Just because an anime character does incredible things doesn’t mean that the people around them are going to acknowledge them properly. Actually, there are plenty of anime characters who deserve more respect but get very little of it from the other characters.
Perhaps the most noteworthy example of this trend is Saitama from One Punch Man, whose ability to defeat any and all enemies with a single punch is often completely ignored by his fellow heroes. There’s also Tony Tony Chopper from One Piece, who is written off as a mere pet when he’s actually a full member of the Straw Hat crew. There are also examples of this trope in nonfantasy settings – does anyone really think Fuutarou Uesugi from The Quintessential Quintuplets deserves all that scorn from the Nakano sisters when he’s just trying to his job?
1. Naofumi Iwatani Is The Victim Of A Conspiracy In ‘The Rising Of The Shield Hero’
Naofumi Iwatani is perhaps one of the most beleaguered heroes in the world of modern anime. He was summoned to the magical realm of Melromarc in order to become the Shield Hero, then immediately accused of crimes he didn’t commit as a thin excuse for a political power grab. While the other heroes are treated like royalty no matter how many mistakes they make, Naofumi is out there actually helping people while recieving little credit for doing so.
By the end of the first season, his reputation had dramatically improved, but his poor treatment serves as one of the main conflicts for the majority of the series.
2. The Goblin Slayer Isn’t Going After Glory In ‘Goblin Slayer’
The titular character from Goblin Slayer has a singular priority, and if you’re not sure what it is, refer to his name. He’s often looked down upon by high-level adventurers because he only concerns himself with goblins. Despite the dangers that these creatures pose to the general population, destroying them just doesn’t garner the same level of respect that taking out more powerful demons might. Luckily for Goblin Slayer, some people do appreciate his hard work – particularly those that the goblins have actually attacked.
3. Everyone Thinks Yato Is A Deadbeat In ‘Noragami’
Yato was once a powerful god of destruction. Nowadays, he’s trying to put his violent past behind him, and works as a ‘delivery god’ who does odd jobs for anyone willing to put five yen toward his goal of eventually buying a shrine for his worshippers he hopes to amass.
Those who don’t know about Yato’s past often consider him to be a pathetic deadbeat despite the fact that he spends the majority of his of his time engaged in supernatural battles to protect humanity, or doing time-consuming favors for pennies. Those who do know of his past don’t seem to fully understand it, and heap blame on him that he doesn’t deserve. Meanwhile, the guy is just trying to do good in the world.
4. Saitama Is Too Talented For The Public To Handle In ‘One Punch Man’
When many anime fans think about characters who don’t get the credit they deserve, Saitama is among the first to come to mind. After his life as a salaryman proves to be unfeasible, he undertakes a strict exercise program that grants him super strength. He becomes a hero ‘for fun’ and while he doesn’t need to be lauded as the worlds’ greatest hero, he’d still like a little bit more respect – and payment – than he recieves. Which is fair enough, because most people write off his accomplishments as impossible, claim credit for themselves, or falsely accuse him of villainy.
Actually, that’s why he joins the Hero Association to begin with – he’s hoping that he’ll actually be able to build a good reputation for himself if he goes legit.
5. Tony Tony Chopper’s Bounty Is Almost Nothing In ‘One Piece’
Chopper is a full-fledged member of the Straw Hat crew, which means that he’s a pirate. While it’s not like the Straw Hats are usually committing horrible crimes worthy of huge bounties (they’re actually the good guys, just persecuted excessively by a corrupt government) Chopper should be in the same beleaguered boat as his comrades.
He isn’t. Because he’s a reindeer with humanoid features, he’s written off as their pet. While other members have bounties on their heads with huge numbers like 16,000,000, Chopper’s is a mere 50. When it’s eventually upgraded, it becomes 100.
6. Rimuru Tempest Must Constantly Prove Himself In ‘That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime’
Rimuru Tempest constantly has to prove himself to everyone he meets. Why? Because nobody believes that a mere slime could possibly be strong enough to do anything, let alone achieve all the victories he’s actually responsible for.
When former naysayers learn that he not only possesses practically unlimited magical abilities but is also a deeply compassionate person who is wholly dedicated to helping others, they come around to his side – but the process takes long enough to earn the long-suffering Rimuru a spot on this list.
7. The Public Doesn’t Appreciate Goku In ‘Dragon Ball Z’
Goku’s friends might know him as a world-class hero, but that perception is a surprisingly uncommon one. Part of this is intentional on Goku’s part – when he’s not saving the world, he prefers to keep a low profile. But despite his attempts to keep his heroic acts on the down-low, he’s well known for exploits that include defeating King Piccolo, beating Kid Buu, and winning two martial arts tournaments.
Despite this, he still doesn’t quite have the world’s respect – if he did, he would have had a lot more people helping him out when he needed to create the Spirit Bomb that he planned to use against Kid Buu.
8. Touma Kamijou Can’t Save The World Enough In ‘A Certain Magical Index’
How many times does Touma Kamijou have to save the world before he gets treated like something other than a walking personification of bad luck? Apparently, multiple times isn’t enough, because he never seems to shake that reputation. While he does receive some major public accolades – including from the president of the United States – he still has to deal with Index biting his head and other indignities. Poor guy.
9. Fuutarou Uesugi Is Just Trying To Do His Job In ‘The Quintessential Quintuplets’
All Fuutarou Uesugi ever wanted to do was tutor the Nakano quintuplets so that he could earn enough money to support his impoverished family, and they could bump up their grades enough to actually graduate high school.
His biggest obstacle isn’t that the girls have difficulty understanding the material, or that his own teaching methods aren’t up to snuff – it’s the fact that the girls hate him on sight. Nino and Itsuki are particularly harsh about this, but all five of them are guilty to some degree. Their reasons have little to do with Fuutarou’s actual behavior, except in cases where he said something rude by mistake and then apologized. His motives are always altruistic, but he has to fight an uphill battle to get anything done.