Static protagonists in anime and their appeal to fans

Anime is a fascinating medium that follows the same basic rules as any other work of fiction. It establishes resonant themes, allows characters to grow and change through conflict and introspection, and can feature static protagonists who don’t change their ways throughout the story. While flat characters are always a problem, static ones can be a stable, fun way to explore a fictional narrative when written correctly.

These characters can drive the story by being true to themselves and inspiring others to change and grow, as well as challenging the status quo of the world they live in. For example, Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece has been the same rubbery go-getter since the beginning of the series, and his consistency is what makes him a prime candidate to explore the world and build his way toward becoming pirate king. Luffy’s ultra-stable personality inspires and empowers other characters along the way, and he provides fans with a reliable hero to follow while exploring the chaotic and bizarre world beyond his hometown.

Other anime series, such as Food Wars and Kakegurui, have a similar approach with their static protagonists, but sometimes for different reasons. Soma Yukihira inspires and supports other characters with his stable personality, while Kakegurui’s antihero Yumeko Jabami is static to make a point. Yumeko is a carefree hedonist who takes pleasure in gambling on her own terms, and she won’t change her ways to suit Hyakkou’s rigid, tradition-bound ways. Yumeko shakes up the status quo and encourages fans to not let the world reshape them into something they’re not, which prompts other characters to change themselves to do the same.

Some anime protagonists are highly dynamic at first, radically changing who and what they are for the better so they can inspire anime fans to grow and change as well. However, sometimes they hit a plateau and complete their growth arc before the story ends, earning their status as a static person who’s done growing. At that point, the narrative flips around and shows that stable, static protagonist changing the people and world around them instead. Such protagonists must master themselves before they can change the world around them, ending their inner turbulence and becoming their best selves.

Naruto Uzumaki from Naruto is a good example of this. In the story’s earlier arcs, Naruto was highly dynamic, going from an insecure, lonely troublemaker to a confident, inspiring ninja who grew up, gained self-confidence, and was ready to change other people in return. Naruto stabilized as a static character in Naruto Shippuden, becoming a likable blend of a goofy prankster and a self-assured, more mature and idealistic ninja who was ready to make Jiraiya’s dream of world peace a reality.

Once he had mastered himself, Naruto earned the right to change the world around him by ending the cycle of hatred and violence. Naruto’s strong, stable personality and jutsu alike inspired others to do the same, and he succeeded beyond all expectations in bringing in a new era of peace. Naruto’s journey from a highly dynamic character to a static one who changes the world around him shows that static protagonists can be the most beloved characters of all time, inspiring fans to grow and change alongside them.

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Madara, Sasuke, Shisui, Itachi, Sarada, Obito, Tobi