Is it tough being "a friend"? (Yuujin Character wa Taihen desu ka?; 友人キャラは大変ですか?), is a light novel by Yasushi Date and illustrated by Benio.
Ichiro Kurosaki is a young man dedicated to the idea of being a supporting character. To that end, he befriended Ryuuga Hinomori, a mysterious student with mystical powers and a natural charisma with women in order to best support him through playing the role of the plucky sidekick as well as to set him up with any potential love interests.
Tropes
- Charles Atlas Superpower : Ichiro demonstrates several insane abilities and feats throughout the story, even though he is an "ordinary character". Unlike the other examples, this is instantly recognized as superhuman abilities the instant anyone witnesses them, whether their enemies, apostles, or their friends.
- The Four Gods: All five appear as guardians to certain main characters. Their evil counterparts the Four Perils also appear.
- Harem Seeker: Ichiro deliberately tries to set Ryuuga up with a Harem as befitting a protagonist of said genre.
- Hidden Buxom: Ryuuga curtesy of a Sarashi.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: The heroes engage in a Demonic Possession induced one with Ryuuga's sister Kyoyka
- Invisible Parents: Ichiro's and Ryuuga's parents are barely around.
- Lethal Chef: Shiori. It doesn't help that she puts in... unorthodox ingredients like gemstones, pearls, and even a smartphone she accidentally dropped in.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: As part of his Plucky Comic Relief guise Ichiro acts like a perverted clueless goofball when in reality he's very aware of the supernatural goings-on that Ryuuga and his potential love interests are in.
- Our Vampires Are Different: Elmira
- School Play: When Kobayashi Ichiro was in kindergarten, he was in one for Momotarō. Instead of playing a standard character from the tale, he played a frilled-lizard due to allowing all the students of the extra large class to have a part. During the play, he did some improv, going off-script and had his character die protecting the Momotaro character. When he heard the praises to him of helping the one who played Momotaro to shine, it awakened his desire to be a "supporter".
- Secret Secret-Keeper: Ichiro aimed to be this for the heroes at first, but after being spotted by them in the aftermath of a battle he has to drop the second "Secret" part.
- Supporting Protagonist: Ichiro Kobayashi acts as the "Slice of Life Locked Out of the Loop best Unwitting Muggle Friend" to Ryuuga Hinomori, viewing 'em as their world's protagonist and himself as a side character.
- Sweet Polly Oliver: As it turns out, Ryuuga is actually a girl who was raised as a boy as per family tradition. This naturally throws Ichiro's plans for a loop since it changes their relationship (as well as Ryuuga's potential harem) quite a bit.
- Unwanted Harem: Ichiro ends up gaining one in spite of him originally wanting to be a proxy Harem Seeker for Ryuuga and would rather go back to being Just Friends
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Ichiro is determined to just be a supporting side character and even mentions side charactering other people in the past but circumstances keep pushing him into the protagonist role in spite of his denial.
