Kosuna and Kanta from ‘Desert Punk’
*SPOILERS FOR THE ANIME/MANGA ‘DESERT PUNK’*
This post was inspired by the anime ‘Desert Punk’. It’s fun even though it gets fairly crude at some points. It does something that is fairly interesting as well. The anime is 25 episodes long and Kosuna (the girl/apprentice) ends up taking over for the main character Kanta on episode 21. Won’t say why this happens or what the events that ensued, but it was shocking the first time I watched it. Did it work though?
The truth is that Kosuna was a fun character and she did kind of work with the spotlight, but it didn’t have the same impact as the previous episodes. The anime was called ‘Desert Punk’ and Kanta was Desert Punk. So, you watch the final episodes wondering where the twist is going to be. I would say for something so short, it didn’t hurt the story and it picked up at the end. Yet, I’ve seen some stories attempt a full switch to a new main character and fail. What are some reasons?
- New hero doesn’t have the same charisma as the previous hero.
- Fans refuse the change entirely and begin to abandon the series or demand a return to the status quo.
- It gives a sense that the story is just dragging on and should have ended.
- New hero taking the spotlight results in popular supporting characters being benched/eliminated as well. So, you have an amplification of the second issue.
- Author simply isn’t feeling the change like they had hoped, so they go back.
The switching to a new protagonist in the middle of a story definitely comes with a variety of risks. You never know how people will take to it even if they requested the change. A group of vocal fans could want an apprentice/sidekick to take the helm, but then realize that some of that character’s charm disappears. Once the new hero gets their promotion, they get more attention, scrutiny, and responsibility in terms of story. Their decisions carry more weight because they are one of the major plot progressors. For example, this shift is very distinct when a comic relief apprentice takes over because they will typically have to shed their goofier habits. That doesn’t always appeal to fans because they liked the character’s comedic side.
You run into issues with the villains as well. If the previous villains remain, the new hero has less of a connection. Even if they are avenging their master, they lack the same depth of history. As an apprentice, they were probably spending most of the previous adventures as back-up. The villain knows about them and has probably interacted, but not to a great extent. Maybe they were a hostage at some point or had a few moments of spoiling the evil plan, but they weren’t the focus. A connection needs to be rebuilt, but you can’t rush this or take too long. Doing either will result in a mess and the chemistry needed for a good hero/villain dynamic is lost.
One of the easiest ways to accomplish this switch is to make it a spin-off. Give closure to the previous hero in some fashion. Retirement, achieving their personal goal, death, disappearance, or any number of ways to remove them with an ending. Then, start a new series with the apprentice and have them set out for their own reasons. If they are only there to continue their master’s quest then some fans will be asking why the previous hero couldn’t be used to finish the job. Remember, audiences don’t like unnecessary changes in established stories. You have to justify your reasoning beyond ‘I wanted to’ and demonstrate that the overarching story is improved by the change. Posing the new hero as getting a spin-off helps in doing this because you establish that things are starting at square one.
Personally, I’m always leery of this kind of change. I don’t like the idea of doing it myself since my stories are very character centered. As a reader/viewer, I can get behind it if the event is presented well. Shock value changes make me finish watching or reading out of begrudging loyalty. Probably a big reason on why I really don’t want to try it unless I can make a really good reason in my own head. This might just be me though because I can see how changing the protagonist can erase stagnation and keep an overall story going.
So, what do you think of an apprentice taking over a story?
Legends of Windemere 
A very thoughtful post, Charles. And you can apply your thoughts to any genre. I happen to love the Shetland series on Amazon, and this season the detective at the center of the mysteries has left, replaced by a woman detective whom I don’t like! I’ll watch some more since I enjoy the supporting characters.
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Did they give a reason for the switch?
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Doug Henshaw, who had played the detective for maybe six seasons, just wanted out. He was the reason we watched the show! The reviews of the new season have the new main character as OK but the plot too twisty.
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Had a feeling that would be it.
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You have the most interesting topics! Wow. I can see how disconcerting and sometimes disappointing it would be to fans who love a particular character to have the author sideline that character. I have not seen this anime, but I have seen Star Wars, which has a master/apprentice dynamic. Qui-Gon Jinn didn’t stay in for very long before his apprentice Obi-Wan had to take over. Though I loved Obi-Wan, I actually wished we had a little more of Qui-Gon Jinn. We all know Obi-Wan’s apprentice and how he took over. 😊 They gave a spin-off show to Anakin’s apprentice—Ahsoka.
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Star Wars probably did it better than most. You already knew Obi-Wan would be the master at some point. Prequels in general might be a cheat here.
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I agree with the thought that a spin-off is the best way to handle the situation. To see the master displaced has to be upsetting to those who follow the story.
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It’s definitely a gamble. Probably works less than it succeeds.
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I’ll bet
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Like you, I would avoid having a switch in mid-stream. The only exception is something that would spell certain death for the original protagonist (ie: volcanic eruption, space ship exploding). Yes, we all know protagonists are likely to survive somehow, but if I had to do that, I would definitely make it clear the character is no longer available for action. For whatever reason, they are not coming back.
But I would also not be arbitrary, and instead would focus on the effect on other characters. They would have to grapple with uncertainty, perhaps re-arrange positions of authority, face their feelings, and so on. Then hopefully the readers/viewers would have buy in to the change.
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The anime that prompted this post did have a focus on the effects on other characters. It wasn’t much though. The switch really is a high risk maneuver.
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My mother complains about this in some of the television shows she enjoys. I don’t see myself ever doing this. I have toyed with the idea of a vague description of a destined character. This description matches half the town. Nudge them toward a big muscle head, then have it be someone else who achieves the goal. Never did plot anything out. I have written a solo story about a previously supporting character and it was well received. I might do that again.
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I’ve seen a few stories where a destined character ends up being the least likely. Maybe I’ll do a future post on atypical chosen ones.
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I’d still like to write it, but need a plot somewhere beyond the little twist.
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