Seinen Protagonist

Seinen Protagonist While the boys go out to play, the adults have it their way. Type: A cynical, hard-boiled and morally ambiguous hero Species: Trope Status: Very Used Media of origin: Countless, especially in seinen anime and manga.

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

Why This Trope is Badass

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/Autonomous

Examples

Anime & Manga

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

Cartoons & Comics

1. Sterling Archer (Archer)
2. Stan Smith (American Dad)
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
34. Serafettin "Shero" (Serafettin the Bad Cat)

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 and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie)
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)
   • Jimmy McNulty
   • Omar Little
10. Jason "Tre" Styles III (Boyz n the Hood)
11. Kaydee "Caine" Lawson (Menace II Society )
12. Lucious Lyon (Empire)
13. Quincy "Q" Powell (Juice)
14. Kool (Hot Boyz)
15. John Wick
16. Marty Byrde (Ozark)
17. James Bond
18. Earnest "Earn" Marks (Atlanta)
19. Chiron (Moonlight)
20. Protagonists (Power Universe)
    • James "Ghost" St. Patrick (Power)
    • Tariq St. Patrick (Power/Power Book II: Ghost)
    • Kanan Stark (Power/Power Book III: Raising Kanan)
    • Tommy Egan (Power/Power Book IV: Force)
21. Franklin Saint (Snowfall)

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-The Last of Us Part II)
9. Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)
10. Kratos (God of War)
11. Jin Kazama (Tekken)
12. Sly Cooper (Sly Cooper)

Web Animation/Comics

1. 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)
   • Lez
   • Mike Nolan
   • Sassy the Sasquatch

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