Definition: The protagonist of a Shonen story who emotionally well-balance, ethically sound, and mentally strong. Noted for having a large amount of potential.
What You Need To Know: The Everyman Hero is exactly what he/she sounds like. They are Shonen protagonists designed to appeal to the largest audience possible. As such, many of their stories play out the same way. A hero is found, they lose a big fight, they train, they learn to accept defeat, and win the rematch. Rinse and repeat.
From Zero to Hero in less than 20 chapters
The Everyman Hero usually has to work harder than any other hero to achieve their true potential. A common Everyman Hero story is one that depicts the protagonist learning through experience and training. The Everyman Hero will lose the most battles out of any other Hero, but these loses ultimately facilitate more growth than any other Hero. They gain a wisdom that is somewhat exclusive to them. A lot of Everyman Heroes tend to be leaders.
The Chibi will inherit the Earth
Like most protagonists, Everyman Heroes work toward a goal. This goal can be of a romantic nature, a social nature, or a personal nature. Given the nature of Shonen, most of these goals are facilitated through personal strength. As a result, Everyman Heroes are driven to exceed their limits, but this can sometimes lead to their downfall. If a Everyman Hero allows their personal ambitions to overcome them, they become corrupted. Many Everyman Heroes will even meet antagonists who have done just that.
To be fair, what kid of good guy uses a scythe? That’s waay too Metal.
The Everyman Hero also tends to be the most heroic of archetype. They cannot ignore a cry for help, even to the point of being viewed as idealistic. Perhaps even a bit meddlesome. That being said, most Everyman Heroes save the day by beating up the bad guy.
My Western Take: The Everyman Hero is a universal concept. King Arthur of England, Zorro of Mexico, Spider-Man of New York. Western Academics even refer to the Everyman heroic story as the “Hero’s Journey,” or the story of a regular person becoming extraordinary through courageous feats and trials.
Special Note: Akira Sengoku (Cage of Eden)