A Reddit user conducted an extensive analysis of protagonist placement in school-themed anime classrooms, using a 6-row, 5-column seating layout. The study, which covered 400 anime series, revealed that most protagonists tend to occupy the seat in the lower left corner.which is equivalent to the back of the room on the right if viewed from the blackboard.

The user, who had already published a similar analysis about a year ago with only 200 animes, decided to do a new, more complete and documented investigation, after receiving criticism for not having included sources in his previous graph. This time, he carefully collected the data and placed it in a grid to visualize the results.

Analysis methodology

• Seating arrangement: While not all living rooms in anime follow the 6x5 format, this was identified as the most common. In cases where the room was 6x6, the user adjusted the data to match the center line.
• Multiple protagonists: In anime with more than one main character, the user made the decision based on their personal judgment of who the most relevant protagonist is. However, in series with no clear protagonist, such as Azumanga Daioh, these cases were omitted.
• Change of seat: For characters who change places during the anime, the place where they sit at the beginning of the series, or the one considered most iconic, was used.

Analysis of the attached image shows that the most common seat for protagonists is the bottom left corner (F1)with a surprise 92 characters located at this position. This result is visually represented with a dark red tone in the image, standing out significantly in relation to the other positions.

Other notable positions include E1 with 58 characters, D1 with 25 characters and C1 with 20 characters. In contrast, the seats closest to the council and the aisle, such as A5 and B5are less popular among the protagonists, with 2 and 0 characters respectively.

Why the bottom left corner?

This pattern has generated several theories among fans. One of the most accepted is that this location at the back of the room offers the protagonist a greater field of vision of the classroom, which facilitates interaction with other characters and observation of events occurring in the room without being the center of attention. Additionally, being in the corner can symbolize a certain level of detachment or independence, traits common in many anime main characters.

This study not only provides fascinating insight into a seemingly trivial aspect of anime series, but also highlights how certain patterns can be repeated in different works, reflecting stylistic and narrative decisions that resonate with the audience.

Source: reddit