (Max Keeble's Big Move)
 * 16) Adonis "Donnie" Creed (Creed)
 * 17) Daniel LaRusso (The Karate Kid)
 * 18) Malcolm Wilkerson (Malcolm in the Middle)
 * 19) Dave Stutler (The Sorcerer's Apprentice)
 * 20) Dre Parker (The Karate Kid (2010))
 * 21) James Bond (007)
 * 22) Timothy Green (The Odd Life of Timothy Green)
 * 23) Jake Tyler (Never Back Down)
 * 24) Jerome "Triple J" Jenkins, Jr. (Like Mike 2: Streetball)
 * 25) Kevin McCallister (Home Alone)
 * 26) David Dunn (Unbreakable)
 * 27) Alex Russo (Wizards of Waverly Place)
 * 28) Dion Warren (Raising Dion)
 * 29) Jamal Walker (Black Knight)
 * 30) Happy Gilmore (Happy Gilmore)
 * 31) Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation)
 * 32) Kirby Buckets (Kirby Buckets)
 * 33) Zeke and Luther (Zeke and Luther)
 * 34) Crash and Wyatt Bernstein (Crash and Bernstein)
 * 35) Conor (Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything)
 * 36) Jack Brewer (Kickin' It)
 * 37) Charlie Landers/Aaron Stone (Aaron Stone)
 * 38) Darryl Walker/Blankman (Blankman)
 * 39) Ignacio/Nacho (Nacho Libre)

Video Games

 * 1) Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
 * 2) Crash Bandicoot (Crash Bandicoot)
 * 3) Spyro the Dragon (Spyro the Dragon)
 * 4) Mario (Super Mario)
 * 5) Kirby (Kirby)
 * 6) Link (The Legend of Zelda)
 * 7) Pit (Kid Icarus)
 * 8) Roy (Fire Emblem)
 * 9) Spring Man (ARMS)
 * 10) Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog)
 * 11) Mega Man (Mega Man)
 * 12) Ryu (Street Fighter)
 * 13) Batsu Ichimonji (Rival Schools)
 * 14) Edward Falcon (Power Stone)
 * 15) Wang-Tang (Power Stone)
 * 16) Viewtiful Joe (Viewtiful Joe)
 * 17) Pac-Man (Pac-Man)
 * 18) Terry Bogard (Fatal Fury/KOF)
 * 19) Kyo Kusanagi (The King of Fighters)
 * 20) Haohmaru (Samurai Shodown)
 * 21) Sol Badguy (Guilty Gear)
 * 22) Ragna the Bloodedge (BlazBlue)
 * 23) Bang Shishigami (BlazBlue)
 * 24) Tatsuya Suou (Persona 2)
 * 25) Maya Amano (Persona 2)
 * 26) Makoto Yūki (Persona 3)
 * 27) Aigis (Persona 3: The Answer)
 * 28) Yu Narukami (Persona 4)
 * 29) Ren Amamiya/Joker (Persona 5)
 * 30) Hyde Kido (Under Night In-Birth)
 * 31) Akatsuki (Akatsuki Blitzkampf/EN-Eins Perfektewelt)
 * 32) EN-Eins (Akatsuki Blitzkampf/EN-Eins Perfektewelt)
 * 33) Sieg (Fate/Apocrypha)
 * 34) Hakuno Kishinami (Fate/EXTRA)
 * 35) Ritsuka Fujimaru (Fate/Grand Order)
 * 36) Shirou Emiya (Fate/stay Night)
 * 37) Kritsugu Emiya (Fate/Zero)
 * 38) Waver Velvet (Fate/Zero/The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II)
 * 39) Shiki Tohno (Tsukihime)
 * 40) Shiki Ryougi (Garden of Sinners)
 * 41) Filia (Skullgirls)
 * 42) Shantae (Shantae)
 * 43) Shovel Knight (Shovel Knight)
 * 44) Tak (Tak and the Power of Juju)
 * 45) Tracer (Overwatch)
 * 46) Nathan Adams (Yo-kai Watch)
 * 47) Frisk (Undertale)
 * 48) Undyne (Undertale)

Web Animation

 * 1) Ruby Rose (RWBY)
 * 2) Yang Xiao Long (RWBY)
 * 3) Firey (Battle for Dream Island)
 * 4) Stinkoman (Homestar Runner)
 * 5) Hiro (Hiro the Dense-Dense Shonen Protagonist)
 * 6) Leo Thomas (Ordeal)