You get emotionally connected to an anime you are watching, and to see the character either go through trauma or being treated poorly, one cannot but feel sympathy for these characters. Reality or fantasy, we all go through our ups and downs, and such instances evoke our deepest feelings.
From sexual abuse to starvation to suicide to ostracization to bullying to experiencing virtually every conceivable human problem, these characters have gone through a lot.
Anime has a long train of emotions going on, and one of the emotions it stresses most is the importance of having someone by your side. Luffy had Ace and Sobo, Goku had Master Roshi, Gintoki had Yoshida Shouyou, Elric Brothers had each other, and Eren had Armin and Mikasa, the importance of having someone by your side plays a crucial role in the growth. These bonds, over a while, become impossible to break.
The characters on the list, unfortunately, started with bitter beginnings. Without any further delay, let us get into the “Ultimate Guide On Manga Where MC Is Treated Badly.”
#21 Masamune-Kun’s Revenge
Number of volumes: 11
Number of chapters: 49
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Masamune-Kun’s Revenge:
Masamune-Kun’s Revenge is a dull and poor take on revenge, but it is still a story where the MC gets bad treatment. Masamune Makabe, the MC of the series, is a food lover. And his love for food turned it into an addiction that made him chubby and obese. Masamune’s close friend Aki Adagaki is high-born and hails from a wealthy family. Alas, she one day broke his heart, and that devasted him. Waking up from his devastation, he swore to seek revenge on Aki. And to seek revenge, he trains ferociously to lose weight and become a hot teen.
Masamune used his physical characteristics to his advantage to exact revenge on Aki. All said and done, this anime should only be used as a cautionary tale about how not to persuade others. The best form of retaliation is to live life to the fullest and cherish every moment.
#20 Btooom!
Number of volumes: 26
Number of chapters: 121
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Btooom!:
There is probably no ultimate betrayal than that of the family, and Sakamoto Ryota is betrayed and given up by his own family. He is a NEET, and those who know about anime, know that tag is not something to be proud of. Sakamoto may be an unemployed young adult, but in the world of online games, he is of the top-ranking players in a game called Btooom!. Sakamoto’s mother agrees to have her son taken by a group to an island to participate in a game of killing, only this time, it is for real. Unfortunately, he will also have to deal with other betrayals in the game.
#19 Giant Killing
Number of volumes: 61
Number of chapters: 491
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Giant Killing:
In football terminology, giant killing is when a low-ranking team wins over a higher one. And this series stays true to its name. Unlike most of the series on the list, this one is not about betrayal or sacrifice. So say, even the character treatment is not the worst. Nonetheless, the main character, Takeshi Tatsumi, is questioned over his managerial tactics.
Experiencing a long string of consistently subpar performances and on the verge of relegation, the East Tokyo United bet their last hopes on Takeshi Tatsumi. They appoint Takeshi as their new manager and hope to at least stay out of the relegation.
However, Takeshi’s transition into the managerial post is not smooth. Many oppose this choice, think he was a poor option, and hold a grudge against him because they see him as a traitor for leaving ETU as a player, eventually leading the team to their worst downfall. Unfazed by the negativity and doubts, he trains the team to not only bring them from the worst depths of relegation but also to win the championship.
#18 Assassination Classroom
Number of volumes: 21
Number of chapters: 180
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Assassination Classroom:
A tentacled creature destroying a significant part of the moon and claiming that it will next destroy the planet is bloodcurdling. He provides humanity with an opportunity to escape this fate, nevertheless. All earthlings trying to kill you is no fun game, albeit powerful; the treatment of the main character is one of the worst.
However, all changes when the creature dons the name “Koro-sensei” and becomes a homeroom teacher. The series is to be experienced to the true beauty of it, from teaching endless life lessons; to hatred; to love; to emotion. The same series features a different protagonist, Nagisa, who also starts outs with weak self-esteem, but this all changes with the Koro-sensei entrance.
#17 Vinland Saga
Number of volumes: 26
Number of chapters: 196
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Vinland Saga:
War changes everything, and this is the story of a war that changed the life of Thorfinn Thorsson. Thorsson’s father, Thors Snorresson, is drafted into the war, but the army has an ulterior motive of assassinating Thors for deserting them in the past. The story revolves very much around vengeance and betrayal.
The very Viking that killed his family took him in and raised him. Nonetheless, Thorsson has never forgotten the betrayal and longing to take vengeance on them for the murder of his father. He trains himself to become one of the notable fighters in the series.
#16 Ajin: Demi-Human
Number of volumes: 17
Number of chapters: 86
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Ajin: Demi-Human:
Ajins are humanoids that first appeared in Africa 17 years ago and are immortal. The first Ajin was a soldier who fought through war and earned a name as “Soldier of God.” He was soon captured by the American government, who wanted to perform various cruel experiments on him and discover the core cause of immortality. Ajins were seen as a threat to society and were despised by people all over.
Nagai Kei, the main character, gets hit by a truck, and here, his Ajin identity is made known to the general population. The people around him are stunned by his scream since the scream of an Ajin can paralyze people around. Ajins are therefore carrying a target on their backs. Few Ajins, including the antagonist Satou, managed to break out of the facility and waged an act of revenge on the officials.
Kei, on the other hand, decides not to play a part in the developing Ajin-human struggle; but instead strikes a deal with Japanese government operatives to fight against Satou in exchange for his release from government experimentation. Ajin: Demi-Human manga may not seem to treat the MC badly throughout the series, but there is a sense of discrimination against Kei just because of his humanoid identity.
#15 Natsume’s Book of Friends
Number of volumes: 28
Number of chapters: 108
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Natsume’s Book of Friends:
Takashi Natsume, the main character, has an eerie ability with which he can see Youkai. The strange spiritual ability made him isolated and shunned by his peers. He was left alone as he was moved from foster home to foster family. Over the years, he came to terms with his loneliness and completely shut himself off from others.
Book of Friends is a book that contains an encapsulation of Reiko’s thoughts. The book later ended up in the hands of Natsume. Although the book occasionally causes Natsume problems, he is also thankful for the opportunity to meet different youkai and form enduring friendships with both Youkai and humans.
Natsume Yuujinchou is unsettling and surreal while also being heartbreakingly sad and heartwarmingly compassionate. Even the characters you only briefly interact with are fully developed and believable. Even though Natsume put off with others, he managed to form long and endearing relations. The eerie part of Natsume is what makes him who he is.
#14 Fire Force
Number of volumes: 34
Number of chapters: 304
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Fire Force:
Shinra Kusakabe is a pyrokinetic who can ignite a fire at his feet. He is known by his nickname, the “Devil’s Footprint.” When Shinra was a kid, his mother and brother died in the house caught ablaze; the people and authorities alike were convinced that this was Shinra’s doing due to his pyrokinetic abilities. And he becomes a victim of ostracization by the public.
Because of the agony and shock of his mother’s passing, he developed a condition known as nervous laughter, which causes the muscles in his face to tense up whenever he feels anxious, exposing his teeth and causing his mouth to extend into a smile.
Shinra later joins the Special Fire Force Company; with only two goals in mind, one to find out what really happened on that day of his mother and brother’s death, and two, to help out the people from fire accidents. Shinra started out weak, but he has amassed various abilities that make him a formidable character.
#13 Big Windup!
Number of volumes: 34
Number of chapters: 184
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Big Windup!:
Big Windup is a story of Ren Mihashi and his sporting career in baseball as a high-schooler. Ren is despised and hated by most of his teammates on his middle school’s baseball team.
The reason behind this is nepotism; the players accuse Ren that he made it into the team only because of his grandfather, the school’s owner. As a pitcher, Ren became a center of attraction when the team lost. And due to this, Ren is fixated that he is a terrible baseball pitcher and feels bad since and thinks he is to blame for every defeat the team has incurred.
Ren gets himself transferred to Nishiura High School with the hope of quitting the game. However, he was dragged into the school’s baseball team. The turn of events probably happened for the best as Ren later became one of the aces and formidable pitchers on his team.
#12 The Rising of the Shield Hero
Number of volumes: 21
Number of chapters: 89
Why MC Is Treated Badly In The Rising of the Shield Hero:
The Rising of the Shield Hero is originally a Light Novel. The manga is penned by Aiya Kyu a year after its original release. Naofumi Iwatani and three others get summoned into a fantasy world; the four players are equipped with weapons. One got a spear; the rest got a sword and a bow. Naofumi got a shield, which was used to act as a defensive wall for the other three players, who were on the offensive side due to their choice of weapons.
As a result of his lack of offensive talent and apparent inexperience, Naofumi gets the label of the weakest player in the entirety of the anime. When all seems awry for our hero, the stunning princess Malty Melromarc is willing to accompany him in his quest. Everything fell into its place, or that’s what you must be thinking? Hold your thoughts for a while. Few of you must be familiar with the “Barney’s Hot/Crazy scale?” Malty, or “B*tch,” yeah, that’s one of her nicknames, is batshit crazy!
Malty Melromarc is a first-rate actress who frequently poses as a helpless, destitute girl and victimizes herself to gain people’s trust. After soon joining Naofumi as a companion, she betrays him and steals all his money and belongings. It does not stop there; she falsely accuses him of sexually assaulting him. He was later shunned away by the kingdom. Enranged and aggravated, Naofumi trains all by himself to become a hero, and he does so successfully. And to put into his perspective, his current level is 110-150, and Malty’s is around 39.
#11 Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
Number of volumes: 61
Number of chapters: 594
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple:
High school can be a place of absolute enjoyment and, at the same time, hell on earth. For the 15-year-old Kenichi Shirahama, the main protagonist, high school was hell. Kenichi was bullied brutally throughout his schooling. He was seen as a loser by the other students at his school and given the nickname “Week knees.”
Kenichi, however, joined the karate club at his school, but because he lacked talent, he was viewed as worthless and degraded to being a punching bag. His path takes a turn when he stumbles across Miu; she invites Kenichi to the Ryozanpaku dojo.
Kenichi vows to protect others and eventually grow into a better fighter. Since he naturally mixes all the many martial arts he learns from his masters, Kenichi has worked hard to build a distinctive fighting style: Jujutsu, Chinese Kenpo, Muay Thai, and Karate. Kenichi Shirahama, a 15-old-bullied kid to becoming a master himself, Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple will hook you on with its intriguing and uproarious premise.
#10 Eyeshield 21
Number of volumes: 37
Number of chapters: 333
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Eyeshield 21:
Eyeshield 21 features Sena Kobayakawa, a pushover and timid guy. Sena is a quiet, reserved, and modest kid, even after achieving incredible feats in football history, and is said to be chivalrous. He has experienced bullying and performed errands for others to get out of bullying.
But, this changed when he became a football player. It helped him better his game, as Sena gradually gets braver and more willing to put himself in danger, to help his team win, or to defend others. Sena is quite frail and unassertive.
However, his agility to run is unmatched, and the same ability made him get the limelight he deserved. And he was taken aboard a new team by American Football team’s captain Yoichi Hiruma. The series has one of the best character developments on the list. From being a frail kid, Sena later becomes a player in amateur-league football.
#9 Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Number of volumes: 10
Number of chapters: 65
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann:
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one of the few instances where it was initially made as anime and later adopted into manga. Simon, the main character, was born into the subterranean civilization era.
The era takes place in the far future, where the planet has an abundant supply of clean water, livestock for food, and lighting provided by electric generators. However, the earthquakes posed an ever-growing threat to the citizens and the resources. Simon is a digger; a digger is someone who helps expand and acts as mitigation control for earthquakes.
Simon lost both his parents early on in an earthquake and became the best digger, separating him from his peers and earning their wrath. He was scorned and ostracized by the people. Simon and his close friend Kamina discover a long-lost item that gives them the ability to fight the Beastmen and get back to the surface. They both make it to the surface world, where they help the world prosper, and along the way, they make new friends and unravel a cosmic mystery.
#8 Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Number of volumes: 42
Number of chapters: 409
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Katekyo Hitman Reborn!:
Tsunayoshi Sawada is a 14 years old middle-schooler; he is also someone known throughout the school as “No-Good Tsuna.” Often disregarded due to his poor self-esteem and a general lack of talent. His life is a long walk of misery, but not for long. Tsuna is a lineal descendant of Giotto, the first-generation Vongola Famiglia ruler, a mafia boss! Making Tsuna a fourth-generation descendant to lay claim over the title.
Things take a shocking turn when Tsuna’s mother hires a tutor. You might say that is quite normal. It would be if the tutor were a university student or professor. But the tutor that gets hired is a holder of World’s Strongest Hitman, called Reborn! And he is here to make Tsuna stronger and a worthy successor to carry on the Vongola legacy. Trained by Reborn, Tsuna goes through a daunting routine and is on his way to becoming the tenth boss of the Vongola boss.
#7 Bungo Stray Dogs
Number of volumes: 22
Number of chapters: 103
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Bungo Stray Dogs:
Growing up as an orphan is not an easy ordeal, but getting kicked out of an orphanage and being left alone is probably the worst. The main character of Bungo Stray Dogs, Atsushi Nakajima, is weak but likable and someone who is looking for a life purpose. Atsushi has mystical powers that turn him into a white tiger. His same ability made him a center of attraction and led to unfathomable trauma and abuse by the orphan director.
The director later kicked him out and left him to die. Atsushi crosses paths with a man from suicide named Osamu Dazai, a detective, and invites Atsushi to join his agency. Atsushi turns into the Port Mafia’s target, carrying a bounty on his head.
Atsushi has a strong sense of responsibility for the safety of people and his fellow Agency members, especially in difficult circumstances. His moral compass makes him strong as he goes on to save more and more people; he may have been abused and traumatized, but he no longer falters.
#6 Deadman Wonderland
Number of volumes: 13
Number of chapters: 57
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Deadman Wonderland:
Deadman Wonderland is a story of a teenager who is wrongfully convicted. The series, in its entirety, is a nail-biting thriller opus. Ganta Igarashi, the main character of the series, is an ordinary school-going kid, but things go amiss when a massacre happens in his classroom, killing everyone except him. Due to being the sole survivor, he becomes a center of attraction and a prime suspect.
Ganta is sentenced to death after a botched trial and sent to the prison: Deadman Wonderland. To keep alive, Ganta and many other prisoners have to go through lethal performances to acquire a “candy,” which helps in subduing a poisonous chemical ingested into them. While keeping up with the agonizing ordeal, Ganta has to discover the “Red Man” to clear his name while attempting to survive as a death row convict.
#5 Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
Number of volumes: 10
Number of chapters: 179
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest:
Launched originally as a web novel, Arifureta was later adapted into manga and anime subsequently. The series walks us through the story of Hajime Nagumo, a high-school-going kid. Nagumo is bullied by his classmates, primarily due to his friendship with Kaori. Everything took a turn for the better or worse when Nagumo and his classmates got teleported to a fantasy world.
All of them were gifted magical abilities, and unlike the rest, Nagumo was given rudimentary powers. Nagumo uses his expertise to defend his classmates during the first walk in the Orcus dungeon, only to be betrayed by one of them and hurled right into the dungeon.
Betrayed and devasted, Nagumo pushes himself to the absolute limit and comes out alive. He continues on his journey and becomes stronger as each day passes.
#4 My Hero Academia
Number of volumes: 35
Number of chapters: 364
Why MC Is Treated Badly In My Hero Academia:
Izuku Midoriya is nervous, tearful, fragile, and non-expressive due to years of being denigrated by Bakugo for not possessing a Quirk. He tended to be looked down on, as he was quirkless in a world filled with superheroes and quirks. Midoriya being quirkless affected his confidence and self-esteem; with his pride taken a hit, he became a victim of bullying.
But his enthusiasm for heroes never wavered, and his inherent courage and a strong sense of justice made All Might say, “You can become a hero,” and he became the night holder of “One For All.”
Midoriya is compassionate and emotional, never hesitating to assist or save a person in need, even though he is aware that he may not be strong or capable of doing so. Even though he was bullied and looked down on, his hero name, “Deku,” shows his strong-willed nature. And the same putting himself in harm’s way to save others makes him a worthy holder of “One For All.”
#3 Naruto: Shippuden
Number of volumes: 72
Number of chapters: 700
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Naruto: Shippuden:
The Nine-Tails massacre left Konoha utterly devastated and decimated. And to save the village from further devastation, the Nine-Tails were sealed inside Naruto, who was just a newborn baby. Naruto grew up as an orphan, not knowing who his parents were. Naruto was shunned and ostracized and openly hated him; some even believed Naruto to be the Nine-Tails itself.
The hatred of the elders slowly swept into the younger kids too, who refused to play or befriend Naruto. These events left him completely isolated and without no one by his side. Naruto developed a need for attention due to his social isolation, which he satisfied by playing practical jokes.
The determination of Naruto to become one of the greatest ninjas drove him through the alienation of the villagers. Naruto slowly had people looking after him, starting with Iruka sensei, who became a brother and father figure for Naruto. He went on to become a Genin and eventually the Hokage of the village.
From facing public isolation to becoming one of the most revered and looked-after ninjas in the ninja world, Naruto showed us the value of hard work, dedication, and the meaning of friendship.
#2 Berserk
Number of volumes: 41
Number of chapters: 368
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Berserk:
Nothing comparable to Berserk’s protagonist fate has ever happened to any other anime protagonist. Most of them would not have endured this long if they had experienced the same level of physical, psychological, and emotional agony. Berserk would probably get the most haunted and tortured protagonist award for the longest time – since 1989!
Guts, the main character of Berserk, has endured all sorts of agony, from being raised by an unsympathetic savage to watching his love, Casca, assaulted sexually by his so-called “best friend.” As the most formidable anime hero or antihero ever, Guts stands up to his moniker.
Guts only had one reason to live after those hellish events; to get revenge and bring down his friend, Griffith. The events of Eclipse scared Guts for life. For this, he became stronger and trained himself to be better. Since the events, Guts has become a better person, found a new family, got his life back on track, and saw life beyond hate and revenge.
#1 Hajime No Ippo
Number of volumes: 135
Number of chapters: 1393
Why MC Is Treated Badly In Hajime No Ippo:
Ippo Makunouchi’s family was into the fishing boat business, and in one of the events, his father lost his life in a boating accident. Ippo was raised by his mother and helped her look after the business. Ippo then started to suppress his feelings; even when things were not alright, he pretended everything was fine. His timid nature made him attract bullies; because he stayed to himself, a gang of bullies leads developed a pattern of harassing him. The group took bullying to an extreme and beat Ippo severely. A passerby, who happens to be a professional boxer, saves him.
Mamoru Takamura, the boxer who saved him, takes Ippo to a gym, and the rise of an underdog begins. Ippo takes a liking to box, initially only to vent his frustration and to find out, “What does it mean to be strong?” Ippo Makunouchi slowly rises through the ranks of the boxing world; from getting bullied to confronting bullies, Ippo is no longer a timid boy who hides his feelings.
That’s all, folks! People around us can make us weak and help us get stronger. That is what we have seen through the characters on this list. So, What do you think? Did characters get strong enough, or should they work even harder to shut the haters?
Honorable Mentions
- Keyaru (Redo of Healer)
- Baki Hanma (Baki)
- Kazuma Yagami (Stigma Of The Wind)
- Ikki Kurogane (Chivalry of a Failed Knight)
- Haruto Amakawa (Seirei Gensouki)
FAQs
In which Manga is the MC Abandoned for Being Weak?
Arifureta, Isekai Kenja no Tensei Musou, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, and My Hero Academia, all had weak MCs that are abandoned for being weak but come back stronger.
Which Manga the MC is Betrayed and Becomes Op List?
Guts from Berserk, and Iwatani Naofumi from The Rising of the Shield Hero, both get betrayed by their close aids and yearn for revenge.
In which Manga is the MC Betrayed by a Girl He Loves and Becomes OP?
Masamune Kun no revenge is one of the manga where MC is rejected by the girl he loves for being fat and returns handsome and slim.
In Which Isekai Manga is the MC Abandoned?
Fukushuu O Koinegau Saikyou Yuusha Wa, Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi, Class Teni De Ore Dake Haburaretara, are Isekai manga where MC is abandoned.
Which Manga is the MC Betrayed by a Girl?
Tokyo DTED, and Kimi No Iru Machi, Mysterious Girlfriend are a few manga series where the MC is betrayed by a girl.
In which Manga is the MC Betrayed by a Childhood Friend?
Yona of the Dawn, the MC, is betrayed by her childhood friend, and Guts from Berserk is betrayed by Griffith.
Which Manhwa is the MC Betrayed?
Return Of The 8th Class Magician, Rooftop SwordMaster, and The Lord’s Coins Aren’t Decreasing are few of Manhwa where MC gets betrayed.
Which Cultivation Manga is the MC Betrayed?
Magic Emperor, Above All Gods, Martial Master are cultivation manga/manhua are cases where the MC is betrayed.
Well, Which manga are you going to pick up next?
