#I also like to throw Ota in there as that one loser older brother figure yknow

[wildtornado-o]

man aitsf really is the game ever.... Like where else would you get Kaname Date, Aiba and Mizuki Okiura (and the Sagans) familial relationship, the best found family ever.

[lightchildofthespring]

Thank you for tagging me, @florencetheflowerfairy

Now, I present my list of ten favorite characters from ten different fandoms:

Hyuuga Hinata (Naruto/Naruto Shippuuden): For over 10 years, Hinata has been a dear character to me. I indentified with her struggles with anxiety and self-deprecation and admired how she grew through the story to the point where she’s respected as a ninja and acknowledged by her family and peers. Hinata develops a strength that is unlike the typical “strong female character” trope. She doesn’t have to shout to be heard, she doesn’t have to punch people or destroy things to be taken seriously. There’s a quiet dignity to her that brings a lot of weight to her words when she speaks. Hinata’s speeches are almost always (dare I say always?) meaningful. She knows how to motivate people and recognize value in them even when they can’t see it themselves. She’s wise, kind, hugely empathetic and might be one of the most emotionally intelligent characters in the series. I also fell in love with her relationship with Naruto. As a self-loathing child who nobody believed in, Hinata saw a lot of herself in the little boy who was shunned by the entire village. And by seeing how he, although faced with many difficulties and failing many times, kept on doing his best and refusing to give up, Hinata felt encouraged to do her best herself and become someone she could be proud of. What began with admiration evolved to love and Hinata became the person to encourage and protect Naruto. I don’t think I was ever as happy to see a couple I shipped become canon as I was with these two. They’re characters who bring the best in each other and respect each other deeply. Relationship goals right here!

Sawada Tsunayoshi (Katekyo Hitman Reborn): what I really liked about Tsuna was how realistic he felt to me. He didn’t act like the typical shonen hero and never really embraced the Mafia Boss destiny people tried to shove him in. Tsuna was a loser in academics and sports who had no friends and no faith in himself in the beginning of the story. However, he evolves in the story and becomes someone who is more confident in himself and earns the trust and respect of other people. All that without actually changing his core personality. Tsuna never stops being a scared-cat or an anxious guy, but he learned that he shouldn’t let those things stop him from fighting to protect the people he cared about. Another thing that I love about Tsuna is that he hates to fight, no matter how strong he gets. Strength for him is merely a means to protect people when needed, not something to use carelessly or to brag about. He’s a sweet kid and I love him.

Todoroki Shouto (Boku no hero academia): his past might be one of the saddest in the manga. His mother was forced into an arranged married with his father, number two hero and abusive jerk. Todoroki was trained since early age to be a great hero but didn’t feel loved. Events that I shouldn’t spoil happen and he resents deeply his father and part of his ability (he has powers of ice, from his mom, and fire, from his father), refusing to use the same power that the man he loathes has. But then, he’s told by someone who would become a dear friend that that power was his and that he shouldn’t hate a part of himself. Todoroki has a beautiful growth in the series and slowly comes to terms with himself as a whole.

Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls): Mabel is an extrovert who embraces life with high levels of enthusiasm. I find it nearly impossible not to fall in love with her. She loves her family and values her heart more than her brain when it comes to make decisions (a trait that saved the day many times). Mabel is incredibly creative and artistic and is also someone who thinks outside the box, coming up with surprising solutions for problems. She had moments of self-centeredness but deeply cares about her family and friends. I’d say nobody in the show has a heart as big as hers.

Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion): my child! She had a lot of hurt, trauma and insecurities but tried really hard to hide them away and present herself as a strong and arrogant person who needed nobody. Asuka in reality wanted to feel like she belonged and wished to be accepted, and believed that being the best pilot would make her achieve those things. In her hurry to grow up, she messes up, makes many mistakes and has to learn to take other people into consideration and to look into herself to understand her struggles. She might be one of the most complex characters I’ve ever seen and it’s a delight to analyze her.

Garnet (Steven Universe): easily the coolest character in the show. Garnet has a unique sense of humor, strength of character, courage, protectiveness and self-confidence. What to expect from someone who is the representation of a relationship? Someone literally made of love? She acts as the leader of the Crystal Gems ever since Rose’s departure and does her best to keep the team together and maintain the balance. Her strong front sometimes hides fears and fragility that we’re only shown sporadically, which adds to her complexity.

Kagura (Gintama): you can look anywhere but it won’t be easy to find a heroine like Kagura. All characters in Gintama are great, especially the women, but Kagura has a special flavor. She’s a teenager from the Yato clan, said to be the strongest species in the universe. She left her home planet behind after sad family-related things happened and made a new life on Earth. Kagura found a new family in the Yorozuya, having Shinpachi as an older brother figure and Gintoki as a father figure. She’s brash, is not afraid to say what she wants, sometimes can be inconsiderate and other times she’s the sweetest child in the world. The bonds that Kagura forms on Earth (not only with the Yorozuya, but also many different characters. My favorites are the sisterly bond with Otae and the best friend bond with Princess Soyo) give her safety and confidence to forge her own identity, not letting her Yato blood dictate her fate. It’s also thanks to the growth she had on Earth that she can later confront her father and older brother, bringing closure to her family’s conflict. Kagura is absolutely fantastic and I adore her with my whole heart.

Tenjou Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena): RGU is the kind of story where all the characters are well-written and complex. Therefore, it’s incredibly hard to pick a favorite. In the end, I decided to go with Utena. She’s a brave and heroic person who wants to live nobly, like a prince. However, her chivalric desires made her unable to recognize that her behavior was at times patronizing. She wanted to help Anthy but for most of the series failed to understand the girl’s real situation. Utena only comes to understand and help Anthy when she stops seeing the girl as someone who needed rescue but as her own person, with virtues and flaws. Despite her shortcomings, Utena was able to extend her hand to Anthy and bring revolution to the oppressed girl’s world, enabling the former rose bride to break free from her brother and the abusive cycle developed by him. The story of Utena and Anthy is remarkably beautiful, showing how both of them were fundamental to each other.

Amy Pond (Doctor Who): my favorite companion! Amy was visited by the Doctor as a young child and asked him to take her away from the village where she was the only Scottish girl and her aunt left her alone for several hours during the night. The Doctor took too long to return (12 years!), and Amy grew up with nobody believing her stories and thinking that she was crazy. The harshness of her childhood made her develop abandonment issues, to the point where she sabotaged her relationships. Most of her growth comes from Amy learning to trust people and to be more open with her emotions and insecurities. Also, she learned that she deserved the love and dedication people gave her, especially Rory’s, her boyfriend and then husband (who also becomes a companion and travels in the tardis).

Izumi Koushiro (Digimon Adventure/Digimon Adventure 02): my favorite fictional character, without a doubt. In those two shows, Koushiro was written beautifully, allowing his depth to be perceived in countless glimpses and episodes focused on him, especially the ones written by Hiro Masaki (nobody will ever write Koushiro as well as this person! He’s without a doubt the author who better understands the character). The boy is shy and awkward around people but enthusiastic about learning new things. For long, Koushiro attempted to evade his problems by throwing himself in the search of knowledge, which caused most of his insecurities to remain unresolved until he talked to his parents about his adoption. Koushiro’s sense of inferiority made him polite to an extreme and only capable of seeing value in himself when he could be of help to others. Because of that, he demanded too much of himself at times, neglecting his own well being for the sake of others. His character is formidably complex and I believe I’ll never get tired of writing for him or reading about him.

 Bonus:

Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist): Ed was a joy to see. He was easily the funniest character but also could shift to dramatic and heavy moments when necessary. He went to great lengths for his family and carried immense guilt for what happened to his brother. Nevertheless, he became determined to always move forward. Ed is constantly morally questioned through the story until he comes to his own answers. It’s a beautiful journey to watch.

Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time): the morally ambiguous statist! Bubblegum ‘s first impression is of an affable leader who loves her people but the show wastes no time in showing how many layers she actually has. She has a pragmatic and scientific mind and sometimes fails to be empathetic and to treat other people as equals. Nevertheless, she does have good intentions and honestly believes that what she does is for the greater good. Bubblegum is truly a fascinating character!

Hinata Shouyou (Haikyuu): he’s a child that puts all of his energy into things. What’s interesting about Hinata is that he can be light-hearted and enthusiastic most of the time and then, suddenly, become super focused and serious during a volleyball game, to the point where his intensity can be a bit (a lot) scary. He’s also a sincere person who is not afraid to praise people and let them know how great he thinks they are, while at the same time being competitive with the people he admires.

I’ll tag @qwertyshuman, @thefatedmeeting, @fujitsubos, @sirelo, @skuag and @gossipchii, if you feel like doing it. Also, whoever else wants to. :)