Anime is one of the crazier pieces of media out there. That’s partly the reason why anime can turn some people away. They might not be into the whacky shenanigans which are understandable. There is certainly a cultural barrier here too. Even anime fans can’t deny that the logic in even the best series can be hard to swallow at times.
A great example is characters forgiving others for heinous crimes. This happens so much that it has become a trope. While some instances can be sweet, others may be impossible to understand. Let’s run through eight of some of the most classic anime series out there and examine the main characters and their questionable choices.
8 Goku (Dragon Ball Z)
Goku from Dragon Ball Z is only in it for the fight. Saving the world/universe dozens of times over seems like a coincidence to him. He would rather just have a friendly brawl rather than fight for any sort of true purpose.
That’s why, even after losing friends countless times again through many arcs, he still tries to see the good in people. Vegeta is a great example as well as Buu. Both changed but they did so much harm to the universe that one has to wonder why anyone would forgive either forget villain.
7 Onizuka (Great Teach Onizuka)
The titular Onizuka is a former yakuza thug who decided to hang that life up. He now pursues a job as a teacher but his yakuza side still creeps up. To call him an unconventional teacher would be an understatement.
Onizuka tries to trust the kids in his class but they keep betraying him. This humorously leads to Onizuka figuring out a way to reach these kids. There’s a sweet message in the anime. However, some of the bullyings are quite abhorrent, and forgiving some of the bad eggs is a bit hard to swallow.
6 Josuke (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Josuke from the Diamond is Unbreakable arc in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is named here as just one example. Every “Jo” character in this series teams up with former villains eventually though. Josuke’s first teenage ally, Okuyasu, tries to murder him.
All is forgiven once they settle their differences and they become fast friends. There’s a manga artist in the town, Rohan, that also tries to destroy Josuke with the power of rewriting his story. Rohan is never completely trusted but he is still seen as an ally. Overall the things the “Jo” characters put up with is simply amazing.
5 Mob (Mob Psycho 100)
Mob looks like a side character that viewers would find in the background of some other anime. He’s the star attraction though with an incredible array of psychic abilities. He doesn’t know how to use them so he finds a sensei to train him.
The only problem is that his teacher is a con artist who hired Mob to basically do his work for him. Mob doesn’t find this out until later In the series. There is conflict but all is forgiven in the end. At least his teacher didn’t kill anyone unlike most entries on here.
4 Naruto (Naruto)
Naruto is desperately in love with Sasuke only he, or the series itself, doesn’t say it. Why else would Naruto go through the lengths that he does to bring Sasuke back to the Hidden Leaf Village?
There is definitely some hidden context to his character although that might be the dreams of the fan community. It takes hundreds of chapters/episodes but the first series ends with the two of them making up. After the first dozen times Sasuke refuses him, Naruto should have taken a hint.
3 Psyduck (Pokemon)
Psyduck appearing on the list may seem weird, but it definitely fits. Misty catches Psyduck on accident in the anime and she regrets it about 90% of the time. That’s because Psyduck forgets how to be a Pokemon unless its headache gets overwhelming.
The abuse this thing goes through via Misty is crazy. Jesse, James, and Meowth are also great examples from the anime as they keep forgiving the Boss, Giovani. It’s clear Giovani wants nothing to do with them though.
2 Fuyuki (Sgt. Frog)
Fuyuki is a nerdy Earthling who takes in Sgt. Frog and his platoon after they fail to take over Earth. Even though they keep trying to conquer the world, Fuyuki keeps forgiving his amphibious friends.
Even his sister, Natsumi, befriends them but she hides it well through abuse. It’s a comedy anime so the antics the squad gets in shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Fuyuki is still a great example though even if nothing truly heinous takes place.
1 Vash (Trigun)
Vash goes through a lot in the anime and even more in the manga. Before the planet is colonized, Vash is part of a boarding arc along with his brother, Knives. Knives betrays Vash and the entire crew, killing hundreds in the process.
Even after that, and other incidents, Vash still wants to forgive Knives. Even though he’s the fastest gun in the space West, Vash also doesn’t want to harm the other villains he deals with. He’s more of a maimer. Vash has a true heart of gold.