Why There Will Never Be Another Shonen Big Three
One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach are among Shonen Jump’s “Big Three,” and are well-known to most anime and manga fans. The “Big Three” series were widely read and acclaimed during the “Golden Age” of Shonen Jump in the 2000s. Fans fell in love with the captivating action and adventure plots, the battle scenes between heroes and villains, and the character development of the main protagonist.
Many modern shonen series have based their plots after the “Big Three,” who are still well-known in the anime community. Fans do, however, question if another “Big Three” can be produced. There has been much discussion among anime enthusiasts concerning the “Big Three” at the moment. Specifically, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and My Hero Academia. It’s debatable if another authentic Shingen “Big Three” will ever exist.
The “Big Three” Defined Shonen
Within the shonen audience, the “Big Three” opened the way for narrative, world-building, and character development. The knowledgeable, eccentric professors who tutor the young male protagonist are one character type that often appears in shonen stories. These instructors often have an unique sense of humour and are optimistic by nature. Their perspective on life is mostly a result of their troubled or traumatic history. The two most prominent instances of these mentors are Kisuke Urahara from Bleach and Kakashi Hatake from Naruto. Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen is the wise teacher who teaches Yuji Itadori how to harness the cursed spirit Ryomen Sukuna as an example from a current shonen series. This character cliché is used by manga artists to develop the main character and provide humour into otherwise dull training montages.
Manga authors struggle to be innovative and unique since established tropes like the “smart and eccentric mentor” are common. Some of the fundamental components of shonen manga were specified by the “Big Three,” and today, a series must include these characteristics in order to be referred to be “shonen.” Fans, however, get weary or indifferent after continually seeing the same shonen plot concept. In order for a new “Big Three” to emerge, the series must not only have a strong presence among the demographic’s fundamental elements, but also have a unique plot that will captivate viewers for years to come.
“Filler” Episodes Matter Greatly For the “Big Three”
Within the shonen audience, the “Big Three” opened the way for narrative, world-building, and character development. The knowledgeable, eccentric professors who tutor the young male protagonist are one character type that often appears in shonen stories. These instructors often have an unique sense of humour and are optimistic by nature. Their perspective on life is mostly a result of their troubled or traumatic history. The two most prominent instances of these mentors are Kisuke Urahara from Bleach and Kakashi Hatake from Naruto. Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen is the wise teacher who teaches Yuji Itadori how to harness the cursed spirit Ryomen Sukuna as an example from a current shonen series. This character cliché is used by manga artists to develop the main character and provide humour into otherwise dull training montages.
Manga authors struggle to be innovative and unique since established tropes like the “smart and eccentric mentor” are common. Some of the fundamental components of shonen manga were specified by the “Big Three,” and today, a series must include these characteristics in order to be referred to be “shonen.” Fans, however, get weary or indifferent after continually seeing the same shonen plot concept. In order for a new “Big Three” to emerge, the series must not only have a strong presence among the demographic’s fundamental elements, but also have a unique plot that will captivate viewers for years to come.
Nowadays, anime studios restrict the number of “filler” episodes in the shonen series, probably in response to audience complaints. The Promise Neverland and the first two seasons of Fullmetal Alchemist are two recent examples where fans have been vocal about their displeasure with filler episodes or plots that deviate from the main plot. Additionally, fans may read the most current manga chapter online rather than waiting for the next episode or season to find out what happens next, rendering “filler” episodes useless to watch. Studios break split a manga series into seasons if it is still active so that the manga and anime may stay current with one another. Attack on Titan would be one example. There was a big hiatus in the anime series when it finally caught up to the manga so that Hajime Isayama could finish the manga.
Studios working on anime do not want to let fans down. They want to create a superbly produced series that stays faithful to the manga’s original plot. Studios no longer produce a significant number of “filler” episodes, even if doing so prevents them from attracting new viewers or extending the life of the series. However, by avoiding “fillers,” anime programmes run the danger of becoming hyped, fleeting series as opposed to enduring for decades.
The Main “Big Three” Protagonists Had Simple, Ambitious Goals
The “Big Three” plots serve as literary examples of the well-known “hero’s journey.” The male lead is a “good-hearted” character with a straightforward yet audacious purpose that directs the plot of the whole series. Monkey D. Luffy’s ultimate ambition in One Piece is to become the “King of Pirates,” while Naruto Uzumaki aspires to succeed Hokage as the village chief. Regarding Bleach, Ichigo Kurosaki has a sensible objective: he wants to keep his loved ones safe. The “Big Three” writers gave their characters clear objectives since it helps to gauge how long the whole series would take. As shown in Luffy’s tale, the producers are able to freely develop a variety of story arcs that depict the protagonist suffering through hardships and obstacles before ultimately realising their objectives. The only “Big Three” series that is still airing is One Piece.
The primary characters in the present shonen series have lofty ambitions, but they are very clear and particular, and there is little room to create new plot arcs. The manga creators had previously fixed the duration of the series with a particular objective in mind. Tanjiro Kamado joins the Demon Slayer Corps in the movie Demon Slayer in an effort to discover a means to change his sister Nezuko from a demon to a human. Tanjiro shares Ichigo’s desire to safeguard his loved ones, which is also his aim. However, Tanjiro’s objective is so narrowly defined that there is little room for further information after he accomplishes it.
However, there is a danger that a shonen protagonist’s undefined but ambitious goal—like Luffy’s or Naruto’s—will become a side plotline and clash with other subplots. For instance, the first plot arc of My Hero Academia centres on the main character, Izuku Midoriya, and his desire to become a “Pro Hero.” However, as the narrative develops, Midoriya’s tale recedes into the background as other plots involving the supporting characters take centre stage, such as the saving of Eri and Endeavor and Shoto Todoroki’s family.
The shonen series requires a likeable character who experiences character development while pursuing an ambitious objective in order to even be considered a possible future “Big Three” manga. The objective should also be open-ended enough to allow the manga creator to develop the plot over the course of numerous arcs. Modern shonen series wrap quite swiftly after the primary objective is accomplished. Readers of days prefer shorter series, and manga creators do not feel under pressure to provide a lot of material.
The “Big Three” have significantly influenced anime and manga and established the direction of shonen. It is challenging to claim that any upcoming shonen series can do the same. The “Big Three” serve as inspiration for new shonen series, which struggle to be unique. Additionally, viewers these days like shorter series than ones that are longer. Even though there won’t ever be another “Big Three,” shonen manga has a promising future.
- Reference Sites:
- https://animesee.com/
- https://www.crunchyroll.com/
- https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/
- https://www.cbr.com/
