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Anime is full of tropes, but that’s not always a bad thing. Protagonists, especially in shonen, tend to follow a strict moral code, one that makes them see the good in everybody. While fans often joke that heroes using the “power of friendship” to save villains is clichéd and a crutch in this genre, no one can deny the powerful message it sends. Sure, sometimes fighting is the last resort, but most heroes do their best to befriend their enemies and give them a classic shonen redemption.
While the enemies-to-allies-to-friends theme is a bit played out, it complements the optimistic tone that most shonen anime strive for. If a hero is pure-hearted enough to turn even the bad guys good, they can pretty much do anything. There are an infinite number of anime protagonists who want nothing more than to befriend the villain, but some characters are praised by the anime community for how seamlessly they achieve this goal.
10 Luffy Inspires People He Meets To Join His Crew (One Piece)
While Luffy isn’t above beating the ever-loving daylights out of any really bad baddies, he always has a place on his team for anyone who may dabble in morally-dubious activities. Luffy may not actively befriend every villain in One Piece, but he befriends people who are lost and need a comrade.
That being said, One Piece, which is one of the longest-running anime, has its fair share of redemption arcs. These redemptions aren’t all thanks to Luffy, but m any characters in the series wouldn’t be the heroes they currently are without Luffy’s influence, and that counts for something.
9 Midoriya Is A Kind-Hearted Hero (My Hero Academia)
Midoriya has all the grit and determination of a solid anime protagonist, but he’s not nearly as aggressive as some shonen heroes are. Considering how cruel Bakugo is to Midoriya in the past and how he continues to treat him less than favorably in the present, fans are surprised at how kindly Midoriya treats his classmate.
Like most anime heroes, Midoriya draws lines and doesn’t treat every enemy kindly in battle, but he has a friendlier disposition than most characters in My Hero Academia, being well-liked by nearly every student in class 1-A. While Bakugo isn’t a villain, he still acts as a minor antagonist between the actual fighting between good and evil, and it seems like Midoriya still views him as a friend.
8 Natsu Respects Both Friend And Foe (Fairy Tail)
Seeing as Fairy Tail follows the same themes as most shonen, it makes sense that its heroes, including protagonist Natsu Dragneel, always give everyone a second chance. With characters like Gajeel and Juvia being two of the most popular early redemptions in anime, fans can’t ignore how not only Natsu but the entirety of the Fairy Tail guild look for the best in both friend and foe.
Even within the guild, Natsu respects all members equally despite his feelings towards each individual. Natsu can be competitive towards certain guild members, like with Gray in earlier arcs, but the series stresses that he places his friendships with others above any grudges.
7 Tatsumi’s Desire For Peace Is Admirable Yet Heartbreaking (Akame ga Kill!)
Akame ga Kill! is great at posing deep, philosophical questions regarding what is good and evil, but the anime doesn’t force a resolution for every question it raises. With morality being a prime theme of the anime, it makes sense that the feelings of both the heroes and their antagonists are explored in detail.
Tatsumi, like the others in Night Raid, doesn’t love the idea of killing his opponents. However, he knows that to achieve his goals, he has to fight the Jaegers. A few characters in the show fight for bloodlust alone, but most characters despise the war they’re a part of. In this way, Tatsumi’s desire to be on amicable terms with others is sad for fans to watch.
6 Gon’s Youthful Optimism Defines His Relationships (Hunter x Hunter)
The Hunter x Hunter universe is full of violence, so having two twelve-year-old kids at the heart of a field full of adult Hunters is an interesting choice. Gon’s youthful optimism keeps the tone light and defines him as a protagonist.
Even when it comes to objectively bad people like Hisoka, Gon is more concerned about improving as a Hunter and achieving his goals than taking down bad guys. This leads to him treating Hisoka as an ally when it comes time to play high-stakes dodgeball. While the Chimera Ant arc proves that Gon has an unforgiving side, he spends most of the series seeing the good in everyone.
5 Edward Puts His Personal Feelings Aside For The Greater Good (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Edward Elric isn’t as openly forgiving as the typical shonen protagonist, but it’s undeniable that he’s a great guy at heart. Considering the anger Edward harbors towards Scar after learning about what the latter does to the Rockbells, Winry’s parents, fans are surprised to see the young state alchemist team up with Scar.
Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood demonstrate that those whom society deems “bad” are often just misunderstood (although some are genuinely bad). When it comes to characters like Scar, Greed, and even Envy, Edward always considers what his opponent has been through before confronting them.
4 Maka And Crona’s Friendship Drives The Series (Soul Eater)
Unlike most shonen protagonists, the enemies that Maka and her friends battle at the series’ start are non-sentient beings of pure evil. The story of Soul Eater changes, however, the second that the character Crona is introduced.
Crona is raised by Medusa as a weapon of destruction, but they never have the chance to be a hero like the other students at Death Weapon Meister Academy. Maka’s determination to help Crona be free of Medusa is a long and strenuous plotline, but it’s a fan favorite and for good reason.
3 All Of The JoJos Befriend Their Initial Antagonists (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure may have multiple protagonists throughout the series, but each titular JoJo has one thing in common: the ability to build their squads out of every early and minor antagonist. This trend starts with Jonathan Joestar and Speedwagon becoming ride-or-die besties after a shaky encounter and carries through each season.
Every JoJo has at least one heart to heart with an enemy or even invites them to join their crew. Joseph with Caesar and Wamuu, Jotaro with Kakyoin and Polnareff, Josuke with Okuyasu and Rohan, Giorno with Bucciarati, and now Jolyne with Foo Fighters.
2 Goku’s Heroic Nature Turns Old Villains Into Allies (Dragon Ball Z)
The Dragon Ball franchise is regarded as one of the biggest and best things to come out of anime, and a lot of this hype lends itself to the protagonist, Goku, fostering unique dynamics with other characters, both friend and foe.
Without Goku’s unique upbringing making him such a heroic protagonist, former villains like Vegeta would have never gotten their second chance. Though, to be fair, Vegeta is more of a begrudging ally than a friend. Goku even compliments his foes during battle, demonstrating that his outgoing nature doesn’t end with his pals.
1 Naruto Fights With Friendship More Than Ninjutsu (Naruto/Naruto: Shippuden)
Throughout this series’ 720-episode run, Naruto often relies on his “talk no jutsu” to defeat his enemies. Since Naruto and Naruto Shippuden predominantly focus on war, having the protagonist choose communication and hope above violence is an impactful take, but its definitely not an uncommon one for shonen.
A large part of Naruto’s drive to improve as a ninja is so he can be strong enough to bring Sasuke back to the village. Early in part one, Naruto convinces Gaara to let his guard down and make friends. Most impressive is how Naruto stops Pain from destroying the Leaf Village simply by talking things out. Most shonen protagonists believe in the “power of friendship,” but Naruto defines it best.
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