The main characters in Isekai anime occasionally have the complexity and interest of a wooden board, but this isn't because they lack any redeeming qualities or even have too many flaws. It's just that, despite having character traits, they don't feel like real people because their flaws are usually ignored and never raised as a major area for character development. For the most part, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation succeeds in defying this trend because its protagonist is flawed in the most glaring ways. Rudeus still carries some of his flaws and trauma into the new world, which is what living a less-than-ideal life in your early thirties will do to a character. What significance does this have for Rudeus as a person, and how does it contribute to his being an original Isekai protagonist?
The world-building and character interactions that take place as Rudeus encounters significant events in his world are a large part of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation as a series. Rudeus, however, is not your typical Isekai main protagonist, which in no way makes him more likable or relatable than the majority of other Isekai protagonists. The reason for this is that, despite the fact that his inherent character occasionally shines through, it is obscured by some of his personality quirks and flaws, as well as the trauma of his past life, which influences most of his decisions to improve himself. So frequently, a lot of Isekai-related anime tend to forget that the new world is a living, breathing place, and that the main character must adapt and grow alongside it. Rudeus Greyrat accomplishes this exact goal, and thankfully he does so admirably and with a convincing sense of upward mobility after beginning at the bottom.
Rudeus' Flaws
By this point, many series fans are aware of Rudeus's development, but many also are intimately aware of and familiar with the vast flaws in his character that drive him to want to mature. To put it bluntly, he was a lecherous pervert masquerading as a young child at the start of the show. But aside from that perversion, Rudeus also had a propensity to give up when things got challenging, a trait he gradually outgrew as his successes outweighed his failures. He was initially afraid to leave his house due to a trauma that severely stunted his emotional development as a person up until his thirties in his previous life.
Although the majority of these flaws are evident in the first few episodes and even a little further into the plot, they are not intended to cast a negative or unfavorable light on Rudeus's persona. In fact, the character is conscious of his shortcomings, the reasons why his previous life failed, and the reasons why he wants to move forward and live a better life that he can be proud of. Even though Rudeus occasionally engages in bad habits that are mostly perversely humorous in nature, he constantly criticizes himself for them, which makes the audience more intrigued to see how a newly gifted young man develops into a better person as they mature over time. The main theme of Rudeus's character is that of someone who experiences failure but never gives up, and it is for this reason that his character's growth and 3rd-dimensionality resonate with and compel a large portion of the audience to continue watching Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.
Importance of Flaws
Overall, despite the fact that these shortcomings are a stain on Rudeus' character, it does not use them as justification for Rudeus to not develop. Fans could be excused for thinking that Rudeus' flaws are merely supplemental and should be shrugged off and forgotten, but the truth is that Rudeus' flaws are what give him his foundation as a developing, changing, and important main character of the story. Despite the fact that he may have been deeply flawed himself, they act as the foundation for the narrative and Rudeus' development as a person. Rudeus wouldn't be as endearing as he is throughout the first season and even at the start of the second without these character traits.
Undoubtedly, flaws may seem unappealing, but more fans are hoping for Isekai anime to feature characters like Rudeus Greyrat. At first flawed and perhaps even likable, but constantly developing and slowly realizing where they need to learn and develop. These are the kinds of characters that will become favorites among the audience, remembered and cherished as characters who overcame their flaws and improved as a result. That is exactly what Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation does, and Rudeus' flaws do a great job of illustrating it.