#sailor moon is an easy case because all the girls love usagi unconditionally (even more so in the manga i think)

[seventeenlovesthree]

Looking back on how the One Piece Live Action series is perceived at the moment - especially in regards to how well the actors seems to get along with each other -, I could not help but think once again how EASY it is to fall in love with the idea of shipping main characters with various other characters.

Look, it’s no surprise that I’ve been feeling that way about Digimon for a long time, but it goes for so many franchises out there, anime or not.

And I feel like that can have several factors, depending on how the main character is portrayed. If you asked me about Luffy for example, my personal impression of him is - he is absolutely asexual and I may even go that far as to call him aromantic as well. What makes that interesting to me is that he is still such a great example of a person who attracts people, who also is (somewhat) possessive of others and also devoted, passionate to a degree that is just very... Main character-esque.

Because that is what you usually have - a character who attracts others just by being the way they are: Being caring, being devoted, being self-sacrificing, finding the right words in the right moment. Because they DO have a big heart, they usually embrace other characters the way they are - which doesn’t mean that they don’t clash or don’t have disagreements or fights, nope, not at all.

I feel that way about Luffy, but obviously also about Taichi (OG and reboot) and characters like Usagi. I often joke about how these series should all probably just end in a big polycule, because the devotion, the chemistry, the attraction is definitely THERE. Of course some bonds are stronger than others (and everyone has their preferences in terms of dynamics), but you can tell in all of these cases that the (majority of the) other characters adore the main character. (Including minor/side characters as well.)

To some degree, you may argue that main characters are also written to be kind of self-inserts. They are often idealistic, but they do have their flaws, their faults that make them relatable. But they’re still being loved for how they are. That is also something viewers/readers may crave for in their lives - in addition to the general power fantasy that you witness in these series. In sum: You are a hero, you are powerful, you have strong companions by your side - and you are also loved and adored. What more could you even want?

There are so many more examples out there and I am sure you know a lot of characters where that category of “main character syndrome” applies too.