Summary
In many ways, the typicalisekai protagonisttends to be very different from the typical shonen hero. When they’re notsimply vessels for the viewer’s self-insertion, they’re usually stoic and highly resourceful. Instead of training to become powerful, they’re usually overpowered from the start.
This means thatthe average isekai hero is a lot more ‘edgy’ than their shonen counterparts.Even with that said, several isekai protagonists stand out for their edginess due to their snarky comments, unfazed personalities, dark backstories, or morally gray actions. These characters' approaches to the challenges of their new environments tend to involve pragmatism and moral ambiguity.
Kirigaya Kazuto, aka. Kirito, is arguably the most influential and polarizing protagonist in all of isekai. He beginsSword Art Onlineas a loner gamer who prefers solitude, and further isolates himself after the death game is activated. Throughout the series, Kirito struggles with survivor’s guilt and watching allies, which adds a brooding touch to his personality.
However, despite all that and his choice of dark clothing, Kirito is deeply empathetic and willing to open up to other people, especially his love interest, Asuna. He definitely lands on the lighter end of the ‘edgy’ spectrum, since he is driven by adesire to protect other peoplerather than by vengeance.
Subaru Natsukiis an example of an isekai protagonist who really had tostruggle to adapt to his new world. Initially, he is excited about his new life in a fantasy realm, but quickly learns that it is quite unforgiving, due to his ‘Return by Death’ power. It allows him to return to a certain point in time after dying, but it comes at the cost of intense emotional and physical trauma.
This turns him from an optimistic and cheerful teenager to a more cynical, pessimistic, and angsty individual. He is loyal and protective of his loved ones to a fault, and witnessing their deaths and failures repeatedly pushes Subaru to his emotional limits.
Seiya Ryuuguuinis designed to affectionately mock the overpowered isekai hero archetype, so his edgy demeanor isplayed for laughs more thananything else. He rarely smiles and speaks bluntly, giving him a cool, detached vibe.
His overly cautious behavior is rooted in a traumatic past, adding a darker layer to his personality. Like any good edgy protagonist, he appears cold and aloof towards his allies, despite showing glimpses of genuine care for them. Of course, given the type of seriesCautious Herois, all of his edgy traits seem hilariously over-the-top when viewed in context.
4Hajime Nagumo (Arifureta: From Commonplace To World’s Strongest)
Ordinary High-Schooler Turned Hardened Anti-Hero
Hajime Magumoundergoes one of the most dramatic transformations after being transported to a fantasy world. He’s an ordinary high school student who turns into a cold and ruthless anti-hero after being betrayed andenduring unimaginable pain.
Unlike typical heroes, Hajime has no interest in saving the world; he only seeks to ensure his own survival and to return home. He is unflinchingly brutal toward anyone he considers an enemy, and the only thing preventing him from becoming completely irredeemable is his love interest, Yue.
Unlike the stereotypical isekai protagonist,Naofumi Iwatanidoesn’t immediately become overpowered upon being transported to a fantasy world. Instead, he is bestowed with a shield, considered the weakest weapon to wield in the kingdom of Melromarc. This is just the start of his struggles in his new world.
Shortly after his arrival, the kingdom’s princess falsely accuses him of a heinous crime, destroying his reputation and turning him into a more bitter, cynical, and vengeful character whoprioritizes survival over saving Melromarc.
When finding themselves in their favorite game universe, most isekai protagonists choose the heroic path and use their newfound powers to protect the world’s inhabitants. That’s not the path Suzuki Satorutook when he got trapped in the world of his favorite VRMMORPG.
Embodied as his in-game skeletal avatar and going by his guild name,Ainz Ooal Gown, he embraces his new role as the world’s overlord. His undead nature prevents him from having any real human emotion, and he becomes willing to commit heinous actions to protect his base of operations.
One can’t expect the main protagonist of a series calledThe Saga of Tanya the Evilto bea wholesome bastion of morality.Tanya von Degurechaffwas an extremely cynical and aloof salaryman in her previous life. After being confronted by an omnipotent being for the salaryman’s lack of faith, the being reincarnated him as a young girl in an alternate, war-torn world.
Tanya retains her memories and intelligence from her past life and uses this knowledge to climb up the ranks of the military and live a cushy life. She becomes a cold and calculating leader, one who places survival and efficiency above all else. Her actions on the battlefield, characterized by ruthlessness and pragmatism, earn her the nickname ‘The Devil of the Rhine’ among her enemies.
