Why do many mangakas tend to associate kindness with stupidity or inefficiency?

[chaos control]

Do you notice that many main characters of mangas that are really nice and who genuinely care for others are often times portrayed as the stupid one or the one that is not the most logical (ie. Naruto, Goku, Luffy, etc...), while their rivals (who are generally jerks and who would be such a pain to tolerate) are generally just as powerful as the main hero all the while being portrayed as the more rational or intellectual of the duo? Such examples of this include Sasuke and Vegeta.

Are there any writers or aspiring writers on this base who have any possible idea of why this is?

I personally would make it so that Naruto was portrayed as nowhere near as dumb as he is portrayed. I would also switch Sasuke with Shikamaru or Hinata. I would make Shikamaru have the personality that he currently has (except without the laziness), but I would make Shikamaru be the last Uchiha and Indra's reincarnation and have rinnegan and be fighting Kaguya alongside Naruto. I would do the same with Hinata or Chouji while allowing Hinata or Chouji to keep their personalities (except for Hinata's fainting around Naruto).

Personally, I just think it would be better if Naruto had all of the brains in addition the power and the kindness that he has now. Somebody like Shikamaru could still be a powerful and intellectual rival to him, but it could be a friendly rivalry. The rival doesn't have to be repulsive in terms of personality. In fact, he could still even have different ideals of peace from Naruto.

I for one can actually see the points of Hagoromo's, Indra's, Ashura's and Madara/Obito's ideals. I actually agree with all of them to a degree.

To me the infinite tsukuyomi (minus the white zetsu transformations) was the best plan for peace while ninshuu was a close second. Yet, I'd still get along with a guy like Naruto.

As for Sasuke, he could just be Sasuke Naara or something like that. I'd really just like to see a writer put more respectful, yet rational people in these powerful character positions and I'd like to see people stop praising rudeness and arrogance.

What do you think?

 

[Shadow Phantasm]

Yeah that's true for some but not all manga characters who are kind,Gohan for example is kind hearted and he studies all the time when not fighting dangerous people.

 

[ThanosInfinity]

I agree about the cliches but not about switching entire characters around I like things the way they are. Except Neji as the main character would be awesome! =D

 

[Vapid]

Agreed, and it's is getting old. They are pretty much trying to portray caring people as idiot r-tards and sociopaths as geniuses.

 

[chaos control]

Yeah that's true for some but not all manga characters who are kind,Gohan for example is kind hearted and he studies all the time when not fighting dangerous people.

True. Gohan is a refreshing character actually in this aspect. I am mainly talking about the main protagonists though that have jerk rivals like Naruto and Goku.

 

[take it easy]

it's boring to see character who always have everything.

 

[Cunning Linguist]

Stupidity and simplemindedness are endearing in a way. The main character is supposed to be likable. Is it realistic? Not really. There's plenty of kind people that are smart and plenty of jerks that are stupid. And this series needs more Shikamaru. Sasuke is a boring deuteragonist

 

[Shadow Phantasm]

True. Gohan is a refreshing character actually in this aspect. I am mainly talking about the main protagonists though that have jerk rivals like Naruto and Goku.

Goku and Naruto aren't exactly stupid though,Goku himself is very smart in other areas but had no conventional education so he comes off as a idiot when brought out of his element.

 

[SusanooKyuubi]

It's an accepted cliche of anime and manga. It's very hard to get rid of something so common in storytelling. Also, Naruto and Goku aren't exactly stupid but overall immature. They have proven themselves in tough situation time and time again.

 

[chaos control]

Stupidity and simplemindedness are endearing in a way. The main character is supposed to be likable. Is it realistic? Not really. There's plenty of kind people that are smart and plenty of jerks that are stupid. And this series needs more Shikamaru. Sasuke is a boring deuteragonist

A smart, but kind guy is also likable in my opinion. Gohan and Shikamaru are prime examples of this. It is not even that Sasuke is boring to me. I actually love his power and battles. He can even be pretty rational at times. The thing I just don't like is how much of a jerk he is and how much praise he gets for being said jerk. A guy like Gohan could be just as rational (if not more) all while not being repulsive in terms of personality!

 

[Hyuga Prodigy]

Naruto as a character is lame, he's no longer likable.

 

[Stormblast]

Merely a shounen/Japanese staple. Lead characters are supposed to simplistic lugs with big hearts (Naruto, Goku, Luffy, Natsu, Ed) while their opposition and rivals are consistently self-absorbed, holier-than-thou, stoic pricks (Vegeta, Sasuke, Aizen, Piccolo, Hei).

I very much agree with your analysis on Sasuke and Shikamaru. He's so trite and forced, it's sickening. Someone actually rash like Shikamaru would be a great breath of fresh air in that role.

 

[chaos control]

Goku and Naruto aren't exactly stupid though,Goku himself is very smart in other areas but had no conventional education so he comes off as a idiot when brought out of his element.

It's an accepted cliche of anime and manga. It's very hard to get rid of something so common in storytelling. Also, Naruto and Goku aren't exactly stupid but overall immature. They have proven themselves in tough situation time and time again.

They are not exactly stupid per say. They can actually be very smart when the situation calls for it. It is just the portrayal though. Look at Naruto and Sasuke for instance. Sasuke is seen as the more rational one by many people both in the series and in the fan base.

I wish that people with Sasuke's personality were the useless fodder and that the people like Hinata or Shikamaru were the ones with rinnegan fighting Kaguya.

 

[chaos control]

Sasuke as a character is lame, he was never likable.

I know that this is what you meant.

 

[Sageflash]

I know that this is what you meant.

Don't pay that moron any attention. He's just butthurt Neji is dead, then has the audacity to say an established Kaguya is tiers above other villains in every area thematically.

I agree with you, though. I would have preferred Gaara or Shikamaru in Sasuke's role. Would have been much more entertaining and the plot wouldn't gotten devoured in the process.

 

[Zealotic]

I know that this is what you meant.

Or this
"Naruto & Sasuke are both trash before Overlawd Kaguya"

 

[I'm stupid real stupid]

Why do you care?

 

[Cunning Linguist]

A smart, but kind guy is also likable in my opinion. Gohan and Shikamaru are prime examples of this. It is not even that Sasuke is boring to me. I actually love his power and battles. He can even be pretty rational at times. The thing I just don't like is how much of a jerk he is and how much praise he gets for being said jerk. A guy like Gohan could be just as rational (if not more) all while not being repulsive in terms of personality!

The stupid main protagonist is just a trope of the shounen genre. Just like the smart guy having to be a jerk is a genre trope. It's a good vs evil thing. The pure hearted kind guy vs the evil jerk who uses people in his schemes. The main character has to win using friendship to teach the kids a lesson

 

[take it easy]

The main character has to win using friendship to teach the kids a lesson

naruto rarely used "friendship magic "

 

[chaos control]

Or this
"Naruto & Sasuke are both trash before Overlawd Kaguya"

In terms of power, I agree.

Why do you care?

Why do you care why I care? If we ask these petty questions every time somebody questions something or shows care for something, then society will never even come close to a time where people can at least understand each other to some degree.