I've been wondering about this for a long time, but I never got around to asking other people's opinions on this, but what's with anime and the protagonist missing parents?

here's a list of examples:

Naruto: Naruto has no parents
Initial D: Takumi has no mother
Hunter X Hunter: Missing father
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Shinji has a missing mother
Cardcaptor Sakura: Dead Mother
Pokemon: Ash has a Missing/Unnamed father
Yu-Gi-Oh!:Yugi has no parents in the anime, and only a mother in the manga
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Elric brothers has a dead mother
YuYu HAkusho: Yusuke is missing a father
Shaman King: Yoh's mother is never around


It's a style, perhaps?

It probably is. And don't forget there is an Anime Nation subsection in the General Forum, so next time, post it there.

I've always wondered about this myself. I guess it adds more drama to the plot.

I've always wondered about this myself. I guess it adds more drama to the plot.

It's supposed to advance character development, basically.

Usually, in the case of a missing father, it is the protagonists goal to become like his/her father (in this case, usually, the father is some kind of hero or champion) which allows the character to raise his/her potential and make him/her strive harder towards that goal.

Another case is when parents died when protagonist was younger, this usually leads to main character being more anti-social/depressed which is how some animes start off, with a sad/depressed protagonist who lost his/her parents at a young age.

Alot of anime also never even mention the protagonists parents since in these animes, that information is irrelevant. Including parents might mess with the character's personality or situation.

There are basically many reasons as to why some animes have a protagonist with missing parents but the basics would be: to give character goal, to shape character's personality, for future character development, parents are irrelevant, allows for more situations to be possible.

I've been wondering about this for a long time, but I never got around to asking other people's opinions on this, but what's with anime and the protagonist missing parents?

here's a list of examples:

Naruto: Naruto has no parents
Initial D: Takumi has no mother
Hunter X Hunter: Missing father
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Shinji has a missing mother
Cardcaptor Sakura: Dead Mother
Pokemon: Ash has a Missing/Unnamed father
Yu-Gi-Oh!:Yugi has no parents in the anime, and only a mother in the manga
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Elric brothers has a dead mother
YuYu HAkusho: Yusuke is missing a father
Shaman King: Yoh's mother is never around
Eureka Seven: Renton's father dies in the TypeZERO

It's a style, perhaps?

Added one. ;)2

coz they all died, or run away like fags? lol

and the kids are like all sad coz they got ditched...

F.Y.I. Apparently you haven't noticed that anime are full of cliche's. Just like the rest of television.

I guess to relate to people really because as you see in most of them they have 1 parent to relate to kids with parents, and one missing parent to relate to kids with no parents.

Because the Japanese don't know how to fight kidnappers, hate their kids and find an excuse to get away, and have weak immunities to death.


It's simple.

They need a ton of arcs and fillers where the main character goes into depression.

You forgot Bleach; dead mother.

you also missed this important one

Peacemaker Kurogane

Both parent killed

The main character gets revenge kinduh

I've been wondering about this for a long time, but I never got around to asking other people's opinions on this, but what's with anime and the protagonist missing parents?

i asked myself the same question. lol ur probably right, its a style that makes the main character uberly strong maybe.

yeah, i know I'm missing a lot...I'm not that big of an anime freak...in fact, a couple of the anime that you guys mentioned I've never even heard of.. :eye:

They need a ton of arcs and fillers where the main character goes into depression.

oh yeah totally, it just absolutely ruins the good things

um
fruits basket!
forgot her name's moms dead

Naruto: Naruto has no parents
Initial D: Takumi has no mother
Hunter X Hunter: Missing father
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Shinji has a missing mother
Cardcaptor Sakura: Dead Mother
Pokemon: Ash has a Missing/Unnamed father
Yu-Gi-Oh!:Yugi has no parents in the anime, and only a mother in the manga
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Elric brothers has a dead mother
YuYu HAkusho: Yusuke is missing a father
Shaman King: Yoh's mother is never around
Actually, only 4 out of the 10 you named have missing parents.

cuz sum of teh ppl in there wuld not look as uber with mommies and daddies around

This isn't anime. But the Power Rangers never had parents either. 0.o