Summary
Despite originally being associatedwith shonen anime, the dumb protagonist trope has perforated into the isekai genre, almost becoming synonymous with the theme considering the number of hare-brained main characters found in isekai anime and manga. Often NEETs or Hikkamoris in their previous lives, these isekai-d protagonists fail to shed their daft personas and idiotic tendencies even after being reincarnated.
Some are dense enough to misinterpret romantic advances, while othersare clueless airheadswho make matters worse through oblivious decisions. Their half-witted actions can, at times, come off as extremely frustrating, yet they also lead to rather comedic narratives. No matter how idiotic they may be, these lovable protagonists still manage to rise to the occasion and save the day.
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautiousstays true to its namesake with a protagonist who is paranoid beyond belief.Being extremely cautious, Seiya refuses to set out for battle without studiously preparing for every possible outcome. While his meticulous nature might present Seiya as a character with sharp wits, he comes off as a true idiot in terms of social interactions.
Seiya can be rather straightforward in his interactions with others, being quick to disregard others' opinions. However, the real frustration lies in his interactions with potential love interests, as this dense protagonist is entirely oblivious to the romantic sentiments of those around him.
Eventually,Cautious Heroexplains Seiya’s behavior through an intense backstory that justifies everything that came before it.
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Japanese Title
Hataage! Kemono Michi
The isekai landscape has witnessed all manner of bizarre premises, yet a thick-skulled wrestler being isekai-d toa fantasy worldis somehow a first. Genzo Shibata was summoned to fight beasts and other wild animals, yet his odd love for animals resulted in him German Suplexing the princess right away.
As bizarre as the premise ofKemono Michi: Rise Upis, this is merely the beginning of Genzo’s idiotic antics, as he goes around randomly knocking people out with a German Suplex. However, his love for animals and the goal of opening a pet shop redeems this lovable idiot.
Otome isekai animeare infamous for airhead villainesses being at the helm, andMy Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!is no different. Realizing that a grim fate awaits her, Katarina Claes desperately tries to change the game’s course, though she accidentally ends up charming the entire roster of the otome game.
Her airhead personality has led to fans dubbing her “Bakarina,” a term of endearment for this lovable yet extremely dense character. Apart from misinterpreting everyone’s romantic advances, Katarina often loses sight of the matter at hand, though she can always charm her way out of any pickle.
Uncle From Another Worldis a hidden gem within the isekai theme, almost seeming like a parody of the genre itself. What truly sets apart the anime is the lovable Uncle claiming to have lived in a fantasy world while his body was in a comatose state in the real world. Despite not being dumb in the traditional sense, Yousuke Shibazaki can be a real dunce when it comes to romantic relationships.
The explanation of his lack of awareness is even more amusing, as Uncle was never around to experience any of the latestharem tropes in anime, meaning he can’t even fathom women throwing themselves at him. Instead, he references SEGA games to make sense of the fantasy world, though his attempts at such comprehension end up making him seem like an idiot.
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Jishou Akuyaku Reijou na Konyakusha no Kansatsu Kiroku
Unlikeother isekai villainesses, Bertia Ibil Noches takes on the role of being an otome antagonist rather earnestly. However, her efforts to be a heinous character almost always end up backfiring, as what she views as evil comes off as sincere and kind to others. Bertia is as dense as they come, with the self-proclaimed villainess desperate to convince Crown Prince Cecil of her transmigration.
To Prince Cecil and the rest, Bertia comes off as a kindhearted person with an eccentric personality, though no one seems to mind her oddities, especially Prince Cecil, who finds delight in Bertia’s dramatic claims. The entire premise ofAn Observation Log of My Fiancé Who Calls Herself a Villainessis comedy gold, turning a rather common premise into an amusing isekai manga.
Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another Worldis often regarded as one of the best isekai anime out there, mostly owing to its phenomenal writing. Despite such a status, the show features a dense protagonist at the forefront, and while Subaru might not be as idiotic as his isekai counterparts, he has a clear streak of irrational decisions.
His insecurities can also get the best of him, resulting in Subaru pushing away his friends with his daft behavior. Even with the ability to cheat death with his memories intact, Subaru has a habit of making the same mistakes over and over again, feeding into his image of being a certified idiot.
