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Ugly Heroes

KC_KC_
edited August 2009 in Anime
This may go against some unspoken anime rule or another, but I'm trying to think of any unattractive protagonists from anime or manga. Main characters are the primary thrust of my search, but support characters will work. Bonus points for unattractive protagonists in a story filled with pretty people.

The only one I've come up with so far is Usopp from One Piece (thanks VentureJ for that one).

Comments

  • VentureJVentureJ
    To be honest, Usopp is the only one I could think of at the time, unless you count every single character in Fist of the North Star. Yes, they're very manly, but god are they atrocious.

    I'm pretty sure that most production companies assume that an "ugly" protagonist would be hard to relate to, which would be somewhat (and possibly unnecessarily) difficult to market. I'm sure Japan is a relatively superficial country.
  • VigaViga
    edited August 2009
    The female lead in The Wallflower (Perfect Girl Evolution)?

    I can really only think of character designs I find ugly.
    Post edited by Viga on
  • AprecheApreche
    Tetsuro Hoshino and the similar Tochiro Oyama are both ugly potato heads. Also there are plenty of giant robots piloted by fatties. Also nobody in tank police is particularly hot except the cat girls.
  • GeoGeo
    Any person at all from both the manga and anime versions of Akagi. C'mon, you can't deny that.
  • VigaViga
    Ressentiment. It's a manga. A horrible drawn too realistic manga. Manga that makes you remember all people aren't pretty.
  • gomidoggomidog
    edited August 2009
    I'm sure Japan is a relatively superficial country.
    Yeah, totally unlike American television, which has all manner of body types and beauty standards in their heroes and heroines.
    Post edited by gomidog on
  • VentureJVentureJ
    edited August 2009
    I'm sure Japan is a relatively superficial country.
    Yeah, totally unlike American television, which has all manner of body types and beauty standards in their heroes and heroines.
    Never said it wasn't! America is just as guilty (if not moreso) of superficial scumbaggery.

    Though every country is guilty of being incredibly superficial in its media to some degree.
    Post edited by VentureJ on
  • AprecheApreche
    Not from anime, but Jonah Hex is one ugly mofo.
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    A more interesting question is to count the number of unattractive female protagonists from just about any media.
  • gomidoggomidog
    I know one! Bobobobo Bobobo!
  • VentureJVentureJ
    edited August 2009
    I know one! Bobobobo Bobobo!
    Well, his appearance is either incredibly revolting or INCREDIBLY AWESOME, depending on your viewpoint.

    I guess nobody would really call him attractive, though. That's a good one!
    Post edited by VentureJ on
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    A more interesting question is to count the number of unattractive female protagonists from just about any media.
    Also, define unattractive. Are we talking about disgifurement, obesity (or even just being over a size 6), hair color, eye color, skin color, size of specific features, etc.
    Currently there are some shows in the U.S. that overweight female protraganists (like Drop Dead Diva), but I would hardly call them "unattractive".
  • gomidoggomidog
    edited August 2009
    Scary and gnarly? Grizzled and Old, like a witch? Really weird looking?

    I mean, Kenshin, Black Jack, and Zuko are all scarred, but they are hot characters.
    The friend in "March Comes In Like a Lion" from the Honey and Clover lady is really chubby but in a round and cute sort of way.

    But then, there are just some characters you look at and go "That's one ugly mofo!"
    Post edited by gomidog on
  • loltsundereloltsundere
    I think that if they did make a show about a blatantly unattractive character, half or more of the show's focus would be the fact that he/she is an ugly weirdo who has to work even harder to prove what a decent person they are in this world filled with otherwise beautiful people.
  • AndrewAndrew
    I think that if they did make a show about a blatantly unattractive character, half or more of the show's focus would be the fact that he/she is an ugly weirdo who has to work even harder to prove what a decent person they are in this world filled with otherwise beautiful people.
    You mean like "Ugly Betty"?
  • Loganator456Loganator456
    I think that if they did make a show about a blatantly unattractive character, half or more of the show's focus would be the fact that he/she is an ugly weirdo who has to work even harder to prove what a decent person they are in this world filled with otherwise beautiful people.
    I believe that is what a couple of animes' premise is about. Isn't there a romantic comedy where the guy is super short and the girl is a giant? That's somewhat relevant, I guess.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    Lovely Complex is what you're looking for but everyone in that is still extra pretty.
  • gomidoggomidog
    I believe that is what a couple of animes' premise is about. Isn't there a romantic comedy where the guy is super short and the girl is a giant? That's somewhat relevant, I guess.
    I think the show is less about being "ugly" and more about two people who are basically the odd couple. They deny that they are good for each other, and feel self conscious about their height difference. They are both still attractive.
  • Loganator456Loganator456
    Oh that's right, I had forgotten. Well I'm sure there's something out there in the vast sea of shoujo mangas.
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    Also, define unattractive. Are we talking about disgifurement, obesity (or even just being over a size 6), hair color, eye color, skin color, size of specific features, etc.
    Currently there are some shows in the U.S. that overweight female protraganists (like Drop Dead Diva), but I would hardly call them "unattractive".
    I guess you could define it, somewhat subjectively, as any character that the creators did not intend to be viewed as attractive. I can think of dozens of films, tv shows, etc., right off the top of my head with male protagonists who are not meant to be seen as attractive -- they're old, fat, bald, whatever. At the moment, I can't think of a single mainstream film or series with an equivalent female protagonist. Not to say that they aren't out there, but they're obviously much, much less prevalent.
  • gomidoggomidog
    edited August 2009
    Precious, or whatever that movie with the fat black girl was called.
    It was supposed to be good, and it was about an illiterate, unwanted, pregnant, overweight teen who discovers a purpose in learning from her teacher.
    Post edited by gomidog on
  • NerdcoreWannabeNerdcoreWannabe
    Tetsuro Hoshino and the similar Tochiro Oyama are both ugly potato heads. Also there are plenty of giant robots piloted by fatties. Also nobody in tank police is particularly hot except the cat girls.
    I disagree. Many of the guys in DTP have a rugged handsomeness about them. I find the correlation between non-attractive characters and powersuits or giant mecha funny. Never noticed it.
  • ΣπεκωσποκΣπεκωσποκ
    A lot of Yoshihiro Tatsumi's protagonists are fairly ugly. I think that has more to do with the fact that he tried to make them look Asian and not Disney-esque characters than anything, but they're pretty unattractive.
  • GeoGeo
    A lot of Yoshihiro Tatsumi's protagonists are fairly ugly. I think that has more to do with the fact that he tried to make them look Asian and not Disney-esque characters than anything, but they're pretty unattractive.
    I assume that has a lot to do with the fact that Tatsumi is the father of gekiga. In my opinion, I think they are intentionally unpleasant to look at because the subject matter consists of things in the world that are ugly, dark, and just plain unpleasant.
  • BobblunBobblun
    I'll probably get murdered in my sleep for mentioning it, but Cartman as Balrog, was fairly ugly. He did have the sweetest superpower though. The power to have lots of powers, got to love it.
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