Anime adaptations tend to undergo several changes, whether regarding the characters, art style, or the storyline itself. Production studies often have their reasons for deviating from the source material. Some adjust the story to cater to anime audiences, while others simply want to add a touch of their own creativity.
In any sort of media adaptation, it's common for a few characters to take the brunt of the transition, whether it's a partial change or an entirely new personality. However, it's rare to see anime adaptations making alterations to the protagonist’s disposition. Such a drastic change to such a major character is rarely received positively. Still, many adaptations have steered towards this bold move, changing the main character’s personality rather significantly.
5 Dragon Ball Z
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Goku, the Dragon Ball franchise’s main protagonist, has undergone a few changes to his personality in the anime adaptation. These are most notable in the show's English dub. Goku’s initial character and fighting style was supposed to be somewhat selfish, without any sort of moral high ground. It's never suggested that he doesn't care about his friends or family; rather, he’s just unbothered by the concept of justice.
This disposition is reflected in the anime’s original Japanese adaptation, yet Funimation’s English dub version takes an entirely different approach with Goku’s characterization. Goku wouldn’t walk away from a good fight even in the anime, but he now keeps his moral virtues intact, standing up for what's right. Despite being a minor difference in the character’s disposition, the change represents measures taken to gear the anime towards Western audiences. The changes in his personality make him similar to famous superhero characters popular in the West, such as Superman or Spider-Man.
4 The Case Files of Jeweler Richard
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The anime adaptation of The Case Files of Jeweler Richard flips the protagonist's personality altogether, turning a somewhat odd and immature character into a meticulous and calm person. In the original source and manga version of the series, Richard is a childish tsundere with a snarky and obnoxious attitude. His attitude with his partner, Seigi, is also quite different in both versions of the show.
The anime features an entirely opposite side of Richard, turning him into stoic and level-headed person. Going from being embarrassed and flustered by Seigi’s compliments to a man of imperturbable character, Richard’s character goes through some significant reforms. While the anime version is befitting for Richard’s role in the series, taking away some of his quirkiness does make the anime adaptation slightly less interesting.
3 Devil May Cry
In the original Devil May Cry manga, Dante’s character has a lot of quirks. His love for fighting and wreaking havoc are quite apparent. He doesn’t care about getting paid either; instead, his primary concern is simply having a good time as he goes wild in his fights. His demeanor tends to change in the video game adaptations, but it largely remains similar, based around his love for fighting.
In the anime, Dante bears a different disposition. His concerns and priorities take a massive shift. He no longer has the same quirks in his personality, and bears a laid-back persona. Simply enjoying a good fight is no longer a concern for him, as he cares more about getting paid. While the core of Dante’s personality has been kept intact, much of his quirkiness has been lost to the transition, leaving behind a more mellow personality.
2 Birdy the Mighty
As a space patrol officer, Birdy holds high moral values and is strictly against the use of lethal force, even if it could be considered necessary. For her, death is not the answer when it comes to vengeance and retribution, as she holds accountability above all else. She even regrets a role that she played in a character’s death, clearly demonstrating her disdain for lethal force. In the anime adaptation, however, Birdy has no issue with using lethal force, especially in emergency scenarios.
She even plays a major role in the death of the same character that she had regrets over in the manga version, denoting an extreme shift in her personality in the anime. This tendency is all the more apparent in the OVA and Birdy the Mighty: Decode version of the series, deviating significantly from her disposition in the manga.
1 Ghost In the Shell
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Ghost In the Shell is another example of flipping the protagonist’s personality altogether. Major Motoko goes from an easy-going, seductive character to a driven and stoic person that puts their job before all else. However, several variations of the Major’s character can be witnessed in Ghost In the Shell’s various versions and remakes.
In Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Major Motoko bears a balanced personality, with a driven and serious nature while on the job and a slightly laid-back disposition when around her family and close friends. However, several of the manga’s characteristics are reintroduced in this version of the series, with Motoko regaining some of her snarky and tomboyish traits.