A Jaded Hero
(From Akira Ishida’s manga adaption, Volume 16)
“I don’t have a reason to save them, but despite everything… I can’t bring myself to hate everything. After all, they’re all great people. They’re kind and warm. It’s just that they don’t show me that kindness or warmth.”
“Humans are for the most part basically good people… So no matter how painful it might be for me… I can’t break this world that’s important to someone.”
I’ve extracted some of my favorite lines from this exchange. It’s honestly a pity that this scene came so late into the story, because this gives Hero a layer of depth that he was somewhat lacking up until his backstory was revealed.
Despite knowing that most humans don’t accept his existence, and experiencing their scorn by being mocked and called a monsters, Hero doesn’t reject humanity. He doesn’t take joy in their suffering, or see their war against the demons as some sort of divine retribution. He sees the good in humanity and decides that it is worth saving, even if he has little to no hope of ever experiencing that goodness.
I really like this concept for a hero, because the hero acknowledges that “yeah, I’m not really gaining anything from this, but this was never about me as an individual to begin with.” It’s part of what I love about Mamare’s narratives: Life isn’t about the individual, but about the community. The most effective change is one that helps your surroundings, not just yourself or your personal circle. And eventually, good things will come back around to you, even if it takes a while.
