Anime characters come in many forms and personalities and we find all of them to be interesting and captivating. Some more than the others, perhaps. For instance, we have ‘Cowardly characters’ in Shonen anime that are often used to create impact in a scene or an event.
This is because usually the protagonist is courageous and fearless. The main character has a lot of growth, so he cannot be seen cowering behind someone else. But when we see a main character who is calm and composed, we see no reason to fear ourselves. Why worry? The protagonist is so calm he’ll figure it out.
That is where the coward archetype characters come in. They are in a scene to emphasize the level and extent of the threat. By giving a sense of realistic fear, they represent a perspective the viewers can empathize with. However, this type of character is not always done right.
Stark and Usopp: The Right Way to Handle the Coward Archetype
Unlike the cool and awe-inspiring characters that the viewers admire, the cowardly characters are intended to be endearing. They are realistic and have humane reactions in an absurdly fantastical world, sort of making us understand what would happen if we were thrown into that world.
That relatability is what makes the audience so tuned in to these types of characters. There are stellar examples of the ‘coward’ as seen in many popular anime. For instance, we have One Piece and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, which has perfected this archetype with Usopp and Stark.
Starting with Usopp, a major character who is introduced very early on in the series. Usopp is a coward who doesn’t wish to show his fear to others. He is a young man and it shows from his actions, be it making the pretend pirate crew or shouting that there are ‘Pirates attacking.’
Usopp is a humane character who expresses emotions other than fear. He is confident, lies a lot, and exaggerates to no limit. Sounds like an average kid, this is what makes him relatable.
We have all exaggerated or lied a little at some point in front of our friends or acquaintances. This is why, when he is faced with an extraordinary or abnormal situation, Usopp’s cowardice and fear seem genuine and understandable.
Zenitsu is a poorly written ‘coward’ type character
In the same way as Usopp, we have Stark from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Stark embodies the coward archetype without making it overly obvious. Unlike typical cowardly characters, who are forced into inaction because of their fears, Stark’s heroism shines and overpowers his negative thoughts.
In contrast, Demon Slayer‘s Zenitsu failed to strike the right balance between other emotions and fear, becoming a prime example of how poor execution can turn a trope into an annoyance.
As it is said, ‘true bravery is being scared and facing it anyways’, such characters are endearing and relatable and have a profound impact on the narrative.
On the other hand, we have Zenitsu. Despite his place as one of the most well-liked characters in Demon Slayer, Zenitsu is a poorly written character of the ‘coward’ archetype. He is a crybaby through and through and shows little to no growth despite his powers scaling up massively. He only gets serious in the final arc of the series, after the death of his grandfather.
It feels like, instead of augmenting a threat, Zenitsu diffuses the atmosphere. Because whenever the viewers look at his comically large tears, the pressure turns into laughs and gags. This makes it hard for him to be taken seriously or relate to.
You can stream Frieren, Demon Slayer, and One Piece on Crunchyroll.
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