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Arguably, Pain is one of the most well-written antagonists in Masashi Kishimoto’s series, and his backstory and journey are nothing short of tragic. But what makes it even more interesting is his character development.
From a fearful child to a feared shinobi, his trajectory is truly iconic. His path to villainy stands in contrast to most antagonists in the shonen genre. As a fleshed-out character, he can match up with yet another villain in Bleach.
Not Yhwach or Ulquiorra but Nagato can surpass Aizen in most aspects as an antagonist. That, however, does not negate the latter’s scheming and cold persona that stands unmatched in more ways than one.
Pain outclasses shonen villains in this aspect
Calling Pain’s backstory tragic would be a gross understatement. From his turbulent childhood to his adulthood, his life is perilous in every possible way. Being an orphan from Amegakure, he witnessed sheer horrors as a kid.
To make things worse, his witnessing of Yahiko’s death shattered the ideals of peace and harmony. As one of the founders of Akatsuki, his character is quite noteworthy in terms of his gut-wrenching backstory.
The ninja world is filled with its fair share of trials and tribulations be it child soldiers to suicide missions. Furthermore, Kishimoto left no stone unturned in addressing the pitfalls in his series and Nagato was no stranger to this considering his troubled past.
His witnessing his parent’s death and hisabandonment at the hands of Jiraiyaproved detrimental to his future. His descent into villainy is attributed to the harrowing backstory of the character. This only proves why he’s better than most shonen villains.
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Even Redditors wouldvouchfor the characters’ well-written storyline.
While Nagato’s backstory encapsulates loss and grief, it stands in contrast with Sosuke Aizen’s villainy. In terms of scheming and calculating, he takes the cake.
Aizen’s scheming persona inBleachstands unmatched
Of all the shocking plot twists in Tite Kubo’s series,Sosuke Aizen’sbetrayal tops the chart. As one of the former captains of the 5th Division of Gotei 13, his intelligence and wit are unmatched. From faking his death to plotting Rukia Kuchiki’s execution, the character is a true mastermind.
While he may not be as flashy and eccentric as Mayuri Kurotsuchi, his scheming persona along with his combat prowess makes him formidable. His manipulation tacts and antics stand unmatched especially when it comes to his pursuits and ambitions.
Bleachstands unrivaled through the representation of diverse characters and their persona. Tite Kubo is a true genius in showcasing a spectrum of evil in his series and his well-written characters and their fleshed-out storyline is what makes them stand apart.
In doing so, the mangaka reflects an ever-present moral conflict in his series. Characters like Gin Ichimaru, Kaname Tosen, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi aren’t evil for the sake of being evil. This also dispels the binary of good versus evil. By showcasing morally grey characters, he brings out the depth of his manga.
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By and by, both characters are poles apart in most aspects. Nagato’s villainy reflects his harrowing experience and perils while Aizen’s pursuits are rather ambitious and individualistic. They’re power-driven and rather vain so to say.
NarutoandBleachare available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
