Fairy Tail stands amongst the many classic animes. While not as recognized when compared to the big three of shonen manga, it is still perhaps the first manga or anime for many fans. Hiro Mashima may have worked on other projects but none have shined as bright as that of Fairy Tail. Being his magnum opus, the story follows the common trope of the power of friendship. However, as perhaps new anime viewers, that is exactly what one needs.
Despite the ups and downs, as well as the imperfections, there is a soft spot everyone has for the series. There are many antagonists introduced throughout the course of the anime and manga, most of which get redeemed by the end of their arcs. From Zeref to Gajeel and even Jellal, characters now standing as fan favorites were once regarded as formidable foes.
Out of all these villains, Acnalogia has always been connected with Natsu in one way or another.
Hiro Mashima’s One Regret About Fairy Tail
In an interview with Anime News Network, Hiro Mashima, Fairy Tail’s mangaka, revealed that although there is an entire gallery worth of characters before him, there is one in particular whom he wished to dissect more.
“In my mind I had a deeper setting for this character. But the story is from the main character’s point of view, so I couldn’t really do that. I may have some time to explore the story of Acnologia at some point.”
Acnologia is directly connected to the protagonist through his foster father, Igneel. Fans have seen him both in his human form and in his grandiose form as a dragon. While many may be most familiar with the latter, the former is the one with an untold story.
Even though Acnologia was an unforgettable villain, there was one part of him that was evidently missing. The character lacks psychological complexity. With an antagonist as powerful as him, giving him motives beyond the surface level would be much required.
Fairy Tail Villains are Not Morally Inclined
Each and every character in Fairy Tail has been given the opportunity to properly be explored. With time, the most irredeemable villains grew to be some of the most likable characters. Through Fairy Tail Zero, Zeref grew in popularity much more than he already had. Gajeel, Jellal, Irene Belserion, Ultear, and even Erza Knightwalker got the chance to become more than just a character or a villain.
Acnalogia stands as an exception to this. Being the King of Dragons, there was so much Hiro Mashima could do with the character. His goals and motivations seemed flat compared to other antagonists. Now that Fairy Tail: 100-Year Quest is getting an anime, there is a strong possibility for another spin-off manga, perhaps even a one-shot to be made.
Seeing that Mashima was more than interested in bending towards Acnalogia’s story, the chances of him getting a spin-off are more than likely.
Fairy Tail 100-Year Quest is set to release in July of 2024.
