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Shonen anime protagonists are usually the underdog type, and everyone counts them out. Examples: Naruto being ostracized by his village at first, or Goku not fitting in as a kid in Dragon Ball. But several don’t start as underdogs or are even underdogs.
Fans are naturally surprised when there are characters that aren't underdogs. Several on this list, like Loid Forger from Spy x Family, arguably don't count as underdogs due to their profession or abilities.
Note: This article will contain spoilers for all the anime discussed. Content warnings for violence. This article only reflects the author's opinion.
Ten shonen anime protagonists that break the underdog trope
1) Loid Forger "Twilight" (Spy x Family)
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At the start of the shonen anime Spy X Family, the main protagonist Loid Forger aka "Twilight," is already a master spy. He can take down rooms full of goons and disguise himself perfectly. At first, life seems simple, and then he has to come up with a family for an infiltration mission.
While Forger wasn't an underdog from that beginning, he became one in trying to be a father. It's not easy being a parent already. It's especially hard with an intelligent and psychic child Anya and a secret assassin wife like Yor.
2) Kenshin Himura (Rurouni Kenshin)
The Hitokiri Battousai himself was not an underdog at the start. His backstory detailed his life as a deadly assassin for the Meiji Government, responsible for countless deaths. Even when he's trying for a more peaceful life, trouble follows the main protagonist of Rurouni Kenshin wherever he goes.
Kenshin usually has to hold back not to kill opponents. This tends to bite him, as his opponents don't share that moral code he has. Regardless, he still dodges bullets and can do various almost superhumanly fast things in his series.
3) Kusuo Saiki (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.)
A student born with psychic powers and wanting a peaceful life, Kusuo Saiki is that rare shonen anime protagonist that desperately tries not to stand out. He's overpowered in a world that doesn't have many people on his level. He’s not an underdog, considering how his abilities tend to react to others.
All he wants is some peace. That’s relatable for many people, given how much power he has on hand. He always makes sure to keep himself out of sight too. So while Saiki isn’t an underdog, he proves shonen anime protagonists don’t need to be.
4) Shouya Ishida (A Silent Voice)
Ishida made this list because he technically caused his problems. He certainly wasn't the underdog at the start of the shonen anime film A Silent Voice. No, he started as the bully. That backfired on him hard, as he bullied Shoko Nishimiya for being deaf and got punished hard for it.
Ostracized as a kid and with no prospects, Shouya attempted suicide in high school. However, he was eventually able to help make up for his bullying. It's worth noting he had nowhere near as bad as Shoko, hence why he's on the list.
5) Legoshi (Beastars)
An odder example, but Beastars is still a shonen anime. It's technically one under My Anime List, and it's manga. Legoshi was just an average drama club student before the events of Beastars took place. He wasn't an underdog as he was just there until the night Tim was murdered.
Then he began his investigations into it, along with Haru. It didn't help that he had nearly killed her after smelling her blood. That complicated relationship could fill a book. Legoshi's underdog status would only start when he started his investigation, and that wouldn't be until a little into the series.
6) Arale Norimaki (Dr. Slump)
Arale is most definitely not the underdog in the shonen anime Dr. Slump. Though Dr. Slump is more slice of life than most shonen anime are, it's still fun to watch Arale's random adventures. Arale's a tiny robot girl with super strength and generally considered a gag character; of course, she belongs here.
She's even stronger than Goku and Vegeta if the Dragon Ball Super episode in which she cameos is canon. She also had cameos in one of the original Dragon Ball movies, helping Goku fight Mercenary Tao.
7) Vash the Stampede (Trigun)
A master gunslinger dedicated to love and peace sounds contradictory. That is the core of who Vash the Stampede is. As far as being an underdog, that's the vibe he intentionally gives off. Yes, the main protagonist of the shonen anime Trigun is faking being an underdog and an idiot.
This is not just for comedy. Vash is mighty and proficient with guns and not humans. His real Love and Peace motto came when he saw someone he considered a mom to him die in front of him. He took up her teachings and tried to make sure humanity was saved and protected.
8) Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Edward Elric may have lost an arm and leg when he was young, but his underdog status is questionable at the start. He's a state-certified state alchemist, for one, and he's not a novice either. This is primarily due to severe training under Izumi Curtis in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Beyond that, however, Edward is most certainly a good fighter. He never goes up against people above his level until the end of the series. Edward strikes a balance between the underpowered and overpowered spectrum of shonen protagonists.
9) Mob (Mob Psycho 100)
In the same vein as Kusuo Saiki, Mob is more of a special case. He's another example of an overpowered being in a series full of strong beings. The thing is, Mob is more stoic than anything else and not entirely unemotional either. His powers are tied to his emotions.
Mob's entire deal at the beginning is that he performs exorcisms of evil spirits with his powers. Because he's so overpowered, much like Saitama, nothing is usually a challenge for him. His real challenge is keeping his emotions in check when using his powers.
10) Koro Sensei (Assassination Classroom)
This happy-go-lucky octopus protagonist of the shonen anime Assassination Classroom is practically invincible. Even when Koro Sensei wasn't in the famous form he takes now, he was considered one of the deadliest assassins in the past. There's no way in shonen anime history that he'd be the underdog.
If anything, his students are the underdogs of the series. They're the ones having the assignment to kill him! It's under different pretenses than they know, but it counts. Aside from that, Koro Sensei ranks as a great teacher and unique protagonist owing to his design and genuinely helpful attitude.
