On Japanese social media and forums, an interesting debate has emerged about those secondary characters in anime series who eclipsed the popularity of the protagonists. This conversation revealed how certain characters, despite not being the protagonists, won the hearts of fans, gaining even greater recognition than the protagonists themselves.

Among the characters mentioned by fans are:

• 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 the Abyss.
• Kana Arima –Oshi no Ko.
• Zenitsu Agatsuma – Kimetsu no Yaiba.
• Aura – Sousou in Frieren.

The popularity of these secondary characters, in many cases, surpasses that of the protagonists, which has generated curiosity about the reasons for this phenomenon. Fans mention that these supporting characters often have characteristics that resonate more strongly with audiences.whether for its charisma, emotional depth or for having a more interesting and complex development throughout the story.

One of the comments in the community noted: «Before watching Made in Abyss, I thought Nanachi was the protagonist.». This type of confusion is common when a supporting character is so prominent that he or she seems to overshadow the protagonist.

Another user commented: «In this type of case, more than popularity, it's about the ability to generate conversation. Although in the original Jujutsu Kaisen manga, Itadori and Fushiguro are still popular». This suggests that while supporting characters may dominate online discussions, protagonists maintain a core of loyal followers.

The idea that a secondary character can overshadow the protagonist may also be related to the fact that protagonists are often designed to be more balanced and universal, while supporting characters can afford to be more extremeeccentric or special in some way, which makes them more memorable and appealing to certain segments of the audience.

One fan mentioned: “Isn't Captain Levi the protagonist?». This comment reflects the magnitude of Levi's popularity, who is often seen as the true protagonist by many due to his strong presence and abilities in Shingeki no Kyojin.

On the other hand, some comments questioned the popularity of certain secondary characters. One user was surprised to see the difference in popularity between Bakugou and the protagonist of My Hero Academia: «I also like Bakugo, but when I see the official voting results I'm surprised by the big difference with the second place. Why is he so popular?! I still don't understand it.».

Finally, one comment captured the essence of the conversation: “Is there any work in which the protagonist is arguably the most popular character?». This question reflects the perception that the protagonists, despite their importance in the narrative, are not always the characters that have the greatest impact on the public.

Source: Otakomu