What do you look for in a "relatable" main character?

[Representing_Tromba]

As the title asks, what do you want or look for in a relatable character? Is it the age, personality, morals, struggle, where they came from, or how they see the world? Does the setting make them more relatable? Do you even want a relatable character? What makes them relatable in the first place?

 

[Tetrahedron]

I'd say I can relate to any character that has a solid thought process, and not being chaotic for the sake of trying to look cool and edgy.

 

[Naravelt]

Human personality with good traits and flaws, we can see their struggles, jokes, sadness, anger, and preferences. Usually not a full jerk or full narcissist.

Too edgy and too perfect are paths to a Gary or Mary Sue. A Mary Sue is a path that leads to the dark side. A Mary Sue leads to bad comments, bad comments lead to hate, and hate leads to suffering.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

I'd say I can relate to any character that has a solid thought process, and not being chaotic for the sake of trying to look cool and edgy.

 

[foxes]

Understanding a character and empathizing with them are not the same thing. For me, it's more about the circumstances the character finds themselves in. Is it possible to understand a crowd in a catastrophe? The rest sounds strange - empathizing, associating it with yourself, because he also has fingers?
Only the story itself reveals the characters. And then it's up to fate.

 

[Macha]

As the title asks, what do you want or look for in a relatable character? Is it the age, personality, morals, struggle, where they came from, or how they see the world? Does the setting make them more relatable? Do you even want a relatable character? What makes them relatable in the first place?

That would make me get bored of reading so fast. I don't want every main characters of all the stories I read to be like Tomie.

Why would you want a relatable character? So you can self-insert yourself into them? Associating them with yourself? Understanding a character and emphasizing with them are not the same thing.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

As the title asks, what do you want or look for in a relatable character? Is it the age, personality, morals, struggle, where they came from, or how they see the world? Does the setting make them more relatable? Do you even want a relatable character? What makes them relatable in the first place?

Imo, the MC does not need to be relatable, at all. The worlds need to be. If the reaction to the MC is believable, you can make even a completely unrelatable MC. It is the world around that makes or breaks the story.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Understanding a character and empathizing with them are not the same thing. For me, it's more about the circumstances the character finds themselves in. Is it possible to understand a crowd in a catastrophe? The rest sounds strange - empathizing, associating it with yourself, because he also has fingers?
Only the story itself reveals the characters. And then it's up to fate.

That would make me get bored of reading so fast. I don't want every main characters of all the stories I read to be like Tomie.

Why would you want a relatable character? So you can self-insert yourself into them? Associating them with yourself? Understanding a character and emphasizing with them are not the same thing.

Imo, the MC does not need to be relatable, at all. The worlds need to be. If the reaction to the MC is believable, you can make even a completely unrelatable MC. It is the world around that makes or breaks the story.

I think I understand. Though I think I expressed my questions poorly. I don't mean for the character to be a boring cookie cutter, or even just an easy character to empathize with, but rather, one that draws the reader into their plight. A character that makes you care about the issues they are going through and want to root for. Relating to the character and their problems are more to help you understand the characters flaws and motivations. What in a character makes you want to follow their story, no matter the circumstances of the plot? Worlds and plots can draw you in but if the character can be anybody, who would you want it to be? How and why would it ground you to the situation? You may not be able to empathize with someone floating in space but you can empathize with the crushing loneliness and horror of being left behind to an extent. If they had no care or bother then they would be a boring person to ponder about.

 

[foxes]

I think I understand. Though I think I expressed my questions poorly...

I have a suspicion that all this is going to come down to a discussion of "how to write an interesting story". Well, who knows?

On the other hand, the main thing is to convey everything that already seems interesting in the right way. That is, to be on the same page with the reader, sharing your experiences. In addition to talent and basic algorithms, there are many techniques. This includes honing personal preferences and the author's secrets.

For a while, I believed that a character like a cockroach or a slime was not very appealing. However, there are anime series that focus on these characters. However, I am interested in the ant. This brings us back to the fact that everything depends on the story or the way it is presented. At another time, I would read the same stories and cry and laugh. It's stupid because some mega hero saves a raped little girl. Any suffering soul that has found peace. However, now they do not evoke any empathy. I think I got tired of it, or it was a period in my life, or I was depressed or something.

Now, as a gourmet, I can only try different dishes. But it is difficult, complicated.

 

[Eldoria]

As the title asks, what do you want or look for in a relatable character? Is it the age, personality, morals, struggle, where they came from, or how they see the world? Does the setting make them more relatable? Do you even want a relatable character? What makes them relatable in the first place?

I only want one thing from a character: She/he must live in her/his world as a living character.

Well, a living character is a character who is truly human, able to think, feel, have experiences, values, and views on life. Fandom often refers to living characters as 3D characters.

I don't really care about the character's narrative role, whether hero, antihero, or even villain. But please narrate the character as a human being.

If she/he's a hero, let her/him experience a moral dilemma when her/his heroic values aren't enough to save everyone.

If she/he's an antihero, let her/him face guilt for her/his unconventional actions.

If she/he's a villain, let her/him face the consequences of her/his crimes.

A good character is one that the reader can relate to even if the reader doesn't agree with her/him.

Personally, I appreciate a living character like Yagami Light, not because he has a god complex, but because he lives in his world and is willing to pay the price for his actions with a humane outcome.

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

One that I get emotionally attached to or allied with.
And Dragon.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Curiosity, spirit of adventure, the opposite of "I just want to be a normal girl"

 

[NotaNuffian]

I typed out something long and just deleted it.

I just want a normal MC, be he a coward that cowers and hide or be he an idiot that barks and gets trampled. The most important thing is growth and hopefully a growth that does not take up to ten chapters to grow into a decent human.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Believable emotions. Be it self-doubt, being too sure of themselves, anger, fear, hatred, joy... Just telling me a character is "X emotion" but not showing the process behind it kinda breaks immersion.

Drive. Or the lack thereof. But what moves a character or not should be explained. Suddenly going "It was then he decided to become the strongest in the universe for no reason" should be only played for jokes or parodies.

Character quirks that affect them not only positively. Having a character be too competent might backfire in certain situations, and being a coward isn't an instant skill for surviving everything; character traits should have drawbacks.

No Deus ex Machina, please...

 

[melchi]

They have to appreciate thighs

 

[CinnaSloth]

Smerts. They gotta have at least some brians.

(Yes I spelled incorrectly on purpose. lol)

 

[hell_yeahMylike]

It has many unique characteristics and will not be the same as any other character.

 

[Tsuru]

As the title asks, what do you want or look for in a relatable character? Is it the age, personality, morals, struggle, where they came from, or how they see the world? Does the setting make them more relatable? Do you even want a relatable character? What makes them relatable in the first place?

The bare minimum : decent IQ for MC



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For complete list of traits to be "relatable" for me :

-smart
-good person
-but chaotic good (any methods are good for the goal)
-simply want a peaceful life
-cautious (bc they are smart and knows that the law of murphy makes that troubles will appear no matter what/in short, always prepared)
-want a partner but also not driven by sexdrive
-do things unexpected by most people
-very revengeful
-love justice/punish bad guys
-naive but forced to put walls around their fragile heart bc outside world is a goddamn hell



Basically : The greatest estate developer
Or its my top2 favorite novel : History strongest husband (NU)

that is basically a 99% identical clone to estate-manhwa. Especially the MC that is near a clone to him, that he act like a clown but in fact got a wounded kind naive heart, but forced to do ruthlessless things for peaceful life.
So identical that its saddening to see estate get so much popularity despite HSH being near as good or in fact FAR better than it. Also nukes. MC nuked armies. Yep heard me right, he nuked whole armies to oblivion. Also let me tell a secret, is that any(most) CN with MC using nukes are good.
(and harem that is as good as Mushoku Tensei's = useful harem = without them, MC would have failed)

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

First, I don't look for relatable characters. If I wanted to find one, it would be someone that keeps going despite pushbacks. That gets information, handed to them or scoured, and uses it rather than ignore it. And has the balls to ignore stupid people despite how it will hurt either party when needed. Instead of the current trends of being forcibly lead through the plot by events showing up or emotional manipulation by close members. Or worse, allowing something detrimental to the main character to happen. Yes, allowing. Not, events beyond the MCs capabilities to intervene.

It's because of how I was. I woke up one day and felt like I had to live up to how I was better than everyone. I immediately lost weight because it was one of the things that I would say that I could do whenever I wanted. Only to realize that I hadn't even tried yet. I bulldozed through all my schoolwork when I was only barely passing by only grading great on tests and abandoning homework for the peons. Hated how everyone else made excuses so I used the cum-stained math book and the ones that were falling apart to show how the information was still there and you just had to use it. Sneered at the continued lazyness when others tried to use home life as an excuse. My dad blew his brains out because my mom is that much of a cunt. So, got my first job while everyone complained about not being able to do anything during middle school. Had a small mechanic business for high school. Figured the basics on starting an official business at the same time so I had something afterwards. A little over ten years have gone by since then and I retired while people with my intelligence or better, STILL complain and not do anything to change. My ghetto ass doesn't want to see more of me. It wants variety. It would feel like I'm reading lies that people tell themselves just to continue to ignore their own lives. And that gets stuck in the back of my head until I put the story down.

I tend to look for MCs that are bumbling fools. That have a hard time going through the world but somehow making it. It can be divine intervention or pure luck. Others helping or the MC tagging along. They can grow better or worse I don't really care. They just have to be not an emotionless brick. Why? They tend to offer the most feel of "adventure" than others who mope around or blaze through or do nothing. May or may not be because I would have wanted this for myself. To have others more as a familial thing than something else. Don't read too much into it.

 

[H0LL0W]

That they have bad traits but they aren't a bad person.
Those are two different things that are always conflated.
That they try to work on their bad traits, but sometimes fail. No one is perfect :))))