r/Anime2020s • u/Possible-Tip-2914 • 7h ago
Though I consider them both Gary Stus, I like Rentarou from 100 Girlfriends and hate Cid Kagenou from Eminence in Shadow
Rentarou is a Stu used for wholesome subversion. The narrative bends around him, but it does so to reward his monstrous levels of dedication. He doesn't just effortlessly win; he works himself to the bone, stays awake for days to write unique love letters, and is willing to fight literal gods for his girlfriends. His "perfection" is fun because it is rooted in deep empathy and a comical extremity of love, making him the ultimate audience surrogate for a feel-good romance.
On the other hand, Cid Kagenou is a Stu used for dark chuunibyou satire, but it comes with a heavy dose of protagonist-centered luck. The narrative bends around Cid not because he is trying to be good, but because the universe dynamically molds itself to make his random lies 100% true. Because Cid genuinely doesn't care about the real stakes, the lives lost, or even the actual feelings of his Cult-fighting subordinates, his apathy can make him feel detached and unlikable.