Wholeheartedly agreed. Antiheroes have worth, but the value of a pure hero can't be understated.
A personal favourite of mine has to be Prince Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke. He is goodness personified - he's humble, he's just, he's noble, he's utterly selfless, he treats everyone (even the social outcasts in Eboshi's town) with the utmost respect, he knows that he is doomed to a slow and horrible death, yet instead of resigning himself or becoming bitter he uses the time he has left to protect others.
10/10 guy, literally nothing wrong with him, if even 1% of real people were as good as Ashitaka this would be a very different world.
I agree, I think we have seen too many morally gray heroes recently and sometimes we just need unambiguously good heroes to make the world feel a better place.
One of my favorite Yuji moments was him saying that he doesn't want to start killing (people) because then killing would become an option and once that happens it would slowly become the go-to. I'm paraphrasing here of course, but that's the gist. And that line always makes me think of Superman, and why heroes like him can't start killing
I forgot to add it in the post, but I’d put Batman in this category too. I read this quote somewhere that said ‘if you can’t picture your version of Batman comforting a child, then that’s just Punisher with pointy ears’ and I think that encapsulates a lot about Batman and how the way people view his character has changed.
I love the way stories delve deep into the human psyche and build layered characters rather than painting them as black or white. As audiences we should do the same. Accept them for what they are.
I agree with this! I love a an antihero but I also really love a hero who has strong principals and integrity, and who strives to stick to their moral code no matter what it costs them. I loved Yuji as a protagonist. Every other character was so cynical, he was a refreshing contrast and I really think there should have been more focus on him in JJK (he got a bit lost amongst the rest of the cast for a while), though the ending kind of fixed that. Captain America is also my favourite avenger, because he is good and kind and reliable, and although his character grows and adapts, his core doesn't change. I find that inspiring. I think the hate comes from when people get 'good' heroes and 'perfect' heroes mixed up. Perfect heroes are boring because they are hard to relate to, are always right and never need anyone else to succeed, but good characters aren't perfect, they can have insecurities, try to do the right thing but have that fail, and trust others to help them in their goals. There's a difference there: one is a an unachievable ideal and the other is an achievable role model.
Wholeheartedly agreed. Antiheroes have worth, but the value of a pure hero can't be understated.
A personal favourite of mine has to be Prince Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke. He is goodness personified - he's humble, he's just, he's noble, he's utterly selfless, he treats everyone (even the social outcasts in Eboshi's town) with the utmost respect, he knows that he is doomed to a slow and horrible death, yet instead of resigning himself or becoming bitter he uses the time he has left to protect others.
10/10 guy, literally nothing wrong with him, if even 1% of real people were as good as Ashitaka this would be a very different world.
I agree, I think we have seen too many morally gray heroes recently and sometimes we just need unambiguously good heroes to make the world feel a better place.
One of my favorite Yuji moments was him saying that he doesn't want to start killing (people) because then killing would become an option and once that happens it would slowly become the go-to. I'm paraphrasing here of course, but that's the gist. And that line always makes me think of Superman, and why heroes like him can't start killing
I forgot to add it in the post, but I’d put Batman in this category too. I read this quote somewhere that said ‘if you can’t picture your version of Batman comforting a child, then that’s just Punisher with pointy ears’ and I think that encapsulates a lot about Batman and how the way people view his character has changed.
I love the way stories delve deep into the human psyche and build layered characters rather than painting them as black or white. As audiences we should do the same. Accept them for what they are.
I agree with this! I love a an antihero but I also really love a hero who has strong principals and integrity, and who strives to stick to their moral code no matter what it costs them. I loved Yuji as a protagonist. Every other character was so cynical, he was a refreshing contrast and I really think there should have been more focus on him in JJK (he got a bit lost amongst the rest of the cast for a while), though the ending kind of fixed that. Captain America is also my favourite avenger, because he is good and kind and reliable, and although his character grows and adapts, his core doesn't change. I find that inspiring. I think the hate comes from when people get 'good' heroes and 'perfect' heroes mixed up. Perfect heroes are boring because they are hard to relate to, are always right and never need anyone else to succeed, but good characters aren't perfect, they can have insecurities, try to do the right thing but have that fail, and trust others to help them in their goals. There's a difference there: one is a an unachievable ideal and the other is an achievable role model.
Perfect characters are boring, but good characters aren't. Glad you liked it!