Fairy Tail runs into a problem that you don’t see often in anime, which is the question of who the main character of the series is. We understand that sounds weird, but long-time fans know this debate is as old as the famous anime itself that ruled the late 2010s. With a whole cast of memorable characters that shared the spotlight in equal spades, it was hard to pinpoint who the quintessential Hero was. Like, it was a toss-up at any given time.
So, who is the main character of Fairy Tail? Well, after all these years, it’s safe to say that it’s Natsu Dragneel. But we also see why people dispute this fact, despite Natsu having the longest runtime out of all of his peers. So, he is the main protagonist of Fairy Tail. But then we look back at characters like Lucy Heartfilia, who have been there since the start as well, and things get a bit murkier. But hear us out, what if it’s a Narrator and Hero of the story situation? Because while Natsu might be the true main character of Fairy Tail, Lucy is the main narrator.
Now, this isn’t unheard of in fiction. The Great Gatsby is basically an author narrating the story of something that happened to someone else. They aren’t the central character in the story, but chronicle what is happening in real-time. In that way, you could say that the entire Fairy Tail guild, made up of all the people Natsu has met on his journey through Earth-Land as a Dragon Slayer wizard, are the main characters of Fairy Tail. I mean, it’s right there in the title.
And, yeah, that can get confusing. But I’d say it’s this very fact that makes Fairy Tail stand out amongst other fantasy anime at the time. The change of perspectives and fleshing out of each character is what makes it such an interesting watch. But, for posterity’s sake, let’s break down why Natsu Dragneel is the main character of Fairy Tail in today’s Lore Analysis!
Natsu Dragneel: The Main Hero Of Fairy Tail
So, saying that Natsu Dragneel was the main character of Fairy Tail is fairly accurate. Because no matter which way you twist it everything comes back to him and the Fairy Tail guild as a whole. Even arcs involving characters like Erza Scarlet involved Natsu dealing with the aftermath, despite her being stronger than him. So, again, it isn’t hard to see why he is the main character.
At the same time, when you look at Fairy Tail closely, you see why he’s so important to the story. He was the first character introduced to the audience in the manga, it’s he who came up with the idea of a guild in the first place. Usually, manga like Fairy Tail reveals the main goal right there in the introductory chapter. And that goal is directly related to Natsu.
But then there’s the fact that Lucy was just as primary to the story as Natsu. She was also one of the first characters introduced, and her dream to be a Celestial Mage is also discussed pretty early on. She has been with him through literally everything from the very start. When you consider these facts, it’s simpler to say that Fairy Tail has a main couple, rather than one true hero. Then again, Lucy still takes a step back from Natsu when it comes to her involvement with virtually everything in the series. So, we’re back to Natsu being the main character of Fairy Tail.
How Everyone Got A Chance To Shine:
However, it’d be slightly misleading to say that Natsu Dragneel is the only main focus of Fairy Tail. After all, the emphasis on each character during different arcs, cycles between everyone and doesn’t just stay on Natsu alone. Everyone, from Gray Fullbuster to Wendy Marvell, and even Exceed Happy, get a story that showcases their point of view.
It’s what pulled a lot of fans to Fairy Tail and having their take on who their favorite is in the series. Because each character got time to really develop in front of the audience, the story feels that much more intriguing. A lot of care was put into writing every character so that they don’t empty or shallow. And it’s why Fairy Tail survived in an era where the Big 3 would reign supreme because the characters were complex for the time.
Despite it never reaching that level of success, Fairy Tail became a cult classic for most anime fans because it was simply a well-written fantasy tale.
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