There are quite a few Shonen manga series out there that discuss war as a prevalent theme within their universe. Some do it very overtly, while some spread it out throughout their storyline.
The first anime you might think of that talks about war is Attack on Titan, since the environment is militarized and grim. It’s certainly a masterpiece that portrays the effects of war on people, especially through the main characters.
However, One Piece proves it doesn’t need it to be a completely central theme to drive the same point home. We meet several characters on the way who are equally affected by war and injustice. Both anime series offer nuance and layers to their main characters, but which one does it better in the long run?
How Attack on Titan offers nuanced characters, but with wasted potential
In Attack on Titan, the atmosphere is grim from the start. The people live in fear within the walls, but that quickly became a reality. The lives of the protagonist, Eren Yeager, and his two friends, Mikasa and Armin, are turned upside down without any warning. They go from innocent children to traumatized and forced into the military quite early.
The loss of Eren’s mother left quite a mark on him and Mikasa. He vowed revenge over the Titan who killed her, and that extended to the entire species. As the journey goes on, he also slowly turns into what he hates.
We see him become the boy with hopes for freedom, to the antagonist who will do anything to achieve it. He could only see one path to it, and he stuck to his fate. It’s a rather interesting twist, but it’s still up for debate whether his actions were necessary.
Similarly, other characters are wonderfully complicated. For example, Historia is an incredibly layered person, with a complex past and motivation. She feels immense guilt from her family’s actions. She becomes pivotal and controls the storyline for a bit as the heir to the throne.
However, it’s also true that Historia’s potential was wasted by the end. She isn’t the only character, unfortunately. Hajime Isayama does love killing off characters before they can shine. He can also write truly complex people, like Gabi, whom fans might hate and lack the media literacy to realize she’s a victim like Eren.
One Piece characters are similarly nuanced, and their stories aren’t over
Now comes One Piece, with its vibrant world and Luffy as the protagonist. He’s a classic goofy Shonen main character who loves to eat, but we also learn throughout the journey how nuanced he is away from that trope.
Luffy doesn’t allow destiny and fate to control him, unlike how Eren felt locked in his. He also fights against fascism, unlike the Marines, who were meant to protect innocent people.
The other main characters also show similar resilience within their corrupt world. Robin kept living, although she lost her people and was hunted down for simply existing. Her development is incredible, going from a minor antagonist to an important Straw Hat.
Unfortunately, Eiichiro Oda hasn’t given her a significant upgrade in power, but she’s still an excellent character. Robin continues to protect and fight, now with her friends who will always be by her side. This ends up being true for many side characters, not just the main ones, like Bon Clay or Kuma.
Overall, One Piece might not feel as serious as Attack on Titan, but the characters are far more fleshed out because they’re given more time. It offers slow and steady development rather than relying on twists.
If Isayama hadn’t rushed to end his series, perhaps this would be different, and he wouldn’t have to kill some off, like Hange. Some characters remain iconic, like Levi Ackerman, but still aren’t explored enough.
One Piece and Attack on Titan can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
