Talk:Human/@comment-34756840-20180723002940/@comment-45.56.46.26-20180723125048

The reason "humans are the main antagonists" is because humans are the dominant species in the region (due in no small part to the Theocracy, who are also among the most powerful opponents in the region).

Ainz Ooal Gown has followed an essentially non-discrimnatory policy of annihilating those who refuse to submit to Nazarick and protecting those who do. There isn't total equality, as shown by the comparative treatment of the Lizardmen vs. Carne Village, the Re-Estize Kingdom vs. the Quagoa, The Holy Kingdom of Roble vs. Abelion Hills Demi-humans...humans clearly get somewhat preferential treatment, just not absolute favoritism. A human population will get treated slightly better than a non-human population that acts identically towards Ainz, but those who clearly choose intransigent hostility to Nazarick will always be treated much worse than those who chose submission.

As the story progresses to fighting against the major nations in the continental interior which treat humans as cattle, the story will generally be about Ainz laying epic righteous smackdown on evil non-humans and liberating humans, basically the same thing as he was pretending to do in the Holy Kingdom, but without the part where Nazarick is playing both sides.

As for "genuine" heroism, the stories of Gazef and other truly heroic characters shows that Maruyama fully appreciates and values real heroism. What he doesn't adhere to is the idiotic shonen tropes which make "heroism" a simple-minded matter of defending the pretty princess character because she is physically attractive and mindlessly slaughtering anyone who isn't as attractive or who gets in the way.