Character opinions that have changed

[Tolvir]

I know this thread was done before, but it was early in Fates release in the West. I thought I would start the thread again now that more people have experienced the story, characters, and supports. I am curious to see what characters that you have both started to like, and started to hate over the course of your time playing Fates.

Takumi is probably the largest one for me. I hated this character at first when I played through Conquest. I thought his constant hatred for Corrin was taken well past the entire no trusting problem Takumi has, and was taken to ridiculous levels just to try and get you to hate him. It wasnt until the final chapter that I started to actually like this character.

The entire scene where Corrin is "dead" and talking to Takumi's spirit was really cool, and was something that made me actually like the character.

After that, playing through Revelation really helped as I was able to go through Takumi's supports and see other sides of him that I wasnt able to see in Conquest.

Silas is a character that I have actually begun to not like. At first I thought he would be a cool character, the cavalier that has been your friend since childhood, and joined the army to find you. If it was a female Corrin I played it would make for a great cheesy romance movie. He seemed like he might be a bit interesting until I started reading his supports. This guy is less interesting than a box of rocks. I would be more interested in learning about what rocks are in that box, and where they come from than learn more about Silas. He was possibly the most boring character I have encountered in Fire Emblem, and maybe even in games as a whole.

The Reincarnated Awakening trio is a mixed bag for me. I like Caeldori better here than in Awakening, I actually like Shara compared to Tharja, and find Asugi just a complete copy.

With Caeldori, its a lot nicer for her to lack the constant obsession with Chrom that was in her supports in Awakening. It gives opportunity to build on her character. I do like that her constant obsession with being perfect is better explained here, as she is trying to be like her father, Subaki, who a lot of people, including himself, consider perfect. She turned out to be a lot better than what I thought the situation was going to be, which was a direct copy of Cordelia.

Asugi I am indifferent to. I really wasnt a big fan of Gaius in Awakening, and since he is practically copy and paste the same character here, its the same thing. It actually makes me wonder why the went with him over any other character, and really why they included him at all if they werent going to do anything different.

Shara is probably the biggest change out of the three for me. I actually like this version a lot better than Tharja. Her obsession with Corrin makes sense, I like the lack of the child abuse in this one, and I really enjoyed most of her supports. Her obsession with Corrin makes sense because Corrin had saved her twice. Considering how she is still a teen around the age of 18-19 (she is supposedly older than her father) that has been stuck in a deeprealm with no real social interaction, you can see how she would develop feelings for Corrin. Her stalking him/her makes sense considering the lack of social skills, so she would have no idea as to what is considered ok and what isnt in terms of social interaction. I found her to be a lot more interesting here than in Awakening, with how she acts being a mixed bag.

So what are some of everyone's changed opinions on characters. Any you started to like, or any you started to hate after being able to play or read about the game some more?

[nordopolica]

The biggest examples I can think of right now are Silas, who I initially loved to the point of first marriage, but now am sort of overwhelmingly indifferent towards; Saizo, to whom I initially preferred Kaze but now adore so worryingly much; and Charlotte who I didn't think I'd like at all but fell in love with as time went on, to the point that she's one of my favourite characters, though Saizo is firmly at the top of that list. I don't even know how or when it happened but it did and it makes Fates all the more bearable for me.

[Book Bro]

Charlotte is one I really hated when she was revealed, she did not look like an FE character and I wasn't pleased the first female fighter (if we're being absolutely technical and not counting Rinkah) was just fanservice. It wasn't until I got the game that I started warming up to her, thanks to her personality, her voice actor, and her supports. I still wish he wasn't so fanservicey but I can look past that since she's a good character.

On the other hand, Xander was like my favourite sibling forever because of his amazing design. Then I got the game and saw he was a giant hypocrite who blindly follows evil tyrants and whines about justice being an illusion when it's convenient.

Also for the ninjas when they were revealed I thought Kaze would be my favourite, but now I like Saizo and Kagero much more.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Book Bro

[Thane]

The entire scene where Corrin is "dead" and talking to Takumi's spirit was really cool, and was something that made me actually like the character.

That's funny, that's the scene that convinced me to make what can only be described as a rant thread back in July. I couldn't believe what I was reading.

Anyway, as for the ones that changed for the better, I'll go with my usual picks which I believe are quite common: Saizou and Charlotte. I thought very little of Saizou other than "edgy ninja" at first, but he proved to be a surprisingly well-rounded character, while I thought Charlotte would be nothing but a walking gimmick and fan service, but was also shown to have quite a bit of depth.

Edit: I should probably add Flora to this list because she's got more character development than most major characters in the game, and that's all without supports. Not only that, but she's one of the few characters in the game that makes sense, aside from her little barbeque incident in Birthright.

The ones that I thought I would either like or at least find tolerable but proved to be pretty bad characters are Xander and Suzukaze for their main story portrayals. It's too bad since Xander has good supports, but the guy is one of the most stupid people in the series, and we're supposed to cheer for a guy who willingly took part in an invasion becoming the king, and then actually take his speech about peace seriously. Suzukaze, on the other hand, is here almost entirely because of how little sense his character makes in Conquest, and his massive guilt over not being able to stop Corrin from getting kidnapped is nonsensical - the man doesn't seem to care one iota about Sumeragi dying.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Thane

[singularity]

I started pretty neutral towards Shigure, but then I started to like him after reading his supports(especially the one with Sophie) and the Recollection of Bubbles DLC dialogue. His personality is refreshing and pleasant, and he seems to be a pretty nice person to be around with.

I liked Kaze, Silas, and Flora at first because they seems nice(and I still do), but they didn't leave much impact compared to Shigure. I never expected that a child character to be my favorite, because the children aren't even relevant to the main story.

Edited April 20, 2016 by singularity

[nhaer042]

Niles was one that actually surprised me with how much I like him. The whole wanting to make everyone suffer put me off at first and I wasn't a huge fan of his first couple of supports with Camilla or his C support with Arthur but after actually reading the rest of those supports as well as some other ones like his and Nina's he actually really grew on me. He's one of my favorites in the games. Plus, his in battle quotes crack me up. He also has one of the better voice actors in the game.

Arthur is one I figured I would like but I didn't expect him to be as enjoyable as he is.

Also Leo. I liked his chapter in Birthright. Also, that bit where he killed Zola in Conquest. One of the few times a character actually did something smart.

[Thane]

Also Leo. I liked his chapter in Birthright. Also, that bit where he killed Zola in Conquest. One of the few times a character actually did something smart.

Just curious, how is it smart to make your invasion infinitely harder, as well as making sure more blood is spilled? He actively goes against his normal pragmatism and Xander's original plan.

[sylveonzoroark]

I started liking Sakura a lot more mostly because her with a shining bow is pretty OP. Other than that she really grew on me, especially in her Conquest chapter.

I also like Charlotte a lot more from her supports with Xander.

On the other side I had high expectations for Asugi bc I loved Gaius in Awakening and they were not met =(

[Kieranosaurus]

Hmm... probably Shigure whose character design I wasn't very fond of initially but as a character, he ended up a lot more likable than I expected to me.
On the flip side, although I love Gaius and it doesn't stop me from using Asugi, he was the epitome of disappointment for me when he came around.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Takeru

[Tolvir]

That's funny, that's the scene that convinced me to make what can only be described as a rant thread back in July. I couldn't believe what I was reading.

Curious about that. What did you mean? Did you not like that scene?

[Namarid]

Saizo. I thought he was going to be an edgy guy who is cold towards anyone not named ryoma. Turns out he's actually a nice guy with a good character. His lines in Asugi's chapter are some of the funniest I've read.

[SniperGYS]

At first Silas was ok for me and I wanted to learn more of him, specially since I like cheesy stuffs like childhood friends love, but now after playing the game... God, I'm starting to hate him. The only previous unit from a FE game that I hated so much (and is not a villain) was Matthis, but Silas now can say to him "Hello, I'm competing with you for the hate tittle"

Shigure in the other hand, I wasn't that much interested in him, but now I really want to use him in my team, I want to protect this precious boy!

[Sentinel07]

I'm rather surprised at how I actually like Niles now. I figured I would never like him because of the whole "sadistic" and "flirty" labels others seemed to like him for. Yet, looking at his supports, he actually does something well that not many others do.

He's actually blunt without being an asshole about it. He'll even apologize if he thinks he went a bit too far.

Take notes, Jakob and Soren. That's how you can pull off being blunt without being a jerk about it.

Aside from it, I actually turned out to like Charlotte. She's actually a pretty nice (if a little rough) girl beneath her facade.

[nhaer042]

Just curious, how is it smart to make your invasion infinitely harder, as well as making sure more blood is spilled? He actively goes against his normal pragmatism and Xander's original plan.

By killing a guy who will betray and manipulate people just to save his own skin? I dunno. Whatever.

[Thane]

Curious about that. What did you mean? Did you not like that scene?

[spoiler=Conquest ending]It is arguably one of the most demeaning, nonsensical and player-insulting scene in the entire game, which is an achievement when you consider just how many there are in this game. I can't think of a single reason for Takumi to forgive Corrin, nor should he have to, considering he's been proven to have been right all along.

I've made my distaste of Conquest's ending very clear, and although it technically starts as early as the choice in chapter 6 and hints at its stupidity in chapter 15, that scene is what really seals the deal. Conquest tries so hard to paint the main characters in a positive light even though they've attacked an innocent nation and either directly or indirectly caused a lot of death and destruction - we're even forced to listen to Xander talk about peace even though he was fine with obeying Garon's every command until it was revealed that he was made out of slime. Ryouma and Takumi should've spat Corrin in the face.

By killing a guy who will betray and manipulate people just to save his own skin? I dunno. Whatever.

Isn't that what the Nohrian royals do all throughout Conquest? Zola's plan is what Xander said in the beginning to convince Corrin to go back to Nohr, only with even less bloodshed.

[charmedx3]

At first Silas was ok for me and I wanted to learn more of him, specially since I like cheesy stuffs like childhood friends love, but now after playing the game... God, I'm starting to hate him. The only previous unit from a FE game that I hated so much (and is not a villain) was Matthis, but Silas now can say to him "Hello, I'm competing with you for the hate tittle"

Shigure in the other hand, I wasn't that much interested in him, but now I really want to use him in my team, I want to protect this precious boy!

Lol Silas is also my least favorite FE character since the beginning,when I saw him first pre-release I didn't like his design and now that I'm farming his supports, I dislike him even more.

I wanted to like Xander but storywise he's stupid and became one of my least favorite for this game. Also Hana i thought i would like her but i dont like her supports and also Kaze turned out boring.

On the other hand I wasn't fond or interested on Ryoma, Hinoka, Arthur, Benny, Ignatius, but now I like them.

[nhaer042]

Isn't that what the Nohrian royals do all throughout Conquest? Zola's plan is what Xander said in the beginning to convince Corrin to go back to Nohr, only with even less bloodshed.

Alright, alright, so my reasoning was skewed.

[blah the Prussian]

Well, I at first emphatically disliked Takumi in Conquest, until I started to see him as an anti villain. He actually works quite well as an anti villain (certainly more than the other "villains" in Conquest; I put it in quotation marks because I can't really call a cardboard cutout a villain) than as a hero. Keep in mind I haven't played Birthright yet, but I highly disliked basically all the Hoshidan siblings in Conquest because they spend the game alternating between being strategically terrible, getting captured like little bitches, and getting like 5 minutes of screen time. Takumi is well executed as a villain because he has a very legitimate reason to hate Nohr but he takes it too far,

[lucisferre]

I was initially very sentimental to Takumi. He seemed to be the only logical and skeptical person on the Hoshido side. Then came Nohr Endgame, and now I hate that emo-ponytail of his with a passion.

[Lanko]

I also couldn't believe the scene with Takumi at the end of Conquest. It felt surreal. Even Mikoto was there smiling at the fall and destruction of her own kingdom.

As for characters that slowly grew on me.

Felicia --> I thought the game focused too much on her clumsiness, but slowly I warmed up to her. I think now she's a pretty cool character, specially in Birthright where she gets some more screen time, like on the Ice Tribe map and on the following, where she remembers what happened. I also started sympathizing with her as almost every character bashes on her for some illogical reasons.

Elise --> I thought she was annoying adorable little girl at first, but that changed as well. I started liking her cheerful nature as a way to disguise her insecurity at the same way to soothe you. And also that she tries to do things later but nobody listens to her because she looks like a kid.

Takumi --> I also got annoyed at his constant ranting in Conquest, then found him totally justified and liked him in Birthright a lot.

Caeldori --> Instead of being labeled perfect by everybody for doing nothing, now she's much more interesting as someone who is thriving to improve more and more and is actually shown doing actions to do that. It's actually bizarre, because this game has a crapload of insisting in "telling, not showing" and then we have (at least with her mother/father) a good chain of supports with showing.

Oboro --> Thought she was gonna be the Cordelia of Fates, with "Takumi!Takumi!" obsession. That is easily forgotten (and with Hayato, no less), I like her smirk and she has a pretty good voice.

[Rezzy]

I liked Jakob at first and even married him on my first Conquests playthrough. A loyal battle butler, what's not to love? Then after reading more supports and especially seeing his relationship with Dwyer, I don't really like him that much. He seems to just be rude for no reason, and his competing with his own son is just unhealthy.

I like Soren, who was an introvert and could often be rude, but he didn't really go around insulting people for no reason.

I like Caeldori more than Cordelia, due to the aforementioned lack of Chrom obsession.

I didn't like Takumi, and I still don't. He's a whiny angsty teen, he's also got an unhealthy competitive relationship with his son. I do love Kiragi, though.

I seem to notice a recurring theme. I don't like characters that are poor parents. I find nothing more attractive than a character that is a good father. That's one reason I decided to marry Kaze in Revelations.

[rexcalibur]

I didn't like Camilla at first because I really didn't like her fanservicey design but after seeing what an awesome unit she is and reading her supports, I ended up liking her. Just wish she wasn't so obsessed with Kamui. XD

I didn't have much of an opinion on Suzukaze at first but after reading his supports and My Room lines, he ended up becoming my favorite Fates character. Also being voiced by Ono Daisuke is pretty nice since I loved his voice for Sebastian from Black Butler. I just hate what the Conquest plot did to Suzukaze.

Edited April 20, 2016 by rexcalibur

[Augestein]

Camilla. I like the way she looks, and I first thought she was merely devoted to her family. But no, it's just a Corrin obsession. Her Corrin obsession gives me a snorin' obsession.

Shara isn't so bad, but that might be that her supports with her brother Shigure helped to round her out a bit more. She's not obsessed, just a bit possessive over things she likes. Mozu. Love her. Didn't think anything over her at first.

Silas. I like considerably less than I thought. He's not normal, he's king "judgmental." Most people I'm kind of indifferent too tbh. No one really evokes emotions from me in this one.

[The DanMan]

Really, not much here. I liked Leo and Takumi from pre-release material, and they didn't disappoint. Everybody else I'm pretty neutral towards; I tend to judge primarily from a gameplay perspective anyways.

[Caster]

I used to hate Felicia so much, she had the most obnoxious voice, and I hated her. The "omg clumsy medio xDDdd" thing annoyed me, and while it is still present in the American version I find it considerably less obnoxious, and her voice is much more endearing to me now, so I like her a lot, now.

I didn't think I would like Elise at first for similar reasons above, but she grew on me and she's... probably my favorite royal sibling now.

I thought I would like Sakura a lot, but I really... just... no.

She's too damn shy, it gets on my nerves.

From someone who is extremely shy and similar to that, it annoys me so much how she acts, also, it sounds like she's being held at gunpoint every line she speaks. Like, seriously?

I don't HATE her, but I certainly don't like her.

I thought I wouldn't like Ryoma, but after reading a lot of his supports, I think he's one of the more solid characters in the game.

I would say Peri, but I have the apparently unpopular opinion of loving her, and I always did, so.
They did remove the one thing I didn't like about her in the American version, aka the annoying third person speech, so that was nice.