Manhua in terms of protagonists have some tropes when it comes to what their audiences want. Despite the title we’ll be focusing on the characters focusing on action series. Mostly because the equally popular romance stories bore me. Side note, most of my references will be the manhua available on apps like WebComics and Webnovel. Mostly because since some of these series are based on novels, it’s a good chance to explore Chinese pop culture.
The Representative Manhua Protagonists
Xianxia, as followers of this blog are aware of, is the genre of Daoist martial arts cultivation. When people enter these intense meditative states they gain the power of superhumans. Unfortunately, unlike money this creates a society of might makes right. This power often goes to people’s heads; so the protagonist is often on a quest to gain enough power to knock these rivals down a peg. In the classic series Douluo Dalu (Soul Land) the protagonists often compensate their lack of talents in one field to something else; the original series for example features Tang San utilizing martial arts and improbable weapons over magic.
The Above’s More Sophisticated Cousin
Manhua however isn’t just about spiritual magic as wuxia has protagonists focus more on martial arts. Also, martial arts are less about status and more about identity. But in the right time and context, they can be just as political. Fung Wan for example takes place in the Ming Dynasty. This era was a time of pride for the Chinese where martial arts are a sign of lineage. It is a time of culture where the greatest fighters are celebrated as heroes.
The Secret Life of the Manhua Protagonist
In even more manhua series are protagonists like in The Brilliant Village Doctor or The Superb Security Guard in the City. In these series are multi-talented men who dominate their lives. Some of them wish to live in secret due to a checkered past but never hesitate to help, especially if that means getting the attention of pretty girls. Other times they use their talents to make a profit and get themselves out of any sticky situations. So while these seemingly average men have skills, they prefer to lead a humble if well compensated life. Their practical skills are what allows them to thrive no matter the situation.
What’s This Getting At?
Okay after all of that babbling I think it’s time to get into the details these all have in common. All of these characters depending on the context are considered prodigies/geniuses. They are China’s version of the competent man, a stock character made famous by Robert A. Heinlein. They’re the kind of characters who are the stuff of fantasy and what readers strive to be. Because if anyone can get a handle on their lives, they can practically do anything.
Unfortunately there’s a problem when these are the default protagonists. In any media including manhua, protagonists are best remembered as people the audience can relate to. But these hyper-competent characters much like Heinlein and his characters have a divisive reputation. In fact the characters are usually only in these positions because they were lucky; some of them just happen to get superpowers for no apparent reason. Sure they still work hard but the formulaic nature of their feats don’t have any real stakes. If anything, the characters feel like Let’s Play Personalities going on another video game campaign.
Future of Manhua Protagonists
With China having a really big focus on a society that’s mainly for men, there is more potential. Manhua can deal less with storytellers who never question themselves or outside their spaces. One series in particular 100th Day After Disappearance has the protagonist not able to fulfill his goal through his numerous skills or connections. Instead he has to sacrifice just about everything to see his goal through; if you follow the series, you’ll find it’s a solid justification. He was manipulated into killing his more liked sister and tried to bring her back to life. Only for this to be futile until a deal is made.
Some manhua protagonists can certainly take cues from series like Phoenix Goes Against The World. This doesn’t just have a strong female protagonist but the odds are stacked against her. That doesn’t even mean the glass ceiling where men come in, but her family looking to usurp her place in a royal lineage. In fact one of the highest ranked Manhua is Song of the Long March, a wuxia revenge story starring a woman. The only thing stopping this series is finding a new publisher, who might not get another chance since its author is a woman.
So what do you think, can Manhua protagonists be anything other than hyper-competent men? In any case thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.