Your ideal protagonist?

[Fusion X. Denver]

Whether it's in video games, anime, tv, movies, or any sort of medium really, there are protagonists that can be classified into archetypes. Stuff like the airheaded shonen hardworker, the cool and calculating planner, the straight man amongst a crazy cast, the antihero, the nice guy in search of redemption, etc.

 

So I was curious, which main characters do you typically like to see? And which ones not so much?

[mitchermitcher]

I suppose the first answer that comes to my mind would be the typical answer, 'I don't have a real preference as long as he's written well and isn't some broken, OP gary guy' but that doesn't contribute too much to the discussion.

 

The stories I tend to enjoy the most are either the ones where the protagonist doesn't have much of a presence in comparison to the plot or the rest of the(preferably very large) cast that all receive some level of characterization not to the point of being well-developed but enough to be recognizable, or ones where the protagonist occupy so much of the screen that everyone else is but a supporting piece, if they're even relevant. In the former case then a static character who doesn't annoy is more than enough for me but the latter one is where I can probably apply the question of my ideal protagonist.

 

For one, I would love to see a story from the point of view of someone who's highly social and successful in nature, someone who doesn't spend his time on the computer replying to threads on children card game forums, someone so drastically and conceptually different from me, yet so completely normal and dare I say it, uninteresting as well. I would love to see a protagonist like that but with his inner workings and way of thinking expanded upon. In theory at least I want to think such a character would be fascinating to try to understand.

 

And uh, I guess main characters I've already read/seen that I particularly like are the jolly ones that aren't hiding some sorta trauma. Or ones that start off cowardly or mentally weak and become cool over the course of the story, I dunno. Feels like I had something more to say but I've lost that train of thought.

[Agro]

ones with cute butts

[.Rai]

The one from Journey.

[Hallohallo]

[Makο]

I don't really know. These sorts of things are very difficult for me to define.

 

I guess I enjoy your occasional self-insert MC, which I something I enjoy doing. I like the "heart's in the right place, but doesn't do things normally" sort of guy, like Haku. I like those with a strong sense of justice. I like those that are proactive, and know what they are going to do, when, and why, instead of being all sorts of wishy-washy. This applies to EVERY situation, from war to love.

[~ P O L A R I S ~]

I've always had a thing for antiheroes. Growing up I preferred Bourne to Bond, Death Note was my favourite anime, and I saw protagonists without evident moral flaws as morally suspect in their conception in that they shift the natural human frailties onto villains without taking responsibility by either being utterly destroyed by the villains or being corrupted themselves in order to win. 

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

I've always had a thing for antiheroes. Growing up I preferred Bourne to Bond, Death Note was my favourite anime, and I saw protagonists without evident moral flaws as morally suspect in their conception in that they shift the natural human frailties onto villains without taking responsibility by either being utterly destroyed by the villains or being corrupted themselves in order to win. 

Like this ^

 

I've always had a fondness for both L and Lite, both of whom were "anti-heroes" in their own regard. I like the "hero" to have a dark ruthless nature to get to their end goal....or for that hero to be Luffy :3

[Agro]

Additionally, a shitty person with redeemable qualities or a good person with irredeemable qualities.

[Blake]

I like a hero that has to experience doubt. That has to come to terms with decisions they've made, and has to grow through their mistakes.

[Toffee.]

Additionally, a shitty person with redeemable qualities or a good person with irredeemable qualities.

You should watch Gravity Falls.

[epicmemesbro]

Yeah I prefer anti heroes who not only stick it the the villains but won't hesitate to put the "heroes" in their place. I personally like unpredictable and spontaneously protagonists who don't grow from their mistakes, and is self aware to the point of breaking the fourth wall. Why does this sound so familiar???

[Shradow]

Imagine someone like Bell Cranel from DanMachi. I just find characters like him super likable as protagonists.

[Dad]

Sylar of Heroes comes to mind.  The sick, demented, twisted type of really wants your pain to be recognized both physically and mentally.  Though a classic take over the world or die trying isn't too disliked in my book.  Mandark?

 

Actually, yes.  Mandark.  Better as protags.

[JessicaMuddy]

One who's a hero for fun.

[Night]

[Maeriberii Haan]

My favorite kind of protagonists....are people that adheres to a certain kind of value they held personally strictly, but then the story focuses on breaking this value in face of the protagonist completely. I like seeing the protag's reactions towards this.

 

People that are always right is boring to follow.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

I like no true protagonist. I like it best when we aren't quite sure who the "actual" protagonist is. I don't need a specific kind of person in the head. I prefer when the limelight is shared.

[Aerion Brightflame]

My favorite kind of protagonists....are people that adheres to a certain kind of value they held personally strictly, but then the story focuses on breaking this value in face of the protagonist completely. I like seeing the protag's reactions towards this.

 

People that are always right is boring to follow.

 

'The problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about' 

 

One of my favourite author quotes because it's exactly as you said; What's the point of giving a character values, and depth if you don't test them on it? It just makes for dull reading. 

[Fusion X. Denver]

Additionally, a shitty person with redeemable qualities or a good person with irredeemable qualities.

You should watch Gravity Falls.

And Game of Thrones.

 

I like no true protagonist. I like it best when we aren't quite sure who the "actual" protagonist is. I don't need a specific kind of person in the head. I prefer when the limelight is shared.

This is my favorite type of show, too. It's always cool to see a bunch of different stories overlapping and it makes the world they're in feel a lot bigger than if it just revolved around one guy.

 

I was thinking what mine was and a few years ago, I'd say any typical Shonen main like Goku, Luffy, etc. Nowadays, that's not false, but I'd say my only criteria is that the MC is interesting in some way. Whether they're a shithead, recluse, or happy-go-lucky person, they need to make me want to know what they care about and what'll happen to them.

[Johan Liebert]

I don't really know how to answer this, but I do enjoy antiheros a lot. Actually, I do have a preference towards protagonists, ones like Tenma from Monster. He isn't my favorite protagonist, but the whole idea that he's a good person struggling to do something bad in order to stop a certain character makes for good drama and emotion. It's been awhile since I've watched it, so my explanation kinda sucks.