SV Proposal: Patrick Bateman from American Psycho

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“	There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction—but there is no real me; only an entity, something illusory... and though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours, and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable: I simply... am not... there.	„
	~ Patrick Bateman's infamous soliloquy.

What's the work/Who is he?

American Psycho is a controversial novel by Bret Easton Ellis published in 1991 that was later adapted into a film in 2000 starring Christian Bale.

The novel and film follow the titular Patrick Bateman, our candidate, and he is a wealthy New York investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer. The story is meant to be a dark satire of 1980s American consumer culture, yuppie lifestyle, and Wall Street excess. Despite this, there is ambiguity around whether his violent acts are real or merely fantasies of his due to his futile narcissism and inability to stand out from everyone else.

What makes him a Shonen Villain?

Basic Traits:

1. Villainous: Bateman commits numerous horrible atrocities, including many murders (such as killing Paul Allen barbarically), but also acts of torture and cannibalism. He kills homeless people, coworkers, women, and even a homeless man's dog for no reason other than his own amusement and hatred for people outside of his social class. At one point he kills a child to assess whether he would find it fulfilling (he does not, as the child has little experiences compared to an adult, so he is dissatisfied with it not being consequentially evil enough)
2. Powerful/Skillful: He is skilled at maintaining his double life. He evades suspicion and manipulates those around him, and his crimes are done with meticulous precision and charismatic trickery (at least in his own mind, assuming that the narrative is a hallucination as commonly suspected/implied).
3. Arrogant: Extremely so. Bateman believes himself to be superior in intelligence, fashion, wealth, and status. He constantly looks down on others, often mocking their choices in music, lifestyle, and even something as pathetic as their business cards.
4. Intelligent: He is intelligent in some ways despite his delusion, as he is well-versed in finance, pop culture, and social manipulation, and he knows how to commit crimes through his cunning mind.
5. Cold-Hearted/Ruthless: He shows no remorse for his crimes and kills people completely indiscriminately. Even when he isn’t murdering, he treats people around him with cruelty.
6. Short-Tempered: He is is easily frustrated, particularly when his social status or ego is threatened. His rage is triggered by things as trivial as someone having a more tasteful business card than him, and he has a psychotic breakdown killing Paul Allen.
7. Laughably Evil: He is a satircal portrayal of 1980s yuppies. His over-the-top behavior, excessive violence, and weird monologues are intentionally made for dark humor that has him seem absurdly evil at times. The humor also comes from how pathetic he ultimately is, such as, again, the business card, or his exaggeratedly xenophobic remarks.
8. Psychopathic: He exhibits all the hallmarks of psychopathy as he has a total lack of empathy, uses charismatic manipulation, and cares for no one but himself. He kills without remorse and enjoys watching his victims suffer.
9. Narcissistic: Probably his defining trait, as he is obsessed with his looks, wealth, and social status. He constantly admires himself in mirrors, has an absurdly specific and calculated skincare routine, and always needs to be seen as superior in every way.
10. Has a Sinister Laugh: He has moments of very awkward or deranged laughter.

Bonus Traits:

1. Sadistic: He enjoys it all. Many of his murders involve extreme torture and psychological torment before he finishes the job, purely for amusement.
2. Bloodthirsty: He kills for fun, blood, stress relief, and sheer enjoyment. Innocence means nothing to him.
3. Is a Secondary-Color Nemesis: He often wears a black suit.
4. Has Black Air Force Energy: He has unhinged and psychotic energy and a complete disregard for rules, consequences, or morality. Many of his acts are very vile, savage and barbaric rather than calculated.
5. Immature: Despite his wealth and success, Bateman’s emotional maturity is completely nonexistent and he throws tantrums over minor inconveniences and acts like a spoiled child when things don’t go his way. He is also completely vain and obsessed with things that shouldn't matter to anyone mature.

Verdict?

Easy yes