2.66: On the Binary Nature of Shounen Anime

Started watching Hero Academia last night and quickly came to the conclusion that this is another version of DBZ, Naruto, etc. By that I mean to say that all of these shows are inherently binary hero journeys; story formulae in which the hero begins with a companion that could and should be his greatest ally but for ambition and or rage. That then creates a false antagonist and builds a parallel story as we follow both through their respective journeys.

The above is the main throughline of Naruto. It also follows for DBZ and Hero Academia. While there are other stories that are of note, I’ve spent extensive time with the first two and just started the third. I will point out that I am quick to ignore Attack on Titan because it simply doesn’t fit the argument and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, because the binary nature of the show doesn’t pit them against each other but instead forces a dependent cooperative that models the target shows later seasons.

What I am really getting at here is a storytelling model that works. We have in this binary telling of the hero’s journey something that draws fans to either side and creates a false dichotomy that attracts tons of viewers. As I am presently designing a novel with dual protagonists forced into service together, I might be able to make some use of the structure.

Some Thoughts:

  1. Football talk: Giants cut Will Tye and the flashy new receiver Travis Rudolph from Florida State. Adam Bisnowaty also failed to survive the axe, after showing amazingly quick feet and presence on the OL. Rudolph and Bisnowaty may have been practice squad gambles, built on the hope they’d clear waivers. This remains to be seen.
  2. I get the sense that lately I’ve been really overwhelming to the woman I love. I gotta back off.