We Need More Villains Like One Piece’s Doflamingo if Modern Shonen Wants To Bring Back the Age of Glory

Doflamingo from One Piece needs to be a trendsetter for modern shonen if we want to usher in a new age of glory. A major part of anime as a whole is its villains. They act as the foil to the protagonist and oppose their ideologies, powers, and ways of life. Throughout history, several iconic antagonists have gone on to gain more popularity than the main characters themselves.

Unfortunately, in the time I’ve spent watching modern shonen, there have been an increasing number of villains who don’t connect as much as many of the greats. They fall into two major traps: either they make the villain a misunderstood anti-hero driven by their trauma, or they go too abstract and turn villains into god-like entities who feel too distant from both characters and fans.

While there is nothing wrong with the two categories I’ve mentioned above, it can get tiring to watch when multiple series repeat the exact same trope. Due to this, the villain, who is meant to be one of the most captivating points of an anime, can just turn into another stumbling block in the way of the protagonist.

This is where One Piece excels. There is no shortage of compelling antagonists in Oda’s epic saga, but one that both I and fans agree to be a standout figure is This is where One Piece excels. There is no shortage of compelling antagonists in Oda’s epic saga, but one that both I and fans agree to be a standout figure is Donquixote Doflamingo. Inspired by Cervantes’ Don Quixote, this villain represents everything that modern shonen anime should strive for, should they wish to bring back the golden age.

To start with the basics, Doflamingo is a view of pure evil. At a moment where creators hesitate to make their villains detestable, there is nearly nothing to like about Doflamingo. One Piece presents a view of his brutal backstory, where we come to know his origins. Rather than attempting to justify his actions, however, the series only goes deeper into his terrifying psychological profile.

As a child raised in Mary Geoise, Doflamingo was similar to most other World Nobles. He thought of himself as superior and enjoyed terrorizing the common populace. However, when his family decided to abandon their identities and the Celestial Dragons, his life was overturned.

Doflamingo experienced the plight of the common people and their hatred for the World Government, even suffering constant abuse at their hands. However, unlike his father and brother, who were much more empathetic to the cause of those who harmed them, Doflamingo did not attempt to change. He never understood why he had to stop being the oppressor and always held hatred in his heart.

This finally boiled over with his decision to kill his father and his attempt to return to Mary Geoise. Unfortunately, the World Government turned Doflamingo down, only further agitating him. To get his dues back against the world itself, he set up his crew and became a Warlord of the Sea.

Doflamingo’s crimes only began there, as he manipulated his way into controlling Dressrosa and set up the shocking SMILE fruit operation along with Caesar Clown and Kaido. Throughout his time in One Piece, Doflamingo never once regretted his words and actions.

His crewmates were the only ones he trusted, but he did not hesitate to dispose of them if necessary. We saw this during the jarring scene where he killed his own brother. Hence, through his history in One Piece, we get an understanding of what drives his ambitions and the life he has faced.

At the same time, this does not make us sympathize with him. Rather, it only makes us fear him more. There is no perfect answer to what makes Doflamingo so bad since he retains the same nature from start to end. He was raised in an environment where being the oppressor was normal, and he never changed his mindset. While this is understandable, it is far from forgivable.

Due to this, the efforts of Luffy and Law to bring him down during One Piece’s Dressrosa Arc were much more impactful. We were deeply engrossed by Doflamingo’s character, but we knew the consequences that would follow if he won.

He mercilessly killed his own family, sought to bring down the ruling powers, and would take down anyone who got in his way. While Luffy brings people together through trust and freedom, Doflamingo binds them through fear and manipulation.

How Modern Shonen Can Take Inspiration From One Piece’s Doflamingo

Modern shonen anime does not need a Doflamingo clone, but desperately requires a villain as eye-catching as Doflamingo. We know that he is wicked, but we cannot help but be captivated every time he is on screen. As seen earlier, this is because this antagonist avoids the two biggest traps that most series fall inside.

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Oda does not aim to make Doflamingo a tragic anti-hero. He is evil, and there is no deeper layer of sympathy to be found for him. At the same time, he is not disconnected from the main narrative. Doflamingo's past and influence on characters like Law offer fans a close insight into who he is. Hence, during the final confrontation, the stakes were higher than ever, and audiences were on the edge of their seats.

This is what most modern shonen miss today. They often aim to soften the blow of a potentially loathsome villain by giving him a cushion to fall upon. This is not always necessary, and One Piece shows us that there are better ways to get invested in an antagonist than giving them a sob story.

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