Elise or Sakura?

[Sunwoo]

Also is it just me or do people really seem to hate shyness. A lot of the complaints about Sakura being boring seem to be related to her being shy whereas Elise is liked because she's energetic. Is shyness really a bad quality and why? I don't get it.

I think a lot of people, particularly Westerners, have this idea that if a character doesn't "stand out", then they are bland and generic. Look at Eliwood, and how many people call him bland and generic in comparison to his co-lords.

[FluffyWarlock]

Elise is pretty much the generic cute little sister anime stereotype and she's always so happy it's unrealistic and kind of annoying. Shit, in Revelation there's even a cgi scene of her basically humping your leg, it's ridiculous.

Sakura's not particularly great as a character, but she does have more to her than Elise. Like, she's shy but she's not a doormat and in Conquest, even though she still loves Corrin, she's not willing to put up with him invading her country and will actually fight against him. I do have a bit of a soft spot for gentle characters with a steel will.

Also is it just me or do people really seem to hate shyness. A lot of the complaints about Sakura being boring seem to be related to her being shy whereas Elise is liked because she's energetic. Is shyness really a bad quality and why? I don't get it.

Cultural differences, I guess. And maybe misinterpreting shyness as being antisocial, dunno.

[Emblem Blade]

Elise.

I mean, IIRC, I've read somewhere on Reddit that Sakura gets outclassed hard by your butler/maid when it comes to healing, compared to Elise. Also, since the new triangle has magic beat bows and that you can get up close and personal with a tome while bows require you to be at a range of 2 (unless you have Point Blank, a magic bow or the ballistician, which Sakura won't find of much use, Takumi, on the other hand...), Elise is the best sister.

Basically, magical girls > shrine maidens.

Sakura isn't locked to Bows only... She can use nagatinas/lances in Falcon Knight/Kinshi Knight promoted classes as well as using Scrolls/Tomes in addition to staves as an Onmyoji. Plus like Elise, you can readjust her class by reclassing so she's not stuck as a pure magical attacker which helps the two of them. Entering melee range against a Bow-user isn't the best idea unless you can KO them on the turn unless you are very tanky which the two little sisters are not. The two of them can also be outclassed as healers by children. Also, it's not hard to realize that Sakura can easily have access to Magic Counter which places scroll/tome-only users at risk if she manages to damage then enough that the attackers who are targeting her end up KO'ing themselves. Best Sister? Elise? I would rather think Camille/Hinoka are better sisters on the protective edge while Elise/Sakura are moral support.

Basically Butlers/Maids > Magic and Bow-Users.

[Thane]

I think a lot of people, particularly Westerners, have this idea that if a character doesn't "stand out", then they are bland and generic. Look at Eliwood, and how many people call him bland and generic in comparison to his co-lords.

If it makes you feel better, I dislike all three equally.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Thane

[Azz]

Sakura. Elise annoys me, especially her big sibling worship of the avatar to the point that it ends in spoilers. At least Sakura shoots a bow in your face when you invade her country.

This. I don't dislike Elise much, but she is just a bit too annoying at times.

Also her role in Birthright is literally just there to play on the feels which annoys me.

[Ebony]

I refuse to choose between my babies.

I guess I'll vote for Sakura since, while i like both, I like Sakura more by a margin...

[Fircoal]

Also is it just me or do people really seem to hate shyness. A lot of the complaints about Sakura being boring seem to be related to her being shy whereas Elise is liked because she's energetic. Is shyness really a bad quality and why? I don't get it.

While I criticize Sakura for her shyness it's not shyness I hate. Personally I'm shy and I can understand the experience of being shy. The problem is when that shyness and that reservedness is used as a tool to make the character bland and use that shyness as either justification or pandering to those who like reserved girls. I don't mind shyness when it's one of many traits that a character has. But when it's the only trait, it gets really annoying.

[Emblem Blade]

While I criticize Sakura for her shyness it's not shyness I hate. Personally I'm shy and I can understand the experience of being shy. The problem is when that shyness and that reservedness is used as a tool to make the character bland and use that shyness as either justification or pandering to those who like reserved girls. I don't mind shyness when it's one of many traits that a character has. But when it's the only trait, it gets really annoying.

Sakura's shyness also makes it hard for her to actually change her personality since she has a hard time opening up. Ryoma's support chains with her have him trying to help her open up to others. There's more to Sakura than being 'shy', her shyness and timidness is only the first shell on her, there's more to be seen but you need to get past that hard layer first.

[Fircoal]

Elise by so much. I don't like Sakura at all. She's bland and her only notable point is how shy she is. She seems like one of those shy sues who are so shy and can't do anything wrong. I find it really annoying. Elise on the other hand is a very fun character. I admire how much she cares for those around her and the MC. I like her role in Birthright as well. Also she makes for a good unit.

To add to why I like Elise (I was thinking about it and I feel like my previous response did not give enough information.) I think the big two points of why I like her is her loyalty and her childishness. Considering how easy it is for everyone in the story to turn against you if you don't pick them it's nice to have someone who is ok with your decision. I haven't played Revelations so I don't know if she changes in that but in Birthright especially by the end she wants to help you out even if you oppose her father. I respect that loyalty. Furthermore being childish is fun. It makes Elise lots of fun. And fun is good! :D

Sakura's shyness also makes it hard for her to actually change her personality since she has a hard time opening up. Ryoma's support chains with her have him trying to help her open up to others. There's more to Sakura than being 'shy', her shyness and timidness is only the first shell on her, there's more to be seen but you need to get past that hard layer first.

Fair enough. I don't have the most experience with her because of my perceptions of her driving her off. I can only attest to what I've seen in the main game so far. When I get to the point of unlocking more supports with her (that'll be when I relationship grind in Revalations) I'll be able to see more of these depths if they are there. That said what parts of her personality does she want to change? Is it a "I want to be less shy?" type of change?

Edited March 15, 2016 by Fircoal

[SageOfAnys]

I god I love both of them to death why are you making me choose

Elise, by a very small margin though. Normally in cases where I love both units, I tend to move towards weapon bias and design preference, but since both tomes AND bows are my favorite weapons and I love both their designs, well that leaves me in bit of a pickle.

But in the end, I would probably say Elise though because she reminds me of some younger family friends I always enjoyed playing with when visiting. I myself am a very "tired" and socially awkward person, yet being around energetic, happy, playful characters like Elise is actually refreshing to me while I would probably just stand around awkwardly and look at my feet when around someone like Sakura. Not to mention she provides some lovely moments of humor in Conquest and her extreme dedication to her family seen in all three routes is something admirable. But I guess I could say the same thing could be said about Sakura's devotion to her nation though too...

[Emblem Blade]

To add to why I like Elise (I was thinking about it and I feel like my previous response did not give enough information.) I think the big two points of why I like her is her loyalty and her childishness. Considering how easy it is for everyone in the story to turn against you if you don't pick them it's nice to have someone who is ok with your decision. I haven't played Revelations so I don't know if she changes in that but in Birthright especially by the end she wants to help you out even if you oppose her father. I respect that loyalty. Furthermore being childish is fun. It makes Elise lots of fun. And fun is good! :D

Spoiler goes towards your question about her devotion towards you in Revelations:

The Chapter you fight the Wind Tribe has Garon laughing at the idea that Corrin/Kamui won't survive the traps that he has laid out for them. Elise listens in on this by eavesdropping and is horrified at what her father is saying. When she's about to alert Xander about this Camilla shows up and tells her not to since it will only make things worse for their sibling (Corrin/Kamui). Camilla tells Elise that it's best to stay back and observe how things will go to which Elise sadly accepts. Chapter 14 of Revelations has Elise join you after she eavesdrops on Iago and Hans talking about how Camilla has defected over to Corrin/Kamui's side and Elise realizes that Camilla isn't really a 'traitor'. Once Elise hears what the two have said she flees silently with her retainers to find her older siblings (Camilla and Corrin/Kamui). Upon seeing the trio (Elise and her retainers), Camilla tries to persuade Elise to return to Leo and Xander since she doesn't want her younger sister to suffer and die for betraying Nohr. Remaining stubborn to her will and remaining loyal and devoted to those she loves, Elise joins Corrin's/Kamui's army when they realize that Elise won't give up on her beliefs.

So yeah...Elise has a lot of dedication and devotion to her older siblings to the point she's willing to remain by her older sibling (Corrin/Kamui) even if it means she will possibly die for betraying her own kingdom.

[Byleth]

Elise is just there for loli blonde twindrill imouto fetish, while Sakura is stereotypical shy Japanese girl and happen to be Shrine Maiden which I adore.. So, I choose Sakura by a very small margin.

[Kakeyo]

Gameplay-wise: Elise. As a Dark Falcon she rips everyone a new a**hole. Her magic and speed growths are off the chart. Sakura seems destined for the yumi-wielding priestess class and as a dark falcon just wasn't on-par with Elise.

Story-wise: Elise. By far. She joins your side on Hoshido (shows conviction and character, trying to do the right thing) is very positive and outgoing, is always trying to be better at everything (as evidenced by several of her supports, including the Avatar's), has interesting character quirks (dying parts of her hair purple to match Camilla, so that they feel more like full sisters, etc.).

Sakura, on the other hand, seems to suffer from the "trying to be a stereotypical perfect Japanese woman syndrome" (more so in the Japanese version, as they've replaced a lot of her "quiet" with stuttering) but still. She keeps her head down until she gets frustrated and then just yells, on the Conquest path she gets defeated and then just mopes as a prisoner, doesn't have much conviction about anything, really, and I've never been a fan of "I'll just heal people because then we'll have a better world" attitude.

However, I don't think Sakura is terrible - a few of her supports are very enduring - but I super prefer people that have the strength of character that Elise displays (especially on the Hoshido side). And, to be honest, both characters could use more interactions and screen time without it all being about Corrin, but that's a different issue.

Overall, I definitely prefer Elise, by a wide margin.

[GenericHero]

Elise in terms of personality, Sakura in terms of design. Gameplay-wise I've only used Sakura so far so I can't comment on that.

I find both of them adorkable in both personality and design, but I like that Elise has a bigger role in the story on both sides while Sakura seems like she's just kinda… there. I like Sakura's more simple design and wasn't a big fan of Elise's hairstyle at first, though it's growing on me.

[nyainou]

As far as I recall, Sakura did like, nothing compelling throughout the whole story. And if she did, I clearly can't recall because it wasn't impactful. That's how Elise wins out, in my opinion.

[Thor Odinson]

I like that despite Sakura's shy-to-the-point-of-social-anxiety she's a very strong person--she has a lot of moments of toughness as well, she's just not as overt about it as her other siblings

I like Elise too, but Sakura gets my favor for

willing to take up arms to defend against your invasion of her country despite being a pacifist in conquest, and also punching Iago in the face in Birthright

also Sakura is shredded, Sakura has a eight pack

Edited March 15, 2016 by Thor Odinson

[Water Mage]

As far as I recall, Sakura did like, nothing compelling throughout the whole story. And if she did, I clearly can't recall because it wasn't impactful. That's how Elise wins out, in my opinion.

Sakura does quite a bit in the story.

Sakura fights against Corrin in Conquest, is the first sibiling willing to trust you in Revelations, hits Iago when he's controlling Takumi in and manages to indentify Takumi's illness in Birthright.

Honestly, is the opposite for Elise to me.

While I like her, she doesn't do much for the story. Birthright, ironically, is the only story where Elise shines.

[Emblem Blade]

Gameplay-wise: Elise. As a Dark Falcon she rips everyone a new a**hole. Her magic and speed growths are off the chart. Sakura seems destined for the yumi-wielding priestess class and as a dark falcon just wasn't on-par with Elise.

Story-wise: Elise. By far. She joins your side on Hoshido (shows conviction and character, trying to do the right thing) is very positive and outgoing, is always trying to be better at everything (as evidenced by several of her supports, including the Avatar's), has interesting character quirks (dying parts of her hair purple to match Camilla, so that they feel more like full sisters, etc.).

Sakura, on the other hand, seems to suffer from the "trying to be a stereotypical perfect Japanese woman syndrome" (more so in the Japanese version, as they've replaced a lot of her "quiet" with stuttering) but still. She keeps her head down until she gets frustrated and then just yells, on the Conquest path she gets defeated and then just mopes as a prisoner, doesn't have much conviction about anything, really, and I've never been a fan of "I'll just heal people because then we'll have a better world" attitude.

However, I don't think Sakura is terrible - a few of her supports are very enduring - but I super prefer people that have the strength of character that Elise displays (especially on the Hoshido side). And, to be honest, both characters could use more interactions and screen time without it all being about Corrin, but that's a different issue.

Overall, I definitely prefer Elise, by a wide margin.

She doesn't really 'join' you to the point she is playable.

While personality-wise Elise does show more improvement and development, that's mostly due to her young nature. Sakura's meekness doesn't really do much harm but it does make it hard for her to speak with just about anyone not named Elise (who can easily talk with her). Also, Sakura's personality only flipped that hard after she witnesses Hans and other Nohrian soldiers kill helpless Hoshido civilians and when she sees that there's little to no hope left for Hoshido seeing how things have gone up until that point. She still had some hope but at that point it crumbled completely.

Gameplay-wise, the difference is barely visible. Sure Elise has high Magic, Skill, Luck and Speed growths but her HP and Defense growths are rather below-average which isn't very pleasing at times, think hit and run. Sakura has similar stats but you can easily get even stat spread as a War Priestess since it has relatively even growths then reclass into a support partner's secondary/primary class to readjust, Sakura can also tank slightly longer thanks to Renewal but this barely helps her as the game goes on. Also in a game where Bows and Tomes run rampant, Flyers might not live long when they can get crit-killed in one shot so both of them might not enjoy being aerial-flyers for long.

I find both little sisters to be equally loveable thanks to their personalities. I wouldn't put their gameplay aspects into the reasons entirely because both are good and bad respectively in their own ways.

[Wayward Alchemist]

I like "staff~ staff~" more than "mmm watcha saaaay".

[nyainou]

Sakura does quite a bit in the story.

Sakura fights against Corrin in Conquest, is the first sibiling willing to trust you in Revelations, hits Iago when he's controlling Takumi in and manages to indentify Takumi's illness in Birthright.

Honestly, is the opposite for Elise to me.

While I like her, she doesn't do much for the story. Birthright, ironically, is the only story where Elise shines.

My point still stands, sooo.

[Water Mage]

My point still stands, sooo.

How?

Not trying to be rude or anything and I'm really sorry if I'm sounding rude, but I want hear a bit more of your point.

[Tolvir]

Sakura, I like her personality, and a lot of her supports have been entertaining. I also like her design better, especially in her second tier class. I like Elise, and a lot of her supports were entertaining as well, but compared to Sakura she is a lot more one dimensional in her personality.

[Kakeyo]

While personality-wise Elise does show more improvement and development, that's mostly due to her young nature. Sakura's meekness doesn't really do much harm but it does make it hard for her to speak with just about anyone not named Elise (who can easily talk with her). Also, Sakura's personality only flipped that hard after she witnesses Hans and other Nohrian soldiers kill helpless Hoshido civilians and when she sees that there's little to no hope left for Hoshido seeing how things have gone up until that point. She still had some hope but at that point it crumbled completely.

I'm not saying her moping and crumbling was unjustified - I just prefer a character who stands steadfast in the face of face of darkness. Sakura didn't. It's a mark against her (in my opinion - if it makes her more humanizing for others, it's all good) but I definitely like rooting for characters that never give up. Heck, even as Elise lay dying she still asked that everyone strive for peace - the conviction adds to her character in my book.

Gameplay-wise, the difference is barely visible. Sure Elise has high Magic, Skill, Luck and Speed growths but her HP and Defense growths are rather below-average which isn't very pleasing at times, think hit and run. Sakura has similar stats but you can easily get even stat spread as a War Priestess since it has relatively even growths then reclass into a support partner's secondary/primary class to readjust, Sakura can also tank slightly longer thanks to Renewal but this barely helps her as the game goes on. Also in a game where Bows and Tomes run rampant, Flyers might not live long when they can get crit-killed in one shot so both of them might not enjoy being aerial-flyers for long.

Perhaps it's because I play with sweeper tactics, but fast hard-hitters are the way I go. Elise is one of the fastest, hard-hittingest mage units (thanks to dark falcon access so early) and I use her to death in both Conquest and Revelations. Sakura is... not so much. It seems like (based on my leveling of her) they made her more "balanced" in terms of stat growths, and I definitely prefer spiked rather than equal across the board.

Lastly, I prefer magic over bows (thanks to the 1-2 inherent range). So, I still prefer Elise to Sakura, but I understand others might feel otherwise. (and again, I'm not saying Sakura is terrible, just not my cup of tea).

Edited March 15, 2016 by Kakeyo

[nyainou]

How?

Not trying to be rude or anything and I'm really sorry if I'm sounding rude, but I want hear a bit more of your point.

I just don't find any of the things you brought up very interesting or compelling. And I didn't really remember them, either. Which I said in my OP, if I don't remember it it just means that, once again, I didn't find it moving. And yeah, when I praise Elise I'm thinking from a purely Birthright-story perspective. But even when only considering 1 out of 3 games, I still find Elise infinitely better. Just me onion.

_{also this has nothing to do with my opinion but i legit hate the ~shy sakura~ cutscene its so annoying and i hate how she says I uh,,,, Missed you, uwuwuwuw. elise isnt any better because she looks like a fish from that angle. anyway this is kind of maybe relevant so i thought id share}

[Dark Sage]

I actually really dislike Elise's role in Birthright because it's so blatantly emotionally manipulative and is just as moronic as Flora's role. She's really more of a tool than an actual character there.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Dark Sage