#this isnt a knock on katekyo fans

[opheliapurple]

Oh look, exactly what Katekyo Hitman Reborn should have been.

A cowardly main character that is a pushover for gag purposes? Who’s ultimate destiny is to rule over a bloodthirsty underworld despite his desire to be normal? Who has insanely large shoes to fill as the unofficial ‘grandson’ of a powerful and revered underworld leader? Gathering friends who view themselves as his allies, including a fiery hothead right hand man who is overly reverent toward the main character and prone to picking fights with everyone else?

I was ready to drop Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun like a hot potato, I’d seen that set up before.

But every time I braced for the punch? For when a teacher would scoff at him for being cowardly or when a friend would trample all over his wishes. I was ready for everyone to blatantly use Iruma as a stepping stone and you know what?

I was proven wrong every time.

Iruma’s spineless nature is played for laughs, but we’re meant to dislike those who take advantage of it. Or find them at fault for pushing until he caves. We don’t laugh as his tutor calls him stupid and shoots him in the head for being shy, we laugh because he’s squirming but the other person is too oblivious to notice. He’s not Tsuna.

Bullies and cruel nicknames aren’t inevitable because he’s such a loser for not proving himself, bullies apologize or are chased off. Friends and mentors wouldn’t dream of making him sad with name calling either, even the stern ones. Why would they? Being low ranked in the school means people don’t respect him, but the school doesn’t hate Iruma for being a misfit. They’re not Namimori.

It’s not that Iruma is idyllic and lacks conflict, the reason I’m comparing them is because their concepts and gags are so similar, but their executions couldn’t be more different.

There is a mean mentor, but he is ‘punished’ through humiliating gags and softens to the main character as they get to know each other better. The joke is always that he’s prideful and strict and is then humbled. The joke is never than Iruma is lazy or can’t be taught any other way. Or that it’s just funny to tell Iruma they don’t care if he dies.

There’s a mean mentor, but he grows and is not someone who demands to be impressed by his own terms. He is made to see qualities he hasn’t had the chance to appreciate before. He’s not Reborn.

There’s a bully who takes things too far, but he apologizes and respects the main character as a rival. A proper rival too. No scheming or beating the shit out of him. They chat and help each other out and cheer on each other’s progress. He’s not Hibari and like, half the former antagonist rogues gallery,

There’s a right hand man who thinks he’s in the most prestigious position as Iruma’s best friend. But he listens to Iruma, enjoys goofing off with him, doesn’t care at all where Iruma chooses to lead them because he’s there to be Iruma’s friend first. No cow towing to tutors or ignoring virtually every word out of his mouth because he wants to have an in with the future demon king.

God, he doesn’t call him Demon King despite Iruma begging him not to because he hates everything it stands for and draws genuinely terrifying people looking to kill him for the title.

He may also snap at other friends for ‘disrespecting’ Iruma, but clearly cares for them all. Fussing and following after Clara the most and working together unprompted from the beginning. He’s not Gokudera.

Clara is an airhead who only thinks in terms of childish games and never takes anything seriously. Except that gets addressed, she gets layers. She and Iruma talk one on one about how they feel and she doesn’t follow him around out of vague gratitude for saving her life- but because Iruma speaks to her and treats her like a person and not a throwaway gag. When Iruma pays attention to someone else, she is bothered by this and seeks to regain his focus, because she’s not there to just soak up residual chaos and wind up other friends. She’s not Yamamoto.

When Iruma wants to improve, the gag of overzealous mentors and insane work out plans pops up. Except none of the teachers smack him, or shoot at him, or threaten him into compliance. They’re tough, but encouraging, quick to praise and are invested in his growth. They fuss when he gets hurt because it’s not funny or something he needs to get over. They cheer him on when he achieves his goals. They’re not every single adult from Katekyo.

And they’re Iruma’s goals. Sure he’s dragged kicking and screaming into the plot, but his choice to rise in the ranks and follow personal interests are his own. No one popped out of the blue to make him become something he doesn’t want to be upon pain of death. A friend told him he should have an ambition and he agreed. And then his friends listened with their working ears and went out of their way to help him out without any obvious net gain for it.

Less than halfway through the first season, Iruma repeatedly expresses a desire to stay in the underworld. He is loved and cherished and has made genuine bonds with many people. I legitimately cannot recall a single moment Tsuna said he wanted to be in the mafia, there was only that “I’ll change it since I have to be there” tacked on much, much later in the series.

That utter lack of autonomy or affection for Tsuna as a character is why I’m so glad we’re finally giving that set up some justice. This Tsuna just has blue hair now and real friends.

TLDR: STOP COMPARING IRUMA TO DEKU.

#i genuinely like the katekyo fandom for the record #this isnt a knock on katekyo fans #but i could not stomach more than a season of thenshow because of how mean spirited it was #lollll this middle schooler is scared of being shot in the heeeead #maybe he shojld be better at math then stupid #iruma was such vindication after that #such genuine love in writing animation design #everything #welcome to demon school iruma kun #iruma suzuki #katekyo hitman reborn #sawada tsunayoshi #alice asmodeus #hayato gokudera #meme #essay #rant #deku #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #midoriya izuku