Red Oni Blue Oni - Television Tropes & Idioms

alt title(s): Blue Oni Red Oni

Misa! Quit messing with the Christmas Lights!

Oni is a Japanese word which roughly translates as "demon" or "ogre", and represents a creature from Japanese mythology. The original oni were large, brutish creatures, often illustrated wielding large metallic clubs. Those that weren't in hell tormenting sinners roamed the remote, mountainous areas of Japan, where they often carried people off to be eaten, only to be defeated by valiant heroes or holy monks. (Here

◊ are

◊ two traditional-style depictions of oni). Later, other meanings and connotations would grow around them, including as guardians of people or towns, which would mount oni figures on the walls to ward off evil spirits (much like gargoyles in The West), and parades and processions would be led by men dressed as oni. (Obviously not as the savage, loincloth wearing version.)

Differing sets of personalities are attributed to red oni and blue oni, which have often come to be the personalities of many a protagonist/antagonist combination, or that of a pair of rivals.

The red oni is associated with passion, wildness, defiance and fire. A red oni character is often more brawny than brainy, enthusiastic, determined, and filled with a zest for life. He is also much more likely to break conventions and rules than his counterpart. Often an Idiot Hero or, in more mature pieces, a cousin of the Boisterous Bruiser, and most likely to be Hot Blooded. When a villain, a red oni may turn into a Blood Knight. Whereas his blue counterpart puts a lot of focus onto higher goals, causes, or codes of behavior, the red is primarily concerned with people. Say something nasty about their country or cause, they'll usually shrug or laugh it off. Say or do something nasty to their closest friends, and you've guaranteed yourself a world of pain.

The blue oni is an opposite in most ways — more intellectual, proud, traditional, cultured (sometimes more spiritual, although that's not guaranteed), and associated with water. Blue oni personalities are often respected by others, but also likely to puzzle or confound their peers because they are difficult to read and have a mysterious quality to them. Personality subtypes include The Stoic, The Spock, The Quiet One and Aloof Big Brother. (Pride, aloofness, or social ineptness also means they frequently have trouble spitting it out, whatever "it" may be.) It's worth noting that while blue types appear tremendously calm and composed, sometimes this is just the surface, and scratching that facade may show that they are, if anything, wound far too tight beneath their calm and unemotional appearance. (This is particularly true of the villains). Villainous blue oni tend to be extremely ruthless, ready to do or sacrifice anything (and often anyone) to accomplish their goals. See Knight Templar and Well Intentioned Extremist.

The two are almost always forced into close contact, either voluntarily or by some outside social or legal reason such as being members of the same family, class, dojo, soldiers together in The Squad, etc. Despite their wildly different personalities and philosophies the two often have either the same (or related) professions and/or skills. This of course gives them something to butt heads about, since they will also often have vastly different ways of going about whatever it is they're competing over and each will insist that his way is the best.

Because Dumb Is Good, a red oni is more likely to be the lead character, but the variations are many. Sometimes the two are both leads on an equal standing, sometimes the blue is more of The Smart Guy or The Lancer to the red lead. The relationship can also vary wildly, from close brothers and friends to bitter rivals or enemies. One thing that is sure is that regardless of how big a cast is, when these two are in it, they will be magnetically drawn to each other. Their personality differences set up chances for both great drama and great comedy in playing off each other. No matter how many other rivals and counterparts these two might have, or if a bigger Big Bad comes along, nothing else will equal the chemistry between these two.

In a show where it's relevant, differences in fighting style will be something like Technician Versus Performer.

Compare Outside Man Inside Man, Odd Couple, Cast Calculus (for the evolution of the Red/Blue dynamic through various numbers of ensembles) and Order Versus Chaos.

See also Pink Girl Blue Boy, Action Duo.