Designated Protagonist Syndrome: Difference between revisions

{{quote|But you didn't earn it. You didn't work for it. You've never had anybody come up to you and say you deserve these things more than anyone else. They were just handed to you. So that doesn't make you better than us. It makes you luckier than us.|'''Anya''' accusing Buffy of falling into this, ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''}}

 

 

This trope is when it seems like the entire cast (other than the lead) has become more popular because the audience likes them more than the supposed main character. This is the result of [[Fan Dumb]] as often as it is the fault of bad characterization or writing. [[Standardized Leader]] is a [[Sub-Trope]], and the two often overlap. Contrast [[First-Person Peripheral Narrator]] and [[Supporting Protagonist]].

 

Not to be confused with [[Designated Hero]], which is a character who the story plays up as being heroic, but comes off as distinctly... ''not.''

----

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* Some fans have leveled this accusation at ''[[One Piece]]'', complaining that [[Idiot Hero|Luffy]] is the least interesting member of the crew. While the others all have tragic pasts and complex quirks and motivations, Luffy initially comes off as more of a typical [[Idiot Hero]] whose actions are usually straightforward and whose backstory is the least interesting. While this may have been true in the early days of the series, many fans counter that in later chapters, Luffy is fleshed out much more, given more interesting interactions with other characters, and that [[Expansion Pack Past|his backstory may not be as simple as it once seemed]].