Ultimate Defense: Defending 50 Characters From 14 Fandoms
Character bashing is in almost every fandom; sometimes there's a single character, sometimes there are several. But, in almost every fandom out there a character will be hated by a majority. Today, I am going to defend 50 characters from 14 different fandoms. Yes, I found 50 hated characters in only 14 fandoms. Well, let the defense begin.
DIGIMON
This was a personal favorite of mine in my childhood, I didn't know how horrible some characters were treated though.
Jeri/Juri- Jeri is from Season 3 and she was one of the more background Tamers. Her Tamer career started when she found Leomon and began chasing him everywhere. At first, she had a very bad start. But as time went on, she improved. She also turned out to be quite good at the card game. However, her career didn't last long as her partner was killed. For the rest of the season until the last episode, Jeri is completely devastated and doesn't speak a word. The D Reaper also has this creepy looking clone of her that takes her place and causes trouble. Did I mention she has a crush on the new goggle boy? Yeah, not looking good for her.
But in the end, she turns it around and decides it's time to do something more than just cry and comes to her senses. A lot of people tend to whine about how it took her so long to snap out of it, but wake up! She loved and truly cared about her partner, she wanted to become good at the card game, she wanted to be a Tamer and a good one. She already had guilt over the grief she caused her step-mother. She didn't think she was a nice person, she had a lot of crap going on. She wasn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows. If you truly care for someone and they die in front of you, you're not going to recover an episode or two later. It was normally paced and realistic... as realistic as it can get in an anime.
Davis/Daisuke- Davis was the second goggle boy of the series after Tai. Not off to a good beginning. He can be hotheaded, cocky and has a crush on Kari. He also tends to become jealous over T.K and Kari's friendship. But, since when was it ever a crime to have a crush on someone? Davis is 10? 11? He isn't going to be completely mature about things. Also, he always comes through in the end and he truly does care about his friends. He isn't going to betray them or try to murder one of them, it's not in his nature. He can be a lot of things, but he is also loyal and a good person. Didn't you see how hard it was for him when he had to choose one friend to live? He couldn't do it. He also seems to be able to forgive easier than others. He truly despised the Digimon Emperor. But after Ken reformed, he was willing to give him a second chance and insisted time and time again that Ken joined them, even though the others disapproved. He even went off to help him fight the Digimon alone.
Mimi- Despite the fact that Mimi was slightly bratty at first in the dub, I never hated her. I thought she was a good contrast to the other DigiDestends: five of them were boys, only two of them were girls and Sora was a tomboy. Mimi is a real daddy's girl; very girly, slightly spoiled and can't you tell? She loves pink. She even dyes her hair pink in Season Two. At first, Mimi didn't really do much but make little comments about how fashionable a Digimon looked or about how she should have gone to cheerleading camp. But as time went on, she stopped. It's obvious she really loves Palmon and she wasn't selfish to want to stop fighting. She was tired of all the drama, she was tired of going through so much pain and watching so many Digimon fighting to save them and ending up dying (Piximon, Cuemon, etc). Mimi was a normal girl in a not so ordinary world. It was without a doubt, a coming-of-age moment when she was able to rejoin the others and fight in the final battle.
Sora- Most fans didn't have a problem with Sora until she started changing. She switched soccer for tennis and flower arranging. She married Matt. Big fucking whoop. Neither of these things were crimes. Years happen between the Digimon seasons. 4 years between Season 1 and 2 and 25 years at least between 2 and 3. A lot of things can happen in that amount of time. Also, Sora is growing up. She was only... 10-11 years old in Season 1. She was a tomboy who felt her mom didn't understand her. We all feel like this at times. As her relationship with her mother improved, it's likely that she finally broke down and decided to take up flower arranging. But, that doesn't mean she sold out or is a worse character because of it. Many characters go through emotional and physical changes, it's called development. TaixSora? Didn't happen, grow up. Write a fanfic.
J.P/Junpei- He wasn't that warm or open in the beginning, but he's had to rely on himself to try and impress people to be his friends with magic tricks and bribing with chocolate half his life. He was the last of the children to be able to transform into a Digimon, his new crush wasn't returning his feelings and he had a slight... weight problem. If I was going through this, I wouldn't have been that friendly either. But, he warmed up eventually. I truly felt sorry for J.P when I found out about his past. He isn't really a horrible character at all. Even though I couldn't stand the season, he was probably one of the better aspects; he had a realistic mind-set, realistic emotions and realistic issues.
FRUITS BASKET
The character bashing is stronger here, but there isn't as many.
Tohru Honda- Tohru? Tohru is just adorable. She's got the biggest heart I've ever seen, she's kind and pure, she has the cutest eyes and she's able to accept anyone. She's nice to everyone, she keeps the secrets of the Sohmas and remains optimistic and chipper through thick and thin. Even though she's had family issues, she's still the happiest person I've ever seen. To some, it might be a little disturbing. But, I think it's refreshing. Too often do we see a character with problems and they tend to... angst. Not Tohru. She remains happy and doesn't let it get to her. If it does, we don't see it very often. She doesn't deserve to get flack.
Akito- Akito is the anti-Tohru. He has problems, but he's not very happy with them and he's not a very pleasant person. A lot of people don't like him and their reasons are unfounded. But, it can make sense. Akito's not a ball of sunshine and he can be downright sadistic. The ironic thing is a lot of people didn't mind it. Some found him hot. Then, BAM! In the manga, he's a girl and all of a sudden she's a bitch. Amazing what adding a vagina can do. Akito was told for a long time he/she was going to die, wouldn't that change your own personality?
INUYASHA
This one's a biggie.
Hojo- Hojo's barely even there and he's still got his share of bashers. They don't like how he's so oblivious about Kagome and how he's always giving her things. Hello? He likes her and he cares about her health. If I was constantly told my friend had this weird illnesses, I would try and help her as much as I could. Hojo is simply a kind, compassionate young man. How is he going to know about Inuyasha and how Kagome doesn't feel that way about him? She never mentions it. He's not a mind-reader.
Jaken- Everybody seems to hate Jaken. They never really give any reasons, but everybody abuses the little toad. I don't particularly like him myself, but I don't see why he's so bashed. No, he doesn't like humans or Rin and yes, he is disturbingly loyal. But, I think that loyalty is a great thing. The way he will follow his lord is a good thing; not an annoyance or a flaw. Loyalty is very hard to come by in antagonists. Also, a lot of demons aren't fond of humans. It's not just Jaken.
Kagome- Kagome is in the top two for the most well known bashed characters in Inuyasha. She and Kikyo are without a doubt the characters you think of when someone mentions bashing in Inuyasha. Why? Kagome is a normal girl in the Fuedel Era with the ability to sense the Sacred/Shikon Jewel. She also has a tendency to yell "INUYASHA!" from time to time. This is not out of the ordinary in anime. It's very common that someone will repeat someone's name actually. I blame the dub voice for annoying people. Also, Kagome is not a demon slayer like Sango or a preistess like Kikyo or crazy powerful like female villains in certain movies. She's a simple girl and she doesn't always stand in the corner. She will use her bow and arrow if nessecary. Also, her feelings for Inuyasha are perfectly normal that any human being would have. Jealousy? Maybe. But, a lot of ordinary girls get jealous. This is part of being human, as she stated herself in a dub episode.
Kikyo- Here she is, the most well known bashed Inuyasha character. Oh, Kikyo. I never hated you. Kikyo is most known in basher's minds as the "bitch who wants to drag Inuyasha to hell and tried to kill Kagome". Kikyo wasn't really trying to kill Kagome. Also, she no longer wants to drag Inuyasha to hell.
"But she pinned him to the tree, she must die!" Yes, but she was under the illusion that Inuyasha had been lying to her this whole time and had never desired to become human, a cruel trick by Naraku. She was blinded by anger and betrayal, the same with Inuyasha. Kikyo really hasn't done anything worthy of being scorned by fandom.
Shippo- Poor Shippo. He's only 50 years old. Okay, he looks about 8. But, that's young in demon standards. He's mostly criticized for being useless and nothing but an annoyance. But, this isn't true. Shippo attacks from time to time, but he really can't do much. He's only a child. In fact, he does a lot more than a normal child usually will do. He also is very observant, seeing Miroku and Sango's increasing feelings for each other while Inuyasha is oblivious.
POKEMON
Who knew a kid show could be so full of hate?
May- I never really did like May, I had imagined her to be a lot like Misty. So when she did come and was... quiet, sweet and girlish instead of the badass tomboy I imagined, I was disappointed, to say the least. But, May really hasn't done anything to be hated over. No, she isn't Misty and she never will be. But, why do we have to hate one character for not being like another? It was time for another character to enter the story, she wasn't a replacement. She was a change and a refreshing change in some people's eyes. She isn't for everyone, but her time in the story is also done now. If you still hate Dawn and still want Misty back, you're missing out on a lot of other good characters.
Misty- Speaking of Misty, she has some bashers too. Some people tend to think she's bitchy. Yes, she can be. But, it's this personality that also won her a lot of fans and sadly, caused a lot of hate for May and Dawn for not being like her. Misty is personally my favorite of the three Pokemon girls and her missing presence did end my interest in the show, but we should also give the other girls a chance of what they can provide.
Anyway, Misty can be seen as a contrast. She liked romantic things and perfume, but she also rode a bike everywhere, picked fights and snapped people back to their senses more than one time. Once again, she isn't for everyone. No character will ever be loved by everyone, but should she really be bashed? I don't think so.
Tracey- A male May in my opinion. He didn't want to be a trainer or a breeder, he wanted to be a watcher. He didn't enter tournaments, he sketched. Worse of all, he came in after Brock left with Professor Ivy (don't mention that name!). People were missing Brock and then Tracey came along and started going on the adventures. He couldn't have picked a worse time.
I don't get it though. Tracey was a new twist; instead of going to Gyms and battling other trainers, Tracey liked to draw Pokemon. He also had a big heart. He wasn't an unlikable person. He also managed to catch a Scyther, which is no easy task. He would make a good trainer, he really does love Pokemon and he was a good addition to the team.
Ash Ketchum- Ash wasn't a very good trainer at the very beginning, but he did improve later on. People tend to accuse him of not caring enough for his Pokemon. Although he was somewhat of a sore loser in the beginning, it was his first tournament. He was still new, and he really does care for his Pokemon. Didn't you see how he nearly froze trying to keep them warm? Don't you see how later on he always asks them if they're alright after a battle? He has improved in sportsmanship, judgement, compassion and so much more since starting. He isn't a horrible trainer, he isn't a horrible person and he definately needs a little more credit than he gets.
PEACH GIRL
Sae. Everybody in Peach Girl- other characters included- hated Sae, with good reason. She was a psychopathic, manipulative bitch who would do anything to keep Momo miserable. But after a while, she changed. She fell for Kiley's brother Ryo and felt love for the first time. She also felt heartbreak, pain, regret and remorse. She even helped get Momo and Kiley -the couple most fans wanted- together.
I couldn't stand Sae the first time I watched Peach Girl. But, you really come to appreciate her. Wouldn't Peach Girl have been a very boring series without her? Sae is the spark. In Anime University, Peach Girl scored with a total of 46%. But, one of the highs listed was the antagonist. Sae is Peach Girl. She's what keeps it interesting. The romance is good, but it's marketed as a romance/drama. Where does the drama come from? Hmm, I wonder.
Toji- People didn't hate hate hate Toji, they just hated hated hated how he could never see through Sae's schemes. They didn't think he was a good match for Momo and compared to Kiley, Toji was...well, boring. While I agree he lacked Kiley's charm, Toji was by no means a boring or horrible character. He was very amusing with how naive he was and how his views of the world were so limited to the good parts. Toji simply believes in seeing the good in people and this can blind him to the bad.
Toji grew up with good moral values and as put by Kiley, he has never seen someone like Sae before. He believed she had no reason to decieve him. Well, some people don't need a reason. As Kiley states in episode 6: "You've never known anyone like Sae before have you, Toji? You couldn't see the signs. That's why you were so easily fooled". Toji's not gullible, he just doesn't know about how cruel people can be.
HARRY POTTER
Ron- Ron tends to play second fiddle to Harry in a lot of eyes. But when your best friend is Harry Potter, it's hard not to. People tend to forget that. They question Ron's friendship with Harry when in the later books they get into arguements. But, the truth is this friendship can be downright stressful.
Ron grew up in a poor family which were famous among racist wizards for being "blood-traitors". He also had five brothers and a little sister. It was a big family with not very much money and attention was diverted a lot to Bill, Charlie and Percy. Add that in with being best friends with Harry Potter and you've got a ticking timebomb.
When they were younger, it wasn't that horrible. They didn't have a lot of stress. But as time goes on and the books pass and Voldemort returns, the fights come more often and they don't tend to agree as much as before. Ron also tends to become more jealous and also has more fights with Hermione as well. Ahh, the joys of puberty.
Ron doesn't have the best life. It's no wonder he can get angry from time to time.
Ginny- Oh, Ginny was fine the first four books when her character was portrayed as small, shy and a Harry Potter fangirl. But when her true nature began to shine through and she grew bolder, people didn't react as well. They even considered the series had jumped the shark. Oh, and when Ginny got a lot of boyfriends, cries of "Slut!" and "Whore!" could be heard around the world. Ginny did change a little, but it's not because her entire personality whirled around. Ginny simply became more comfortable in her own skin and around Harry. J.K Rowling did not completely change her character around, she merely had it grow and had her confidence increase.
I think it worked, ironically Harry finds himself falling for Ginny and they even got married.
Molly- Oh, those poor Weasleys. They get so much hate. Molly was mostly seen as a dumpy old housewife. Things changed however when Bellatrix nearly killed Ginny. "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" became one of the most famous quotes in the novel. Looking at her picture right now, it's hard to believe it came from her. However, some believed that Neville should have killed off Bellatrix. Listen, Neville got to kill Nagini, who turned out to be a Horcrux. He got his chance to kick ass. It was time for some characters to show what they were made of. Did anyone really expect Miss Weasley to be the one to finish Bellatrix off in the end? I sure didn't.
She's not a mere housewife anymore. She will defend her children no matter what, she'll even engage in a duel to the death. Such is the strength and beauty of a mother's love.
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION
Asuka Langley Soryu- Asuka is famous in the world of anime for being bossy, thinking highly of herself and being bitchy. However, there is more to her character. Asuka has real mental issues and had a very troubled past. If my mother believed my doll was myself, then I would feel horrible. Also, everyone tends to assume she has everything together. The truth is, she is very broken and can be quite vulnerable. A seiyuu of Asuka's stated that she could never truly grasp her character, Asuka just wouldn't let her in. One day, she found out why. Asuka had a wall around her heart.
Asuka blocks things out she doesn't want and presents a facade of herself as being completely together. What I see is a insecure little girl in need of love.
KINGDOM HEARTS
Kairi- Why is Kairi hated? Her Key looks weird! She giggles! These are truly some of the stupidest reasons I have ever seen a female be hated for. Kairi was barely even in the first game and I think her Keyblade looked nice. People also say she gets in the way of Sora and Riku's relationship. It's pure poppycock. So what if she giggles? Everybody giggles at one point. Laughter is part of being a human being. If we never laughed, we'd be cold, unfeeling robots.
ELFEN LIED
Yuka- Cousin marriges are considered taboo in the U.S and are almost unheard of. The very topic of incest is foriegn is many countries and considered a hellfire worthy sin by some foot-washers. However, cousin-marrige is legal in Japan. It is still looked down upon, but it is legal. Yuka is in love with her cousin Kouta. Is there a problem with this? With some people, yes. But, this is a different culture. We should really learn to respect that. The fact that it is known by some is impressive. I think Yuka was a nice girl and you can't control who you are attracted to.
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM WING
Relena Peacecraft/Darlian- You saw it coming. Here she is, the most hated anime character I know. You can't walk into a hated character forum without hearing Relena's name come up a few times. I don't really see why people hate her. Yes, she can be annoying and leave a bad taste in the mouths of some people. Her views are a tad unusual in a Gundam themed series. But, Relena is a good character. I think her methods of paficism is brave, considering how war is so common and some people (Dorothy) are very passionate about it. I think she's a very courageous human being to express them. The Heero thing is a little irritating to some people, but everyone makes mistakes. Pink limosine? How does that make you hate someone? Pink is not the color of evil.
Dorothy Catalonia- I consider her the anti-Relena, being so passionate about war and all. But, do I think she is a horrible person? No. She certainly isn't one of my favorite characters, but Dorothy didn't exactly grow up in a peaceful place or time. There are probably quite a few people who share and influence her views. People also hate on her eyebrows sometimes, which is ridiculous. Sometimes, it seems people pick out the simplest things to hate a character for no good reason.
SAILOR MOON
Usagi/Serena- She certainly isn't the most hated character, but her dubbed version did draw some criticism. In the beginning, Serena is a clumsy, clueless, whiny, irresponsible young girl who does poorly in school, puts things off to the last minute and loves video games and pigging out. While these don't seem to be the best traits for a heroine to lead a team of magical girl superheroes, she does blossom and develop into a strong and powerful Sailor Senshi/Scout. As the seasons pass, she becomes better at her job. While she's still somewhat clumsy and still somewhat irresponsible and whiny, you watch her grow. When she was starting out, she was a normal teenage girl who got threw into a crazy situation. A lot of people would have reacted the same way; trapped in a corner crying their eyes out.
Usagi/Serena is a lot like us in that way; she has flaws, she has dreams, she has problems, she doesn't always pass her tests or do her homework. But, she's loyal and kind and a good friend. She offers help and does whatever she can. As the cheesy dub song states, "She will never turn her back on a friend, she is the one on who we can depend". While she might not be dependable in everything, you can count on her to save the day.
Rei- Rei mostly draws criticism in the dub for being too mean to Serena/Usagi. Well, judging how Serena/Usagi was when she started out, somebody needs to offer criticism from time to time. If nobody ever told her the problems and what she did that was wrong, a lot of things could go wrong. If nobody ever pushed her into doing things, some things would never get accomplished. A lot of people tend to argue that she tries to be the leader and do Usagi/Serena's job.
This isn't true, she's just trying to be helpful. She can be a little brusque and cold about it, but her comments aren't as bad in the Japanese version and she truly does like Serena/Usagi. She really is her friend, she just has another way of showing it.
Chibi Usa- Poor Chibi Usa. This is the most hated of the Sailor Moon characters. She is referred to affectionately by haters as "The Spore", "The Pink Spore" and "Brat". While in the beginning there is no doubt Chibi Usa is a brat, she doesn't stay that way. She's always a little bratty, but she's a child. It's in the job description. I also believe she gave Hotaru a reason to live. She isn't evil like some people say. She has the purest of the hearts. While at first she seems to mostly dedicate her time to torturing Usagi/Serena, she soon joins the Sailor Senshi/Scouts. At first, she is incredibly weak, although her attacks are very cute. But later on, she becomes stronger and can summon Pegasus. Not a useless character after all.
FULL METAL ALCHEMIST
Wrath- Wrath isn't one of the more hated characters, but he seems to be one of the more hated Homunculi. There is something about a psycho kid that just doesn't appeal to some people. But really, it's not his fault he acts childish from time to time. He is a child and he felt abandoned. His mother put him in the Gate and he stayed there for most of his life until he was finally strong enough to open it. He isn't evil in the beginning either; he still remains a kind, gentle and generally harmless homunculus. It's only when Envy feeds him Philosopher Stones that he becomes an incarnation of his sin; Wrath. He has a reason to be angry, you know. He felt rejected, then the homunculus he considered his mother was attacked constantly. Then, she was killed. Ironically, it is around this time he begins to calm down. Wrath didn't have the best life. In fact, he's already dead and died again, one of the worse ones in the series, I think. But, who couldn't feel a tiny bit of warmth in their hearts when he was finally reunited with his true mother?
Dante- Once again, Dante isn't one of the most hated characters. Although, nobody really likes her. She constantly switches bodies to prolong her life and as such, her soul is rotting and it rots faster with each body switch. She wants to live forever. A quite ambitious goal and impossible to some, but Dante discovered how. Although some can consider this creepy, think about it: nobody really wants to die. Everybody wishes at least once in their life they could live forever. Dante is very much like us, in this fact. Although, none of us will probably be able to do what she can and we can't perform alchemy, Dante portrays a crueler and darker side of human society. This has also made her appealing with some people. Although others won't agree, everyone has a little Dante in them, a little darkness.
Kimbley- He's got some fangirls, but he's got a sea of haters too. Kimbley to put it mildly, is insane. He likes to blow people up and he likes the sound of it. Scratch that, he loves blowing people up and he loves the sound of it. But just because a character is a sociopath doesn't mean we still can't identify with him. Some people out there do get fuzzy inside when they hear an explosion. He's not a very nice person, but why does he act this way? I think he, like Dante, represents a darker side of human society; our violent, sadistic side. We don't have to like him, but we can awknowledge that everyone has some evil in them and there are characters in this anime that show that.
Rose- Attack of the fangirls! Rose never had a chance. Religious, kindhearted, compassionate and mourning over the lost of her boyfriend Kane, Rose didn't have much of a purpose in the series early on. Later though, she became very important as she was going to become the latest body for Dante. The line "It's no wonder Edward and Alphonse fell in love with her" certainly did not help her case. Damsel in distress? Check. Cute guys in love with her? Check. Able to hang around characters I love that I can't? Check. She was doomed.
However, Rose really wasn't a unlikable character. She was very human the way she mourned over her boyfriend and also the way she put her trust in people. She seeked help with Cornello the way people in real life seeked help in the form of the Bible and the Holy Spirit. The arguements against her made by Ed fangirls are also obscene and on shaky ground. Another female character affected by the fury of fandom.
Noah- She betrayed Ed. We all know this is a capital sin in Full Metal Alchemist fandom, right? She's been called a bitch, a slut, a whore, etc. Even her name has been used as an insult. Why? Oh, she hung around with Ed. She liked Ed, Ed liked her. She betrayed Ed. Even Psiren got haters for her connection with Ed. Seriously, it's like any female who goes near Ed is immediately an evil succubus from hell.
Gluttony- Some people find him disgusting, some people just don't like overweight anime characters. I didn't think he was that cute myself, but the truth was he really is probably one of the tamer Homunculi. He always asks whether he can eat someone, which is great control considering he's probably hungry all the time. He is devoted to Lust and very loyal to her. You can tell they're very close, they're always together and he's heartbroken when she dies. I think he was one of the more human Homunculi. Who hasn't felt horrible after losing someone close to them? Gluttony had some aspects to his character that showed more than a gluttonous monster. I don't think he should be bashed.
Winry Rockbell- Oh look, another girl who hangs around with Ed! What a coincidence! When I saw Winry hanging out with Ed and Al, I knew she was destined for bashing. She's a tomboy who just loves taking things apart and putting them back together again. She loves seeing how things tick, she's a self-proclaimed gear-head. She's also mean with a wrench. But, is this a reason to be damned for?
No. Somebody needs to control a situation from time to time and Winry has good intentions at heart. She yelled at Ed because if he didn't drink his milk, he wouldn't get any taller and it was good for him. She whacked Ed and All with the wrench because they cheated in a competition. Everything she does is for their best interests.
Yes, there might be some romantic feelings there. Then again, there might not. But, should she really be treated like the bride of Satan? Nah.
Envy- Oh come now, you saw this coming. He kills Hughes, he beats up Ed, he kills Ed. Did you really think he would get through the FMA fandom section without being mentioned? Envy is probably the most sadistic and evil of the Homunculi, how can we sympathize with him?
Well, I can see how quite easily. Dante gave birth to Envy and he died from mercury poisoning. Hohenheim, Ed's father, is also Envy's father. They tried to bring him back to life and failed, creating a Homunculus. Hohenheim left Dante and Envy for Trisha, who gave birth to Ed and Al. He then proceeded to leave them as well.
Envy and Dante were to put it lightly, abandoned. Then, his father left and helped give birth to two more children who had his full love and compassion. It would make anyone (excuse the pun) envious. Is there any doubt that he would turn out messed up? Then, 400 years of having Dante who's constantly switching bodies as a parent. He didn't have a chance.
His main goal in life is to kill his father, the father who abandoned him. He also wants to see Ed and Al's face when they lose everything. It's not just out of pure sadism or evil; it's once again envy. Envy is a lot stronger than jealousy, jealousy will only cause you to wish bad things upon the person. Envy will lead you to do these things.
NARUTO
Konan- Konan is the newest revealed Akatsuki member and she didn't get a fantastic start like the other Akatsuki members. Not only is she the only girl in an organization full of hot men, but she lost her first fight. Every single Akatsuki member except Konan has won their first fight. It wasn't looking good.
However, we need to come to terms with the true problem here. Konan's opponent was Jiraiya, one of the three legendary Sannin. He is one of the strongest ninjas out there and he was once her Sensei. He knows her attacks and he knows how to beat her. If it had been anyone else, Konan would have won. That paper is not ordinary paper, it can kill and I have no doubt it would have, had it been anyone else but Jiraiya.
People say they expected Konan to be a badass kunoichi. She could be, it's all in who they fight. Sakura is criticized for being weak and tied with Ino, but after the timeskip she was able to hold her ground against an S class criminal, another member of Akatsuki. Konan is not weak, she simply needs to find the right person to fight.
Hidan- Hidan is not even animated yet and he's already the most contraversial Akatsuki member. People either love him or hate him. For the ones that hate him, he is accused of being a cocky idiot with the I.Q of a bag of rocks, a weakling, a one-trick pony with only one move and simply annoying. Now, addressing these matters, Hidan is immortal. He cannot die. You can cut off his head and he'll still be yelling swear words at you. Quite the sight, huh? Anyway, anyone who cannot die is bound to get cocky once in a while. If you can be decapitated and still live and go into any battle knowing you can't die, you're going to be overconfident. Hidan's not unintelligent for this matter.
About being a weakling, he has admitted to being the slowest member. But, nobody in the Akatsuki is weak. They all have their weaknesses and strengths, the key is being able to use your strengths to your advantage and being able to conceal your weakness so it isn't known. Hidan was going against Shikamaru. Shikamaru has a genius I.Q and has outsmarted many ninja. This doesn't make Hidan any less intelligent, Shikamaru is simply smarter. But, he's smarter than a lot of people.
He does have only one move, but than one move can kill a heck of a lot of people. The point is any Akatsuki member is a force to be reckoned with- Hidan included. It takes a certain person to defeat an Akatsuki member. Jounins haven't been able to, Kazekages haven't been able to. No Akatsuki member should be considered weak.
Ino Yamanaka- Ino is a bit of a contrast to other kunoichi in the series; she is loud, vain, tomboyish and thinks very highly of herself. However, she still has a sweet side. When she was younger, she was quite popular and befriended the quite unpopular Sakura Haruno. She taught Sakura to be more confident and soon, Sakura broke out of her shell and they ended up getting a crush on the same boy, Sasuke Uchiha. Sakura broke off the friendship so they could compete for Sasuke properly and it turned into a bitter rivalry.
Many fans criticize this decision by Sakura, but Ino is also not free from the hate. Some dislike her initial attitude and think she thinks a little too highly of herself and is mean to her team. In the beginning, it is true Ino does not like the team she is placed on. She disagrees with Shikamaru and his lazy lifestyle and hates how Choji is constantly pigging out on chips. However, she truly does care for her team-mates and they become very close.
She also is willing to lend a hand and help others, as shown with her decision to befriend Sakura and not go along with the other children who were bullying her. She also stands up for Sakura when another girl causes trouble. Although it is true that Ino isn't perfect and can be bitchy, she is also a strong-willed person and is even working to become a better ninja by becoming Tsunade's second apprentice in medical skills.
Karin- Like Hidan, Karin is only in the manga. But, she is very hated. Like Ino and Sakura, she is also a Sasuke fangirl and plans to "ravage" him when he is asleep. She also keeps some of his beaten, sweat-drenched shirts for herself and thinks that she and Sasuke would make a better team without Juugo and Suigetsu. Although it is uncertain exactly what caused this hate (considering how much of the fandom has turned on Sasuke, it's unlikely they are jealous of her), she has been bashed enough to be placed under Wikipedia's section for Bashing in fandom.
Although most aren't jealous over her being in a team with Sasuke, his name has come up in reasons. People are annoyed with the fact that there is another kunoichi who is a Sasuke fangirl. Although this has become somewhat of a running gag, it should be made clear that Karin's feelings are somewhat less love and more unhealthy. Karin's expression on how she feels about "Sasuke-kun" is more disturbing than Sakura's or Ino's. Karin also isn't on good terms with Suigetsu, as he calls her a stupid animal. It appears as if Karin has mediocre social skills. Due to being connected with Orochimaru, it appears her mental capacity might be somewhat impaired.
Karin isn't one of the most likable characters in Naruto, but I find that she should be sympathized. She hasn't really done anything horrible enough for this hate and if her state of mind is completely sane, she is still one of the most unique new characters.
Naruto- Yes, the main characters has bashers. It's a little sad nowadays when the very character the show is named after is hated by some. But, it appears that this has become the case in the Naruto fandom. One of the arguements against Naruto is his dub voice. Since when can a character pick what voice they are going to have? If you don't like the dub, watch the Japanese version. Dattebayo is a lot less annoying than "Believe it!".
The orange jumpsuit gets on people's nerves as well. I personally do not find this annoying, but understand how it is considered unpractical for a ninja. However, the creator of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto gave characters their very own design and their very own original and unique style because although he did want to create a manga about ninjas, he didn't want them to wear the typical ninja attire. This is where the bright colorful clothes came in.
Some people also find that he hasn't learned enough between the timeskip, except for a bigger Rasengan. This is untrue. Naruto has no doubt gotten stronger, he has been able to summon up to four tails of the Kyuubi and played a large part in defeating the Akatsuki member, Kakuzu. Although his Rasengan is bigger, this does not mean that is the only thing he has improved on. He has probably improved in other areas we have not seen yet as well.
Another criticism is his hyperactiveness and general personality overall. In my opinion, if he did not have the same personality, he would not be Naruto Uzumaki. He also becomes less annoying as we go on.
Orochimaru- Yes, I'm going to attempt to defend Orochimaru. Here we go...
A lot of people tend to compare him to Micheal Jackson or as a pedophile who likes little boys. Although the "Sasuke-kun" is a little suspicious and the experimenting on babies is no doubt horrible, has Orochimaru really been proven to be a pedophile? The closest we've seen him coming to a underage child is biting them in the neck or during a body switch. But, he has not just targetted little boys. He also targets girls and it is likely not all of these switches are underage children. The girl he was shown to have taken over didn't look underage to me.
Also, do these people really look alike?
Sakura Haruno- I hated Sakura at first. Her long haired self was so annoying, it almost drove me to stop watching Naruto. Even now going back to watch old episodes and bring back old times, she still annoys the hell out of me. But after episode 32, things were different. Some people have stated that Sakura has never changed. How soon we forget:
She cut her hair and decided to give up on what she had grown long initially because of a rumor about Sasuke liking girls with long hair. Along the way, she decided she didn't want to stand in the background anymore. She wanted to be useful. She then went on to fight the Sound ninja, tie with Ino and become Tsunade's apprentice. For two years, she trained with Tsunade.
In present time, Sakura has fought Akatsuki members, has superhuman strength, perfect chakra control and excellant medical skills that she used to save Kankuro's life. Yet, people still say she is useless.
Sasuke Uchiha- Sasuke started out good in fandom's eyes: the cold, dark, quiet kid who won many a fangirl's heart, inside the anime and out. But, all that changed when Sasuke decided to abandon Konoha to hunt down Orochimaru to become stronger to kill his brother Itachi who had killed off the entire clan. It was regarded by fandom to be a stupid and selfish decision with a one in a million shot of working. But, was it really not worth it?
After the timeskip, Sasuke comes back with dozens of new tricks, jutsus and powers up his sleeves, not to mention his Chidori is stronger than ever. Sasuke has truly improved greatly, even though he is a traitor. It is unknown whether he is strong enough yet to kill Itachi, but he has been able to fight much better than he did pre time-skip. So, was his decision worth it? Yes. If Sasuke had stayed in Konoha, he would still be strong. But, he would not be as strong as he is right now. Did this choice cause him to lose a lot of popularity in the fandom? Of course. But, sometimes we have to do what we believe is the only way. Sometimes, others do not agree with it. But if we are determined, nothing can talk us out of it. This wasn't purely about revenge; it was also about self-improvement and having to make a difficult choice between life and death; stay in Konoha and possibly die at Itachi's hands, or leave and become strong enough to survive and avenge the clan.
YU-GI-OH
Ishizu/Isis- Okay, Ishizu doesn't get nearly as much hate as other girls in the Yu-gi-oh fandom. But, I've seen them out there so I figured I would defend her to the best of my ability. Ishizu is well known in the dub for mentioning about how the Pharaoh must save the world from evil and from her brother. She also is well known for her Millenium Necklace, which predicts the future. A few people have become annoyed at these rants because they are repetitive and take time away from the actual duel.
This is not Ishizu's fault however. 4KIDS are the ones with the repetitive dialogue. Also, Ishizu is very passionate about what she believes in and has a strong faith. It is merely in her nature. This should be looked up to, not scorned. Still, Ishizu is nowhere near the most hated character in YGO.
Kisara- Some people have stated Kisara to be a useless character with no personality with no purpose in the series. They're sadly mistaken. Kisara is constantly travelling due to her pale skin, which is considered an abomination in Egypt and makes her stand out like a sore thumb. It also leads others to believe she is a monster and a freak, hunting her down like an animal. Because of this, she has to move around a lot. Kisara is not useless, she simply is very tired. As for not having a personality, every character has one. Some just stand out more than others.
Kisara appears to be a very sullen, withdrawn and quiet girl. Who can blame her with the way some people treat her? She's been locked up in a cage, for crying out loud. However deep inside, she has the power of the Blue Eyes White Dragon and is very strong. So much for not having a purpose.
Kisara has been treated horribly by everyone who meets her her whole life. She is not going to be very loud and open. It wouldn't be realistic. She has been shunned for her differences and it has affected the way she portrays herself.
Mai Valentine- Mai is one of the more popular Yu-gi-oh girls, but even she has her bashers. The most used arguement is that she is a slut/whore. If anything, I think Mai would be insulted. While she does show a fair bit of cleavage compared to the other girls and was a black jack dealer in the past, there has never been any mention of Mai having sex with men for pleasure or money. She also has not been known to sleep around.
People tend to confuse the term slut for other things. If you have sex with a man, you are not a slut. If you are turned on by sexual things, you are not a slut. If you have sex with many men and feel nothing for any of them, you are a prostitute. That can be translated as a slut. Mai is not a prostitute. Mai has never even been mentioned to have had sex with anyone.
She also has been questioned for joining the bikers in the DOMA arc. Here's a hint: She felt like nobody cared about her, she was lonely and Dartz no doubt didn't help her mind frame.
Mana- "She's too happy!" people have said. Since when did being happy become a crime? I'm beginning to think some of these people are just making up excuses to hate characters. Mana is a very perky, happy girl. Is that a reason to hate her? Her Ka is the Dark Magician Girl. Maybe if you have a problem with the Dark Magician Girl, you wouldn't like her. I don't see why you would have a problem, but it's your perogative.
Serenity/Shizuka- They hate her for acting immature and clinging onto Joey. She's how old? 13? 14? Joey is her older big brother and the world is in grave danger. I highly doubt with Joey's possessive nature towards any guys who try to flirt with his sister, she's going to turn to Tristan/Honda or Duke/Otogi. Who else is she going to cling to? The two are incredibly close and Joey worked very hard in Duelist Kingdom to get the 300,000,000 $/yen for her eye operation. She's going to rely on him in times of need, like any other little sister would. The brother/sister relationship is very realistic in that sense.
Also, Serenity has never been in a real duel before. She is not going to be a professional, for those criticizing her for her performance in the Noah arc. She managed to come through in the end, that's what matters.
Tea Gardner/Anzu Mazaki- Here she is, the most hated character in Yu-gi-oh. Poor Tea never meant any harm, but when she got out that black marker and drew a friendship sign to encourage Yugi and let him know they would be there for him no matter what:
The image never really left the fans minds. Add that with episode 25 and her fate w as sealed. Nowadays, she is most well-known among bashers for her friendship speeches. They mention how long they go on and on and on and about how they wish someone would tell her to shut up or stick a sock in her mouth to make her be quiet. Now, listen to this:
Everyone, put your hands together and I'll mark us with a special sign. It's a symbol of our friendship. So when Yugi's dueling, no matter how tough it gets, he'll know he's not alone. We're all here with him.
Okay, I just counted how long it would take her to say that on the show. 20 seconds, and that was including Joey cutting in. That wasn't so long, now was it?
They also say she gets in the way of yaoi pairings. Sweeties, yaoi isn't canon. Tea is not getting in the way of your YamixYugi or Yamixanyone else or Yugixanyone else. She's not the burden you think she is.
In conclusion, character bashing is a pointless waste of time. None of these people deserve your hate. You can dislike them, but do you really need to bash them? I don't think so.