Intense attachment to fictional characters?

The game was part of my childhood, and I honestly think it could have used a significant remake with a different focus guiding its direction. I don't care if anyone steals this idea because I already decided that I'm not making video games in the future, but I wish someone could remake this game with the following features:

• Reimplementing most of the worlds that were cut.

• Patching up the story which for the most part had been scrapped to meet a deadline by making it more meaningful.

• Incorporating a level-up feature that makes the character more durable, attack better etc.

• Salvaging the planned multiplayer.

• HD (Possibly even 3D) graphics.

• More enemy variety.

• Unlockable content/extras along with achievements.

• Remaking the audio of course.

• Possibly making part of the intro cinematic part of the gameplay and maybe expanding on it a bit more.

I know many people might see this as a money trap, but the idea in my opinion was excellent. I can't think of too terribly many other series that have the solutions to the game's problems literally be in the protagonist's hands. Another thing I also liked was how it finally DIDN'T REVOLVE AROUND RESCUING SOME ENTITLED, SPOILED PRINCESS.

I... used to have a crush on Sesshoumaru from Inuyasha. It was purely because of his looks. I was 14. I think I get a pass on that? XD; But now I admire the way he's written as a sort of "gray" character. He was pretty cruel and he was a demon, but he did have a softer side to him.

Ponder Stibbons from Discworld is the first (and only?) literature character for me to develop a crush on. I don't know why, I just admire him so much. I guess it's the fact that he's young and competent, and able to hold his own as the go-to-guy to get everything done. I guess I kind of admire him because he's the type of person I want to be? I'd love being the Hypercompetent Sidekick.

And just like with all my favorite characters, I picture him in ambiguous peril (for fanfic plot reasons.) But I always imagine my favorite characters making it out fine in the end.

Speaking of crushes, one of my friends didn't seem very convinced when I told him why I like Disney Princess. -shrug-

i want to fringle frangle with gustavo fring

Well, I did grow to be really close to my companion cube. But that is about it.

Those cubes are way sexy, man.

I don't know about 'intense attachments', I mean, as in more than just liking a character? Fictional characters are always filed under 'People Who Don't Exist' in my mental library thus recluding any attachment akin to that I might have for real people, but any list characters that I'm extremely fond of and can feel at least some kind of connection to would have to include:

Indiana Jones, Dr. John Watson (particularly as portrayed by Martin Freeman), Harry Dresden and Ciaphas Cain.

I suspect that's more a list of 'people I wish I was more like' than 'people I'm attached to'.

edited 15th Jun '14 1:47:30 AM by InverurieJones

I ran into this with Edge of Tomorrow with Rita Vrataski and William Cage. I really, really, really empathized with them throughout and I wanted them, if not make it to the end of the film, to at least make the fucking alien bastards who were trying to kill them pay in oceans of blood for it. I would have said "with Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise's characters", seeing as that was who was playing the roles - Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise - after all - but the actors completely inhabited the roles they were playing to such an extent I forgot that they were actually acting for large stretches of the film.

It's certainly the least Tom Cruise-like film that Tom Cruise has ever starred in.

Well, there is Valkyrie.

And who doesn't love an aristocratic Heer officer with an eyepatch?

Cruise was just still Cruise in that. Playing a role rather than becoming it. The critical kicking he took for that must have informed his performance in Eo T. For the better.

I disagree with that assetment. Cruise did "become" several roles, such as Strauffenberg from Valkyre and more humorously Les Grossman in all his glory.

That was just shouty Tom Cruise from Magnolia in latex and a fatsuit.

And Major Cage was just smarmy Tom Cruise dying several times and then humble Cruise.

Well, yeah. I think some people take it too far, to be honest. I've never understood actually viewing them like they're real or being "in love" with them or anything like that - but I do understand becoming emotionally invested in their story. Like if you cry when something sad happens to your favorite character then you must have an attachment to them on some level, right?

I guess sometimes I've wished certain characters are real, and like I mentioned before I sometimes experience the sad moment of recognition where I realize, "This person doesn't actually exist." But it's a fleeting moment and it's often more fascinating/confusing when I realize I'm using so much mental and emotional energy on someone who simply isn't real. I find it intriguing that humans can identify, sympathize, and empathize with nonexistent entities.

But like you said, I don't feel the same sort of attachment to them as to my real friends and family.

I am attached to Sollux Captor!

I've got nonromantic attachment to my own characters.

As in, the completely original ones that I've made.

I created the full concept for Omega quite some time ago... it's been going through a whole lot of iterations since. He's become representative to me of my own passion, the incarnation of Ham, if you will.
Aurora is another long runner, and I view her almost like voice of reason — I just think, what would Aurora do? Granted, this is ignoring the fact that her actual name in the Arokyyn language means "The Demon Star"
Vanicos has become my idea for what a leader should be — and, by extension, what I should strive to be. Honorable, strong, and always aware of his own mortality.
Fringe is... a strange case. Really can't explain this one, except by telling you stuff that would character spoilers.

I always have an attachment for Woobie characters.

I just want to give them a hug.

The Grinch is 6sugoi8me.

51 Oh, don't even get me started on the ideas I have for Panel de Pon spinoffs...

I don't think it's so strange to develop romantic feelings for a fictional character, honestly. In fact it seems almost natural, especially if they represent an ideal you find personally appealing. You're not "attracted to paper" as some people oh-so-elegantly put it; you're attracted to the person depicted in the paper. It goes double if you have a type that doesn't actually exist in real life. ("Marry an alien?! That's every boy's dream!" and such.)

I used to get tons of crushes, but over time they've turned into Big Brother Instinct types of feelings. Especially if the characters are children (or not children but still too young for me), such as in stuff like Homestuck, Teen Titans, and The Legend of Korra.

I've mentioned several times that I vastly prefer choosing characters in video games that there's more than one of in existence. Pokémon? No legendaries allowed. Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart? I main Yoshi.

Well, this is why. I love getting attached to characters, but to me, there's no greater sin than Canon Defilement. I want to be able to have that attachment without running the risk of crying foul if something happens in a story, and it always does. If a Yoshi gets tortured and killed onscreen (as a hypothetical example. It would be seriously messed up if that actually happened.) I'll be able to cope because it isn't the one I play as and have headcanons about, et cetera.

Of course, then there's the times when even that doesn't help, like when there's an occurrence of genocide in a work. If I made the one I got attached to survive, that would automatically make it a Mary Sue, especially if there's a canon Last of His Kind.

You see, I want to get attached to characters. I love filling in details and thinking of little what-ifs. But as a writer, I find story integrity sacred.

My first-ever crush on a fictional character was The Green Ranger from Power Rangers. But my crushes when I was a kid all stemmed from how pretty or cool the characters were. I went through an odd period where only fictional characters appealed to me as well. Now, it's sorta become clear to me that in order for me to have a legitimate crush on a fictional character I have to have an emotional connection with them; otherwise I can't really find them attractive. It works the same way in real life, but that's for another thread. The easiest way for me to find ANYONE attractive is to feel like we have something in common, or that they have a mindset that I admire.

The best example of this is the Homestuck characters, and how I can actually pinpoint why I crush on the characters I do, or failing that, why I find specific characters attractive. Like, with Equius or Karkat, it's their hidden sensitivity and niceness that appeals to me. The main difference is in Equius's case there's more aesthetic enjoyment due to him being a bit more of a bishounen; Karkat, I really just want to hug forever. Then there's Eridan and Gamzee, two characters I hate and yet still find hot. In Eridan's case it's because he's so pretty. I still don't know WHY I find Gamzee hot. Though I have a feeling it's my secret love for psychopaths.

As to why I have a huge, deep, emotional investment in any fictional character? That's my way of judging if the artist/author/whatever has done their job correctly.

edited 21st Jun '14 7:54:32 PM by burinnu

I actually get that sometimes. Fire Fly and the Star Wars Trilogy do that for me. It's like my brain ('my brain' being distinct from 'me', apparently) thinks 'Yay, these guys are awesome! And pretend. Aw, boo...'