Every so often, an anime would shock audiences by immediately switching its protagonist out with an surprising character to take the lead. This bait-and-switch approach is often reserved for dramatic impact and when carried out proper, it could actually shock even probably the most skilled viewer.
On the opposite facet of that very same coin are protagonist switches that is probably not as jarring, however are nonetheless shocking when the whole anime is seen as an entire slightly than an episodic story. Nonetheless, each strategies nonetheless pull off intelligent surprises and satisfying transitions into the following phases of the tales. It is price testing among the anime sequence that make this occur.
WARNING: Spoilers forward.
10 Dr. Stone — Taiju Oki Was Simply Senku Ishigami’s Hype Man
Earlier than the mysterious petrifying occasion in Dr. Stone, Taiju was constructed as much as be the focal character. Not solely have been the pre-Stone World tales instructed from his perspective, however he additionally had a romantic arc to meet. Simply earlier than humanity was became stone, Taiju was about to admit his emotions to his childhood good friend Yuzuriha Ogawa.
Shortly after Taiju broke out of his petrification, he reunited together with his good friend Senku, a scientific prodigy whose superior mind holds the important thing to restoring civilization. Taiju stored showering Senku with reward even earlier than the post-apocalypse and after he saved Yuzuriha, he pale into the background to let his good friend lead the anime from that time on.
9 Gintama — Sakata Kintoki Took Over The Anime Throughout Sakata Gintoki’s Absence
When Gintoki disappeared in Episode 253’s opening, Shinpachi and Kagura changed him with a reliable boss who did not all the time take a look at their persistence. Their various was Kintoki, an android who embodied everything Gintoki was not. Particularly, he was an inspiring chief and the form of excellent hero anime producers would love…or so everybody thought.
In actuality, Kintoki was a self-centered egomaniac who plotted to usurp Gintoki. Utilizing his hypnotic skills, Kintoki brainwashed everybody into considering that he was the actual protagonist and that Gintama must be rebooted right into a romantic anime starring himself. Gintoki reclaimed his title, however he additionally acknowledged that he had flaws in want of fixing.
8 Tokyo Ghoul:Re — Haise Sasaki Is Extra Acquainted Than He Appears
The unique Tokyo Ghoul ended on a bleak however open be aware. Ken Kaneki walked to his demise by willingly surrendering to the CCG after the disastrous raid on the Anteiku Café. Although his demise was by no means confirmed or denied within the anime’s final seconds, it was protected to imagine that Ken died and a brand new character would lead a possible sequel.
This appeared to be the case in Tokyo Ghoul:re, which opened by specializing in the devoted CCG agent Haise Sasaki and his Quinx (half Ghoul, half human) Squad. Nonetheless, earlier than the primary episode even ended, the harrowing reality was revealed: Haise was actually Ken after the CCG’s brainwashing and torture suppressed his authentic identification.
7 Gundam SEED Future — Shinn Asuka’s Arc Was A Villainous Origin Story, Not A Hero’s Journey
Gundam SEED’s sequel had a daring begin. SEED Future opened with Shinn’s household getting killed through the Battle of Orb, and SEED’s hero Kira Yamato was supposedly the perpetrator. With an comprehensible motive for revenge, Shinn hunted down Kira over the course of the anime’s first half earlier than issues have been flipped as soon as once more.
By the midway level, Shinn was so misplaced in his bloodlust and hate that he was little greater than a dwelling weapon fueled by rage. SEED Future then reverted its focus to the unique characters, who now needed to cease Shinn earlier than issues received worse. Because it seems, the anime’s first half was Shinn’s villainous starting, not the beginning of a revenge story.
6 Assault On Titan: The Last Season — Reiner Braun Took Over The Anime Publish-Timeskip
After telling its story by the eyes of the Shiganshina Trio of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin for 3 lengthy seasons, Assault On Titan’s closing season stunned followers not solely by skipping forward 4 years however by shifting focus to Reiner, the 104th Coaching Corps’ former massive brother determine and murderous traitor.
Apart from displaying life on the opposite facet of Paradis’ partitions, this narrative shift humanized those that, up till that time, have been generalized by Eren and others as “the enemy.” By way of Reiner’s eyes, audiences noticed how a lot in frequent the Eldians dwelling in Paradis and Marley had, particularly their tragic historical past of being a merciless world’s victims.
5 Ga-Rei: Zero — Everybody In Part 4 Died In The First Episode
At first look, Ga-Rei: Zero seemed like it might be an action-packed supernatural thriller. The primary episode targeted on Part 4 of the Paranormal Catastrophe Countermeasure Headquarters (PDCH), a department of Japan’s protection forces that was tasked to exterminate monstrous Kashas. After precisely one episode, everybody within the unit received killed.
Particularly, the commandos, who have been featured closely within the promotional materials, have been slaughtered by the anime’s actual most important character, Yomi Isayama. What made this vital was that Yomi was the central antagonist of Ga-Rei, and the prequel Ga-Rei: Zero functioned as her origin and fall from heroism to villainy.
4 Goblin Slayer — Priestess’ First Social gathering Was Goblin Cannon Fodder
Earlier than it received extremely bloody and violent, Goblin Slayer started similar to every other fantasy anime. The naïve Priestess joined a celebration of equally harmless and idealistic adventurers, and so they determined to show their mettle by braving the primary cave they got here throughout. Sadly, that cave was populated by monstrous goblins.
Not even midway by the pilot episode, Priestess’ whole occasion was brutally slaughtered by the goblins. It was solely by sheer luck that Priestess was saved by the anime’s titular and precise protagonist, the Goblin Slayer. After surviving a primary mission gone horribly awry, Priestess joined Goblin Slayer to kind a new and more experienced party.
3 JoJo’s Weird Journey — Jonathan Joestar Did not Make It Previous The First Season’s First Half
JoJo’s Weird Journey started within the 1800s with Phantom Blood, the place Jonathan fought his adopted brother Dio to revive his honor and make sure the Joestar bloodline’s continuation. Nonetheless, simply 9 episodes right into a 26 episode run, Dio killed Jonathan. The sequence then jumped to Egypt circa 1938, full with a brand new hero in Joseph Joestar.
Whereas this transformation in protagonists could seem apparent now given JoJo’s anthological and generational narrative, Jonathan’s demise was a giant shock when the anime was beginning out. Excluding manga readers, nobody anticipated the hero of a seemingly typical shonen battle anime to die so early, particularly after failing to beat his sworn nemesis.
2 Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann — Kamina Died To Pave The Means For Simon To Take His Place
Kamina was the boldest anime protagonist anybody would anticipate to see in an empowering mecha anime. He might have been headstrong and impulsive, however he was additionally genuinely heroic and provoking. All indicators pointed to him main humanity to liberation from the Beastmen’s rule, however then he died in Episode 8.
From that time on, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann targeted on Kamina’s beforehand weak-willed youthful brother Simon. After his legendary brother’s demise, Simon was pressured to develop up quick and end the job that Kamina began. Kamina might have died early on, however his spirit by no means left Crew Dai Gurren, particularly within the closing battle in opposition to the Anti-Spirals.
1 Puella Magi Madoka Magica — Homura Akemi’s Tragedy Made The Anime A Actuality
Anybody watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica could possibly be forgiven for forgetting about Homura within the early episodes. At first look, she’s simply Madoka Kaname’s stoic classmate and foil who might or might not have ulterior motives. Because it seems, Madoka is actually only a strolling plot system and Homura is the actual protagonist.
The truth is, the anime solely occurred due to Homura. Determined to save Madoka from dying or becoming a Witch, Homura struck a contract with Kyubey to develop into a Magical Woman who controls time. The anime’s occasions are the nth iteration of Homura’s time loop, and she usurped Madoka as most important character in Riot when she remade actuality in her picture.
About The Creator
