The Rival concept in shonen

Comments

• Myrmidon

  2011-03-08 06:48:08

  I did not understand that.
• RedEyedAbyss

  2011-03-08 09:06:11

  Except that people often end up liking the rival better for being more "edgy". Just look at Seto Kaiba's fanbase.
• ┻━┻ ︵ ヽ(`Д´）╯︵ ┻━┻

  2011-03-08 22:03:50

  Tableflipper

  That's not true. If Seto was more edgy then he would have pointier hair than the protagonist.

  
  

  (also he tends to use LIGHT monsters over Yugi's DARK ones IIRC)
• Noimporta

  2011-03-08 22:09:50

  Also, Kaiba gets more character development than Yami/Yugi, his duels are usually more fun to watch and he has tons of cool gadgets. Saying he's popular just because he's "edgy" is kind of oversimplifying.
• GAP

  2011-03-08 23:34:56

  As did Vegeta but at that Goku's development was over.
• Tnophelia

  2011-03-08 23:47:39

  More people like Seto than they do Yugi.
  
• Noimporta

  2011-03-08 23:56:41

  Yes, that's the initial premise.
• Tnophelia

  2011-03-09 00:30:15

  Thus why Seto became a main-ish character instead of being an opening-only villain.
  
• Schitzo

  2011-03-09 20:02:09

  They're somethin' else.

  I hate hearing cached phrases like "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME" and the like from these guys.
  
• Tnophelia

  2011-03-09 20:34:12

  I wonder how many horrible rivals there are.
  
  Japan is liek, so uncreatuv, liek omg
  
• GAP

  2011-03-21 15:21:20

  ^ More importantly, are ther any rare cases where the hero maanges to be interesting?
• RocketDude

  2011-03-21 23:26:54

  Poot dispenser here

  @Edmania: That first point made me chortle.
  
  As for the second point: Does it really matter? I mean, the series kinda likes the Light Is NOT Good trope, but I figure some aspects of the card game don't apply to the early series.
  
• Jaybie

  2011-03-22 11:08:28

  Having the rival be pure evil or a mostly unlikeable jerk often bothers me.  Just once I'd like to see a show where both rivals are a little at fault for the rivalry,
• GAP

  2011-03-22 14:42:20

  ^ I am the same way.
• glennmagusharvey

  2011-03-22 16:06:19

  Creature - Florida Dragon Turtle Human

  I'd like to see a show that JUSTIFIES the tropes it uses.  For example, make sure that there's a reason that two people have grown to treat each other as rivals.