As the name suggests, Main Characters are designed to be the center of the story. After all, it is a story about them, so it makes sense for them to take the spotlight. When it comes to anime and manga, there are several ways that the author usually employs in order to make the main characters stand out.
They can either do it through the visual (Yami Yugi's flashy appearance), through the personality (Luffy's happy-go-crazy nature), or even through the character's philosophy or point of view (Kira's warped senses of justice). The idea is to create as much contrast between the main and the supporting cast to make it easier for the viewers to know who's who.
That being said, there are times when the supporting characters manage to steal the spotlight from the main characters. They may have limited screen time, but whenever they appeared, they would effortlessly outshine the main characters. And here are 5 supporting characters that have the ability to do so.
5. Okita Sougo (Gintama)
Gintama is an anime filled to the brim with quirky characters. There are so many bizarre things that happen in every episode of Gintama, and for the most part, all of them happened around the main character himself, Gintoki Sakata. Whether spouting some vulgar jokes or parodying Dragon Balls, Gintoki usually stands firm at the center of the craziness in Gintama.
However, among all of the strange cast of characters in Gintama, there's one supporting character that always manages to push Gintoki out of the limelight. His name is Okita Sougo, the first division captain of Shinsengumi.
His hobby is taking a nap and conducting assassination attempts on Shinsengumi's vice-captain, Hijikata Toushirou. Nevertheless, with his dashing appearance, unbelievable sword skill, and deadpan humor, Okita Sougo can easily capture the audience's heart and beat Gintoki in the popularity contest.
4. Kyoujuro Rengoku (Demon Slayer)
As the main character, the things that made Tanjiro Kamado stand out are his absolute resolution to stand and fight even when the odds are against him, and his deep sense of sympathy that extends even towards his enemy. He will fight till his dying breath and still feel sorry for his opponents afterward. This dual quality of being aggressive yet gentle at the same time is what makes him such a great character.
However, there is one other character in Demon Slayer that exhibits similar qualities as Tanjiro. He is the flame Hashira, Kyoujuro Rengoku. Rengoku is a man with a heart burning with confidence and determination. He may not be as kind to a demon as Tanjiro, but when it comes to the civilian and his fellow Demon Slayers, he will throw himself into the depths of hell without a second thought.
That is also the case when he's dealing with demons. Rengoku will do everything in his power to slay a demon, even if it means fighting until his body has run out of fuel to burn. Rengoku may only appear in the series for a short time, but during that brief period, he managed to burn his fiery image into the mind of every viewer.
3. Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Yuji Itadori has the same quality as other great shounen main characters. He is a hardworking man who has a happy-go-lucky attitude and always manages to stay positive even when he's dealing with heavy problems. Despite having a nasty cursed spirit sealed within his body, Yuji will still do his best to protect the weak and defeat every cursed spirit that comes his way.
Satoru Gojo, on the other hand, is the embodiment of absolute power. He is arguably the strongest character in the series, and yet he also has a bubbly personality while still being charismatic at the same time. In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, Satoru Gojo is what Yuji Itadori strives to be. Therefore, no matter how exciting Itadori's current fight is, when Gojo enters the fray, the attention will be entirely on him.
2. Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)
Eren Yeager is a polarizing main character, to say the least. Some viewers love him, while others hate him. Some feel sorry for him, while others can't stand looking at him. That being said, Eren is arguably the best main character for a series that thrives in toying the fans' hearts like Attack on Titan. He is abrasive and rash, but then again, so is the story of Attack on Titan.
Eren is the first person in the series to gain a phenomenal power that can rush the adrenaline of every viewer that watches his fights. However, the one that always ended up stealing the spotlight would be none other than humanity's strongest soldier, Levi Ackerman.
Levi is a cold and calculating man that will challenge every titan head-on despite his physical limitations. When everything else is filled with uncertainty, Levi Ackerman is the one constant thing that will always manage to find a way to move forward. And that is why he always outshines the main character.
1. Roy Mustang (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Edward Elric is not a character that is easy to outshine. After all, he is a loud-mouth blonde man with a metal arm and can conjure canons out of dirt. He is equipped with so many attributes that were designed to make him stand out from the rest. And for the most part, it works incredibly well.
However, there is one supporting character that can easily outshine Edward. His name is Colonel Roy Mustang. He is the flame alchemist that can ignite fire just by a snap of his finger. Not only that, but he is also the only character that can burn Edward's heart with his words.
Not only that, thanks to Roy's cool demeanor, his flaming tongue, and blazing attacks, he can always steal the show in every scene that he's in, even while Edward is there fighting alongside him. Not to mention his fiery ambition that burns brighter than the sun is also another thing that makes him appear more striking than the main character.
Final Thoughts
It is normal for the heroine to outshine the hero, or for the antagonist to receive more sympathy than the protagonist. However, once in a while, a supporting character will come along and outshine them all. These five characters are the ones that manage to do just that.
That being said, they are not the only supporting cast that can do that. Share other supporting characters that you think will be a perfect addition to this list in the comment section below.
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