Recommendations Stories where most of the casts matter

[empalgepuk]

I'm talking about stories like:
1. Dr. Stone
2. Full Metal Alchemist
3. Assassination Classroom

In my examples above, we got the brain-OP Senku, alchemy prodigy Edward Elric, and an ex-assassin turned into whatever Korosensei was (actually the MC is Nagisa, but you get the point). But fans of those media can often mention most of other characters as well. By the end of the show, you get attached to almost the whole casts, sometimes even the villains too.

The casts don't have to be huge in numbers. Smaller is great (and even better sometimes). Like:
1. Kamen Rider Build or Gavv are great examples of this.
2. Seven Samurai or Magnificent Seven
3. Final Fantasy VI, VII, VIII, or IX

Genre doesn't matter. If I can end up liking most of the cast by the end, I'm in.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Nekyo]

Dr. Stone and Assassination Classroom mentioned! ??
Katekyo Hitman Reborn (more Assassin) was a long running Shonen where it was about Mafia Families so every member of the family was important to a degree. (Though the girls were really swept to the side sadly)
Hell's Paradise (More Assassin but Ninja) is pretty awesome and every character is living for themselves and I'd say they were important as long as they survived! (Might be biased I love this one too much)
Basilisk (More Ninja) its a war between two Ninja clans every character is important because it doesn't end till everyone is dead.

Since you mentioned JRPGs have you tried Bravely Default? Its a Square Enix FF-like that I admit it blew my mind how well the cast of all characters including villains!

 

[melchi]

Far Away Paladin?

 

[empalgepuk]

Dr. Stone and Assassination Classroom mentioned! ??
Katekyo Hitman Reborn (more Assassin) was a long running Shonen where it was about Mafia Families so every member of the family was important to a degree. (Though the girls were really swept to the side sadly)
Hell's Paradise (More Assassin but Ninja) is pretty awesome and every character is living for themselves and I'd say they were important as long as they survived! (Might be biased I love this one too much)
Basilisk (More Ninja) its a war between two Ninja clans every character is important because it doesn't end till everyone is dead.

Since you mentioned JRPGs have you tried Bravely Default? Its a Square Enix FF-like that I admit it blew my mind how well the cast of all characters including villains!

Haven't checked Jigokuraku. Maybe now's the best time. Thank you for the rec ;)

Far Away Paladin?

I always forget this one. Thank you for reminding me :D

 

[CinnaSloth]

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime (so many characters like... stupid amounts of characters)
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash (large emotional main cast)
A Certain Scientific Railgun (Although, I don't know if this counts cause I seriously can't remember the bad guys.. but main cast are funny)
Witch Hunter Robin (Some of the witches are very memorable, although this is more of a badguy of the week)
Zoids: New Century (I HATE HARRY CHAMP LMAO)
Oban Star Racers
Cowboy Bebop (Dare I say Everything is memorable, characters, locations, badguys, side character nobodies are even memorable)
Black Lagoon (I absolutely fell in love with Sawyer the Cleaner; just saying)
Log Horizon (Slow, but fascinating)
Overlord (Op main character nonsense, but overall, I enjoyed the hell out of it)
Frieren (Because)
IGPX (Some episodes can be hit or miss)

I'm sure you've watched most of these though. The bold are some of my personal favorites, and all are in no particular order.
If given a few hours (or days) I could probably go down the list on Netflix, Hulu, or Crunchyroll, but that's like.. A LIST..

Ah, but! If you've ever told yourself, "I would love to befriend a sentient, talking, sarcastic motorcycle." Watch: Kino's Journey. I love it. Even just for its world building. Amazing anime.

 

[empalgepuk]

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime (so many characters like... stupid amounts of characters)
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash (large emotional main cast)
A Certain Scientific Railgun (Although, I don't know if this counts cause I seriously can't remember the bad guys.. but main cast are funny)
Witch Hunter Robin (Some of the witches are very memorable, although this is more of a badguy of the week)
Zoids: New Century (I HATE HARRY CHAMP LMAO)
Oban Star Racers
Cowboy Bebop (Dare I say Everything is memorable, characters, locations, badguys, side character nobodies are even memorable)
Black Lagoon (I absolutely fell in love with Sawyer the Cleaner; just saying)
Log Horizon (Slow, but fascinating)
Overlord (Op main character nonsense, but overall, I enjoyed the hell out of it)
Frieren (Because)
IGPX (Some episodes can be hit or miss)

I'm sure you've watched most of these though. The bold are some of my personal favorites, and all are in no particular order.
If given a few hours (or days) I could probably go down the list on Netflix, Hulu, or Crunchyroll, but that's like.. A LIST..

Ah, but! If you've ever told yourself, "I would love to befriend a sentient, talking, sarcastic motorcycle." Watch: Kino's Journey. I love it. Even just for its world building. Amazing anime.

I might need to check out Grimgar soon.

Thank you for the recommendation ?

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Netflix dropped a series about a month back - their anime - that had characters who were far more memorable than their actual stories - Back Street Girls (about three male yakuza surgically transformed into female jpop idols). Really bizarre and, like I said, very forgettable plots but interesting characters.

 

[empalgepuk]

Netflix dropped a series about a month back - their anime - that had characters who were far more memorable than their actual stories - Back Street Girls (about three male yakuza surgically transformed into female jpop idols). Really bizarre and, like I said, very forgettable plots but interesting characters.

I think I read the manga first long ago, forgot the title

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I think I read the manga first long ago, forgot the title

Maybe they used the group name, Gokudolls?

 

[LightHikari]

I read as "most of the cats," and I was wondering why don't all the cats matter? Cat lives matter.

Sorry, the thing that came to mind for me is Ranking of Kings.

 

[empalgepuk]

I read as "most of the cats," and I was wondering why don't all the cats matter? Cat lives matter.

Sorry, the thing that came to mind for me is Ranking of Kings.

I haven't checked it out. Thank you for the recommendation

 

[happyquill]

I'm talking about stories like:
1. Dr. Stone
2. Full Metal Alchemist
3. Assassination Classroom

In my examples above, we got the brain-OP Senku, alchemy prodigy Edward Elric, and an ex-assassin turned into whatever Korosensei was (actually the MC is Nagisa, but you get the point). But fans of those media can often mention most of other characters as well. By the end of the show, you get attached to almost the whole casts, sometimes even the villains.

The casts don't have to be huge in numbers. Smaller is great (and even better sometimes). Like:
1. Kamen Rider Build or Gavv are great examples of this.
2. Seven Samurai or Magnificent Seven
3. Final Fantasy VI, VII, or IX

Genre doesn't matter. If I can end up liking most of the cast by the end, I'm in.

Thank you in advance.

you can try these

if you like urban fantasy romance, dark humour, death bureaucracy and soulmates (think of good omens and mort but romantic) :

Scarlet Connection

Welcome to the Veil or rather—my condolences. A slow-burn fantasy with a hint of romance, a pinch of action and mystery and a generous sprinkle of dark humour. Here you’ll find mean angels, polite demons and grim reapers escorting souls (saints, sinners and mostly, comely ones) while juggling...

www.scribblehub.com

if you like romance/suspense, english boarding school with intrigue and high stakes (think of gossip girl meets game of thrones meets succession):

CLARENDON

Four heirs. A peasant. An inheritance. Zero self-control... *** Welcome to Billard Academy! A sanctuary of ivy, secrets, and power-where old money whispers through stone corridors and every gilded crest hides a knife. Corin Clarendon, flawless heiress of the wealthiest dynasty in the nation...

www.scribblehub.com

 

[empalgepuk]

you can try these

if you like urban fantasy romance, dark humour, death bureaucracy and soulmates (think of good omens and mort but romantic) :

Scarlet Connection

Welcome to the Veil or rather—my condolences. A slow-burn fantasy with a hint of romance, a pinch of action and mystery and a generous sprinkle of dark humour. Here you’ll find mean angels, polite demons and grim reapers escorting souls (saints, sinners and mostly, comely ones) while juggling...

www.scribblehub.com

if you like romance/suspense, english boarding school with intrigue and high stakes (think of gossip girl meets game of thrones meets succession):

CLARENDON

Four heirs. A peasant. An inheritance. Zero self-control... *** Welcome to Billard Academy! A sanctuary of ivy, secrets, and power-where old money whispers through stone corridors and every gilded crest hides a knife. Corin Clarendon, flawless heiress of the wealthiest dynasty in the nation...

www.scribblehub.com

I don't know.

Do your casts matter? Do most of them get moments to shine? That's what I'm searching in this thread.

If you want to self plug, you also have the responsibilities to sell me that first, not just throwing those links ;). You are the author, so you must know.

 

[happyquill]

I don't know.

Do your casts matter? Do most of them get moments to shine? That's what I'm searching in this thread.

If you want to self plug, you also have the responsibilities to sell me that first, not just throwing those links ;). You are the author, so you must know.

for scarlet connection, yes, although not equally, i could say there are no throwaway characters. since it's death administration, everyone has their roles and established teams (like FMA where they showed the diff alchemists and each has their own mini-arc). the FMC and the MMC exist beyond just the romantic pairing. the side characters have their own small arc and backstory that are tying them to the main plot. there are extras (like the angels and the demons) that don't just appear for attendance sake but actually contribute to forward events. there's no black and white character here, all of them are grey (even the angels lmao).

for clarendon, it's a multi-pov third person limited and each pov shows the characters' development, no pov is wasted as all chapters move the plot forward. you might think it's an ordinary english boarding school romance but the stakes are high (top boy gets to inherit the fmc's family business and her hand in marriage) and the fight for winning the top spot is brutal mentally. the pov's are very distinct too, and the mmcs serve as mirrors that reflect why the fmc is so important to the story. i must say having multi-pov with many mmc has been too hard for me as the writer since i can't help but root for all the boys every time i finish their pov. lol

 

[MFontana]

I'm talking about stories like:
1. Dr. Stone
2. Full Metal Alchemist
3. Assassination Classroom

In my examples above, we got the brain-OP Senku, alchemy prodigy Edward Elric, and an ex-assassin turned into whatever Korosensei was (actually the MC is Nagisa, but you get the point). But fans of those media can often mention most of other characters as well. By the end of the show, you get attached to almost the whole casts, sometimes even the villains too.

The casts don't have to be huge in numbers. Smaller is great (and even better sometimes). Like:
1. Kamen Rider Build or Gavv are great examples of this.
2. Seven Samurai or Magnificent Seven
3. Final Fantasy VI, VII, or IX

Genre doesn't matter. If I can end up liking most of the cast by the end, I'm in.

Thank you in advance.

If you're looking for other (external) stuff, definitely check out Erin M. Evans' Brimstone Angels Series (Brimstone Angels, BA: Lesser Evils, The Adversary, Fire in the Blood, Ashes of the Tyrant, and The Devil you Know), Empire of Exiles, and Relics of Ruin. These are all great novels, and definitely worth the read, and worth the buy. The entire cast in each of them plays a vital role throughout the stories. (I can't say more without spoilers though).
If you're looking for more of an anime-style light-novel though, I'd recommend Log Horizon.

While my own work is still being written, you could also check out Aethara: The King's Path. Chapter 1 was released today and introduces the majority of the main cast. Additionally, I can promise that while every character will not be vital to every moment and and every scene, they will all have their moments to shine, and they all matter to the story. No matter how strong, or weak, they may be; because this is something that matters to me as well. (I also loved FMA: Brotherhood, FFVI, FFIX, and most other RPG's from that era).
Only you can determine if it's going to be the kind of story you'd enjoy though, the most I can do is hope you'd give it the chance.

Beyond that, I can't really offer many SH recommendations, since I haven't read much here yet.

 

[JayMark]

Most of my stories have large casts. I actually get in trouble for it because readers have a thing about identifying a main character and always wanting to be in their head through the whole journey. I'm capable of writing like that, but I'd rather take advantage of being the all knowing one and see many more characters.

Sorry, The Only Power Left Is Alteration: Survival game isekai that will shift into world exploration once the tutorial is over. A thousand people isekai'd from across earth are forced to participate in the Demon Lord's plan. The system gifts them skills based on their strengths and curses based on weaknesses from their time on Earth. I'm focusing on the contestants as they interweave into the journey of the ten or so central characters. It involves fleshing out the stories of a large cast while keeping the side stories interesting enough to compensate for a slowly paced plot. I'm hoping for a grand pay-off from laying this intimidating foundation.

The downside for you might be that the cast is far from heroes. Most of the selected contestants have issues and shady pasts. Many are not likeable, some downright evil. The world is amoral and unforgiving. Anyone can die if they don't get shit together fast enough. Another fault is that I would like to release chapters faster. Also I edit my own work and don't use AI for any stage of the writing process, so typos.


Most of my other stuff has larger casts as well and it's not just an MC barrelling through everything with OP factor.

 

[goldenphonix]

not me just seeing this thread. but hey W taste. i also enjoy stories with diverse casts that matter. i see assassination classroom is in your top 3. do you like cotE? dw i'm not one of the sigma male Ayanokoji riders lmfao. i enjoy cotE for its cast and ofc the plot is fire.

 

[empalgepuk]

not me just seeing this thread. but hey W taste. i also enjoy stories with diverse casts that matter. i see assassination classroom is in your top 3. do you like cotE? dw i'm not one of the sigma male Ayanokoji riders lmfao. i enjoy cotE for its cast and ofc the plot is fire.

I wanted to like it, but unfortunately I can't. It's not the mc himself, it's more of me already being too old when it came out, and I find it hard to relate to the kids.

In assclass, I anchored myself to the teacher or other adults there. It was essentially a "how teachers should treat their pupils" show. Same with GTO.

 

[goldenphonix]

oh damn :( i get it tho. i think you're one of those guys who'd get isekai'd the right, non-creep way ? stand proud haha

 

[Zagaroth]

Well, I think I'll put mine, "No Need For A Core?", down for this list. Because very few named characters are here and gone, and even then, some of them make surprise returns.

First, we have three MCs.

Mordecai is the powerhouse, though the starting scenario initially locks most of that power away, and he is location-limited for several volumes of story, which restricts how much he can directly influence things not in his starting location.

Kazue is his opposite in many ways; she has the least experience and thus had the most growing to do. However, just being her self gives her a certain amount of social power that she is not really aware of. She has a very strong influence on both of the other two MCs.

Moriko is a balance of the other two in some aspects, but she also brings in a very different PoV, her own set of skills and connections, and awakens to some wisdom that involves what she had been learning about for years.

---

In addition, the secondary characters all come to life in their own way. I create characters to fill in the blank of a needed group, and most of those characters develop ever more personality and importance as they interact with the main group more. Around volume 5 (I think), I spend three chapters on a teen girl's birthday party, because it was her first with her new adoptive parents. That teen isn't even introduced until the middle of volume 3, but she's a very important character who a lot of readers love.

Later on, I introduce Mordecai's "crazy ex". I fully intended her to be a storm that crashes through the story, creating chaos in her wake, and leaving strewn wreckage behind. There's a reason I named her Satsuki - associated with the fifth lunar month, which is known for lots of rain/storms.

Well, as events transpired, her plans changed. First temporarily, now indefinitely. And the same readers who love sweet teen Fuyuko also love the crazy nine-tail who has been trying hard to not sink her claws in Mordecai as he is married now. Note: assertive and not-mentally-stable kitsune, the claws part may be literal...

Then there are two people who are prisoners for over half a year. I can't say too much (spoilers), but there are reasons that they are treated very differently, and a character who was created in a spot where I needed a victim to be rescued has now become an important part of the story and of the lives of the main cast.

---

I could keep going, it's a pretty large cast at this point, but they all have their roles to play, and I can not say for sure how the story changes if I remove any given character. I would have to write it out from that point and see if there were any unintended consequences.