Are You The Main Character?

Do you feel like you are playing the lead in your own life?

Or are you the villain embarking on

your next grand scheme. Putting yourself at the forefront of your life to discover your purpose is

one of the many challenges that everyone faces at one point.

But many daily challenges can

limit someone’s ability to prioritize themselves and dedicate the time to accomplish goals.

If only life was as simple as a movie, where a montage could quickly wrap up our desires, labor,

and journey. Instead I would compare life to a consistent ongoing battle, like how One Piece

continues to go on and on and on and on. Unlike One Piece, life eventually does come to an

end.

That’s a very morbid way to look at it, I know, but it also reiterates the point to live to the

fullest because life is so unpredictable. Which brings us to today’s topic.

Are you the main character in the life you’re living or maybe the supporting character in the protagonist’s epic space adventure.

We’re so conditioned to put everyone else’s needs before our own. We live in a society where

serving others or being born filthy rich determines your status.

Urbandictionary.com defines a main character as:

“Someone who you can make a movie about and have it be interesting. They are quirky and not

basic.”

Let’s break down that definition.

“Someone who you can make a movie about and have it be interesting.

” The first half of this

definition tells us that a main character is someone that lives an engaging enough life, that it

would maintain a viewership. These are typically people who are down to just enjoy the ride.

They live in the moment, stopping to smell the flowers, pointing at random cloud shapes in the

sky. They have no attachments to certain outcomes and give no attention to those that judge them.

Main characters tend to live carefree and that is what makes them so interesting to watch,

because they can be unpredictable.

A majority of main characters in anime commonly share tropes that keep viewers interested. A

common trope you’ll find is the protagonist a hot head. They are easily agitated, don’t take well

to any forms of teasing, and can act impulsively. Sound familiar?

Literally every shonen protagonist is a hothead. That definitely should not be a trait that you decide to take on

personally to attain main character energy though. I think being passionate about something is a

better way to rephrase “hothead.”

Because hotheads can have negative connotations attached

to it. However, we can’t deny that hotheads are interesting to watch, which goes back to what

we said earlier “viewers want to watch lives that are engaging enough.”

The second half of this definition states:

“They are quirky and not basic.

” Urban Dictionary defines being quirky as

“Someone who thinks they’re doing something special and DiFfErEnT but in reality they are just

annoying.

”

Main characters in anime do stand out qualities when compared to other characters whether

that is through their upbringing, special gifts, appearance, or social skills. They have a way of

approaching situations creatively. Okay I feel attacked because I thought being quirky was cute,

being quirky is what my whole personality is based on and now I’ll have to go back to the

drawing board now.

The hashtag, #maincharacter, now has 7.1billion views on TikTok. The first known main

character video on TikTok that sparked the trend is user @lexapro

lesbian in 2020.

When scrolling through the hashtag you’ll find that it’s evolved into a collection of captured main

character moments, users calling themselves the main character and performing some type of

cinematic cliche, and anime mashups.

A particular video uploaded by user ashlaward defines being the main character,

“You have to start romanticizing your life. You have to start thinking of yourself as the main

character because if you don’t — life will continue to pass you by. And all the little things that

make it so beautiful will continue to go unnoticed. So take a second, and look around and

realize that it’s a blessing for you to be here right now.”

Romanticizing lives is nothing new to social media. The soft and brightly dimmed aesthetic

commonly features iced coffees, days at the beach, traveling, picnics, LA life, NY life, and so

much more.

Online trends that glorify beauty in everyday life can be toxic in some cases of over absorption.

This common trope of romanticizing life can be compared to how often anime and manga

creators romanticize being ages 12-16.

To romanticize is dealing with or describing in an idealized or unrealistic fashion; make

(something) seem better or more appealing than it really is.

Romanticizing originated in 1800. It emerged as an artistic movement that occurred in response

to the Industrial revolution and the disillusionment of political norms of the Enlightenment

values. A common theme found in literary or art pieces is glorification of the past, lifestyle, or a

single object.

Main characters in films, tv shows, literary works, anime and more are often romanticized due to

certain qualities they attain that others may not have. A common trope found in main characters

is their urge to conquer their dreams, whether that’s to be hokage or become the strongest hero.

Main characters in anime constantly have the drive to prove their value and conquer their

dreams to reach a role of power in society.

People with main character energy in real life are

more than likely seeking out their goals as well, and crossing things off their bucket list. They

often are preoccupied with passion projects, hobbies, and other pastimes that bring them joy.

Another common main character trope that can cause misleading views is their ability to level

up very quickly.

We often see the main character as the underdog, starting in a new line of work

under seasoned veterans. We watch the main character slowly work towards mastering their

craft to disrupt the chain of command by kicking the ass of a seasoned veteran or experienced

villain. When compared to real life though, becoming the most powerful or the most popular isn’t as easily accessed.

Strength, power, popularity, and success take a lot of time and effort from those with main character energy in real life and it can’t be summed up in 7 seasons.

People with main character energy on social media give very limited glimpses into the behind

the scenes work it takes to succeed, and are often criticized for only sharing the highs and not

highlighting the lows. This displays unrealistic expectations for followers wanting to attain the

same goals.

Any anime that needs a little comic relief makes sure to not pass on the opportunity to make the

main character a HUGE foodie. Whether it’s Naruto’s addiction to ramen, Goku’s never ending

appetite, or every taste tester’s reaction to trying food in Food Wars. Anime protagonist will often

search for comfort food in between battles. People that have main character energy in real life

are constantly sharing posts of iced coffees, acai bowls, baked pastries and any other food that

can be covered in gold that make their follower’s stomach’s growl.

A good protagonist also seeks out adventure. Main characters in anime are often seen traveling

to new places, to face new challenges, and for further self discovery. People with main character

energy in real life take time to travel as well. Romanticizing traveling can have positive effects

and encourage followers to work or save up to reach the same destination. However, this can

also set unrealistic expectations for many of their followers.

Another way a lead hero in an anime can stand out is through their fashion sense. Many

protagonists wear unique outfits that are known to catch the attention of viewers and bypassers

alike. People with main character energy are often seen wearing whatever makes them feel

good too. They don’t consider the judgements of others by what they are wearing, and mainly

focus on wearing clothes that fit their daily mood.

I really enjoy discussions like this because it aligns with the argument that we are in a

simulation.

Discussing what role you play in life parallels to whether free will actually exists or

are we just destined to live out the lives assigned to us. Are some people assigned as main

characters and others assigned as sidekicks and villains. Or is it possible for us to step outside

of the initial roles assigned to us and step into a role with more power and influence.

You are the hero of your own story, you decide what role you have in life. You weren’t built to be

only an observer. You aren’t meant to be a bystander in a life story so big you have no control

over the plot. If you want to be the main character in the story then actively seek out prioritizing

yourself however you can.

Sources:

https://www.riverbanktherapy.com/blog/2021/3/24/10-things-to-stop-and-start-doing-to-become-t

So here's the question:

Have you ever watched someone’s workday live on TikTok? Why’d you keep watching? 👀