Key Takeaways
- Haruki lacks compassion for a dying classmate but transforms over time.
- Naoya’s earnestness in love leads him to insensitivity and a controversial relationship dynamic.
- Kotonoha’s loneliness and attachment issues drive her to manipulative behavior in pursuit of love.
Typical romance anime protagonists are quite likeable and relatable, as they embody desirable traits like a strong sense of faithfulness, compassion, and determination. However, not all main characters are alike, and some of them do make questionable decisions that raise eyebrows and create conflict within the story.
These flawed protagonists paint a much more realistic portrait of lovers and their complex choices by subverting conventional expectations of romance. Although some of their actions or decisions are reprehensible, they are not necessarily evil, as they often act out of fear, insecurity, or sometimes even past trauma. Their unpredictable nature adds more layers to the story and polarizes viewers. Here are some of the most polarizing romance anime protagonists that you might want to know about.
5 Tomoya Okazaki (Clannad)
The Delinquent Who Turned His Life Around
- Okazaki’s aimless and apathetic approach to life can be frustrating.
Tomoya Okazaki had a rough childhood, as he lost his mother in a horrible accident at a young age. While growing up in Hikarizaka City, he lived with his alcoholic father, who was neglectful and frigid. One day, he slammed Tomoya into the wall so hard that he had a dislocation, following which he was forced to quit basketball. Naturally, he grew up to develop a very cynical worldview.
If you feel like crying you shouldn’t hold back your tears. You should let it all out while you still can…because when you get bigger, sometimes you can’t cry even if you have something to cry about.
Tomoya had no interest in school and was frequently late for class. He would often visit his friends for nights out after skipping all his classes during the day. His emotional immaturity permeated every aspect of his life, making any serious consideration of his future seem impossible.
Tomoya’s apathetic attitude towards life can be frustrating, but he experiences a dramatic shift in his motivations after he befriends Nagisa Furukawa. She not only gives him a new direction in life but also slowly transforms him as a person solely by her presence. Tomoya goes on to make amends for his past mistakes and faces the responsibilities he had been avoiding.
4 Haruki “Boku” Shiga (I Want To Eat Your Pancreas)
Shiga’s Eventual Transformation and Change of Heart Humanizes Him as a Character
- Boku’s coldness towards a dying classmate makes him an extremely problematic character.
Haruki of I Want To Eat Your Pancreas is an introverted young adult who prefers to lose himself in his books and is painfully inconsiderate toward people around him. When he comes across his classmate Sakura’s emotional secret diary, and she goes on to confide in him about her struggle with an incurable pancreatic ailment, he feels no compassion for her and barely offers any emotional support.
Even if we’re not blood-related, I’ll be your family from now on.
Haruki’s unsympathetic and detached demeanor is rooted in his personal difficulties in forming relationships. Due to his inclination towards isolation and aversion to emotional attachment, he is reluctant to express himself, which frequently leads to insensitive encounters.
However, Sakura’s unrelenting positivity and openness soon push Haruki to fight against his aversion to relationships and to be more honest with himself. With time, Boku is able to overcome his fear of letting others down and allows himself to love and be loved in return. While Haruki’s transformation is refreshing, his attitude towards Sakura’s painful struggle with her illness is too insensitive to overlook. He does seem to try and make up for his actions, but it still does not justify his coldness towards Sakura in the most difficult moments of her life.
3 Naoya Mukai (Girlfriend, Girlfriend)
Naoya’s Insensitive Expectations Make Him a Horrible Partner to Be With
- Mukai’s honesty and straightforwardness are both his strength and shortcoming.
Ever since Naoya Mukai fell in love with his childhood friend Saki Saki, he spares no effort to win her affection. His dedication to winning her over despite several rejections highlights his commitment as a lover. He is also a sincere person whose extreme honesty frequently lands him in absurd situations.
Naoya’s candid and straightforward approach to romance, while commendable, paves the way for his repulsive disregard of emotional boundaries. Demonstrating his insensitive nature, Naoya shamelessly dates Nagisa and Saki Saki simultaneously. His lack of self-control and disregard for people’s feelings soon culminate in even more problematic circumstances that make him a polarizing protagonist.
2 Kotonoha Katsura (School Days)
The Introverted Girl Who Transforms Into an Obsessive Lover
|
Release Date |
July 4, 2007 |
|---|---|
|
Creator |
Overflow |
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Studio |
TNK |
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No. of Episodes |
12 |
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Streaming Services |
Crunchyroll |
- Katsura’s attachment issues pave the way for her manipulative demeanour and questionable choices.
Kotonoha is a reserved high schooler who is known for her introverted nature and tranquil demeanour. Although she is considered breathtakingly beautiful by her peers, Katsura’s lack of a social life makes it almost impossible for her to form close friendships. Interestingly, her polite and gentle disposition barely makes any difference to her loneliness, as any hopes of connection with others are thwarted by her emotionally distant and withdrawn personality.
It isn’t until Kotonoha gets acquainted with Sekai and Makoto that she starts to experience a shift in her social life. Although the bond brings her a sense of belonging, it soon turns toxic, as she gets obsessively dependent on her relationship with Makoto. Her attachment issues with him bring out the worst in Kotonoha, as she is willing to go to any lengths to keep him with her. Katsura then frequently resorts to questionable tactics to maintain her grip on Makoto, as manipulation and emotional blackmail start to become second nature to her.
1 Kazuya Kinoshita (Rent-A-Girlfriend)
The Indecisive Lover Who Resorts To Lying To Hide His Insecurities
- Kinoshita’s deep-seated Insecurities have far-reaching consequences.
Kazuya Kinoshita of Rent-a-Girlfriend is an indecisive young adult who falls for the rental girlfriend he hires after getting unexpectedly dumped by his partner, Mami. Because of low self-esteem, he frequently resorts to lying whenever he is faced with uncomfortable truths or difficult circumstances. Since Kazuya is an emotionally-driven individual, he can sometimes make decisions that lack common sense and are detrimental to him in the long run. Furthermore, his cowardly nature prevents him from living his life true to his desires and emotions, as he tends to get swayed by other people’s expectations.
When Grandpa died, my grandmother took on everything, both the store and my dad, and kept us all afloat. So for our family grandmother is, well, she might as well be god. And god has only one dream for me, to find a nice girl before she passes.
Although Kazuya’s fear of rejection traps him in a cycle of confusion and guilt, he still has an encouraging attitude towards people close to him. In fact, he selflessly helps others and is willing to go the extra mile to support his friends, putting his interests in the back seat. His kindhearted nature allows him to make sacrifices without expecting anything in return. He has also demonstrated moments of courage under intense pressure, especially for Chizuru. At the end of the day, Kazuya Kinoshita is a complex character. His low self-esteem and insecurities are relatable to many people, but he can also be infuriatingly indecisive and immature, which makes it difficult to root for him.
