Is your main character likeable?

[AnnaLandin]

Masahiro is hardly likeable at the moment. He's a grumpy misanthropist, far more concerned with his own problems than with the problems of others. He's not a complete jerk - he doesn't abandon little bloodstained orphan girls when he finds them in the woods, because that would be a really jerk-y thing to do - but let's just say he's hardly anyone's ideal of a good person.

And while he has some growing left to do, he won't ever be perfectly likeable - because honestly? I find that sort of thing a little boring. In some cases, a perfectly likeable main character can be pulled off - I really like it when a good person is contrasted against a terrible world, for example - but if the reader/viewer goes in knowing that this person is perfectly likeable all the time, a bit of the tension goes out of the story, IMHO.

[Jelw]

Hardly likable? …aha well oops

[AnnaLandin]

@Jelw Hahaha - it's alright if you like him! I'm happy that you do! But I'm also not surprised if people don't, right now; he's being kind of a jerk. I mean, the only reason why he's still got Akane with him is that she just won't stay put when he leaves her. XD

[igneriss]

In most comics I've read, I didn't like the main character. Or, I liked him/her, but it wasn't my fav character from the story. And I still enjoyed it. As long as there is one character that can become my favourite- be it main or side character- I'll probably like the story C:

As for my main character, I have no idea if she's likeable : o She's probably a bit annoying, haha~

[GlanceReviver]

I like to create characters who cause most of their own problems, or can't see how simple the solution to their problems might be because of their personality flaws. Like, a character who is a jerk because they feel rejected by others, not realizing that it's their being a jerk that is causing their isolation. You feel bad for them kind of like a puppy knocking its own water bowl over, and you want them to learn how to do the right thing.

[elixiadragmire]

Heres something that I'm currently trying to do is that I'm trying to establish TWO main characters to allow readers to have a choice of relatable character, if that works or not depends on how well I do this

[allenthomas]

I'm honestly not sure. The personalities of my two main characters seem to come across to my readers the way I want them to. I will say that one of them is a pretty reckless and almost irresponsible person. I often find myself almost feeling like I'm making him unlikeable the wilder he behaves and talks, but my readers seem to love him. I guess it's just a fine line that I will be walking on throughout the remainder of my story. To answer the topic I guess they would be likeable.

[TristanJensen]

I think that sounds really cool. I've seen other authors do that, mainly Rick Riordan with The Kane Chronicles which is from the perspective of two different people. I really enjoyed it there so I'm really curious to see how that works out

[maximumthemokona]

It depends on the reader. My sister for example can't stand negativity in stories and is unable to sympathize with a jerkass main character. Personally I'm kind of a jerk in real life so I have trouble believing characters who are nice all the time. I think it's good to have a jerk MC as long as they have to deal with the consequences of their actions.

[elixiadragmire]

I'm hoping it works! they've got conflict but similar goals too

[KriComic]

Whether a character is likeable really depends on whether or not they are relatable. I like to think our man character, Felix, is rather relatable, as he has no clue whats going on in his life after the events of the first few strips, and to an extent, neither does the reader. He also just wants to protect his friends, and cares deeply about them. I feel like anyone can relate to that.

I hope that most of our main cast is relatable to someone.

[Jelw]

Maybe he has a bit of a bad attitude, but he's got clear morals which makes a difference to me, and a lot of people a assume.

(General topic reply--)
Like a lot of people have mentioned, even a bad character in sense of personality can be likable with good writing. I think it's just part of human nature to want to understand things, otherwise science and other things wouldn't be as important in our society as they are.
That's why even a bad character can be liked if there are clear reasons behind their actions, or if they're shown to have morals of their own. Where as a character who may be pleasant and kind but lacks these things or is riddled with inconsistency is harder to see as a person, and is therefore harder to like.
I also think morals have a large part of making a character likable on a personal standard.

[martharpearson]

My main character thus far makes horrible first impressions. She's still trying to find what makes her likeable but heck that's part of the story and I'm having fun watching her freak out. Characters have flaws, characters have problems, and people end up rooting for the hero as they take that shotgun seat to watch that character overcome those problems, conquer that molehill and do whatever it is heroes do to become so endearing.

[AngieVX]

Mine are likable, but sometimes I try to show them in a different way. Also I try to give them some bad-boy(girl)-vibe, though it's hard to see in the first chapters. XD

[whydocowsfall]

I'm that rare example of a terrible person who, nine times out of ten, likes the main character best... Everyone has different opinions, but personally for me I can't stand characters who are just downright mean or spend too much time whining about how sad they are and how horrible their life is, as it just gets me really down too. I do like characters to be "nice" but, as most people would agree, that can be pretty darn boring if that's their only personality trait.

My main character... Well, almost everyone who's voiced an opinion seems to like Polyphemus so far! But I think that's because nobody's seen much of him yet so for now he's just "adorable" or "cute", and that's the only thing for people to judge him on. I don't know what people will think as the story continues? I think there's definitely potential for people to think either way, but I hope most people continue to like him. I certainly do. :')

[Kayke]

I personally like all my main characters? They've got flaws, sure. They can be a little hot headed or selfish depending on the situation... and one of them has some issues with respecting other people's personal space, to be honest... but I think all in all their hearts are in the right place and they want to help people.

I've had a few readers say they don't like/trust some of the characters, but so far they have all kept reading, so I don't know if likability of the main characters and entertainment/interest of the reader are directly related.

I also don't know if being likable is directly related to being nice or a good person. Like in Howl's Moving Castle almost all of the characters have moments when they are extremely bratty and selfish and even mean to each other... but I still love them all a lot?

[kazukitakamura126]

I believe the protagonists I write are likeable for the most part. Zethero, the protagonist of Seishin Patona will help others even if he is a target of ridicule. I also gave him a silver tongue where can talk back to authority.

No matter if a protagonist is good or bad as long as they are protrayed as humanly as possible while have redeeming qualities can make for a good character.

[Vikiro_Hop]

I try to base my character "Hop" on all the bad parts of myself or just things I don't really care for. I'm really into self deprecating humor and it's kind of cathartic to make light of my own flaws. People seem to relate and enjoy that.

I think for the most part likable is sort of a broad statement and doesn't have to depend on whether or not the characters behavior is "good." I think people like to have a character that they can relate to the most, and that is what makes them likable. I'll identify with a misanthropic asshole much more easily than a saint who barfs sunshine and rainbows.

Character development can go in so many ways, there are plenty of times where people end up rooting for the villain by the end of everything, or you find that the main character was a terrible person all along. In the end it is the tone that largely decides how a character will be received. That being said an authors narrative can take on a life of its own and they will find that the characters they created to throw away becoming integral to the plot.

[BraveHeartTatsumaki]

Hmmm depends. I'd say probably people will get mad at my Main character because she's kinda a coward and a crybaby, and people mostly don't like that, though, there's a purpose of why I do it, and like someone said up here, I'm also trying to show them as human as possible so I'm like "how this character would react to this..." then I got it.
But usually depends, because a person can like, relate with a character for something of the past or such, but if the chara acts in a different way or in a way the person who relates would never do, the person would dislike the character, even if relate to him/her. Or something like that, i'm bad explaining xD
Many of my characters got a sad/terrible past, but they all act differently because of that, so it will depend in what people want to see in a character too. In the end everything depends in how we show our characters. A chara who's a jerk with a terrible personality can become likeable if it's written correctly, for example.

[Kecreed]

There have been plenty of times when I just can't watch a show at all because of the main character. No matter how good the story is, no matter how great the side cast is, if that main character ticks me off to no end I'm gonna stop watching it. That said. so far my character designs are not really solid so I'd say that Chris the Sheep is like-able because of his design but in terms of personality? That's a mystery to me how people perceive him. I try to make him an average guy that meets interesting characters along his way.