On Japanese social media and forums, an interesting debate has been going on about the side characters in anime that have overshadowed the popularity of the main characters. This discussion has revealed how some characters, despite not being main characters, have captured the hearts of fans, even gaining more recognition than the main characters themselves.
Among the characters mentioned by anime fans, these are the names that top the list:
– Satoru Gojo – Jujutsu Kaisen
– Levi Ackerman – Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)
– Katsuki Bakugo – Boku no Hero Academia
– Masaru Gojo – Inazuma Eleven
– Killua Zoldyck – HUNTER x HUNTER
– Nanachi – Made in Abyss
– Kana Arima – The Last Airbender
– Zenitsu Agatsuma – Kimetsu no Yaiba
– Aura – The World
In many cases, the popularity of these supporting characters far exceeds that of the main characters, which has created curiosity about the reason behind this phenomenon. Fans have mentioned that these supporting characters often possess traits that resonate more strongly with the audience. They have more charisma, emotional depth, interesting developments, and complexities throughout the story.
One comment in the fan community noted: “Before watching Made in Abyss, I thought Nanachi was the main character”. This type of confusion often occurs when a supporting character is so prominent that it seems to overshadow the main character.
Another commented: “In this case, more than popularity, it's the ability to generate conversation. In the original Jujutsu Kaisen manga, Itadori and Fushiguro are still popular. This shows that, while side characters may dominate online discussions, the main characters still maintain their core.”
The idea that a supporting character can overshadow a main character may also have to do with the fact that main characters are often designed to be more balanced and universal. Whereas supporting characters can allow themselves to be more extreme, eccentric, or special in some way. All of which helps them become more memorable and appealing to certain segments of the audience.
An anime fan mentioned: “Isn't Captain Levi the main character?”. This comment reflects the popularity of Levi, who is often considered by many to be the true protagonist due to his strong presence and abilities in Shingeki no Kyojin.
On the other hand, some comments questioned the popularity of some of the side characters. One user was surprised to see the difference in popularity between Bakugou and the main character of Boku no Hero Academia: “I like Bakugo too, but when I saw the official poll results, I was surprised by the huge difference from second place.”
