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Anime protagonists are almost always the central focus of a story, and often represent major themes of the show. The appeal of anime to global audiences has increased dramatically, inspiring shows to incorporate themes that are universally relatable.
Human sin is quite a popular theme in that respect, spawning series like The Seven Deadly Sins and Fullmetal Alchemist, where the Deadly Sins are depicted as distinct anime characters.
But even when the stories don’t specifically design characters based on a specific sin, the overall theme or character arc creates an archetype that becomes prominent, especially in anime protagonists. Here is a list of anime protagonists who portray such archetypes.
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This article reflects the author’s opinions and contains major spoilers.
Shonen anime protagonists depicting each of the Seven Deadly Sins
1) Pride - Lelouch vi Britannia
Code Geass tackles several conflicting topics regarding politics, ideology, vengeance, and a choice between the past and the future. At the top, however, sits Lelouch vi Britannia, an exiled prince and genius mastermind seeking to single-handedly destroy the Holy Britannian Empire.
From the very onset of the series, Lelouch exudes an aura of confidence, which gradually develops into arrogance as the story progresses. Lelouch becomes a morally ambiguous character, manipulating and killing friends and foes alike to achieve his goals.
By the end of Code Geass, Lelouch takes the stance of an anti-hero and his pride keeps him steady as he executes the final move and fulfills his objective. He is an anime protagonist who beautifully depicts how the Deadly Sin of Pride can influence a person.
His character goes through both extremes of the moral spectrum and finally stops somewhere in the middle.
2) Greed - Yagami Light
Greed comes in many forms, and in Death Note, anime protagonist Yagami Light shows exactly how it can consume a person. Light begins off as a vigilante, believing that the supernatural power he has come across must be used to enforce justice when law and order fail.
But as his fame as “Kira” spreads, his idea of justice becomes increasingly macabre.
Light succumbs to the desire for absolute power and develops a god complex. He deceives and kills everyone who comes close to discovering his identity, with even his father becoming a victim. His demise is appropriately pathetic, representing the consequences of succumbing to the Deadly Sins in a traditionally Biblical way.
3) Lust - Meliodas
Lust is a Deadly Sin that might not be expected to feature in a mainstream anime protagonist. However, viewers need to look no further than the series Seven Deadly Sins to prove otherwise.
Despite leading the anime as the Dragon’s Sin of Wrath, Meliodas seems to embody Lust better than anyone else. Further exacerbating his antics is his adolescent appearance, which belies his true 3000-year old lifespan.
The series uses his perverted attitude as a running gag, often undercutting tense situations or lifting everyone’s spirits with his depraved conduct. Throughout the series, he acts inappropriately around Elizabeth Liones, shoving his head under her skirt and even stealing her underwear.
When the latter resorts to tying him up to stop his advances, he simply fetishizes it as a form of pleasure.
4) Envy - Uzumaki Naruto
Few in the anime community aren’t familiar with the iconic pre-Shippuden era Naruto scene, where the young protagonist sits on a swing all alone, watching the other children being embraced by their parents. Suffice to say, Naruto is a classic example of a character motivated by Envy.
From the series' onset, Naruto’s troublemaking tendencies are motivated by his desire to be seen and acknowledged. As is well known, this finally culminated in his determination to become Hokage.
Having lost both parents at birth, Naruto grew up craving parental love from his mentors and cherishing his friends.
It becomes obvious, even well into the Shippuden era, that Naruto never completely overcame his abandonment issues. Unsurprisingly, his savior complex stems partly from Envy and possessiveness towards his allies.
5) Gluttony - Monkey D. Luffy
It is no surprise that One Piece anime protagonist Luffy is the embodiment of the Deadly Sin of Gluttony, considering the multitude of media that feature him devouring an obscene amount of food. Quite appropriately, Luffy’s powers originate from his Gum-Gum Devil Fruit, as its properties continue to accommodate his eating proclivities.
Luffy’s extremely high metabolism and elasticity makes his stomach akin to a black-hole, which explains his massive food intake. Not only does he enjoy his meals, One Piece also depicts how he sheds calories whilst sleeping and becomes listless when hungry.
6) Wrath - Gon Freecs
Hunter X Hunter is a series where several characters represent archetypes of the Deadly Sins. But surprisingly, it is the ever-optimistic anime protagonist Gon who becomes the embodiment of Wrath, in a display that shocks spectators both on and off-screen.
Gon began his journey with the intention of becoming a Hunter and searching for his father, Ging, a legendary Hunter himself.
On his journey, he meets Ging’s disciple Kite, who becomes a beloved father-figure to him. However, the latter's death evokes his unbridled rage, which soon threatens to consume him. Vowing to obliterate the Chimera Ant Neferpitou for the murder, Gon's character becomes drastically darker.
Towards the climax of the show, this affable young boy achieves a terrifying state, taking on an extremely powerful adult form and beating Neferpitou to death with his bare hands.
7) Sloth - Sakata Gintoki
Among shonen anime protagonists, Sakata Gintoki of Gintama is undoubtedly the most indolent, making him the embodiment of Sloth. He is typically seen lazing around, reading manga and gambling away all of his money.
But the series reveals that his submission to Sloth has deeper roots, stemming from disillusionment and failure to protect his loved ones. Gintoki's habits are quite contradictory, which is very much in keeping with the show.
However, when in peril, he adopts a determined stance and fights with his life on the line, reclaiming his reputation as a beloved shonen anime protagonist.
Aside from anime protagonists, characters embodying Biblical sins are abundant in popular anime. Naruto’s Shikamaru, Aizawa from My Hero Academia, and Usopp from One Piece all revel in their reluctance to do the bare minimum, while Kon from Bleach is somewhat akin to Meliodas.
Meanwhile, Sukuna and Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen both exude similar levels of arrogance, with the former being an evil incarnate.
