The Appeal of Kenji?

[someguy1294]

Now, I'm aware that Kenji is among the most popular characters in the game... but I don't really get why.

Honestly, Kenji just comes off as a jerk who takes advantage of poor, spineless Hisao. That, and the fact that Kenji's 'route' leads to Hisao dying leaves little for me to like about him. He's entertaining at points, I suppose, but his anti-feminist ultra-paranoid lectures get a little grating after a while.

Thoughts on Kenji? Why you like/dislike him?

[Munchenhausen]

The way I see it, he's off his rocker. Can't really blame him for being nuts, can you?
Some of his lines I found genuinely amusing and made me chuckle, and some other parts actually gave him some character development.
The evidence to his fling with Yuuko and how it affected him does make him more of a character than just a scene-filler.

On top of that I think he suffers Paranoid Schizophrenia, and personally I find mental disorders fascinating.

[SpunkySix]

He's just so over the top quirky and downright weird that it's funny. The thing that saves him for me from going too far is that in the end, he really does seem to think he's doing the right thing most of the time, so his heart is in the right place at least. I mean, he honestly considers Hisao as a good friend. I think.

[Jailbreaker]

When Kenji told Hisao about the feminist conspiracy, I wanted there to be an option for "I believe you." I'm not kidding.

On the other hand, Kenji in the game itself is uninteresting and kinda annoying. However, I think that he has a lot of potential as a fanfiction character; I myself am writing a fic in which he has some serious hidden depths.

[someguy1294]

He's just so over the top quirky and downright weird that it's funny. The thing that saves him for me from going too far is that in the end, he really does seem to think he's doing the right thing most of the time, so his heart is in the right place at least. I mean, he honestly considers Hisao as a good friend. I think.

I think that may have been the aspect I missed. Kenji is trying to save the world... you could almost read him as a Don Quixote character, actually. I think I just get sick of him stepping all over Hisao.

[pandaphil]

He's like the annoying comedy relief thats frequently shoehorned into an otherwise good movie. Why am I being forced to watch this annoying bastard when theres a more compelling story waiting to be told.
I might be more engaged if his story actually had a point. But all I see is a kid with emotional problems who's isolating himself in his room, has paranoid fantasies, steals school property, and apparently hardly goes to class. Why the hell isn't anyone at the school even keeping an eye on him?

[someguy1294]

He's like the annoying comedy relief thats frequently shoehorned into an otherwise good movie. Why am I being forced to watch this annoying bastard when theres a more compelling story waiting to be told.

In essence, then, Kenji is this guy:



I'm seriously disappointed that Kenji's subplots never get their endings. Did Yuko catch the cat burglar? Did she and Kenji ever find each other again!? Why open up those subplots if you're not gonna give us a satisfying conclusion, damnit!?

The only explanation I can think of is that the writers were deliberately cranking out fan-fic fodder... but leaving other people to finish your stories? That's rather poor form.

[Sea]

He's like the annoying comedy relief thats frequently shoehorned into an otherwise good movie. Why am I being forced to watch this annoying bastard when theres a more compelling story waiting to be told.
I might be more engaged if his story actually had a point. But all I see is a kid with emotional problems who's isolating himself in his room, has paranoid fantasies, steals school property, and apparently hardly goes to class. Why the hell isn't anyone at the school even keeping an eye on him?

he does seem to have a strangely free hand in things. What with the whiskey (Which admittedly Yamaku security is complete and utter shit as demonstrated by Jigoro) But also he and Hisao can just get to the roof for the night with nobody telling them other wise, his constant skipping of school, and how there hell he isn't on a bunch of medications for his mental state.

[Liminaut]

For me, anti-feminist anger is a real enough and poisonous enough force in the world that I just can't find Kenji funny.

[Liminaut]

I'm thinking how I feel about some of the other characters in the VN.

Yuuko: Yuuko has aspirations. She has dreams. She's working hard to make those dreams a reality. That makes her a complete character in my eyes, and good comic relief.

Jigoro: A complete ass, but an interesting complete ass. Having him in the story lets us see why Shizune developed the way she did.

Hideaki: I found Hideaki really annoying in the story, but I think if I was a better person I would have had more sympathy for him.

[Oddball]

I enjoyed most of Kenji's appearances. He's just grounded enough to be believable but at the same time comes across as completley over the top. Somewhere inside that guy you can tell he's a decent human being though and he's not competent enough to actually be a threat to anyone.

[pandaphil]

I'm thinking how I feel about some of the other characters in the VN.

Yuuko: Yuuko has aspirations. She has dreams. She's working hard to make those dreams a reality. That makes her a complete character in my eyes, and good comic relief.

Jigoro: A complete ass, but an interesting complete ass. Having him in the story lets us see why Shizune developed the way she did.

Hideaki: I found Hideaki really annoying in the story, but I think if I was a better person I would have had more sympathy for him.

Yeah, I liked Yuuko a lot, its just a shame that shes working herself to a frazzle the way she is. Shes one of the characters I'd like to have seen find a friend or just someone to connect with.

As for Hideaki, hes one I just wanted to know more about. In every scene he's in I just find myself wondering, "Whats the deal with this kid?"

And I guess thats one of the weaknesses with KS. It introduces interesting background characters, but just doesn't develop them enough. One of the reasons I think why people still clamor for a KS2.

[someguy1294]

Yeah, I liked Yuuko a lot, its just a shame that shes working herself to a frazzle the way she is. Shes one of the characters I'd like to have seen find a friend or just someone to connect with.

As for Hideaki, hes one I just wanted to know more about. In every scene he's in I just find myself wondering, "Whats the deal with this kid?"

And I guess thats one of the weaknesses with KS. It introduces interesting background characters, but just doesn't develop them enough. One of the reasons I think why people still clamor for a KS2.

My feeling on Yuuko tend to swerve between sympathy and annoyance. She's cute, and works hard, certainly, but her scenes usually feel like you're constantly waiting for her to have a nervous break-down, which is as nerve-wracking for Hisao as it is for the reader... sometimes. Honestly, Yuuko's charactarization is all over the place in different routes. Sometimes she a manic wreck at every moment, sometimes she's a more competent waitress than a librarian, sometimes she delivers some legitimate wisdom. I get the feeling the writers don't really have a centralized vision of Yuuko.

Hideaki I just find obnoxious. He's like if you took the most annoying aspects of Rin (her brutal, blunt honesty, her disinterest in people) and some of the worst aspects of Shizune (weirdly analyzing people) and threw in some cross-dressing for the heck of it. Then again, this might have something to do with his age... how old is Hideaki, again? I'm a little unclear on that.

[Potato]

Honestly, Kenji just comes off as a jerk

How?

And Hisao's fate in Kenji's route is primarily Hisao's fault. You might as well hate every other character because they also just happen to be involved in potential bad endings for Hisao. Seriously, what a bunch of bitches.

Fun fact: Emi's writer hates Kenji too.

[pandaphil]

Honestly, Kenji just comes off as a jerk

How?

And Hisao's fate in Kenji's route is primarily Hisao's fault. You might as well hate every other character because they also just happen to be involved in potential bad endings for Hisao. Seriously, what a bunch of bitches.

Fun fact: Emi's writer hates Kenji too.

That is a point. Kenji didn't exactly force you to go drinking. I wouldn't call him a jerk either. That implies hes being a pest on purpose. Annoying as hell. And clueless are probably closer to the truth.