Why do we like the characters we like?
Summary:
- Too kind to be unlikeable.
- Walking failures, unite!
- Charisma is important.
There is no such thing as a universally beloved character. Whoever you think of, from Kitty White (Hello Kitty) to Kobeni Higashiyama (Chainsaw Man) to Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen), has at least one person who can’t stand their guts. Hell, one of Gojo’s haters is his own author Gege Akutami!
Still, while there are no universally beloved characters, there are characters with an appeal so wide it could as well be universal. And we can generally divide them into three categories.
The fluffiest cinnamon roll
Some characters are just too kind for their own good, and would probably be able to ride the Flying Nimbus from Dragon Ball. These are the characters that represent our faith in humanity, make us believe there are still good people out there in this world, and maybe even inspire us to be better ourselves.
Tanjiro from Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) remains kind, even as he is forced to fight against the most inhuman opponents. Chise from The Ancient Magus’ Bride (Mahoutsukai no Yome) shows the value of coexistence with even malicious entities. Lemilion from My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) teaches us to overcome adversity and remain heroic even against the greatest odds.
Literally me
Some characters are beloved not because they are inspiring — but because they fail at life as much as we do (or maybe even more). Bocchi from Bocchi wa Rock! is a talented guitarist, true — but she is also absolutely and comically socially inept. Retsuko from Aggressive Retsuko (Aggretsuko) survives through a soul-crushing 5/2 (like most of us) only through the power of death metal karaoke. The entire Konosuba (Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!) main cast is full of lovable losers.
Even if we don’t associate ourselves with these characters, we can at least laugh at (or with) their ineptitude or circumstances.
Charisma overflow
Finally, there are characters who are just too amazing, too charismatic not to like. It doesn’t even matter if they are villains, or side characters we only see once in a blue moon — we still love every second they are on screen.
Ishigami Senku from Dr. Stone is an example of such a protagonist with a skillset uniquely suited for the situation he ended up in, and an aloof-yet-loveable mad genius personality to match. Kamina from Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann has captured everyone’s hearts mere minutes after his first appearance through the sheer power of his personality and willpower. Makima from Chainsaw Man made anime fans bark since the first episode as well, and justifyingly so.
So, what makes an anime character likable? The way we see ourselves in them, the way they spark our aspirations, and their sheer force of personality — multiplied by the quality of writing, of course. There is no guarantee that a certain character will resonate with us, but it’s always a treat whenever it happens, isn’t it?