I always have arguments with my friends about manga/anime. She seems to think that shounen characters should grow more internally -- that they most of them don't grow enough. But to me, shounen isn't really ABOUT their inside growth. I prefer seeing how they get stronger to face challenges, change their world or achieve their dreams.

That's the fun part... and the cool fight scenes. She calls shounen "fluff". Another of my friends tried to step in by pointing out a few shounen with internal character growth, but I don't think anyone should have to defend stories that don't have it. I mean, the ones that focus on the world/combat (mostly battle manga) are just a different KIND of story IMHO.

So what do you think? Do you feel shounen characters need to grow more?

I agree, some characters use the same power/fighting and it gets boring. Inner growth could be nice but but I don't think it really needs to be require in a shounen, those can be for shojos lol.

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its not a requirement. as long as some part of the story grow and move froward, i dont mind.

Do you think shounen characters need to grow more?
if I think the characters should grow and evolve shounen more, emotionally, personally, and mentally.
I think every step in life changes you, it changes you, a person of 17 years old, is not the same as at age 22 for example.
The mangaka would have to capture on paper the change.
Dragon Ball for example: A Goku I noticed a radical change after the fight of Freezer, the framework that fight much.
I personally like to see the characters grow. You grow with them. 🤣

I like Kenshin, Captain Tsubasa. I hate ichigo 100% ending, I love macross. I love shin chan.

I love it when there's inner growth. Too much, though, and you often end up with something more like seinen. Which is great, because seinen >>> shounen IMO. /shot

Somehow it depends on the story I think. Like... the story will get boring if the character grow too much or too fast or not.

I don't think it's required in shounen. On the other hand, it'd be interesting to see them grow a little more though.

More or less, I guess, that growth (in which way ever) is bound to the happenings and the pace of the storyline. Of course there might be moments, when one thinks Character X could have come up with another solution in Situation Y or in short: He/She/It could have shown some more growth after all the things happening. But- Then again, in the end everything should be reasonable. That's, what's important for something to suit my taste, if there aren't other requirements catching my eye.

To sum it up, there are so many storylines out there, that evolve in a different way and show various ways of the characters growing up - Or even deal with the fact of a character not showing any signs of if - that everyone can pick freely. Kkk.

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They sure need to grow something more than hair, or power stats, but concept can't acccept it. By design, shounen are aiming for specifical demographics : boys. Successful manga may lead them to last years, meanwhile we will mature and require more depth, that shounen can't give us anymore.

Since editors want to keep cash machine they can't tolerate changing factors. If it works why should they modify it? Old readers are just replaced by young readers. That's why the characters sheet will be silly, holy, gloutonous, blond long hair power up, virgins. Lucky us, finally we grow up from manga (or shounen) 😃

Quote from scribbledoutname

I always have arguments with my friends about manga/anime. She seems to think that shounen characters should grow more internally -- that they most of them don't grow enough. But to me, shounen isn't really ABOUT their inside growth. I prefer seeing how they get stronger to face challenges, change t ...

I agree with OP. Character development is good, but is not necessary in shounen, especially one with battle theme.

Quote from curryriceisgood

I don't think it's required in shounen. On the other hand, it'd be interesting to see them grow a little more though.

What he said.

Is this me in a nutshell?
Pretty much.
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if ppl have problem with real/fun comics...tell them to die
if you want angsty teen dramas with emo growth go fucking watch/read that awful shit
FAR FAR AWAY
stay away from comics you pretentious fuck.

Quote from TaoPaiPai

if ppl have problem with real/fun comics...tell them to die
if you want angsty teen dramas with emo growth go fucking watch/read that awful shit
FAR FAR AWAY
stay away from comics you pretentious fuck.

LOL calm down.

It depends. Certain shounen seems good when the characters mature. Other manga I would prefer them to be stuck to their innocent childhood times. Ex: always thought if Dragon Balls' Goku stayed the same as he was from first vol, we'd be having another Dr. Slump manga and that would have been terrific 😐 But I don't know, DB is good by itself right now so I don't really have much to complain...

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Quote from taeny_ss

I love it when there's inner growth. Too much, though, and you often end up with something more like seinen. Which is great, because seinen >>> shounen IMO. /shot

Pretty much this. It's why I can barely bare to read shounen anymore. Essentially, your typical shounen manga goes on, sometimes for hundreds of chapters, with barely any character development, apart from him growing stronger. I've grown to prefer shorter seinen works where the character grows a great deal over time; or sometimes shoujo (which has pretty rare character growth as well, but usually isn't quite as bad as shounen).

Then again, I've started to prefer light novels more than manga anyway; I don't really care that much about the illustrations and just want a good story that gives me something to think about. Something that most shounen doesn't, and DEFINITELY something the uber-popular ridiculously long series (naruto, bleach, inuyasha, etc.) don't.

Well, I think it depends on the reason why you're reading the shounen.
For example if you like evil protagonists you might be reading something about inner growth while if your read about somebody strong, it will be about his adventures.
Personnaly, in some harems, I hate how the characters don't grow, but in romance, it seldom lacks comedy etc...

If anything, I'll be grey.