This time, the format was mostly set. It took a long time to complete this task. This was due to the fact that I needed to double-check the list of literature and ensure that it was properly formatted and labeled in the article. In addition, I had to make page numbers and a table of contents. I also had to format and resize the image citations to make the thesis look better. I also made a cover for my thesis. This version looks much better.

Throughout this time, I have revised this essay numerous times. Every time I do it, I tell myself that I can improve on it. I just sent this file to Nigel, and I’ll update it if anything needs to be changed. Anyway, I’ll go ahead and post a thumbnail of the final draft thesis.

This makes me extremely happy. This research experience has provided me with a wealth of knowledge for writing the thesis. The thesis is also about anti-heroes, which is something I’m very interested in. Through my research, I was able to delve deeper into the field of the anti-hero. Instead of focusing solely on the entertainment value of these characters, I’ve begun to consider the reasons and applications for their existence. In the future, I hope to see more films and animations about anti-hero culture.

I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who has assisted and encouraged me. I frequently emailed Nigel with questions about the thesis, and he was always helpful in directing me when I was lost. This advice has frequently assisted me in thinking in new ways. Thank you to my family for always encouraging and supporting me. Thank you to all of my friends who have helped me through this difficult and rewarding time of study. This study session will be one of the most beneficial experiences of my life. In the future, I plan to continue studying and experimenting with 3D computer animation!

This time, I’m going to share the Bibliography list draft that I’ve compiled. I’ll make some changes later.

During my previous tutorial with Nigel, he shared the critical thinking learning material with me. I thought it would be useful for writing articles to share critical thinking on this blog.

During my previous tutorial with Nigel, he shared the critical thinking learning material with me. I thought it would be useful for writing articles to share critical thinking on this blog.

To be honest, I’ve revised the thesis at least nine times. Every day, I have to double-check that each paragraph is logical. I must continue to reflect on the application of critical thinking. This time, I’m only sharing a rough draft of the text. After I finish revising the thesis, I will include the images and quotes.

Although the details of my changes are not clear in the photos, I will share them on the blog once I have completed submitting my thesis.

During this time, in addition to working, I was writing my thesis every day, and I felt like each day flew by. I felt a sense of accomplishment after finishing it, and I noticed that my thoughts were becoming clearer and clearer as I wrote. My thesis’s next step will be to continue revising the content and adding bibliography and image citations!

I’ll go over my draft thesis briefly here. This stage is for me to share my ideas about writing a thesis.

It was initially just a matter of arranging a large amount of literature so that it corresponded to the corresponding parts of the essay when writing the thesis. For example, if I wanted to study the history of anti-hero culture, I would gather a large amount of literature on the subject and then select the most meaningful pieces from it. After that, I began to think critically, and when I began to revise the content of my essay, I did so with questions in mind before finishing my thesis. For example, I would consider whether or not there were different points of view in the literature, as well as the key factors that made the difference. To summarize, writing a thesis can be both frustrating and enjoyable. The annoyance was that I had to think about how to make my point more forcefully every day. The good news is that, after thinking about it every day, the thesis is progressing steadily.

My first draft:

When I think back to when I first started writing my thesis, I realize how far I’ve come. Later on, I will also update my Bibliography list.

This blog is the third installment of the literature review. Again, because the literature is extensive, I will only share a sample of it.

Part 3 provides a synopsis of the literature:

Collation：

2.6 How to distinguish the anti-hero from the villain in an anti-hero story [The Villain in the Film]

In the new century, people have become distrustful of the ideas inculcated in the blockbusters they have seen in the past and have lost interest in the huge investment in ‘heroic epics’ after the initial novelty. The changing times demanded the emergence of new ‘heroes’, even ‘anti-heroes’. “An ‘anti-hero’ is not the same as an anti-hero. Literally, an anti-hero is a hero who is the opposite, a representative figure of the forces of evil. “The term ‘anti-hero’ was used as a cultural term in literature after World War II. It refers to a person who, in contrast to the traditional hero, possesses heroic abilities and qualities, who gives of themselves to save others, but whose principles, attitudes and ways of dealing with others are very different from those of the traditional hero. More importantly, the heroic feats of the anti-hero are often portrayed as passive acts, in contrast to the traditional image of the hero as a man who is always ready to fight. The author ‘falsifies’ traditional values through the changing fortunes of these characters, signalling the rise of individualism, the decline of traditional moral value systems and the questioning of ideas and beliefs. “The ‘anti-hero’ is not an antagonist, but a deconstruction of the traditional heroic image in cinema. On the one hand, the emergence of the “anti-hero” is a challenge to the heroic characters in previous films; on the other hand, the “anti-hero” enriches the image of the heroic character and brings a new audiovisual aesthetic experience to the audience. [On the “anti-hero” tendency of the superhero image in Hollywood films].

Anti-heroes are the characters of post-modernist novels that emerged after World War II,[2] and are also a generic term for a category of characters in film and animation works, who have certain flaws and shortcomings compared to the traditional perfect hero image, such as character flaws, lack of ability, collapsed beliefs, spiritual difficulties and other character characteristics full of individualism. However, unlike villains, anti-heroes usually have positive values and ideals in life. They are able to participate in or accomplish heroic feats despite certain shortcomings or being in a certain predicament. In terms of the expression of character traits, the anti-hero figure is often closer to ordinary people’s spiritual core and values. Therefore, against the backdrop of a time when individualism is on the rise, traditional moral value systems are in decline and ideals and beliefs are being questioned, the texture and layers of the anti-hero figure appear richer and have a greater ability to gain empathy than the traditional hero figure. (A new paradigm of the Chinese superhero)

In the traditional Chinese perception, the hero should possess superior skills. However, with the advent of the consumer era, the phenomenon of standing idly by and protecting oneself in the face of the dark side of society has emerged, and people’s psychological need to be rescued has increased, but heroes with extraordinary abilities are out of touch with reality. As a result, in a society where human feelings are cold and morals are being tested, people are more accepting of a hero who comes from the people and is no longer above them. The Monkey King in “Journey to the West” fulfils this craving. After breaking free from the bondage of the Five Finger Mountain, the Monkey King loses his magic power due to the sealing of handcuffs and becomes an ordinary monkey. He does not have the 72 transformations, the golden eyes, the somersaulting clouds, the golden band, or the skills and abilities. In this setting

This reflects the plight and helplessness of modern man, who is bound by his own abilities and social realities, thus striking a chord with the audience. (The “anti-hero” in the age of the commoner)

Growing up is also a process in which the protagonist pursues his self-worth and personal dignity and a process in which his inner character is elevated. His ultimate choice to sacrifice himself to protect his parents and the people and to protect the Chen Tang Pass is a powerful expression of his noble character. At this point, an uncontroversial ‘anti-hero’ is born.

This plotting and characterisation reflects the values of the film’s implied creator and resonates with many viewers, bringing the implied creator, the main character Nezha, and the audience closer together and creating a deep empathy that is one of the fundamental reasons why this work is so popular. (An analysis of the anti-hero portrayal in “Nezha the Demon Boy”)

2.8 Whether people’s affection for the anti-hero character is influenced by their emotional disposition. (Different personalities, different life circumstances, more immersion, etc.)

American animated films are so successful at the box office because they are not limited to children but can bring joy and inspiration to people of all ages. The “anti-hero” narrative can be seen as, to some extent, a dismantling and subversion of traditional thinking and culture. It is a narrative that appeals to all age groups, especially adult audiences. The anti-hero reflects the fact that ordinary people also have the idea of becoming heroes, which reflects heroic values and individualistic values.

Firstly, the anti-hero is not the antagonist; the anti-hero narrative counteracts the sense of sanctity and nobility, thus making the hero more grounded. In the minds of audiences, they often have high expectations of the heroes in films and subconsciously see the heroic characters in films as their embodiment in another world. The dreams of the heroes are the dreams of the audience, and when the heroes’ dreams are realised, it is as if the audience’s life values are realised. On the other hand, the anti-heroes are just ordinary people in an ordinary world, without a clear goal in life, without a strong belief in themselves, living a life of mediocrity, just like the majority of the audience. But the significance of the appearance of the anti-hero characters is not just to get a laugh from the audience, nor does their existence mean the disappearance of the hero, but somehow reduces the distance between the hero and the general public, making the audience feel a sense of closeness to the heroic figure.

Secondly, anti-heroes and heroic characters are opposing concepts, but they also have a complementary nature. The emergence of the anti-hero character challenges the traditional sense of heroic characters in previous films while at the same time enriching and expanding the connotation of the hero, giving the audience a sense of light. The traditional image of the hero is more or less impersonal; they have no flaws, their personalities are almost perfect, and they are superheroes that everyone admires. But they do not belong to the real world, they seem to be above the world and it is difficult for ordinary people to reach such heights.

With the development of the times and the change of social values, such heroes become more and more distant from the audience, and it becomes more and more difficult to attract them. In the age of consumption, films must satisfy the audience’s viewing needs to be sustainable. As a result, there is a craze in Hollywood animated films for heroes to return to earth and to ordinary people. The emergence of the anti-hero image has shown audiences that heroes also have the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. They also have the flaws and human weaknesses of ordinary people. The films often use absurd and humorous narratives to dissolve the traditional heroes’ elements of nobility, tragedy, dedication and ideals, and to bring them down to earth. (The ‘anti-hero’ narrative in American animated films)

The work of compiling the literature is nearly finished. After finishing the documentation, I have a better idea of the overall structure of the thesis. I will now begin writing my thesis in order to incorporate more anti-hero culture into my essay.

This blog is the second installment of the literature review. Again, because the literature is extensive, I will only share a sample of it.

A sneak peek at the second section of the literature:

Collation：

2.2 Anti-hero character backstory and character

The traditional hero fights with honour and will never hit an opponent while down. He almost always makes the right decisions, is a friend to everyone around him, and is a well-rounded character. The hero fights on the side of the obvious good and will often (though not always) be the leader of a group of misfits.

He will always win his battles, and if he doesn’t, you can count on a rematch later in the story where he will win. His intentions are pure, and he is almost incorruptible.

The anti-hero lives in a universe with a more cynical and ambiguous moral code. He will have obvious character flaws and he will doubt himself. They will exhibit heroic behaviour, just like the traditional hero. Still, unlike the traditional hero, who has both a hero’s physical and moral abilities, the anti-hero usually has neither. Anti-heroes are often the right-hand men or opponents of traditional heroes, protagonists in post-modern literature or film, or the protagonists in the deconstruction of the traditional hero. (Heroes vs Anti-Heroes: Which Is Right For Your Story?)

In postmodernist literature, the character of the ‘anti-hero’ is often characterised by a strong sense of self and rebelliousness, but their aspirations are often in dichotomous relation to their actions and their consequences, thus trapping them in an impossible situation.

This puts them in an impossible situation. In the film, when Sun Wukong is unable to defeat the powerful demon, he cowers and retreats, blames himself madly, and even jumps into the river, in a confusing dilemma of self-questioning. This is very different from the Monkey King in the original journey to the West (32), where he says, “If you don’t suffer, you can’t be a man, but with Sun, even if the sky falls, you can be safe”. In addition to this, the ‘anti-hero’ also presents multiple complexities.

The ‘anti-hero’ also presents multiple and complex personalities. For example, the Monkey King’s cowardice and fear in the face of the demon is different from the positive and optimistic image of the Monkey King in the 1986 version of Journey to the West. In addition, the Monkey King has a humorous and nonsensical character. When Jiang Liuer naggingly asks, “Are the Four Heavenly Kings brothers?” Sun Wukong replies with a counter-quote: “Sisters!” Again Jiang Liu’er wonders, “Is Nezha a man?”

Again, Sun Wukong replied with a counter-word: “Female!” This nonsensical characterisation completes the transformation of the “Great Sage” from didactic to entertaining and reflects his complex and contradictory personality, which brings the audience a different kind of entertainment and enjoyment. (The Anti-Hero in the Age of the Common Man)

From a staunch spokesman for divine power to a determined rebel against it, Jiang Ziya’s journey is a process of “falsification” of traditional values such as heaven and predestination, justice and evil, and is the most typical expression of the “anti-hero”. The process of “falsification” is the most typical expression of the “anti-hero”, revealing a complete formula of derivation from “truth” and “falsity”. [5] The spirit of rebellion is one of the key connotations of the broad concept of the anti-hero and is a key indicator of the difference between a hero and an anti-hero. Some classic anti-hero characters usually have a strong rebellious spirit, such as Wolverine and Deadpool in the American comic book movies, acting bizarrely, never obeying a certain value system and only following their own rules. Jiang Ziya also has a rebellious spirit, but it is a rebellious spirit that awakens from the collapse of faith rather than an innate rebellious character. (A new paradigm of the Chinese superhero)

2.3 Anti-hero styling

People have always thought of heroes as ‘great and righteous’, handsome, majestic and with moral sentiments that are difficult to attain. The typical superhero in the Marvel Universe is Captain America, but what is more popular is a character like Iron Man, who has many faults, such as being a show-off and a womaniser, but is

He’s not bad at all, but he’s a superbly capable anti-hero. The character in Venom: Deadly Guardians, which broke box office records in its first week in North America last year, is arguably the strongest anti-hero in the Marvel Universe. Anti-heroes are not to be understood as heroes but rather as “alternative heroes” who defy our previous understanding of heroes.

They may be different in appearance, perception, or personal temperament from the traditional tall, perfect hero, but they do the same things as the hero, such as saving the world, so they are also heroes. Although the anti-heroes have various faults, it is the existence of these problems and flaws that bring them closer to the audience.

The self-exiled Great Sage in The Return of the Great Sage basically falls into this paradigm. This essentially pulls the divine heroes to the people and gives them humanity, thus confronting the deep dark side of human nature and its destructive

It is full of the rebellious spirit of post-modernism, which promotes extreme egoism, freedom from all constraints and the breaking down of everything.

Nezha’s portrayal in “The Magician’s Boy” fits this trend, with his smoky make-up, loud voice, bowed back and pockets, and his willingness to use violence to solve things without any nonsense, breaking the stereotypical image of Nezha as a beautiful boy in previous films and television productions. But as the play progresses, the audience gradually sees the heart-wrenching reason behind this rebellion, just as we who have been misunderstood and attacked choose to hold back because of social statutes or limited power, but how much we wish we could fight back against injustice like Nezha. In this sense, although Nezha in “The Magician’s Child” has been described by audiences as “the ugliest Nezha ever”, his external appearance is in keeping with his internal character and the overall direction of the film’s plot, and “the best portrait of a character should only be the one that best reflects that character’s personality “. (Legacy and Subversion: The Anti-Mythological Narrative of Nezha’s Demon Boy Comes to Life)

The “anti-hero” moves towards the opposite of the hero, breaking down the traditional deconstruction of the perfect hero and thus giving birth to an imperfect but heroic hero in his own right.

The characterisation of the Monkey King as an ‘anti-hero’ in the film covers three main aspects: appearance, ability and personality.

The first is the character’s appearance. In Chinese culture, the appearance of the recognised hero reflects the sense of pursuit and the highest idealised aesthetic concept of the people in response to the demands of the times and society. The Monkey King in this film is different from the brilliantly stylised Monkey King in the 1998 version of China’s first fully digitised animated film Journey to the West and from the cute, elfin Monkey King in the 2005 version of The Red Boy’s Tale of the Flaming Mountain.

Instead, he is portrayed as a long-nosed, horse-faced, shabby monkey, a far cry from the traditional hero’s bright, robust and handsome appearance. At the same time, the yellow Chinese costume, red cape and dragon armour of the “Great Sage” reflect the iconic Chinese elements of “Chinese red” and “dragon totem”. The Chinese Red and Dragon Totem are iconic Chinese elements and are highly recognisable. The design of this civilian and ethnic appearance evokes a sense of affinity and immersion in the audience and has gained a high level of recognition. (The ‘anti-hero’ image of the civilian era)

2.4 Anti-hero expressions and language

When watching an animated film, the audience will understand the character’s personality by observing the character’s language, expressions and movements. Nowadays, many animated films do not set up the antagonist as an unforgivable character as they used to but often set up the antagonist as a neutral character, with good and bad characters only at the drop of a hat, thus giving the character a more human touch.

This gives the characters a more human dimension.

Language is the most effective way for a character to communicate with the audience, as it gives insight into the character’s behaviour and inner workings. Language also gives the character more character, shapes the character, reveals the character’s characteristics and reflects the character’s position. The speed, volume and pace of speech can reflect the character’s personality.

2. Expression setting

Expression is an important representation of the character’s mental activity and an important means of communication between the character and the audience. Facial expressions can convey the subjective consciousness of a character, and the inner activities of a person, such as happiness, anger, sadness, joy and sorrow, are all expressed on the face. The design of facial expressions should mainly convey the character’s emotions and psychological activities. Generally speaking, animation

characters’ facial expressions need to be exaggerated, which can increase the entertainment effect of the whole animation film. In addition, as the plot develops, the antagonist is often presented in a highly exaggerated manner at a particular moment. For example, as the antagonist in the film, Victor has a wide range of expressions, sometimes like a bad guy, sometimes like a child, sometimes loving, sometimes dumb. It can be said that the original fierceness and cunning of the antagonist is completely discarded. (Figure 5) (Exploring the innovative design of anti-hero characters in animated films – Take Despicable Me as an example)

2.5 Anti-heroic actions and behaviours

Nezha, in the film, is clearly, in certain aspects of his spirit, qualities and abilities, deeply disliked and feared by the common people of Chen Tang Pass and is far from meeting traditional heroic standards. He is mischievous, unruly and always getting into trouble. His weaknesses are so distinct that he cannot even be described as a good boy, let alone a ‘hero’ in all these ways.

On the other hand, however, Nezha has always had some strengths that cannot be ignored. He was born with great strength, he is mischievous on the surface but soft on the inside (as a baby, he was quiet because his mother soothed him). He bullies the children of Chen Tang Pass more for the sake of having company. He is not always recognised by his surroundings but is full of a sense of justice, defeating the Sea Nightmare for the people of Chen Tang Pass, and so on. From all of this, it is easy to see that Nezha has a heroic quality about him. So what if he is born a demon? When he finally breaks through his destiny and shouts, “My life is mine, not anyone else’s”, the anti-hero theme of the entire production is officially expressed by the protagonist’s mouth, telling all audiences that you are not a hero just because others insult you, curse you or hate you. He is also a hero, a different kind of hero who grows up from nothing, regardless of whether others approve of him or not. This process of growth is also the process of the hero’s quest for self-worth and personal dignity, and it is also the process of the hero’s inner character ascension. His ultimate choice to sacrifice himself to protect his parents and the people and protect Chen Tang Pass is a powerful manifestation of his noble character. At this point, an uncontroversial ‘anti-hero’ is born.

This plotting and characterisation reflects the values of the film’s implied creator and resonates with many viewers, bringing the implied creator, the main character Nezha, and the audience closer together and creating a deep empathy that is one of the fundamental reasons why this work is so popular. (An analysis of the anti-hero portrayal in “Nezha the Demon Boy”)

Character movement gives each animated character a strong artistic vitality and infectious power. The character’s movements are designed to position the character and their movements in the film. Character movement design is an important part of the character’s characterisation and is an outward expression of the character’s mental activity. Action design can

exaggerate the character’s movements according to the characteristics of the antagonist and the needs of the plot development. Some dramatic expressions can be used to add interest to the animation and emphasise the antagonist’s emotions. For example, Viktor fights against Gru’s invasion with the help of his castle, which he holds in his hand

control keypad in his hand, but uses his buttocks to control it in a witty and cute action. (Figure 6) (Exploring the innovative design of antagonists in animated films – Despicable Me as an example)

The following Blog will contain the same documentation. In compiling the literature, my thoughts on writing a thesis are becoming clearer.

I began assembling the documentation. I gathered nearly 30,000 words of literature. As a result, I divided the literature into three sections, and the next two blogs are also based on the literature I compiled. It is my habit to organize all of the literature related to my research according to the thesis outline. This allows me to read the relevant information more quickly as I write each chapter. As I read through the literature or books, I add pertinent information to my bibliography.

A synopsis of the first section of the literature:

Collation.

The anti-hero concept can be traced back to the artworks of the ancient Greek period and has emerged in the historical timeline almost simultaneously with the existence of the term ‘hero’, so popular today due to the literary and visual narratives. However, the anti-hero is an ambiguous concept with no clear boundaries or characteristics. Despite this historical context and popularity, it is only concerned with what it is not rather than what it is. As can be seen, the anti-hero is generally defined as a protagonist with non-traditional heroic characteristics’, ‘in opposition to the hero’. It is embodied in fiction as a principle of contrast, representing the opposite viewpoint as a practice. A common approach to social values, to humanity and to the world. This paper argues for the definition, roots and development of ‘anti-hero’. Based on the definition of the term ‘hero’, reference will be made to the evolution of the hero throughout history in order to understand the emergence of the term ‘anti-hero’ as a result of the principle of contrast. “The existence of the term ‘anti-hero’ and the way in which it is expressed in fictional texts will be presented by emphasising the changing character of the hero since the emergence of the genre. (From ancient heroes to anti-heroes: the origins and development of the idea of the hero)

“Anti-heroes” (anti-heroes) emerged alongside heroes in the heroic era of Western society, often as supporting characters to heroic characters and as scandalous characters in stories ([1] Mou Tong. From hero to anti-hero-T.S. Eliot’s early poetic hero’s dilemma[D]. (Beijing Foreign Studies University, 2015.05.) After the Renaissance, however, anti-heroic characters began to appear as protagonists in literature, and the heroic figure gradually moved from the solemn and sublime to a sad fall and deconstruction. The ‘anti-heroism of the literary image was gradually established in new modern and postmodern contexts. The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms explains that ‘anti-heroes’ are different from the traditional heroic figures in the sagas and epics of medieval European literature, who do not possess the nobility of the ideal heroic figure in the eyes of the world. “An ‘anti-hero’ is a person who, after being subjected to the multiple torments of a complex society in a world of light and absurdity, recognises the morbid realities of a dark society but is frustrated in his or her resistance or is sober and resourceful in his or her struggle. （On the one hand, anti-heroes are self-seeking, cynical and have the noble qualities of traditional heroes; on the other hand, they lack a strong will and perseverance, nor do they have the wisdom and courage to surpass ordinary people, being plagued by their instinctive desires and also by the vices of the society they oppose. They are haunted by their instinctive desires and the vices of the society they oppose. Their humble souls have a lingering shadow, sometimes demonic, sometimes angelic, seeking to redeem themselves in a divided spirit. (A study of the “anti-hero” characterisation paradigm in animated film productions)

1.3 Types and characteristics of the anti-hero [200 per part

3. 3. 2 The advantages and applications of the ‘anti-hero’ narrative

By structuring and reshaping the traditional hero, the “anti-hero” shortens the distance between the protagonist and the audience.

Secondly, the ‘anti-hero’ and the hero complement each other. “In structuring the role of the hero, the ‘anti-hero’ further enriches the image of the hero and expands his connotations. Traditionally, the hero is a towering figure, almost perfect and worshipped, but they do not belong in the real world. The anti-hero is different from the non-heroic image. The word ‘anti-‘ does not mean to oppose or deny, but rather to be perverse, different and out of the ordinary. The definition of an anti-hero is very broad. The heroes in traditional films are predominantly male, so in contrast, female heroes are anti-heroes, such as the female image of Mulan in Mulan; heroes are mostly the embodiment of justice and have noble qualities, so those lowly heroes are anti-heroes, such as the hero Aladdin in Aladdin, who is transformed from a scoundrel to a hero who saves the country and punishes traitors. The hero saves his country and punishes traitors. These figures are all anti-heroes.

Firstly, anti-heroes have a strong rebellious character in them. These heroes dare to confront authority, break with traditional values, and prove by their actions the absurdity and incomprehensibility of society. They often feel bitter and helpless under the shackles of inherited values, and when their bitterness builds up to a certain level, they explode uncontrollably. For example, in Zootopia (2016), Judy is a small, thin rabbit who dreams of becoming a police officer who dispenses justice and punishes the wicked. While all the rabbits around here are going about their “ancestral business” of growing carrots, Judy is not interested in the business passed down from generation to generation. Her dream is to make a name for herself in the big city. In Judy’s world of animals, the police are always big, like lions and tigers. Judy has to convince her parents to make her dream come true, but she also has to prove that she is no less capable than these big animals. By teaming up with her fox friend Nick, Judy eventually solves a major crime in Animal City and becomes the city’s hero. With her rebellious and flamboyant personality, she shows her defiance of authority.

Secondly, there is also a strong sense of tragedy in the anti-hero characters. For example, in The Godfather, Gru is a godly thief with “great skills” and is an uncompromising villain. He originally planned to use three orphans to realise his plan to steal the moon, but in the end, he was so touched by their innocence and kindness that he gave up his original plan and became the guardian of the moon instead. Gru, who is considered evil, became what he is because he was traumatised in his childhood. Because his long failure to gain his mother’s approval cast a shadow over his upbringing, he grew up to be extremely destructive and did many bad things in the hope of gaining the approval of the world. The tragedy in Gru is the result of family tragedy and character tragedy. But the good nature in Gru’s heart remains intact, and at the crucial moment when good and evil face-off, he realises his mistake and eventually corrects his wrongdoing in time. Gru is the quintessential anti-hero, with many weaknesses and flaws that do not belong to a heroic character, but which he is able to overcome in the end to achieve the great feat of heroism. (The ‘anti-hero’ narrative in American animated films)

I’ve compiled a large amount of literature, so I’ve decided to share only a portion of it this time. If I have time, I will update it later.

I drafted the thesis outline. In fact, I thought that writing the outline was the most difficult part. This was due to the importance of framing the entire thesis and considering what needed to be researched in each section. I also read a lot of books. The literature in the chart below is only a sample of what I have researched.

Analysis Anti-Hero

Although an “Anti-Hero” once referred to one specific kind of character archetype, over time the term has evolved to cover several, many very different but all having one key aspect in common: serving as contrast to traditional hero types such as the Knight in Shining Armor, The Ace, and the Ideal Hero. Ranking them along the Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism lends itself well to a sliding scale of antiheroes, although the original definition exists somewhat outside of it.

Character Development may cause an anti-hero to shift up or down this scale. See the Sliding Scale of Antagonist Vileness for characters that would be the Anti-Hero, but they play the antagonist in the work. Compare with the Sliding Scale of Anti-Villains.

The morality of the scale, starting from the Disney Anti-Hero, goes from unambiguously good to evil, but the specific morality of any particular character is usually an issue of diverse opinion.

Classical Anti-Hero: For much of history, the term anti-hero referred to a character type that contrasts the badass, bitter, misanthropic, violent qualities of the modern day antihero. In classical and earlier mythology, the hero tended to be a dashing, confident, stoic, intelligent, highly capable fighter and commander with few, if any, flaws. The classical anti-hero inverts this by being: plagued with self-doubt, mediocre (or worse) in combat, frightened/cowardly and/or not particularly bright. The classical anti-hero’s story tends to be about overcoming his own weaknesses and conquering the enemy. Whether or not that happens heavily depends on the story’s placement in the Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism. In an idealistic story, they are all but guaranteed to find true heroism by the end – in a more cynical setting, it’s less likely.

Tragic Hero, Unfazed Everyman and This Loser Is You are relevant tropes.

Disney Anti Hero: This is what the term often means in common speech – a character who contrasts with a squeaky clean Knight in Shining Armor—perhaps a Knight in Sour Armor. The term “Disney” is used, because giving it some thought, this character is a hero, with Heroic Spirit, except that they don’t have the positive mental attitude that comes with being a straight hero. Very frequent amongst the Mr. Vice Guy. Like the Classical Anti-Hero, a Disney antihero stands a good chance of transforming into a straight hero over the course of the story once they confront their internal conflicts, find someone they want to protect, etc.

Pragmatic Anti-Hero: These are iffier, but no worse than neutral and some stay in the “good” category throughout. This type is willing to Shoot the Dog or otherwise do what they must do. While some of these share the snarkiness associated with a Disney Anti-Hero, they are somewhat darker than the previous version, as their Anti-Hero status is associated with their willingness to do good through “not nice” actions. Essentially a “meaner” version of the Disney Anti-Hero. They may get nicer and turn into straight heroes over the course of the story, but they just as likely may not.

There is some division in this slot as to the acceptability of lethal force. Some will side against it, but others deem it a viable solution. In the latter case, it is generally a matter of last resort, but they will do what they have to do.

Unscrupulous Hero: These are the darkest possible while having fundamentally good intentions. This type of Anti-Hero will recurrently be extremely vicious. In some cases they might simply live in a very Crapsack World setting, and could have been a “Disney Anti-Hero” in a more idyllic setting. This character may have undergone something incredibly traumatic that made them beyond cynical. Their idea of justice towards someone who made their life a living hell may be serving revenge not as a side dish, but as the main course, because they feel that person fully deserves it; at the same time, these enemies will be unsympathetic to begin with, to the point where getting rid of them would still be doing the world a favor. There is some chance that they may see the error in their ways, get rid of the bloodthirst, and change into a straight hero over the course of the story, but don’t hold your breath; a more likely scenario is that they’ll remain an Anti-Hero and retain many of their flaws, but shift up the scale to a more unambiguously good type.

Note that there is also a separate flavour of this category, which trades the heroic objectives for somewhat nicer methods, or at least more redeeming qualities. Their objectives tend to be neutral to leaning somewhat unsavoury (but never outright evil), balanced by having lines they will not cross, soft spots for their friends and loved ones etc., as well as often being on the good guys’ side, even if only by chance or because it turns the greatest profit. In other words, what a Nominal Hero (see below) would be with a sense of honor. (As such, there is possibility of transition between the two.)

Pay Evil unto Evil is a defining trope for this category. See also ’90s Anti-Hero, Byronic Hero and Hero with an F in Good. Particularly cynical portrayals of the Lovable Rogue tend to be the latter variety. More heroic Sociopathic Heroes, as well as more merciful Heroic Comedic Sociopaths are also this at best.

Nominal Hero: While these anti-heroes may fight on the side of good, their intentions/motivations are anything but. These people range from amoral characters who happen to be pointed at the villains for one reason or another, to actively malevolent characters, only considered heroes because the villains they fight are much worse. They often fall under the title of the Enemy of my Enemy. These anti-heroes stand practically no chance of becoming straight heroes; if they do, the very credibility of the story is likely to be threatened.

More merciless Sociopathic Heroes and many protagonists from Lord Byron fit on this trope, as well as many worse ’90s Anti-Hero characters, but the tendency was hardly limited to that era, either backwards or forwards. If the conflict is Evil Versus Evil or Black-and-Grey Morality, the anti-hero is the lesser of two evils.

’90s Anti-Hero, Noble Demon, darker Sociopathic Heroes, and more merciless Byronic Heroes, recurrently, but do not always, feature this type of character. When on a team, likely to be a Token Evil Teammate. When Played for Laughs, see Heroic Comedic Sociopath.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Analysis/AntiHero?from=Main.SlidingScaleOfAntiHeroes

Nigel also provided me with feedback. I mentioned in my thesis that people prefer anti-hero stories to traditional heroes, and Nigel and I were discussing how, while there is more evidence in the literature supporting this idea, it isn’t perfect. There is no way to prove that anti-heroes are necessarily more popular than traditional heroes, or that people’s preferences for various types of heroes are always consistent. As a result, I’ll revise the wording as well. In my outline, I believe that people prefer anti-hero stories to traditional heroes, but I’m also attempting to demonstrate that anti-heroes have a distinct character appeal and that the anti-narrative hero’s is very interesting. As a result, I’ll focus my research on character traits such as the behavioral language of various anti-hero types. These same characteristics can be appealing to the anti-hero character.