Intelligent-Sarcastic VS Indecisive-Idiot VS Pervert-Idiot Protagonist

[j2.dless]

So I've encountered many visual novels and I observed that there are three common protagonist types in most VNs. These are intelligent but sarcastic ones, indecisive/dense idiot ones, and perverted idiot ones. So which among these types do you like to play as the protagonist? I always like to play as the intelligent sarcastic ones since they are always on the right side and are funny when being sarcastic.

 

Though I also like kind-intelligent protagonist (Wilfred of kamidori alchemy meister) and intelligent-villainous ones (Kyousuke of g-senjou no maou????), but the kind character is rare and unrealistic, and I play villainous ones if I just want to release my pent-up emotions (dark) but it always leave me a bad taste eventually and they are rare.

[Narcosis]

None. Most of modern protagonist archetypes are undeniably stupid and I'm not even talking about being plain dumb; being forced to look upon the world through their own eyes is the worst kind of torture, japanese developers unleash on their players. And "japanese" does not mean I'm favoring western creators, either. Their creations are simply off the charts in terms of stupidity. Rare exceptions happen in overall (at times quite unusual, to say the least), but in most cases there's little to none sympathy I feel to most of the protagonists, especially heores from that sea of mud "called" moege.

[j2.dless]

None. Most of modern protagonist archetypes are undeniably stupid and I'm not even talking about being plain dumb; being forced to look upon the world through their own eyes is the worst kind of torture, japanese developers unleash on their players. And "japanese" does not mean I'm favoring western creators, either. Their creations are simply off the charts in terms of stupidity. Rare exceptions happen in overall (at times quite unusual, to say the least), but in most cases there's little to none sympathy I feel to most of the protagonists, especially heores from that sea of mud "called" moege.

I have a little reflection on your statement. What if one of us was wrong or we are both wrong because we only play selected visual novel games? What if we only see a small picture of a larger picture and prejudge the whole thing just because of the small picture we just saw!!! @_@

[Insania]

I prefer sarcastic-intelligent ones because I can relate better.

 

I am by no means very 'intelligent' but I am quite sarcastic so I relate better in terms of my personality.

But I am usually fine with any type of personality as I usually view their story in an 'outsider' perspective, even when the VN is presented in a first person narrative.

 

However there are always exceptions, and I may find that a protagonist is simply too extreme of a personality. Everything in moderation I suppose.

[Narcosis]

I have a little reflection on your statement. What if one of us was wrong or we are both wrong because we only play selected visual novel games? What if we only see a small picture of a larger picture and prejudge the whole thing just because of the small picture we just saw!!! @_@

If you have access or read any/most of japanese works, that come out every month you wouldn't be making such statements. What we like on the west is nothing but a drop in the sea of crappiness. Current visual novels, where nearly everything at the moment turns out to be cheaply made moege, full of boobs and panty shots is a climax of years of highly increased market competition, cramped up within but a tiny space of possibilities.

 

That said I can't except any quality writing from high schoolers. In overall, it's not about what they want or would like to write about, but what market demands them to write.

[Nagisa_Fawkes]

What type of protagonist would Okabe from Steins;Gate be? I guess the intelligent/sarcastic area, but a bit of madness mixed with chuunibyou always goes well.

[Fiddle]

Although those attributes typically fit into your run-of-the-mill visual novel, I can assure you that there's a number of exceptions. For example, I don't think that you could say that Hisao from Katawa Shoujo is exceptionally sarcastic, intelligent, stupid, or perverted (OELVNs might be different, I know, but that's just to point out an archetypal example). I personally prefer something along those lines, where the protagonist isn't boring and void of character, but also is actually somewhat relatable to the player; nobody who's playing a game with an extremely perverted protagonist would truly do most of the things they do.

[j2.dless]

If you have access or read any/most of japanese works, that come out every month you wouldn't be making such statements. What we like on the west is nothing but a drop in the sea of crappiness. Current visual novels, where nearly everything at the moment turns out to be cheaply made moege, full of boobs and panty shots is a climax of years of highly increased market competition, cramped up within but a tiny space of possibilities.

 

That said I can't except any quality writing from high schoolers. In overall, it's not about what they want or would like to write about, but what market demands them to write.

I actually try to read most of them but it's impossible for me to read all that come out since there are a lot of mangas, and visual novels that comes out. And I just realized that there are also stuffs that are not yet translated. But I honestly admit that I'm actually picky in terms of priority of what to read first. I pick the ones that have good story (and lolis Gwheheheheheheheeeeeeeeee..... *heavy breathing).

 

And I actually agree on your premise that the works are "shounenish" (boys as a target customers). I actually have a discussion with my sister who is a writer and we come up to a conclusion that anime, manga, and visual novels are not realistic since age of the characters are mismatched. We mean mismatched as giving a particular character (usually protagonist) some responsibilities or characteristic that is not suited for his/her age (Example: A teenage kid who can solve crimes using his detective skills). Thus it gives an unrealistic feeling on the story.

[Okami]

None. Most of modern protagonist archetypes are undeniably stupid and I'm not even talking about being plain dumb; being forced to look upon the world through their own eyes is the worst kind of torture, japanese developers unleash on their players. And "japanese" does not mean I'm favoring western creators, either. Their creations are simply off the charts in terms of stupidity. Rare exceptions happen in overall (at times quite unusual, to say the least), but in most cases there's little to none sympathy I feel to most of the protagonists, especially heores from that sea of mud "called" moege.

 

If you hate them so much then why are you even still here reading VNs and watching Anime? at this point I can't tell if you are a hater, troll or both.

[Mr Poltroon]

If you hate them so much then why are you even still here reading VNs and watching Anime? at this point I can't tell if you are a hater, troll or both.

He's the scourge of the Fuwanovel forums. Someone needs to provide the much needed pessimism, so that optimism can fight and triumph over it, much more powerfully. 

 

Personally, I prefer the intelligent, the kind, and the sarcastic protagonists, any combination of these traits would do.

[madvanced]

From the choices given I would say the intelligent-sarcastic type. One trait that I particularly like in MCs is the planning before taking action. I like those MCs that don't just try to plow through obstacles with force and recklessness and actually give some thought to their actions, if their composure is calm and cool almost all of the time even better.

[j2.dless]

If you hate them so much then why are you even still here reading VNs and watching Anime? at this point I can't tell if you are a hater, troll or both.

He's the scourge of the Fuwanovel forums. Someone needs to provide the much needed pessimism, so that optimism can fight and triumph over it, much more powerfully.

Personally, I prefer the intelligent, the kind, and the sarcastic protagonists, any combination of these traits would do.

Maybe he's a tsundere or the closet otaku... I can imagine his reaction... Gwehehe... XD

From the choices given I would say the intelligent-sarcastic type. One trait that I particularly like in MCs is the planning before taking action. I like those MCs that don't just try to plow through obstacles with force and recklessness and actually give some thought to their actions, if their composure is calm and cool almost all of the time even better.

Yup, tactician MC's are cooler.... It's like you always hit a jackpot when his strategy was successful! Unlike aggressive MC's who do things in the whim whenever they feel their blood is boiling and often commits a fatal blunder.... XD

[madvanced]

Yup, tactician MC's are cooler.... It's like you always hit a jackpot when his strategy was successful! Unlike aggressive MC's who do things in the whim whenever they feel their blood is boiling and often commits a fatal blunder.... XD

When they are mature/realist enough to know that sometimes there are unavoidable sacrifices and things like that it's even better, but it's also good that sometimes they go against their ideals and try to "save everyone" because it makes them flawed and hypocritical which makes them feel more human.

[j2.dless]

When they are mature/realist enough to know that sometimes there are unavoidable sacrifices and things like that it's even better, but it's also good that sometimes they go against their ideals and try to "save everyone" because it makes them flawed and hypocritical which makes them feel more human.

You have the "last-visual-novel-syndrome" (like the last-song-syndrome) ~~~~~~~ Grisaia no Kajitsu... How cute. It makes me want to hug you...if you're a loli girl... Gwehehehe... XD

Don't worry, I also have the "last-visual-novel-syndrome" which is majikoi... I also like the Grisaia no Kajitsu and how Yuuji's character grows in each heroine... XD

[madvanced]

You have the "last-visual-novel-syndrome" (like the last-song-syndrome) ~~~~~~~ Grisaia no Kajitsu... How cute. It makes me want to hug you...if you're a loli girl... Gwehehehe... XD

Don't worry, I also have the "last-visual-novel-syndrome" which is majikoi... I also like the Grisaia no Kajitsu and how Yuuji's character grows in each heroine... XD

Grisaia isn't exactly the last VN I read, although it is my favorite. However I had experienced this kind of behavior but in reverse in another VN, Fate/Stay Night(Which I like almost as much as Grisaia) and I liked that quite a lot. Sorry to disappoint you but I'm no loli, I'm a hairy dude.

[j2.dless]

Grisaia isn't exactly the last VN I read, although it is my favorite. However I had experienced this kind of behaviour but in reverse in another VN, Fate/Stay Night(Which I like almost as mch as Grisaia) and I liked that quite a lot. Sorry to disappoint you but I'm no loli, I'm a hairy dude.

Damn, he's a hairy dude... Well, my hypothesis was near. Damn almost. Favorite? It's so near. I need  to work on my deduction skills. Is Fate/Stay Night that good in terms of story and art? XD

[madvanced]

Damn, he's a hairy dude... Well, my hypothesis was near. Damn almost. Favorite? It's so near. I need  to work on my deduction skills. Is Fate/Stay Night that good in terms of story and art? XD

Let's see in terms of story I actually liked F/SN more than Grisaia, I just found Grisaia to have more likable characters overall. If you like fantasy settings you will definitely love F/SN, although it can be a bit lengthy at times. Art-wise it's solid, not the absolute best but I would say it is good specially for a VN that has 8 years if I recall correctly.

[Okami]

I just realized that I didn't say what protagonist I like, out of the 3  you offered I like Intelligent-Sarcastic and I hate all kind of perverted ones, Indecisive-Idiot being in between. But the ones I liked the most are none of those 3, I like the most the ones that are moderate i guess, true that said it really all depends from a VN and story as some protagonists are just better suited for some stories then others.

[Decay]

The only perverted protagonist I've liked was the one from Dual Savior. That's largely because his voice acting was fantastic. I'm really glad the english patch ripped the voice from the PS2 version and put it in the PC version.

 

The rest of that game is kinda shit, though. 

[Life]

I like myself a unique protagonist. It might not be any of the three or it may be all three in one somehow. It isn't something i can say that I just like that but rather someone I can say I enjoy as I read along the vn. However having something i can relate to is always something I welcome.

[Yukiru]

Anything goes for me, a nice surprise is always better.

[Clephas]

Really, it is gentle-average (can be stupid or just average), perverted-average, or tsukkomi-intelligent are the archetypical formats for moege protags.  There is also the hetare-gentle archetype... but that one has more or less gone out of fashion, as no one wants to see through the eyes of someone too weak-willed.  The 'indecisive' trait is something of a default for all moege protags, especially when it comes to relationships. 

 

Fortunately, there is a much wider variety of protagonist types outside of moege, hehe.  My personal favorites are Narita Shinri and Shigure Sora.  Shinri is an arrogant bastard who is actually as capable as he thinks he is, with a high level of intelligence and an unwavering determination to achieve his goals.  Sora is somewhat animalistic, acting on instinct or impulse for the most part, though he is also highly intelligent and has certain personal rules he doesn't break (though they aren't moral rules).  He has absolutely no hesitation in going after what he wants, and he couldn't care less what others think of his actions. 

[Zakamutt]

I have a weakness for the intelligent-sarcastic protagonist, as it's somewhat close to my own outlook. I'm like twenty minutes into Sharin and I love Kenichi already, so more of a trickster thing is cool as well. If taken far enough the perverted protagonist can be amazingly lulz (cf. Cocoro@Function, though it's possible the livetl dramatization made it that much better.) I get uncomfortable when I see super-innocent protagonists.

 

In general though, a protagonist gets better the more interesting they are as a character in general, whatever their type or whatever is.

[Pabloc]

If I had to choose one of the common moege archetypes, I'd say the sarcastic-intelligent is the least boring.

But usually, when I see that a VN has a male high school student protagonist without any exceptional traits, I automatically loose a large chunk of interest in such title.

 

What I like are adult/child protagonists, overpowered ones, villains, psychopaths, guys already in relationship. etc., basically, anyone who isn't the dull, generic Mr Average. Oh, and all female protagonists outside of otome games by default. I like girls' pov. ^^

[Darklord Rooke]

I actually have a discussion with my sister who is a writer and we come up to a conclusion that anime, manga, and visual novels are not realistic since age of the characters are mismatched. We mean mismatched as giving a particular character (usually protagonist) some responsibilities or characteristic that is not suited for his/her age (Example: A teenage kid who can solve crimes using his detective skills). Thus it gives an unrealistic feeling on the story.

 

Rule of thumb - the age of the main protagonist (in animes and VNs) roughly matches the age of the show's target audience in Japan. You get your exceptions, but on the whole it seems about right. It's not about being realistic but getting the target audience to relate to the protagonist, I assume.