'Was Naoya Right?' the Dark Anime Meme and Controversy Explained
By Alexander Ross
Akutami’s character morality analysis demonstrates a deliberate refusal to soften villains. Modern shōnen frequently relies on tragic flashbacks to justify antagonist cruelty. Characters like Demon Slayer’s Akaza or Naruto’s Obito Uchiha receive extended redemptive sequences designed to evoke reader tears. Akutami rejected that template with Naoya.
Naoya is an unrepentant narcissist. Even his idolization of Toji Fushiguro stemmed not from genuine respect, but from an obsession with absolute personal dominance. When Naoya returned as a cursed spirit during the Sakurajima Colony arc, his physical form literally mirrored a giant, grotesque womb, a visual metaphor highlighting his psychological fixation on gender, birthright, and bodily autonomy. Akutami gave him no tragic backstory, no noble justification, and no dignified demise.
By writing a villain devoid of moral ambiguity, Akutami created the ideal target for internet deconstruction. The character’s complete lack of self-awareness makes him funny to mock, while his unyielding spite gives meme-creators endless material for provocative punchlines.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
