More Monster Than Man
Plenty of anime protagonists tend to be the brooding type due to being haunted by some kind of trauma from their past. A dead lover, a mortal enemy, a shady history of violence, the list goes on. However, one of the most prevalent in modern Japanimation tends to be due to plain old bad parenting. Though in the case of these three, their fatherly nature wasn’t so much absent as it was downright demonic.
#3: Gendo Ikari
“Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995-96)
This one is all about the mind games. Bad enough he was absent from Shinji’s life to begin with, but in hindsight that might have been a kindness given the crap that Gendo gets up to when they reunite. Forcing Shinji to pilot a living mecha in order to stop an invading horde of aliens, Gendo would go on to plot all sorts of nefarious affairs (including cloning his dead wife into an oddly sensual teenage form) all the while emotionally crippling and isolating Shinji even further.
#2: Yujiro Hanma
“Baki” (2001; 2018)
He’s so strong he can stop an earthquake with but a single punch. It’s just a shame all of that primal rage and violence doesn’t leave room for fatherly affection. Taking what he wants when he wants, Yujiro has no issue with slaughtering anyone who gets in his way, even if that includes his own wife right before their son’s eyes. Strength is all that matters to Yujiro, hoping one day that Baki will finally give him a decent challenge. No one is safe around the World’s Strongest Creature.
#1: Shou Tucker
“Fullmetal Alchemist” (2003-04, 2009-10)
The Sewing-Life Alchemist will do whatever it takes to retain his license and continue to live a comfortable life…even if it means turning his own daughter into a chimera. In one of anime’s most infamous scenes, Tucker became so lost in his delusions that he actually went about fusing together his own child with her dog, creating a talking-chimera. The worst part? He was immensely proud of himself for doing so.
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Moments That Ruined An Anime.
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