
Exploaration of Father Figures in Anime: How Are They Perceived in Shōnen Genre?
Dora NaletilićShare
Parents have always been a touchy subject in fictional media. When it comes to anime and manga, that is the case as well, but every genre treats parents differently, especially the shōnen genre, where fathers are incredibly important to male protagonists. They establish a path for their sons and certainly influence their lives in a great manner.
Father Figures vs. Mother Figures
Parents are major figures in our lives, and they are the ones who have the biggest influence on us and future decisions that we consciously or unconsciously make when we are independent. Fictional media is not far off from real life, and anime are mostly replicating the 'real-life' dynamics in interesting settings of the world and story. For example, the shōnen genre does this quite often, where it puts huge emphasis on their protagonists' parents and origins to elevate their character.
Both mothers and fathers have great influence in that genre, but it seems that fathers carry more weight in the lives of their sons. Of course, mothers do have enormous influence, like Sachiko in Erased or Kushina in Naruto. Feelings like love and kindness are what anime mothers give to their sons, but fathers give independence and strength, which are quite prominent for shōnen protagonists—they are staples of shōnen characters, both good and bad.
Dynamics Between Fathers and Sons
Times change, and mothers eventually became more 'badass,' and fathers started showcasing their goofy and emotional side that would fundamentally change the sons and their worldview. Specifically in shōnen, fathers are the ones who drive their sons forward when the youngsters are trying their best to get over dangers and obstacles, regardless of whether they're good or bad. Gambino from Berserk is a great example of a bad father. In the demon-infested world of Midlands, he is still massively horrible to his 'adopted' son Guts.
Gambino is one of the reasons why Guts overcomes some of the hardest times of his life, and unfortunately for him, there are many instances like that. On the other hand, we have someone like Kunishige Rokuhira from Kagurabachi or Isshiki Kurosaki from Bleach, who are extremely cool and powerful, but they are also goofy and kind in front of their sons. Both of these figures majorly impacted both Chihiro and Ichigo, the protagonists who are on an extremely tough path on their journey to their goal. Dynamics between fathers and sons are extremely important, and those points of the story eventually become major character traits.
Father's as a Major Plot Point in a Story
As already mentioned, fathers are truly important for main characters in anime, and they are what drive them forward. What's really interesting is that some fathers who are presented as good and nice to their children are most certainly the ones who are indirectly responsible for their own kids going on a path of revenge. Chihiro Rokuhira is a great example of that particular trope—after sorcerers kill his father, Chihiro decides on a bloody path of revenge that he will regret years later.
Maybe fathers aren't at fault for the faulty world they raised their kids in, but this specific example is why initially great fathers can skew their children's worldview and mentality. Chihiro felt he had to avenge his father, and his whole life became murderous. On the other side, there is Minato Namikaze, a deceased father of Naruto, whom he never met and was violently killed in a historically important event. However, that didn't steer Naruto on the path of revenge—he was the one who tried his best to share his light and love with others.
Conclusion: Father Figures as Staples of the Shōnen Genre
Fathers in anime are portrayed in one way or another—either they are good or bad. This simplistic classification of father figures in anime doesn't take away their importance in the shōnen genre, which uses those same father figures to elevate their characters. They can be cold and calculated, but they can also be goofy and kind. They are there to steer their children in the right way, but sometimes, they use them for their own evil deeds. Fathers are important in fictional media, and anime fans love a good parental figure, who eventually becomes a staple of the whole series and a fan favorite.
Best anime dads ranked on the Ranker website.