30-DAY ANIME CHALLENGE! (DAY 17): Favorite Supporting Male Character

DAY 17:  Favorite Supporting Male Character

 

In the world of anime, there are protagonists, antagonists, and everything else in between.

Sometimes, those side characters aren’t really given enough flack, or any at all, just because directors naturally tend to gravitate towards the development of its main character(s).  However, from time to time, there are some side characters that prove to be badass in their own right, probably even more than their respective protagonists.

One anime that does that job so well is Fullmetal Alchemist.  Whether it be Ling Yao or Riza Hawkeye, a lot of it’s side characters are well-developed enough to not only warrant our attention, but also allows us to sympathize with them in a way similar to the main protagonists.

 

 

Oh, and did I mention that a lot of them are actually REALLY badass.  But, if it was up to me, I’d say that this guy is the pinnacle of badassery (????) in the FMA universe, apart from the main characters:

 

Roy Mustang, from FMA & FMA:  Brotherhood

Being the insanely over-powered, over-achieving ladies-man of Amestris, how can I not choose this guy as my favorite supporting male character?

With his genius-level military intellect and his unique brand of combat alchemy, Roy aspired to rise through the ranks of the Amestrian hierarchy.  Due to this, many people see him as an arrogant and condescending careerist who would stop at nothing to attain his goals.  However, to his closest subordinates, he is actually a parental figure who cares for the safety of his underlings more than his own personal wants, a trait that he developed after being used in the Ishbalan War to essentially murder hundreds of people with the use of his flame alchemy.  Due to the events of the war, he aspires to attain the rank of fuhrer in order to atone for his transgressions and change the system of Amestris for the better.

Speaking of flame alchemy, Roy gained notoriety for his own style of combat alchemy, which involves his gloves and some oxygen and a finger snap (or snaps).  By adjusting the density of oxygen in a given area, Roy can produce different scales of explosions and fires by snapping his fingers to create a spark.  Roy is insanely accurate with this ability that he is able to selectively control oxygen in a specific route, allowing him to incinerate multiple enemies while being able to pass harmlessly through allies.  This ability isn’t only used for large-scale incineration, as, due to his proficiency, he is also able to create sparks small enough to disintegrate smaller-scale objects, or target a specific area for pinpoint flame attacks.

But mostly he just uses it to blow shit up.

Need I explain more or should I just leave it at this?  I mean, seriously, any guy who’s a good-looking overachiever who can unleash explosions BY SNAPPING YOUR FINGERS is definitely cool in my book, but so far, I don’t think anyone pulls of those tropes better than Amestris’ very own Flame Alchemist.

Now that you know the badassness (?????) that is Roy Mustang, I’m interested to know who your favorite supporting male character is.  Let me know in the comments down below.

See you guys in Day 18!