Fandom Friday: 5 Favorite Fictional Fathers

Five of my favorite fictional fathers and a few of the worst father’s of all time!

1. Hoenheim

Also known as Hoho-papa in my household. In the long list of “Good” Fandom Fathers, Hoenheim probably isn’t ranked the highest. Like many fictional fathers he left his family when his children were young for “the good of the family.” But unlike other fathers Hoenheim has a genuine love for his family that is rarely expressed in anime.

We see this when his wife Trisha plans a family portrait that captures Hoenheim in tears because he knows his family time won’t last. He’s cursed with immortality and actually leaves home to look for the cure. Despite the fact that Edward, his oldest son hates him, Hoenheim loves his children and ends up being a key asset to helping them achieve their goal.

He’s one of my favorite characters in the entire series of Fullmetal Alchemists because of his devotion to family and utter badassery.

2. Arthur Weasley

Can we just take a moment to truly appreciate Arthur Weasley. He’s not only a great dad to ALL his kids but he is also that father figure Harry looks for in those first three books. I would even argue that he continues to be a father figure after Sirius dies. He attended Harry’s court hearing at the ministry of magic, brought Harry along to the Quidditch World Cup, and when Harry received a watch for his seventeenth birthday (much like the other Weasley children) I almost always cry.

Let’s not forget that Arthur isn’t a push over either. He may seem scatter brained and a little soft but he always stands up for what’s right. He even takes on Lucius Malfoy in a fight (Chamber of Secrets)!

3. Maes Hughes

Fullmetal Alchemist just gives me all kind of dad feels, especially when it comes to Maes who loves his daughter and wife like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s incredibly endearing how he always flashes out family portraits to random strangers and friends (who’ve seen them more than enough times.)

I have so many feelings about Maes. He’s a working man who knows the importance of family time, is loyal to his friends, and proves to be a bad ass in the last episodes of his appearance. He has a short run in Fullmetal and his death was such an unexpected blow I think anime fans still feel. In fact, even mentioning his name will call fourth a series of sad cooing noises.

4. Bob Belcher

I love Bob’s Burgers and I honestly think Bob and Lynda are some of the best parents shown on television. Sure they mess up… a lot. But there is no doubt that Bob cares for his family. He takes the kids on misadventures and when they mess up he never berates them.

All in all, Bob is a very normal dad for animated television, and maybe that’s why I like him. He doesn’t ignore his children like Homer Simpson or Peter Griffin and he doesn’t try to control them like Hank Hill. Instead, he encourages them while maybe muttering under his breathe at their latest antic.

5. Iemitsu Sawada

Some of you might not be familiar with Katekyo Hitman Reborn and that’s okay. All you need to know is that it’s a Shounen manga (and anime) with a supportive father. A rare find! Iemitsu is the father of Tsuna Sawada a boy being groomed to become the next Mob Boss of the Vongola Family. We don’t meet Iemitsu for a long time, all we know is that Tsuna’s mother loves him to pieces and his work takes him away for months on end.

Kind of sounds like another absent father in manga. Except we do eventually meet Iemitsu and he’s awesome! He clearly loves his family and brags about them at any opportunity. I think I might have a weakness for dads who brag about their families.

 We also find out that he’s a hitman for the Vongola family and total bad ass who cuts a nice form in a suit. Even in the beginning of the manga when no one can comprehend how Tsuna can become the Vongola boss his father always believes in him. I wish there were more dads like Iemitsu in manga.

—

The Worst Fictional Fathers.

1. Goku

Ah, the always present debate of Goku: Good Father or Bad? Yeah he’s a good person and I personally love Goku, but that does not make him a good father. He falls under the troupe of “Father who leaves home for the good of the humanity.” And that’s fine, I was okay with him sacrificing himself… the first time. But then there’s the fact that he didn’t come home leaving his wife newly pregnant, his family in poverty, and Gohan who could count the number of years he spent with his father on one hand.

Then there’s the time Earth was blowing up and he chose to save Hercule and a dog instead of his children. And let’s not forget at the end of Dragonall Z when he decides to go off with Uub to train leaving Chichi in tears because once again her husband was leaving her.

2. Ging

As you know I’m watching Hunter x Hunter for the first time. Another Shounen anime with an absent father. In the anime Gon becomes a Hunter in order to find his father, but this time was I shocked when Gon finds out his father literally never wants to see him. Apparently Ging doesn’t want to be reminded of what a terrible father he is so please don’t find him.

Gon takes it all really well and is more determined than ever to find his father but damn! I couldn’t believe Ging said he didn’t want to see his kid. Taking absent father to a whole new level. Again, I’m new to the show so maybe he turns out to be alright… Maybe.

3. Magneto

Do I have to say why? How about because he’s a narcissistic asshole who wants to commit genocide and any time he teams up with his kids he ends up emotional scarring them for life. Seriously, Magneto has a trail of kids that he doesn’t recall until the moment he really needs them and he stunts them emotionally so they’ll do his bidding.

Let’s recall the time Scarlet Witch got rid of all mutants everywhere just to get back at her father.

In my head canon I’d like to imagine Magneto as a GREAT dad. One who nurtures his children and their mutant abilities. Unfortunately there’s barely any evidence of that. The only thing I got is he proves to be an Ok-ish Grandpa to Billy and Tommy.

4. Literally everyone in Game of Thrones except Ned Stark.

In the world of Game of Thrones there are a lot of people who aren’t the best dads. I was hard pressed to come up with just one and then I was struggling to come up with a good father figure in the show besides Ned… and someone better not mention Stannis.

But in all seriousness let’s look at what we have. Tywin Lannister; complete jackass to all his children except the one “perfect” male. Robert Baratheon; drunk, abusive, and oblivious to his psychotic son. Greyjoy; could careless about Theon. Walder Frey; another abusive father. Aerys Targaryen; psychopath.

Wow, um… maybe the world of Game of Thrones is such a mess because everyone has daddy issues.

5. Fire Lord Ozai

The big bad in the Avatar: Last Airbender Series and a big bad of a father as well. We get the sense that Ozai really isn’t father material when we learn early on that he is the reason for Zuko’s scar. He is also a tyrant who berates his children and wants to commit mass genocide and never once shows any type of affection to anyone in his immediate family