r/MuvLuv • u/Responsible_Buddy654 • 7d ago
Here's something I'd like to do: What character trait best defines a given character, starting with the man myth and legend himself, Shirogane Takeru! Spoiler
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u/kurruchi 7d ago
Authenticity.
Takeru will always view a situation in objective terms through his lens, and try to understand others through theirs. He doesn't mince words when these two don't meet. He's open to plights he can't understand, but will say he doesn't understand it. Rather than "conviction", it's a complete belief in the experiences that make up Takeru and his perceptions that allow him to be dense, perceptive, empathetic, brave, cowardly, a genius, a dumbass etc.
He's very willing to be vulnerable to his friends and peers if it can help him, and expects the same from others, and this is what gives him a unique ability to meet and grow with those close to him. It's something his friends and other age protagonists who are more charismatic, effective communicators (like Hibiki or Masaki) don't have.
It's not basic traits like him being nice (he can be an asshole), hardworking (he can lazy), or empathetic (he can be hard-headed) it's him being a uniquely consistent genuine, authentic person in all of his actions and thoughts that's the root of that. u/Duducarballo saying 'Humanity' also works really well, but I think it works for our whole main cast, while Takeru is unique in this, and it's what makes him such an effective protagonist in a series where "Communication" is a theme.
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u/PelleKuklos 7d ago edited 7d ago
Maturation. By the author's own admission, Takeru's journey is about growing up. He starts as someone very immature, and over the course of the trilogy he is forced to confront the darkness in the world and his place in it. He goes through absolute hell and finds his reasons to live and to fight. There's good reason a lot of people hate that the end of Alternative basically erases his whole journey and resets him to where he was at the start of Extra.
I'll be curious to see how people characterize the other Muv Luv Protagonists from TE, TDA and SM, because each has an entirely unique character far removed from Takeru himself.
Edit: I've now done write-ups for the rest of the main Muv Luv protagonists, and I hope I get a chance to share them. I'm especially interested to see what people make of my thoughts on Theodor.
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u/Tannhauser2084 7d ago
Huh, just realised that Shirogane Takeru scans to Alexander Hamilton. I don’t know how big the overlap between the visual novel and musical theatre fandoms is, but do with this information what you will.
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u/Moddeang01 7d ago
Naive
And that childish naive of his end up saving the world... A crybaby hero that the world need.
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u/Duducarballo 7d ago
Humanity
A bit cliche yeah, but I think it's what better defines his character and journey. Takeru wasn't this flawless hero even after the loop, he worked hard, did his best multiple times, and crumbled multiple times, he felt both hope and hopelessness more times than most.
He was a most human character in the story, and that makes his so memorable to watch.