30-day VGC: Character that I am most like
Today’s challenge was particularly vexing for me. I have a hard time self-evaluating, and in particular making claims that I am “most like” one character or another seems a bit presumptuous. So I thought about it from a slightly different angle: while playing a game, was there any one particular character that spoke to me or that I identified with heavily?
After that, I had a clear answer: Yukiko Amagi from Persona 4.
_from_ Persona 4 Arena _©2012 Atlus/Arc System Works_
Persona 4 was a powerful game, and very deserving of its high critical marks. I don’t think I’ve played a game in recenent memory where I got more involved into the story and the characters. Each of them had some foible that I could readily identify with. Yukiko in particular spoke to me, however. In the game, her family owns a famous inn, and a lot of expectations are placed on her that she didn’t ask for since she has to one day assume management of the family business. She spends a lot of time angsting about this and eventually decides to rebel against her parents and move to the city instead. If you get far enough along in her personal side story, she eventually realizes that she loves the inn and decides to stay. (I’m unfortunately grossly oversimplyfing the story here due to avoid dragging this on for too long.)
I felt the same way during a lot of my childhood. While my family didn’t have a business, they did put a lot of expectations on me, especially with regards to school, extra-carricular activities, and the like that I didn’t want. I rebelled pretty hard in my late teens, which resulted in me dropping out of college and basically ignoring all the advice my parents ever gave me. Sadly, unlike Yukiko it took me several years to realize that I was being a bit boneheaded about the whole thing and had hurt myself more than anyone else. Yukiko’s path to maturation resounded with me in a way I didn’t expect.
Plus, Yukiko loves dumb jokes and puns, just like me.
Bonus Round
While I was thinking about the video game character I most identify with, I did think of one other character that I really admire, but from a TV show. I think if you had to ask me who I aspire to be, look no further than Liz Lemon of 30 Rock.
_©2006-2013 NBC_
She is the awkward child that grew up into an awkward woman. She’s smart, funny, and successful but also ridiculously inept at life and has a weird obsession with food. She’s a bit more talkative than I am in real life, and I kind of wish I had the lack of shame necessary to just speak in such an unfiltered manner as she does. Although I imagine a real life Liz Lemon would be a lot more obnoxious than endearing.
And now I am heading home for a nooner—which is what I like to call having pancakes for lunch.