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Side Characters
11/21/2013
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Hisoka from HunterxHunter, best side character ever.

HunterxHunter does a brilliant play on side characters, they kill them. I couldn't think of a better way myself. Besides, letting the side characters live will only drive up the plot and distract the main characters from their purpose. 
 
I will admit though, that side characters do provide something important: information. Main character(s) need the necessary information to move the plot. The fact that it takes a few episodes to figure out a good character is actually a villain, is evident of that fact. Nevertheless, side characters will at times provide too much information like their love, life story, or hatred about a particular character.The characters at that point, should go off on the deep end to their deaths. Granted not every side characters should die yet the more they interact with the main characters, the more they want to either help the main character or have the main character help them.
 
Long running Anime Series
 
In long running anime series, the side characters are abundantly everywhere.  Obviously they are there to drive the story plot and distract the main character(s) from the plot. The greatest difference between long running anime and shorter anime, lies with the side characters becoming essential  to the plot. In this way, the side character has the right to add to the plot and be a part of plot. Again, side characters are abundantly everywhere in long running anime series; therefore, many main characters are develop and focus on.
 
This would in a number of cases, force the original main character(s) to drop from the plot to being side characters. Additionally,  creating either one or two  big holes in the plot:  A)  What was the point of introducing that character in the first place and/or B) isn't the story dragging on too much? Simply put, the logic holes deal with how the plot flows which is disrupted  by the new main characters. This is why, HunterxHunter is brilliant with dealing of side characters.
 
Everyone agrees with this logic right? or does everyone have a different opinion?
 

 
Thank you for reading my new blog post about side characters. Don't die on your way out, please follow me @Albelcasting on twitter and subscribe to me please before you go. I'm so lonely. =P
Comments:
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  • icon
    Nyome
    Hisoka's story is really tied in close to the entire series. He's basically both the nemesis and supporting character all together. I have to agree that HunterXHunter does an outstanding job with side characters. In most series side characters only get a back story right before they die. Naruto has a bad habit of doing this, but as do most series.It really keeps you on your seat not knowing if a character you learned to love may be killed off.
    11/26/2013
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    complex
    backstory. He was an orphan, but I remember in part 1 of Naruto that Kakashi mentioned him being the son of this great medical ninja. I guess Kishi either forgot himself or thought the fans would forget. Anyway, Kabuto is a great example of what you're talking about because he should have left the plot, not necessarily that I think he should have died because there are more creative ways to tell a story, when Orochimaru died.
    11/23/2013
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    complex
    Gaara eventually becomes a main character. He is very much needed in the story, actually, and I will argue that he always has been. And I will also argue that Hinata is essential to the story as well. For goodness sake, Naruto needs friends. I understand what you're saying now though, but I think this logic only applies to very minor characters such as Karin, Suigetsu & Jugo. I don't really see how it creates holes in the plot though, unless something happens that makes no sense, Like Kabuto's
    11/23/2013
  • icon
    Ebel
    In essence my argument about side characters is that too many of them are available in some anime and sometimes become main character when they are not needed at all to really drive the plot. Therefore, logical holes become more apparent in the story to the point where you mist have been better killing them off, like Hinata.
    11/23/2013
  • icon
    Ebel
    For example, take Gaara from Naruto. He is told to be a crucial part of the plot of the anime Naruto; thus becomes a main character during the ninja Examination. After the story arc ends (along with leaf village invasion), we do not see him for a long time. Gaara then reverts back to a regular side character. Although in Naruto and Naruto Shippuden you don't really have the main characters reverting to side characters since Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi story is still told.
    11/23/2013
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    Ebel
    Think of it like this, you have a set allocated amount of time for main characters to discuss and do things related to the plot when a side character comes in. The side character tell the main characters information but during that time the other main characters in the original group have something else to do while one or two main characters stay to help out this Side Character. In that instance, the side character becomes a main character to that story arc.
    11/23/2013
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    complex
    So you're saying that in a long running series, when a side character becomes part of the plot, the main characters become side characters!? Why should it be a problem is the story is dragging on if it's meant to be a long-running series, in which case the story is supposed to drag? If the side character becomes useless at some point by no longer adding to the story, then they need to go. But anyway, so what's your statement? :/
    11/22/2013
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