Highlights
- Edens Zero incorporates several elements from the author's previous series Fairy Tail, including character designs and personalities, creating a sense of familiarity for fans.
- Both the protagonist Shiki and Fairy Tail's Natsu share similar character designs, personalities, and even their sources of power, showcasing an uncanny number of resemblances between the two.
- The protagonists of both series, Natsu and Shiki, possess powers that were believed to be extinct, adding a layer of uniqueness to their abilities. Additionally, both characters have a strong obsession with making friends and going out of their way to help others.
Author Hiro Mashima is renowned for reusing character designs from his previous works and incorporating several callbacks and hidden references. His most popular series Fairy Tail featured several elements that were clearly taken from Mashima’s previous work Rave Master. With his newest series Edens Zero now airing, fans can’t help but notice a similar pattern as several of Fairy Tail’s distinct elements can be found within the new anime.
While much of Edens Zero’s premise and worldbuilding is thoroughly unique and distinct, the same can’t be said about its characters. From character designs to personalities, Edens Zero’s character roster shares many similarities with its predecessor Fairy Tail. Shiki Granbell is one example as much of his character’s inspiration seems to be drawn from Natsu Dragneel. However, these similarities go much deeper than mere surface-level character designs as Hiro Mashima has ensured that both protagonists share an uncanny number of resemblances.
Similar Personality and Character Design
The primary similarity between Shiki and Natsu is the uncannily similar character design, though Mashima has made slight changes in Shiki’s overall appearance. The two share the same model with spiky hair and cat-like eyes, coupled with a muscular build and an average height. The only deviation is Shiki’s black hair and a slightly more modernized attire.
Their personalities have little to no differences as the two boast a happy-go-lucky attitude with a love for adventure and making friends. When the going gets tough, however, both protagonists know when to put their game faces on and fight for what’s right. Their true strength also seems to be locked behind the power of friendship as emotions and sentimentalities seem to be a shared fuel for their power.
Granted Powers by an Adoptive Parent
Another clear similarity between Shiki and Natsu is the source of their power. In Natsu’s case, he was granted his power by the fire dragon Igneel, who is shown to be his adoptive parent as well. Shiki, on the other hand, learns his Gravity Ether Gear power by Ziggy, an android that takes him in as his own.
Their situation is eerily similar as both protagonists were taken in by adoptive parents and were granted their unique powers. Another aspect to note is that the adoptive parents were of a different species, meaning both Shiki and Natsu lacked a human touch while growing up. The lack of human involvement in their upbringing becomes quite apparent as they navigate through human relations later on.
Possess Powers of a Bygone Era
As the protagonists of their respective series, Natsu and Shiki were bound to possess an unfathomable power, yet even their powers have a few similarities. Natsu was taught Dragon Slayer Magic by an actual dragon, making him one of the few First Generation Dragon Slayers in the series. Since dragons had gone extinct 400 years back, Dragon Slayer Magic became an extremely rare form of magic, even considered a myth by some.
Shiki’s power is similar in that sense, as Gravity Ether Gear is a power from the Dark Ages. Whenever Shiki uses his power in battle, his opponents are caught by surprise as no one expects a power from the Dark Ages to resurface once more. While Edens Zero has revealed a few other Gravity Ether Gear users, it still doesn’t negate the fact that this power was believed to have gone extinct, making it somewhat similar to Natsu’s Dragon Slayer Magic.
Obsession With Friends
The two protagonists share an odd obsession with making friends and going out of their way to help strangers. While this may be a bit subtle in Natsu’s case, Shiki outwardly states his goal of making friends countless times. His initial reason for leaving Planet Granbell and venturing into space was to find new people and make human friends.
Natsu may not have outwardly expressed this sentiment, but his personality also bears this trait. His openness to accepting Lucy clearly showcases his willingness to make new friends and retain the ones he already had. He also goes out of his way to protect his friends and ensure their safety.
An Irrational Fear
Another peculiar similarity between the two protagonists is that both possess an odd and quirky fear. Shiki has an irrational fear of bugs, and he passes out at the sight of one. This is used as a running gag throughout the series, though it's mostly for comedic relegation and rarely has any actual implications.
Natsu has a similar fear, although this is rooted in an actual physical issue. Due to his Dragon Slayer powers, Natsu has severe motion sickness and becomes completely useless whenever he boards any sort of transportation. However, the issue seems to be psychological as well considering Natsu gets sick just by thinking of being in a moving vehicle.
Edens Zero is available to stream on Crunchyroll.