Authentikei [Anime Archetypes]

I know what it's like to look at your artwork mid-completion and realize it's nothing like the artists you look up to. Those artists you love also love anime like you and it seems like you'll never reach their level. I used to try to give myself the benefit of the doubt: "They're professionals, that's why they're so good." Then, you run into someone who just draws just as a hobby and has remarkable talent. Your heart sinks, you take up the title of otaku garbage, and you stay away from your drawing tablet or sketchbooks as much as possible because it's too painful to relive that feeling. Yeah, I've been there...but I want to remind you that art at it's rawest definition isn't supposed to discourage you. I need you to remember some things when it comes to creating fanart of your favorite characters or creating original characters.

Companions develop a bond with the main character and ultimately encourage and receive a transformation of characteristics and skills. They are meant to inspire or inform the main character as they experience growth on their journey, but sometimes they’re not expected to go through their own character development. The common misconception with Companions is that they’re meant to live in the shadow of the main character, but this only leads them to be seen as unnecessary and repel the audience. It’s time to put a stop to neglecting the companions. Through a breakdown of the Companion’s role and attributes, I will discuss the companion’s importance and how they can become more memorable to the audience. Afterwards, a series of “What if…” prompts will be suggested to hopefully encourage you to create a companion that stands out.

She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll rip off your face, then wear it as a token of her love for you. That’s cute, but you’re going to have to do more than that to create an engaging yandere for your story. Yanderes can’t be deemed as just crazy. They are the type of characters with fragmented minds and a skewed perception of reality. It’s up to you, the author, to reveal the truth of their psyche in a way that isn’t just terrifying. Your yandere must also be intriguing, relatable at times, and be someone your audience won’t underestimate. Never limit your yandere to being a plot device. The contemporary audience isn’t as sensitive to blood and violence as they used to be, so if your character unravels too quickly, you might lose the momentum of your story. We’ll breakdown how the psyche of a yandere twists and turns, then I’ll propose some “What if…” suggestions to prompt you to make sure your yandere stands out of the many adorable serial killers we have already.

The Masters of Passive-Aggression

In the world of Shounen, who do you think of?