It is not enough to simply make the audience laugh to create an outstanding and successful comedy anime. Like any other genre, comedy relies on memorable, vibrant, and engaging characters to carry its story and make viewers emotionally attached to the narrative.
Many anime series excel at creating compelling characters with multifaceted personalities and developed backstories. Tragic things can lead the heroes of beloved anime series to embark on their journeys, and those past events can tell the audience a lot about the characters’ personalities and motives. Their past is what shapes the heroes into who they are, and that’s true of all anime genres. Even seemingly light-hearted and unsophisticated comedic leads can have some dark secrets lurking in the shadows of their past.
10 Sakura had a life full of unfulfilled dreams and endless misfortunes (Zombieland Saga)
the whole plot of zombie land saga revolves around a group of long-dead girls from various historical eras who are resurrected as zombies and formed into a totally dead idol group. The antics of the zombie gang orchestrated by a maniacal necromantic producer are tragically funny, as the series doesn’t shy away from poking fun at some pretty dark themes.
For example, its protagonist, Sakura Minamoto, had an extremely tragic life that culminated when she was hit by a truck. Sakura’s life was just a series of traumatic misfortunes, for no matter how hard Sakura tried to succeed in her many areas of talent, her fate always put a curve ball in her until the day she died.
9 Rudeus Greyrat escaped from a horrible life to a fantasy land (Mushoku Tensei)
The isekai power fantasy appeals to many due to its escapist elements. Many people dream of leaving behind their ordinary and boring lives and transporting themselves to a fantasy world full of adventures that await them. However, the protagonist of Mushoku-Tensei he had much darker things to escape from than a dull life.
Before becoming Rudeus Greyrat, he was a nameless, homeless NEET with no goals in life and no aspirations to continue existing. After the death of his parents, the future hero was abandoned by his family, and he only found a purpose in life during his last moments, protecting a teenager from a speeding truck.
8 Haru didn’t get along with her family members (My Little Monster)
My little monster The shojo comedy does not prolong its romantic premise, allowing the characters to fall in love early on and overcome the difficulties of a blossoming relationship. Despite the differences between Haru and Shizuku, they strive to improve each other and grow their love bond. However, Haru’s past makes it very difficult for the boy to have a healthy and trusting relationship.
Haru’s family life was always unhealthy, leading the protagonist to become a troublemaker. As a child, Haru had to deal with the demands of his controlling father and the hatred of his older brother, Yuzan, who wished that Haru had never been born.
7 Saiki’s limitless psychic abilities forced him to lead an isolated and miserable life (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.)
The disastrous life of Saiki K. follows the ridiculous struggles of almighty psychics as they strive to lead a peaceful and normal existence. Despite his best efforts, Saiki Kusuo seems to attract all kinds of strange happenings and eccentric people. However, his teenage problems are nothing compared to his difficult childhood.
When Saiki was only four years old, an intelligence agency from abroad hunted him down and forced him to wipe out the entire nation. Along with many others, this traumatic incident ultimately led to Saiki’s decision to never reveal his powers to anyone.
6 Rikka became a chunibyo after her father passed away (love, chunibyo and other delusions)
Love, Chunibyo and other delusions explores a cultural phenomenon known in Japan as the Eighth Grade Student Syndrome. The eccentric protagonist of the series, Rikka, suffers from this peculiar condition, deluded into believing that she has special magical powers.
Unfortunately, Rikka’s weird fantasy wasn’t just some outlandish stunt. His delusions were a coping mechanism developed after the death of Rikka’s father three years prior to the start of the series. After the incident, Rikka was forced to live with her father’s family, unable to accept the tragedy and cope with overwhelming pain.
5 Taiga’s difficult family history made her aggressive and antisocial (Toradora)
Taiga Aisaka from the romantic comedy toradora He is a difficult person to get along with. Despite her small size, the girl deserves her intimidating nickname, the pocket tiger. At the beginning of the series, Taiga behaves like a perfect tsundere, showing aggression towards her classmates and getting immensely angry over small things.
The girl’s antisocial tendencies stem from her difficult upbringing. After her parents’ messy divorce, Taiga stayed with her father, but had trouble getting along with her new wife. When Taiga decided to live alone, her father chose her new life over her daughter’s, leaving Taiga feeling abandoned and betrayed.
4 Kotaro was abandoned by his abusive parents, but found a new family in his eccentric neighbors (Kotaro lives alone)
Despite being a sincere and healthy comedy, Kotaro lives alone deals with immensely difficult and mature issues of child abuse and neglect. Although he is only four years old, Kotaro is extremely self-sufficient, able to support his household much better than his adult neighbors.
However, after moving in together with a famous mangaka, Shin Karino, the boy is gradually adopted by the entire neighborhood. Kotaro’s new family slowly learns of the boy’s past abuse, which resulted in his parents abandoning him.
3 Otonashi passed away before fulfilling his goal of becoming a doctor (Angel Beats)
Angel Beat’s The plot focuses heavily on exploring the themes of past trauma and regrets. The show’s cast consists of children transported to a strange purgatory after their untimely death, where they get a chance to experience the joys of adolescence that have been denied them. Like any other character, the show’s protagonist Otonashi had things that haunted him before he died.
The boy had a beloved younger sister who died of an unknown illness. After his passing, Otonashi decided to go to medical school, but was killed in a train accident before he could take an entrance exam.
two Gin, Hana and Miyuki run away from their painful past (Tokyo Godfathers)
every member of The Godfathers of Tokyo The main trio have a tragic past that they would like to escape. Homeless Gin used to run a bike shop, but he became addicted to alcohol and gambling. Transgender woman Hana was abandoned when she was a child, moving between foster homes and orphanages throughout her childhood. And the teenage Miyuki became homeless after running away from her difficult home life.
However, the comedic and uplifting Christmas movie leads its heroes to come to terms with their past mistakes and confront the things that made them who they are.
1 Sakata Gintoki had to go through many difficulties before opening The Odd Jobs (Gintama)
of gintama The indolent and hilarious protagonist, Sakata Gintoki, does not immediately strike the audience as a tragic figure. However, the lazy leader of Odd Jobs had to go through a painful life before starting over in Edo. As a child, Gintoki lived as a war orphan, surviving on the things he took from fallen soldiers until his mentor, Shoyou-sensei, took him in.
However, the times of peace quickly ended when Gintoki had to join the rebel army, causing him to lose many comrades, hand over his country to the occupiers, and even be forced to kill his beloved master.
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