The 'Complicated Hobby' genre, is it necessary to introduce a newbie?

jamontoast98 2023-03-07 15:00:43 UTC #1

The 'Complicated Hobby' genre as I like to call it, is when the comic or manga is centered around some hobby, like kayaking or card-collecting or in my case, a fictional fighting game. These kinds of stories tend to have two main characters, a newbie who is new to the hobby, and a veteran who introduces them to the hobby and shows them how it works. It's done this way because the newbie can learn the hobby with the reader without it feeling forced.

Then there's my comic, about fighting games. After I get this arc done, I have a good idea of where I want the comic to go and want to do a little rebranding. Meaning a new entry point for the series. The problem? Well, all my characters are already veterans. None of my characters are newbies anymore, as they are already well into their personal journey into the game.

I don't desire to make another newbie character or take an existing character and make them into a noob. I want to focus on the characters I have already. But then new readers won't have anyone to relate to, which doesn't feel right... So I'm having difficulty in my head figuring out what to do to fill that gap. I have a few ideas, but was wondering if anyone else had any suggestions!

(You can read the comic so far here)

SoftWonderBun 2023-03-07 17:18:09 UTC #2

As far as I'm aware newbie characters serve the function of explanation to the reader. If it is a common thing we are learning about like a real world skill, sport, etc they are probably less necessary. Depending on the skill and world area it is based in you may not need one. For example I have a decent grasp on checkers but know nothing about mahjong. I, personally, would benefit from a 'newbie' character to guide me as the reader through the basics.

I don't know if your game is a real world game or something you've made from the ground up. If it is a completely made up fighting game then I would say a newbie would probably be beneficial as there is no real world comparison to make for readers.

jamontoast98 2023-03-07 18:26:07 UTC #3

Yeah it's a fictional one. When you put it that way, I guess the newbie is a necessary element. Maybe I can make a new character, but not direct too much focus on them? Someone casual who is tagging along and having a good time, something like that...

Mallory 2023-03-07 19:59:16 UTC #4

There are ways of still providing explanation without having a newbie character. Haikyu! did this pretty brilliantly by having two veteran characters who had conflicting fundamentals, so as the plot worked through them working out their differences and learning to play together, it also by necessity walked the audience through the fundamentals of volleyball. It’s a little bit more challenging than the newbie character since you have to set up the perfect conflict, but it is possible.

That being said, I don’t think I personally would bother with it for a sequel. IMO if anyone needs an introduction, they can always start with the original story.

powerplantanimations 2023-03-07 20:18:07 UTC #5

I accidentally did something like that with That Stick Figure Isekai. They're called "Entry-Point Characters". D inadvertently became my most popular character because people could relate to him the most. It took everyone a while for people to settle down with characters like Quincy and Naota. With Naota, it took me THE ENTIRE SEASON for people to be like "Okay, this guy is growing on me". Naota was supposed to be the "newbie", but since D is from a more human world, people were like "this one appeals to me".

I think it's partly nature. But for the most part, I do agree with Mallory.

Katzalcoatl 2023-03-07 22:45:52 UTC #6

People like relating to the MC and they love how an underdog works up to become a champion. That's what made the big 3.... well the big 3. They all had the same formula of a newbie dreaming big.

That being said the newbie character is not needed but you have to be good at story telling and writting your characters to make it work.

There are some anime that don't use the newbie plot but they have good story telling that hooks the watcher.

Considering the fighting game genre I would start the typical way of a kid watching 2 champions and then wanting to become a world champion. And after I got fandom I would probably create a spin-off with a veterans PoV. It is possible to go in without the newbie character. Just consider it is hard.

system 2023-04-06 22:46:01 UTC #7

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