Good Characters

After some years reading novels, watching anime, movies and playing videogames I noticed one of the things these things lack the most are good characters. They are what pulls me into whatever it is and it can create awesome dialogues in wich what the characters say is much more important than what they do say.

The best characters I found were mostly in a few fantasy books and in a few animes. On the books, Raistlin Majere of the Dragonlance series (hence the blogger nickname) and Drizzt Do'Urden from the Forgotten Realms. In the animes they shone brighter. What I felt about the characters in Neon Genesis Evangelion was nothing like what I felt about the characters in Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. I related to them, I felt at home and I loved them for the good parts and all the flaws. I miss those characters.

In most other places I find generic and one-dimensional characters which only fill the vacancies for "tough guy", "blonde/brunette/redhead bombshell", "nerdy teenager" or "evil mastermind" and nothing else. I watch the movies and half an hour later I can't even remember their names.

In videogames I count by the fingers of my hands the characters wich had that kind of impact. Just off the top of my head the best I remember is Guybrush Threepwood.

Hats off to Tim Shafer.