The Art of Legendary Anime: A Thought on Balanced Storytelling
by Muhammed Shafin P (@hejhdiss)
Anime has grown into a massive cultural force, blending emotion, action, imagination, and philosophy. But many anime series today tend to follow a pattern: they pick a single dominant theme or emotion (ego, love, sadness, or power), and revolve the entire narrative around that one idea. While this can create intense moments and strong characters, it often sacrifices depth, realism, and relatability.
As someone who enjoys both anime and real-life experience-driven storytelling, I believe there’s a better way forward: blended emotional design. I got this thought after watching the anime Blue Lock – I’ve only reached the 3rd episode – which focuses heavily on ego in football, prompting me to reflect on how anime handles thematic balance.
The Problem with One-Sided Anime
In what I saw anime, the focus was entirely on ego, ignoring the true balance of skill, teamwork, and intelligence required in real competition. It often presents ego as the only path to victory, without connecting that portrayal to how actual sports like football are played. This thought is based on an anime I saw. If a story is inspired by a real-world activity like football, it’s better to try to learn from real players or real data so the creator can build the best foundation for action and character. If the creator studies the basics or adds a relatable or logical connection – even in fantasy – the story becomes stronger. Otherwise, the narrative can feel disconnected and hollow. Showing ego without this context weakens the impact. It’s more engaging when the portrayal of ego is balanced with visible teamwork, skill, and decision-making – even if they aren’t the main focus.
This approach works for quick emotional impact, but fails when you want to create something legendary – something that lives in the viewer’s mind long after the screen fades.
The Thought: Blended Core Formula
Great anime should have one strong, clear emotional or thematic core – like passion, justice, ego, or love – but it must be surrounded by blended elements that:
- Reflect real-world complexity
- Support character development
- Allow emotional breathing space
- Include other perspectives
Formula:
Legendary Anime = One Powerful Core + Balanced Blend of Supporting Themes
This means the story feels focused, but it isn’t trapped. The audience may feel like it’s about one thing – but actually, they’re being exposed to many emotions, ideas, and arcs.
Why Blending Works Better
Blending allows:
- Emotional realism (humans are never just one feeling)
- Character depth (growth comes from contrast, not repetition)
- Story variation (not every episode feels the same)
- Viewer connection (audiences relate to layered characters)
It’s the same as in real sports or life – a football player isn’t just about ego or skill. They are also about decision-making, mental pressure, teamwork, failure, and moments of brilliance. Anime should reflect this same multi-dimensional reality. Even if ego is the central theme, other aspects like skill and teamwork must also play visible roles – not as afterthoughts but as meaningful components.
Examples of Good Blending
- Attack on Titan: Starts with revenge, but blends politics, ethics, identity, and tragedy.
Final Thought
This is just a thought from me – an idea that came while watching a particular anime. Instead of over-focusing on one trait or emotional hook, creators could explore more balanced storytelling. By understanding the basics of the real-world subjects they’re referencing – and blending those with fantasy or exaggerated elements – the stories can become more legendary and lasting.
Let one idea lead the story, but let the others breathe too.
That’s how legendary anime – and meaningful storytelling – can be made.
This is just one method or possibility. There are many different methods that can succeed. Even one-sided approaches can have strengths in certain ways, just as this blended method also has its own limitations. It depends on how it’s crafted and delivered.
