General & Others How do you attach yourself to side characters so quickly?

#4
Not asking for advice just wanting to get into the head space of someone who cries over a side character that was just introduced not too long ago and we hardly know anything about
Idk about attaching but a sad story is a sad story and Oda is a master at creating tragic backstories of characters. With Kuma though, it hits different because for the longest time he was this emotionless monster and now you learn that he was the kindest soul ever since he was a kid.
 
#5
Take people words out of salt on WG or anything online. People are likely exaggerating when they say they cried when this person died or whatever from a book.

Ether way sad stories in OP are a dime of a dozen and I feel nothing because it shouldn't impact ya in a big way. It not comparable to say a real family member or friend dying or pet in real life.
 
#6
Idk about attaching but a sad story is a sad story and Oda is a master at creating tragic backstories of characters. With Kuma though, it hits different because for the longest time he was this emotionless monster and now you learn that he was the kindest soul ever since he was a kid.
I wouldn't say emotionless monster bc since thriller bark when he left the shc alone we should know he isn't what he appears to be and there is good in him
 
#7
Depends what you mean by side characters, I assume you mean the kind that are introduced in flashbacks or get moments here and there whilst not being too major.

With Corazon, he was attached to Law and his life, significance and death are linked to Law. He was an inspiration and role model for Law so no surprise people grew attached, myself included.

Same for Bellamy and a lot of characters that appear in backstories, their lives and sometimes deaths hold so much weight because of the impact it had on already existing characters. We see her efforts to take care of Nami and Nojiko, how she believes even if she isn't their biological parent, she still loves them and we can see that in action with her sacrifice.

As for people enjoying them overall and appreciating them even if they have small roles, probably just the characters being likable. Like in Alabasta, Toto (Koza, Vivi's childhood friend's father) was determined to continue digging for the sake of finding water despite all the sandstorms Crocodile had caused and even if his moments with Luffy are simple, they're pretty effective in portraying the resilience of some of the people of Alabsta.

Plus Oda still tries when it comes to certain characters despite their small roles. It's all about the effectiveness of a backstory or the presence a character has even if they aren't around for too long.

Overall, a character doesn't need to be on screen for too long to leave a mark, especially when they're tied to an already established character. Not to mention, appreciating side characters doesn't always mean you're crying over them, sometimes a story can be touching and important in regards to building up to larger themes while simultaneously standing on its own and that's enough.
 
#8
Not asking for advice just wanting to get into the head space of someone who cries over a side character that was just introduced not too long ago and we hardly know anything about
Before I engage in this conversation I have to ask whether Sabo is included.

Prepare for massive fireballs of wrath if you answer with yes.
 
#11
Excellent example:

Rumbar pirates, calling them side characters would be too much, they were just background characters.

Still cried.

To be fair, aka The major reason is that it wasn't just the rumbar pirates, it was brook 40+ loneliness and despair + his flashback.

You can take a side character that has never appeared, as long as they have a good connection to a character you developed, andd it will be sad because it is sad for x character that this random died.
 
#12
Sometimes people identify themselves with character struggles and what they endured because it happened to them too, so it's kinda easy to get attached in those specific circumstances, and it happens a lot more than people think.
 
#13
Sometimes people identify themselves with character struggles and what they endured because it happened to them too, so it's kinda easy to get attached in those specific circumstances, and it happens a lot more than people think.
Very true. When I was 5 I had 2 brothers I drank sake with and we fought bandits and wild animals.

I was in one of Biden's secret meetings and saw his face without a mask, there's a lizard underneath. So I fled and then they shot an orbital cannon laser beam in my direction. That town is now at the bottom of the sea.
 
#14
Depends on who they are. Ive been invested in many older characters for years purely due to my investment on their history:

- Shanks
- Jinbe
- Kuma
- Doflamingo
- Akainu
- Blackbeard


All resonate to me as good characters with depth in the story. Doflamingo is still my favorite villain due to his past, I am excited for Blackbeard, Akainu and Shanks to get their focus eventually, and Jinbe ended up being a strawhat, which is something Ive put stock in with Kuma as well.
 
#15
Excellent example:

Rumbar pirates, calling them side characters would be too much, they were just background characters.

Still cried.

To be fair, aka The major reason is that it wasn't just the rumbar pirates, it was brook 40+ loneliness and despair + his flashback.

You can take a side character that has never appeared, as long as they have a good connection to a character you developed, andd it will be sad because it is sad for x character that this random died.
Binks Sake is one of the best and most emotional moments in the entire series! That’s very understandable.
 
#16
You're telling me you're not attach to Kuma nor Jinney? Fuck off dude. You better attach yourself to these characters since they deserve your low standards. You're not allowed to have average to high standards. This flashback is peak right now. We get to see Kuma as a baby and then as a teenager and then as an adult.
 
#17
Well there's this thing called emotional manipulation, and if I have to give credit to Loda, then it would be that he's a masterclass at implementing such tactics in his work. Hell that's honestly when he's at his best. You can only count on one hand the amount of flashbacks that aren't tragic in any way, shape, or form. And it helps if the side character is connected to a well liked character, though not necessary.

Look at Señor Pink for example. At 1st we thought this goofy looking clown was just a 1 dimensional evil gag character. Then BAM! All the sudden Loda throws in a sad flashback for this freak and successfully implemented his manipulation tactic, which caused a 180° on how the viewers see him. Now outside of the manipulative flashback that was solely there to feel bad for him, and that repetitive gag of the ladies falling for him being macho despite his manbaby attire, he has nothing else going for him, but people praise him as a character regardless.
 
#18
Thats just non-sense. I see people here talking aboit being "fragile" if you feel sorry for a character. What the hell? By the way,the fact that you dont know a character since a lot of time doesnt mean you cant get sad for them. Otherwise,the medium of movies,or books, wouldnt work!
 
#19
I don't allow any character to easily win my affection,whether it's a main or side character.
The characters i attach myself to are the ones the author puts the most efforts into making interesting and entertaining.
This stupid trend of manga authors using sob backstories to make audiences care about characters is very outdated and must end. Life being cruel to people is a extremely common thing. This is not a reason to believe a character is deep,and no one should think they are special because of it.
Lolda suck ass at writing side characters. The side characters he creates are worthless and annoying,and they do nothing but fuck around. The readers root for these characters to be killed off painfully,but it's pointless because Lolda never does it. The biggest example of this are the Scrubbards. Lolda gave them a very long flashback,but even after that they are still shallow and forgettable characters. They did nothing but fuck around during their screentime,and Lolda did numerous fake-out deaths with them when we wanted them to die.
@Le Fishe D. Tomdou @PeronaNerona @mly90 @RiShin
@The White Crane @L57 @grey matter @JDragon20
@TheLastBerserker @lee33 @Water1415 @Gauntlet
 
#20
Side characters have the appeal of being more like people irl and thus people attach onto the characters they want to be more like and/or mirror them. Koby is a character that had nothing but grit and that is inspiring, no talent, no innate skills, no special bloodline, just grit. "He's never missed a day hitting one of the Battleship Bags." Why yes he is my hero.
 
Top