Summary
Author Hiro Mashima is renowned for reusing character designs from his previous works and incorporating several callbacks and hidden references. His most popular seriesFairy Tailfeatured several elements that were clearly taken from Mashima’s previous workRave Master. With his newest seriesEdens Zeronow airing, fans can’t help but notice a similar pattern as several ofFairy Tail’sdistinct elements can be found within the new anime.
While much ofEdens Zero’spremise andworldbuilding is thoroughly uniqueand distinct, the same can’t be said about its characters. From character designs to personalities,Edens Zero’scharacter roster shares many similarities with its predecessorFairy Tail. Shiki Granbell is one example as much of his character’s inspiration seems to be drawn from Natsu Dragneel. However, these similarities go much deeper than mere surface-level character designs as Hiro Mashima has ensured that both protagonists share an uncanny number of resemblances.
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Similar Personality and Character Design
The primary similarity betweenShiki and Natsuis the uncannily similar character design, though Mashima has made slight changes in Shiki’s overall appearance. The two share the same model with spiky hair and cat-like eyes, coupled with a muscular build and an average height. The only deviation is Shiki’s black hair and a slightly more modernized attire.
Their personalities have little to no differences as thetwo boast a happy-go-lucky attitudewith a love for adventure and making friends. When the going gets tough, however, both protagonists know when to put their game faces on and fight for what’s right. Their true strength also seems to be locked behind the power of friendship as emotions and sentimentalities seem to be a shared fuel for their power.
Granted Powers by an Adoptive Parent
Another clear similarity between Shiki and Natsu is the source of their power. In Natsu’s case, he was granted his power by the fire dragon Igneel, who is shown to be his adoptive parent as well. Shiki, on the other hand, learns his GravityEther Gear power by Ziggy, an android that takes him in as his own.
Their situation is eerily similar as both protagonists were taken in by adoptive parents and were granted their unique powers. Another aspect to note is that the adoptive parents were of a different species, meaning both Shiki and Natsu lacked a human touch while growing up. The lack of human involvement in their upbringing becomes quite apparent as they navigate through human relations later on.
Possess Powers of a Bygone Era
As the protagonists of their respective series, Natsu and Shiki were bound to possess an unfathomable power, yet even their powers have a few similarities. Natsu was taughtDragon Slayer Magicby an actual dragon, making him one of the few First Generation Dragon Slayers in the series. Since dragons had gone extinct 400 years back, Dragon Slayer Magic became an extremely rare form of magic, even considered a myth by some.
Shiki’s power is similar in that sense,as Gravity Ether Gearis a power from the Dark Ages. Whenever Shiki uses his power in battle, his opponents are caught by surprise as no one expects a power from the Dark Ages to resurface once more. While Edens Zero has revealed a few other Gravity Ether Gear users, it still doesn’t negate the fact that this power was believed to have gone extinct, making it somewhat similar to Natsu’s Dragon Slayer Magic.
Obsession With Friends
The two protagonists share an odd obsession with making friends and going out of their way to help strangers. While this may be a bit subtle in Natsu’s case, Shiki outwardly states his goal of making friends countless times. His initial reason for leaving Planet Granbell andventuring into spacewas to find new people and make human friends.
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Natsu may not have outwardly expressed this sentiment, but his personality also bears this trait. His openness to accepting Lucy clearly showcases his willingness to make new friends and retain the ones he already had. He also goes out of his wayto protect his friendsand ensure their safety.
An Irrational Fear
Another peculiar similaritybetween the two protagonistsis that both possess an odd and quirky fear. Shiki has an irrational fear of bugs, and he passes out at the sight of one. This is used as a running gag throughout the series, though it’s mostly for comedic relegation and rarely has any actual implications.
Natsu has a similar fear, although this is rooted in an actual physical issue. Due to his Dragon Slayer powers, Natsu has severe motion sickness and becomes completely useless whenever he boards any sort of transportation. However, the issue seems to be psychological as well considering Natsu gets sick just by thinking of being in a moving vehicle.
