>>2546810Most mecha protagonists are blank slates/bobs surrounded by interesting characters, and most of the "iconic" mecha protagonists are either the origins of the blank slate/bob cliche or only iconic because their robots are cool.
It's been a problem plaguing the mecha genre since the late 70s, largely to blame due to the abundance of military settings where characters are simply soldiers doing their jobs/duty rather than characters who have their own convictions and motives. This leaked into the non-military settings where we have retarded brick-in-the-wall protagonists who just do what they're told or they're entirely motivated by helping people. The stories themselves tend to be great, but so many mecha protagonists seem so out of place compared to other prominent characters in their own shows who actually have interesting backgrounds.
