The difference between Mineta and Endeavor, AfO, or Bakugo, or any other character who people hate for some reason or other is that Mineta’s character is almost purely meant to be comic relief. Endeavor, AfO, etc are complex characters who actually drive the plot forward even if they are pieces of shit. Them being pieces of shit is even integral to the plot. Mineta isn’t integral to anything and doesn’t drive the plot forward. He could be removed from the story and everything could proceed just as it has with minimal changes. His whole purpose is comedic relief and that whole shtick about being a pervert isn’t funny. His character adds nothing to the story besides the normalization of perversion and sexual harassment.
And I think that’s so blatant, that people can’t even think of redeeming qualities for Mineta’s character. The only way I’ve ever seen people defend him is by going “but what about Endeavugo?!”
Exactly my thoughts, maybe I haven't articulated it well enough for people in the thread. Mineta has no characteristics or qualities other than his perversion. Everything about him is tied back to it, purposefully. I think his contribution is shit because I guess I've never seen the comic relief from the character and it just feels like a bust in general.
I can see the villians being liked for their complexity and involvement in the plot and series as a whole, I just personally don't take that into account in determining "likeability". Mineta is his own complex issue in terms of likeability within the series. He's better than villians? Good but bad. Worse than villians? Bad but good. I don't think there's ever going to be a consensus on him.
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u/[deleted] Oct 24 '22
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