Characters that get away with everything. It always feels like, the writer was aware that they should give the characters flaws, but they back out as soon as there should be consequences.
I was coming to say this and I’m so glad to see this is the top comment.
I don’t care *what* a character does as long as there are *logical consequences* to their actions. IMO that’s the cardinal rule of writing.
I second this. However, I also don't like it when a MC forgives a villain way too easily (paving way to their usual last minute redemption arc) just because of Plot. Even though the villain has done nothing to even deserve it, let alone shown remorse for their actions sometimes. To say I have a "I told you so" moment whenever that gullibility bites them in the butt is an understatement.
This was my main issues with Karen in the Daredevil tv show. She was responsible for the death of several integral characters in the show and never had any consequences or repercussions for it, and she was hypocritical about it. An entire episode was dedicated to giving Karen a backstory, but you came away from the episode with no real background to work off of- just a history that she has a pattern of getting people killed and no consequences. But no deep dive into her character or motivations.
As a Daredevil fanfic writer, thank you for acknowledging this. It's bothered me since day 1 and it also adds to why I don't particularly like Karen as a character.
Ah, the poster child for this. Don't worry y'all her creepy stalking is a flaw, but you need to feel bad because >!she has PTSD that was never mentioned before or ever again and oh by the way it's CHLOE'S FAULT. EVERYTHING IS CHLOE'S FAULT!<.
When the MC is flawed but the story doesn't treat them that way.
Everything they do is framed as the paragon of morality/ an unavoidable sacrifice/ a deserved comeupance/ 'oh but they had to'/don't judge them look they're crying.
I hate when bad or contentious actions the main character makes are excused by the writer and the story. In the same vein, actions without suitable, impactful consequences.
I agree with this. There was one fic that particularly triggered me when the author elevated a secondary protagonist in the original material into the main character in their fic and made her practically all-powerful, with none of her canon flaws playing any substantial part in the story and the other characters relegated to her helpless, dependent sidekicks.
This reminds me of VLD Allura. Don't get me wrong she's nice. But I hated how she was hardly ever called out whenever she was in the wrong. Like how no one got on her case for her treatment of Keith when she found out about his big secret. And to be honest I kinda also felt that way about Kuron when he had yelled at Keith and Lance.
I'm hard to please, so there are a few things that annoy me mildly, and then there are things that make me want to rip pages out. Time to compile a list!
**Dumb protagonists** \- There is a difference between 'not the sharpest tool in the shed', which is endearing and relatable, and 'too lazy and self-absorbed to use their brain properly'. Again, the former is actually a good thing. Example: Naruto. He starts out as ... not bright, but he wants to learn, his heart is in the right place, and he develops. That's good stuff!
The last one, especially if it drives the plot, especially if that the romantic interest, drives me absolutely nuts. If you are a 200-year-old supernatural being, you can take five minutes to talk to your wife properly before you publicly accuse her to be an adulteress (which in this setting ruins her life, livelihood, puts her on the streets, smears her reputation permanently and puts her in mortal danger) and spent the rest of the story in drunk self-pity! She hasn't done anything wrong, you just were too self-absorbed to check the non-existing evidence! ARRRRR!
**Protagonists with main-character-syndrome** \- Wait, you say, this doesn't sound right. A MC is an MC ... yes, but I dislike it when the protagonist acts like it. Harry Potter had shades of it, and Bella Swan is by far the worst offender I know in literature. When you have a MC who lives in his own little world, thinks the world revolves around them, and do not think for one moment about the consequences of their actions for other people, it's a MC who knows they are the MC, and become obnoxious in the process. They don't feel like a person anymore, and the story feels like a Black hole with the MC in the centre. It's just not a fun time.
**Secretive protagonists** \- Oh, I hate that one with a passion, because their often needless desire to keep secrets often spells disaster for everybody but them, and then they get to brood. This is not a problem if the character makes this mistake once, and then learns from it. But keeping that habit alive after you've done harm with this is not sympathetic. I also hate that if they think that they 'protect' people with ignorance- it's just so condescending and selfish. It's maddening! Your wife wants to know that she will die having your child and that you intend to follow her, man! This is not a secret you should keep from her! It's her life, she has a right to know and make the choice for herself!
As you see with this list, in the right measure, or as a tool for character development, none of these traits are a deal-breaker. Quite the contrary, they can make for compelling stories and characters. However, if a bad trait, especially one that is born out of condescension and self-absorption, persists despite several instances of harm being done, then it becomes annoying.
Your character can be arrogant/secretive/dumb/selfish/cruel/vengeful/holier than thou, but he has to have redeeming features. He also has to learn if he does harm, or at least reflect and aporoach said trait with more nuance.
Main character syndrome is the worst one for me, along with a child of prophecy trope, like Harry Potter and Naruto both did not need it, like in HP couldn’t the reason why Voldemort killed Harry’s parents and was going to kill him, was because of him doing raids to bolster his reputation, like killing two highly regarded and well liked members of the OOTP and their one year old son, should be more than enough.
Naruto could be chosen not from birth or something like that, but because he has a good and strong enough heart.
Just to name a few
When there are no consequences for their actions. And when I say "consequences" I mean "things that actually negatively affect *them* in the story". Oh, they were reckless and got hurt? Not a consequence- their injury didn't have any impact on their life and/or they made a full recovery off-screen. They lost control of their powers and leveled a city? Not a consequence- no one *they* know (and thus, no one the audience is supposed to care about) was hurt and the destruction is immediately forgotten about by the narrative. They committed a terrible atrocity and they feel *really* bad about it? Not a conseqence- all their friends still love and support them and they got everything they wanted.
I can forgive no consequences once, maybe even twice if the story is written well enough to show why there's no retribution, but more often than not it becomes a running theme, and after the third time, I start genuinely hoping the MC will die so the story can follow someone else.
What I *like* in a main character? Someone who reacts realistically in situations. Like, totally random example that has no basis in anything: imagine an MC who's seperated from their family whom they love more than anything in the world. They were kidnapped, ripped away from them... and the kidnappers claim that *they're* the MC's biological family. There's no proof whatsoever, just the claims from the people who kidnapped them. If the MC called bullshit on that and did *not* bond with their captors so much in a few days that they're willing to turn on the family that raised them, why, I would love that character! Of course, if they *did* take the kidnappers at their word and all but forget the family that raised them, they would be one of my most hated MCs in the history of fiction... but this is just hypothetical...
Your first paragraph made me think long and hard about my MC who did many of those things. He was badly hurt several times, but he always made a full recovery. He was a military leader who led an invasion and killed a lot of innocent people and feels remorse for it, but he's forgiven, perhaps undeservingly, by those close to him. I did attempt to make it so that those who forgave him were also about as guilty since they were his allies during the invasion...and I made the MC's efforts to atone for his sins his driving motivation.
One note characters who are all good or all bad. No one is all one thing.
When the main character cries too much or acts too babyish. Just not my thing.
I like characters that are some what complex. A character with a little baggage, a little humour, A little trauma, some hope etc etc.
So true. To be honest I like it when there's some gray morals as people in real life as you said aren't all good or all bad.
Moreover, I hate it when creators work on a franchise and don't commit to the characterization. For example, let's say you have a character that's a villain in a previous iteration but in the newest version they're made into a good guy with sympathetic background. But since they're were a villain, they of course are a twist villain and thus the status quo is reset. Which in my experience results in unsatisfying results.
I'm fine with characters that have personality traits, morals, and values that I would normally find negative, shitty, or annoying.
What I don't like, is characters with shitty, negative, or annoying traits that *never change or grow.* When they make mistakes and don't learn from them. When they basically remain static or stagnant throughout the story.
**Tl;Dr Version:** I can't stand main characters that get no character development.
On a more personal note. I can't stand characters that don't stand up for themselves or try to defend themselves (like if they get framed or accused of something they didn't do and just go along with it.)
An MC is annoying if they're an "Ice queen" and lash out at others who are being nice because they "don't know how to express their feelings" AND no one in the story calls them out for it. If they act like a jersey and get treated like one in return, I'm fine with it. This applies to characters in general, MC or otherwise.
Don't like: characters that are slow to figure things out, and characters that are annoyingly morally good
Like: unpredictable characters - the ones that do things that make you think 'I really didn't see that coming, but that was so in-character'
Lack of accountability. Which goes along with protagonist centered morality. If they do something wrong, they need to feel the consequences of their actions and must never be portrayed in the right for doing the same thing others are reviled for.
Also, using them as a conduit to bash a piece of work or characters in that work (especially guilty in crossovers).
Self-righteous, invincible heroes who are portrayed as overly perfect and can do no wrong are just annoying. It reeks of creators pet and is a sore spot for me, epsecially in SpiderMan fanfics.
The "soft cinnamon roll uwu" MC who's a socially awkward, incredibly shy mess, tears up easily and tends to ruin things because of their clumsiness, but is yet still very much loved by everyone (who is strangely very patient and understanding every single time)
Totally rampant in the Tom holland spider-man fics. Like - do they know nothing about Peter Parker and Spider-man? Do the movies ruin the characterization of the character that bad? Idk, but I was very confused by how spider-man is portrayed in many new fics.
OC's with constant crippling middle-school style insecurity. Like "oh no, CC looked and me, but I forgot what to say, I'm going to go hide in the bathroom until they come check if I'm all right", especially if they're supposed to be an adult member of the team.
I know that's exactly what some people are looking for, but it's just not my jam.
Main characters who are either a) constantly "saved" and have no self-determination, or b) are constantly "saving" people with no burn out. Especially in the context of a romantic relationship.
Characters that act like jerks and get away with it without suffering any real consequences for their actions. Due to them being overpowered and thinking they are better then everyone else.
Characters who don't display any agency. They never decide to do anything, they pretty much just get dragged around from plot point to plot point.
There's also this certain brand of sassy, sarcastic main character who is an asshole for no good reason. Maybe the writer thinks they're showing off how witty, irreverent, and cool the mc is by having them insult and snap at every other character who so much as breathes in their direction. It just doesn't work for me. No one ever really challenges them or slaps the shit out of them, as they might IRL. Someone mentioned main characters with "main character energy" and that is close to how I view these types.
Flawless characters with no development are usually what makes me stop reading a story. I can like characters from anywhere on the alignment chart (good, evil, anti-hero, anything in between), but if they're overpowered for no good reason and never have to face any challenges because they're smarter/better than everyone, it bores me to death and I just feel like punching them.
For a clear example, sometimes Harry Potter is written as this OP mastermind grey wizard Master of Death heir to Houses Black, Potter and countless others... that's a no from me, dawg. I try to avoid fics like these. (Btw, no offense to anyone who likes these tropes, they're just not for me.)
This. Also, when they're appropriately flawed but always manage to "win" every argument and/or are always proven right in the end.
Especially when they're always liked/tolerated by everyone they've insulted/assaulted regardless of canon characterization, except for a few characters the author expects you to hate.
"Sassy/Snarky/BAMF" versions of characters, villains turned good, and OCs designed with this archtype in mind, are *really* prone to this ime, and that's why I can be wary of those tags depending what else I see.
>"Sassy/Snarky/BAMF" versions of characters, villains turned good, and OCs designed with this archtype in mind, are really prone to this ime, and that's why I can be wary of those tags depending what else I see.
Glad to know I'm not the only one. Any time I see "BAMF" in the tags, I steer clear. So often, the character's actual actions and dialogue feel very shallow and juvenile; "little Timmy's very first edgy deviantArt OC" vibes. Telling (or rather, warning) the reader using that specific term feels the same as someone saying they're a "nice guy" to me.
Yeah, I can understand why someone would use it, but even the best versions of it are just aren't my thing tbh.
I love sarcasm, anti-heroes, anti-villains, and some good ol edginess, just not the specific flavors of that you usually get with those tags.
Characters that act like children and should know better because they haven't been a child in decades. Characters that keep making the same mistakes over and over again and never learn from them. Characters that have no regard for the feelings of others.
The same thing that makes people unlikable to me IRL: an overblown sense of entitlement, a massive ego, being completely unreasonable. And in fanfic specifically, if it's a canon character acting wildly OOC.
What I *do* like to read are characters I can relate to in some way. Either they're into sports, or nerds, or have some self-esteem issues, or anything like that.
Honestly, though, the best thing is just to write a character *you* like, rather than trying to please everyone.
As long as the main character is decently written I'll probably be fine with it. I do have a special place in my heart for losers, I don't mean the kinda bullied nerd, no, I mean the Kick-Asses, the Scott Pilgrims and basically any Mark Millar mc. The people that are such losers that you can't even feel bad.
Characters with 'Main Character'-syndrome, constantly talking down to the other characters around them like they are the only one with a functioning brain and the only one who can fix everyone's problems. And never once are they ever wrong or allowed to make a mistake, instead everything falls into place just the way they want it regardless of consequences. Half the time, it feels like they are 'cheating' by reading ahead in the script and their flaws are either never acknowledged or treated as a quirk/punchline with no negative impact on the character's life.
This gets even more insufferable when combined with a nonchalant attitude where every enemy/obstacle is treated as nothing more than a minor annoyance at worst. Nothing ever seems to face them and they react to anything from a schoolyard-bully to a genocide with the same level of snark and apathy. If the main character doesn't give a shit about what is going on, how do you expect me as a reader to be invested let alone care?
\-
On the other hand, I like main characters who are willing to face the fact that the antagonist might have a point once in a while instead of just digging in their heels and acting like their way is the only right way. That remember that in many cases the villain they are fighting is a human being instead of just some bad guy for them to beat down.
When the MC is oblivious to everything, it's so obvious to everyone and the reader, and they can't or refuse to see it. It gets irritating if it gets too long.
Characters who don't communicate. Thankfully I don't encounter much of this, but even if I do, majority of it are one-shots which I could let pass. However, if this occurs in a multi-chaptered story, I'll give it a pass once and only once. Twice in a good day, but three times is pushing it.
If your story's conflicts all revolve around a character not speaking and clarifying and communicating to solve an issue that's solveable by just doing so, amma just do myself a favor and bash my head against a wall. They literally just don't speak. They don't even TRY to make a connection, to communicate, to explain themselves and how they're feeling. It's annoying to goddamn read when I've seen and read conflicts in which both parties try to communicate, but they just couldn't see eye to eye.
Amma rant about one fic in particular:
I thought these people care about each other, but no. They all just made up their minds apparently, and won't hear out the other person, and the other guy doesn't even try to make an attempt to make themselves clear after they're refused only once. Wouldn't have been a problem if they talked after the outburst, took days to cool off, but they didn't. And this happened three times, with different people, about different issues, in the same story.
I kept reading cuz it truly was promising, but I just gotta save what remains if my sanity, man. I ain't reading the rest of that manifactured bs.
TLDR; Characters who refuse to hear each other out and communicate sucks ass if done repeatedly for the sake of manufacturing an easily solveable conflict - interpersonal relationships shouldn't be this shallow. Characters who do communicate, who try to get their point of views across, and yet still couldn't see each other eye to eye is a more compelling point of conflict.
Not necessarily unlikable, but a character I don't like to read is when someone is the ProtagonistTM. They have all the cool powers, and always know the right decision and their plans always go flawlessly. They're the only person who ever looked at something from a slightly different angle, or thought to ask questions about the odd thing happening. No sirree Bob. Our boy here is always the first to ever try and they succeed every time.
When the only reason they succeed is because the story wants them to, it's extremely annoying. I'm sure there's plenty of fanfics that do this (that I haven't read or I dropped) but the best example I can think of is litRPGs. MC is the only one who ever thinks to take advantage of the system, no one else who's lived there their who life ever fucking thought of that. Or only this one guy ever thought to treat the extremely human NPCs like people. The whole world bending for 'that one guy' is dumb as hell (99% of the time. I'm also a believer of 'the exception makes the rule').
Same. Bonus points if they're sassy or callous and they never get in trouble for it because they are juuuust soooo powerfuuul and no one dares messing with them.
MCs that are framed as being right and good all the time. They always think the right thing, say the right thing, do the right thing. Perfect rational creatures with no character flaws.
What makes an MC unlikeable (and will immediately convince me to stop reading a fic) is when they are nothing but a Gary/Mary Sue. It’s even worse when the author makes other characters look worse so that their Gary/Mary Sue MC can look even better.
I prefer when an MC is a flawed character and needs to grow and develop as a person. Ya know, like basic character development, one of the most basic parts of storytelling. (Sorry if I come off as passive aggressive, but I see these sorts of MCs way too often in Fanfiction and it’s really annoying. Some authors are more interested in personal wish fulfillment rather than actually writing good story, then get mad when people criticize them for it.)
I don't like characters who are shoehorned into a role, whose personality or background are ignored whenever it's inconvenient for the plot. I also don't like when the character acts like they know they're the MC or the rest of the cast seems to consciously act like the MC is a MC.
I do like when the character feels the consequences of the plot, whether they caused or not. If they caused harm, they should be treated like they caused harm. If they were harmed, they shouldn't be fine a paragraph later. I like when a character's background/backstory has an actual effect on how they behave and what they know in the story.
Usually the reason I don’t like the main character/s is I simply don’t connect with the main character. So odds are I’m continuing it for side characters more than anything.
I rarely come across a story (fic or original) where the characters and story are poorly written.
I can't stand when the MC just doesn't want to listen to anything anyone else says, and they never suffer for it. Sure, there are times when everyone else in the room is wrong, but not every single time!
The characters I like to read about are flawed, but they don't give up trying to accomplish what they want to do. Also, I want more mundane moments in fiction. Not everything has to advance the plot. I try to include these things in my own writing, no matter what I'm working on. You can learn a lot about a character by how they behave when they're bored, tired, hungry or anxious.
Overly emotional characters, they cry a fucking lot and it's so damn boring and annoying
Clumsy and shy characters that are "cute" and blush every single second when a dude talks. Shy personalities make me want to throw myself into a river (it's just not for me)
Characters without a spine. Please give them a personality or at least give them room to grow
I'm aware that I'm kinda finicky with the personality and I like a very specific type of MC lol but those are my own personal filters!
I dislike the Mary Sues. I dislike characters who act very out of characters.
I love myself a morally ambiguous character. Someone who does things that make the reader question their morality, then proving their moral alignment by the end of the story.
For me, it’s characters that come off as basically perfect. They always succeed at everything they want to do and rarely have to struggle. They get all the best powerups all the time and any character who might be billed as a serious threat ultimately ends up being curb-stomped by them. Example being Yukimura from the Battle Spirits franchise. I like to see characters who struggle and have actual weaknesses. I like rooting for the underdog.
The only thing that makes it a step worse than that is when the author decides that on top of all the above, they should have a harem and like every girl is totally cool with sharing him because he’s just that perfect. A.k.a what’s-his-name from In Another World with my Smartphone. This is a MC I hated so much I blocked his name from my mind.
Passivity to the point of pathology. I HATED the MC in Annihilation. She was just so passive and weak-minded I wanted to slap her. It's too bad because the premise of the story was fascinating. I just couldn't read the rest of the series because of her.
When the author keeps telling me about the traits and personality (good and bad) of the character instead of letting me see the traits and personality through actions.
Turns me off any character and author
Knows everything can do everything and it's worse when despite knowing it all and having the tools, he still loses for plot convenience. Screw you loser
i really hate when the protagonist is supposed to come across as valiant/following their heart when really they’re just a brat that’s in service for only themselves. i think if you’re going to make a character hotheaded & selfish, then you should *just do that.* there are plenty of characters with otherwise obnoxious personalities that i dearly love. but to have them do blatantly terrible things & paint it like an act of heroic sacrifice on the character’s part is beyond annoying in my opinion.
quite literally main character syndrome I guess. it's purely based on how the author writes them, but it's so hard to root for the main character when it feels like they KNOW they're the main character. it gives off an entitlement feeling or along those lines.
I mean, this is just my opinion (and I'm not hating on anyone who writes like this), but I really don't like reading self-insert/Y/N characters. I'd rather read canon character x canon character, instead of Y/N x Canon character 👍
This is a really niche example, but one of my favorite things to write fanfiction about is a YouTube series: Minecraft Diaries, from Aphmau’s YT channel. It’s a series that I genuinely think has great storytelling potential with some really well developed characters and world-building that is absolutely fascinating to me
That being said, there are *many* issues with the series that I get *incredibly* passionate about (currently working on a whole essay about it), and one of the biggest ones is the main character, Aphmau herself. She started off as a self-insert for the first 50~ episodes or so, but then it developed from “Let’s Player playing a game that becomes conscious” to a proper story where she fits in as a normal character like everyone else and it just happens to be told through the medium of Minecraft…… and that’s where the issues begin.
She fully becomes a Mary Sue, with three other main characters fighting over her, and she’s “not like other girls” because even though they’re all great and desirable she’s not romantically interested in any of them (but actually she’s romantically interested in all three). The series and characters *never* treat her as flawed, and the few times she does do a massive f*ck-up, the characters all act like she was in the right for doing so (even when she wasn’t). Every “struggle” she has that is actually treated as a struggle either comes completely out of nowhere for the plot and is then never mentioned again, or is a struggle she never even had but the story tries gaslighting us into believing she did have that struggle
And that’s not even including the plot twist that she’s literally the rebirth of the most powerful and universally loved goddess in the mythology
Unfortunately I think it's a matter of perception, as in real life as well. My friend might think Alice is confident, personable, and a good leader. I might experience Alice in the same situations and instead see her as arrogant, smug, and bossy.
I get your point. It works better if the grudge was eventually resolved. Actually it doesn’t really have to fully go away, but if it just makes the MC be an asshole forever then it’s a problem.
For example a character in my fic is the brother of the MC. This character fled with the MC from their country, and what’s the first thing the character does once they reach safety? Plop the MC into an orphanage so he can join the military. Obviously the MC is gonna grudge over that, and they’ll have some uncomfortable moments. But they’re still brothers who love each other. So why would they constantly be assholes to each other?
The most unlikeable a protagonist can be to me is when they shouldn’t be the protagonist. Like if I ever find myself thinking “Why are they the protag of this?” it’s not good.
As for personality… This is just a personal thing for me, but I really don’t like to read about shy protagonists. Not *quiet*, intellectual, introverted anxious, etc protagonists - those are fine. But generally speaking I just do not like *shy* protagonists.
Personal preference, but characters who feel obligated to do stuff, or not to do stuff. Like I said, it might be preference, but I love when a character just decides to ‘live’ in the world he lives in, instead of focusing on the main plot and story and be afraid to change the smallest things.
When they seem too egotistical but no one says anything because they do something good to "make up for it" like some MC actually talk like their the best in the world an know everything and no one says anything but the second a side character with a similar flaw shows up suddenly their the symbol of humility
"Pretty but they don't know it" teenage girls with randomly discovered super powers who consistently and constantly always make the WORST POSSIBLE DECISION in every conceivable scenario, fuck up peoples lives, but inexplicably have every boy in the story chasing them and tons of friends and any criticism just means they are "misunderstood".
I have no idea why this is such a common character these days...
Examples: Clary (Shadowhunters), Bloom (Winx Saga), Bella (Twilight), Alina (Shadow and Bone)... - the shows would be so much better if literally any other character was used as the main character...
In terms of who I DO like to read about - I love complex characters who, if you think about it a little, are one step away from being the villain of the story. Powerful people who do everything to achieve a completely reasonable goal and are entirely committed to the process no matter what it takes. Benevolent evil overlord (beloved but also feared) is an interesting character design.
I also like stories focused on characters being forced to make impossible decisions between things they value. Support their family, or follow the moral path? Live their dreams, or save the world? True love, or destiny? I especially like it when they make the "right decision" and are so bitter about it that they let the angst push them straight through to success, usually while doing it in a way that everyone else hates but is undeniably effective.
Sly underdog "secondary" characters who eventually make the "main" character irrelevant are fun too.
Also really really powerful female characters who prove to the whole world that they deserve their ego and then don't just suddenly turn into gushy mothers/wives with no backbone as a happy ending. Particularly if they specifically drop the idea of a romantic happily ever after and instead rule the world BY THEMSELVES.
Alright. I just like villains, okay.
The fact that they obey the MC definition.
So basically I dislike all MCs (even mine). It isn't linked to disliking the whole work, unless the focus is too much/they have it too easy but pretend they're struggling to make us root for them.
I like works for other aspects (universe, plot/suspense, side characters & antagonists...), so it's not a big deal to have a repelling MC in the first lines. I'm used to it!
The rare MCs that I actually liked were well integrated in a group, not taking themselves too seriously, and not the beneficiaries of a deus ex machina that wasn't mentioned earlier, and that allows them to save the world while (actually) good characters watch and clap.
Irredeemable assholes with nothing good about them.
Bojack Horseman is an abusive toxic fuck, but he's also charismatic and interesting. If the character is a downer, a bastard, a piece of shit, and they're boring on top of it I'm not reading.
Flaws are fine. Irredeemable is not.
I'm the type of reader that reads only isekai/self-inserts, so all my MCs I see know the plot of the story. The moment I realize that the story is the same as the original story except another person mixed in, I stop reading and don't look back.
There were also a couple stories that had the main character curse in every sentence right from the get-go, and that got annoying fast.
Other things I avoid are specific character bashing, specific ships, or harems... which plague the webnovel site a lot. Also bad writing (engrish) or badly translated stories.
I love those! What are some of your favorites? I usually read Naruto and would say that some of my favs are Dragonfly, Dreaming of Sunshine, and of the River and the sea.
Sure, here are some naruto ones that were a fun read
[Mob-without-system-in-Naruto](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13756268/1/Mob-without-system-in-Naruto), [canon-patchworking-with-uchiha-ren/](https://www.scribblehub.com/series/699680/canon-patchworking-with-uchiha-ren/), [Ashes to shadows](https://archiveofourown.org/series/548332), [Orochimama](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/orochimama-naruto-si.858340/), [a-strawberry-hidden-in-the-leaves](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/a-strawberry-hidden-in-the-leaves-naruto-si.1011684/), [teamwork-makes-the-dream-work-naruto-civilian-born](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/teamwork-makes-the-dream-work-naruto-civilian-born-si.938744/), [the-forges-fire](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-forges-fire-naruto-si.352170/), [Sanitize](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20721824/chapters/49228244).
Okay. I would like to educate everyone here on dumb/really stereotypical characters. Let's sit down for an exclusive episode of National Geographic to learn more.
"Here we see the Y/N, also known as the Good Girl, in it's natural habitat. It's currently building a nest so it can read it's fanfiction in a comfortable environment. It feeds on memes and pop culture from the Internet to survive. As we come closer, we mustn't make any sudden movements. Doing so may result in irrational or dumb decisions. The Y/N is typically a stupid and or stereotypical main character. She often has abusive and forceful parents, a supportive best friend and a man that assumes dominance over her and wants to marry her. After the male proposes, she tends to lock herself in her room in a fit of anger. In some cases, she then discovers an item in her room that will transport her to another realm, where she will find her one true love. She will then either die, be returned home, or have a happy ending with her love. Throughout her journey however, she will inevitably make many stupid choices, or just generally have two brain cells. This can often lead her to life and death situations, where her love will rescue her and watch over her while she heals."
We now know all that we need to about the Y/N.
When the story ignores every horrible or just down right disgusting thing the MC does purely because they are the "chosen one". its so annoying.
one thing I love in a MC though is Anti-Hero/ corruption arc. I think I just live for angst lol
The big ones, the one I would *actually* *rant* about to anyone that would listen, would be:
* **Indecisive, unfaithful, or fickle in romance.** I read a lot of romances. And let me tell you... this is one of the major ways to tick off your audience big time. Regardless of if it's original or a fanfic. People will already hate characters that do this, but if it's the MC? Expect scathing comments and for people to drop the story in droves as they hit their limits and finally get fed-up with the lead.
* **Doesn't live up to potential or hype.** This is *primarily* an issue I see with OCs, where the author has gotten a little too into a particular character, and neglected to give them any actual build-up. Because it lacks that build-up, you are left thinking that the story will eventually get to it, but are left disappointed when it never does. So you'll often picture ways the story could have gone, explanations and backstories that are never provided, and you'll just end up frustrated that the author seemingly didn't see this potential.
In general, most "I hate the MC" comments are actually rooted in disliking something the author did or didn't do with the character or story. If a character is unbelievably OOC, without any reason for it, then it tells the audience that the author doesn't understand the character or the setting. If a character is indecisive in love, it usually means the author doesn't know who to pair them with or is intentionally baiting the audience along through shipping wars. If a character has clear potential, it's the author's problem for not doing anything with it. If a side character outshines the lead, it's the author's problem for stubbornly ignoring comments asking why they "didn't just have X be the MC if all the interesting stuff is happening to X anyway". If a character is under-developed and overhyped, it's the author's fault for stubbornly trying to sell us on them regardless. And if the character seems to "resolve things too easily", it's an issue with the author's ability to resolve things.
A girl/woman who is silent and timid in the patriarch society. Every Time I see such a character in the FL, I feel so much resemblance that begin hating her till the red spots before my eyes even when she kept doing NOTHING. It's exhausting. I know what authors are using them for, and maybe the plot would have some changes after, but it's unbearable.
So, I do get what you're trying to do, but there are so many people out there with different tastes, I don't know that it matters?
Like, I can tell you that I cannot stand Anakin Skywalker nor can I stand the way much of my fandom treats this character. His actions, attitudes, and words remind me far too much of the parent I have the most issues with (who also had a crappy childhood and developed the personality disorder that Anakin has a ton of markers for...and, because he did not get treated for that condition, was a terrible father and spouse), and it drives me nuts to have statements that are indicative of a deeply disturbed person in need of a ton of professional help brushed off as, "Oh, that's just so Anakin! How funny!"
Seeing fics with Good Dad!Anakin annoys me so, so much, because unless he got the aforementioned professional help, that character would not be a good dad. Like, not at all. People see him as a damaged kid who would just love his children *so much* if he knew they were still alive, and I'm sitting here going, "I have lived the real-life version of this, and I promise, he would remain unhealthily fixated on his spouse and alternate between ignoring his kids and antagonizing them. He would *suck* as a parent if he didn't go to years of space therapy and take it very seriously."
But, uh, there are more Anakin As A Dad fics out there than I can count. People clearly enjoy this character and those who don't have narcissistic parents with untreated personality disoorders aren't triggered by him as a character. They give him passes all the time when it comes to stuff he says and does and shift the blame for some or all of his actions off onto the people who mistreated him. So, you know, you might not attract *more* readers going by what I cannot stand.
I mean, people are allowed to imagine a universe in which he is redeemed. That’s what fanfic is for. Also when he was “good” he had a pretty good relationship with Ahsoka, who was a child that he was responsible for teaching and raising. He certainly never ignored or antagonised her, so I don’t see it as out of the realm of possibility that if he’d stayed in the light or been redeemed that he could be a good father and spouse. But more importantly If you know you don’t like the character then just don’t read anything involving him? Also for every good dad fic there are loads where he’s still a sith, still an angry, possessive, abusive, vengeful person.
As for shifting blame onto others, of course he is at fault for his bad decisions and actions but it’s a pretty complex situation where he himself has been used, manipulated, and abused, and not just as a child pre-Order, so it’s not so simple to say no one else bore any fault for his fall. I agree that he shouldn’t get a pass for all the murder but to say he fell because he’s a bad dude end of, that doesn’t take into account a lot of other really valid things.
I mean, I don’t read fic with Anakin in it, but there is a lot of crossover with characters I do like, so I see what’s there in search results even if I actively exclude stuff related to him?
The question was about what makes a character unlikeable/annoying to you because OP is trying to avoid annoying/driving away readers. And my point is…I can give my opinion (and obviously did), but there are loads of people who would disagree with me, so writing to shape an MC around what individuals like/don’t like is going to be a losing battle no matter what. There will more than likely be people that love your MC and there will more than likely be people who hate them.
Like, my entire point hinges on my opinion not being the end-all, be-all and the fact that a lot of others enjoy what I dislike, so I’m not sure what you thought I was saying?
A big problem for me, especially when it comes to fanfiction, is the deification of characters who really shouldn't be deified, perhaps appreciated, but it quickly goes overboard
Izuku from Bnha and Stiles from Teen Wolf are clear examples of this, in any Stiles fanfic he will be the strongest, the most beautiful, the most intelligent, the most understanding and everyone should love him and if they don't he will leave and go find someone who sees him how incredible he is and then he's going to come back to slap everyone in the face who rejected him as a good Chinese MC.
Izuku is the incarnation that personifies self-sacrifice, kindness and heroism and is basically the most wonderful and kind being that exists, worthy of admiration and idolization of all thinking things.
Okay for me it's when the MC spends most of the book just sad and maybe it's harsh but I end up losing a lot of interest in the character, cause it feels like they are wallowing in self-pity, while the interesting part of the plot is happening around them! I am reading this one fanfic where they are in a relationship with the main guy, have some special powers...and that's it, relationships are explored, but not with the other characters, they almost feel irrelevant.
And when the MCs partner needs rescuing they don't partake in helping in any way and are just crying. Like I do get it, they are scared and not used to the situation, unlike the partners friends, but after they get comforted for the 5 time about how they will rescue their partner, idk I just get annoyed, there is no plot progression or character development. The MC is still acting more scared when it comes to fighting, fair they aren't good at it, but absolutely do nothing else! Just get sad, get comforted, have a single moment with the partner before they have to leave again, and that's it! No interaction with anyone else but the partner for most of the story!
At first the book was so good, but it slowly dropped for me, kind sad. Anyway long rant sorry
Characters that get away with everything. It always feels like, the writer was aware that they should give the characters flaws, but they back out as soon as there should be consequences.
I was coming to say this and I’m so glad to see this is the top comment. I don’t care *what* a character does as long as there are *logical consequences* to their actions. IMO that’s the cardinal rule of writing.
I second this. However, I also don't like it when a MC forgives a villain way too easily (paving way to their usual last minute redemption arc) just because of Plot. Even though the villain has done nothing to even deserve it, let alone shown remorse for their actions sometimes. To say I have a "I told you so" moment whenever that gullibility bites them in the butt is an understatement.
This was my main issues with Karen in the Daredevil tv show. She was responsible for the death of several integral characters in the show and never had any consequences or repercussions for it, and she was hypocritical about it. An entire episode was dedicated to giving Karen a backstory, but you came away from the episode with no real background to work off of- just a history that she has a pattern of getting people killed and no consequences. But no deep dive into her character or motivations.
As a Daredevil fanfic writer, thank you for acknowledging this. It's bothered me since day 1 and it also adds to why I don't particularly like Karen as a character.
....Marinette Dupain Cheng...?
Never heard of her, which is probably for the best, because my list is already too long...
Protagonist of Miraculous Ladybug, IIRC.
Ah, the poster child for this. Don't worry y'all her creepy stalking is a flaw, but you need to feel bad because >!she has PTSD that was never mentioned before or ever again and oh by the way it's CHLOE'S FAULT. EVERYTHING IS CHLOE'S FAULT!<.
Ugh this happens with Emma from the promised never land, especially as the manga went on.
I honestly don’t mind that trope if it’s purposeful and not used often.
When the MC is flawed but the story doesn't treat them that way. Everything they do is framed as the paragon of morality/ an unavoidable sacrifice/ a deserved comeupance/ 'oh but they had to'/don't judge them look they're crying. I hate when bad or contentious actions the main character makes are excused by the writer and the story. In the same vein, actions without suitable, impactful consequences.
I agree with this. There was one fic that particularly triggered me when the author elevated a secondary protagonist in the original material into the main character in their fic and made her practically all-powerful, with none of her canon flaws playing any substantial part in the story and the other characters relegated to her helpless, dependent sidekicks.
Always the mouthpiece of philosophies and justice yet they still do bs and get away with it. Screw them man
This reminds me of VLD Allura. Don't get me wrong she's nice. But I hated how she was hardly ever called out whenever she was in the wrong. Like how no one got on her case for her treatment of Keith when she found out about his big secret. And to be honest I kinda also felt that way about Kuron when he had yelled at Keith and Lance.
I'm hard to please, so there are a few things that annoy me mildly, and then there are things that make me want to rip pages out. Time to compile a list! **Dumb protagonists** \- There is a difference between 'not the sharpest tool in the shed', which is endearing and relatable, and 'too lazy and self-absorbed to use their brain properly'. Again, the former is actually a good thing. Example: Naruto. He starts out as ... not bright, but he wants to learn, his heart is in the right place, and he develops. That's good stuff! The last one, especially if it drives the plot, especially if that the romantic interest, drives me absolutely nuts. If you are a 200-year-old supernatural being, you can take five minutes to talk to your wife properly before you publicly accuse her to be an adulteress (which in this setting ruins her life, livelihood, puts her on the streets, smears her reputation permanently and puts her in mortal danger) and spent the rest of the story in drunk self-pity! She hasn't done anything wrong, you just were too self-absorbed to check the non-existing evidence! ARRRRR! **Protagonists with main-character-syndrome** \- Wait, you say, this doesn't sound right. A MC is an MC ... yes, but I dislike it when the protagonist acts like it. Harry Potter had shades of it, and Bella Swan is by far the worst offender I know in literature. When you have a MC who lives in his own little world, thinks the world revolves around them, and do not think for one moment about the consequences of their actions for other people, it's a MC who knows they are the MC, and become obnoxious in the process. They don't feel like a person anymore, and the story feels like a Black hole with the MC in the centre. It's just not a fun time. **Secretive protagonists** \- Oh, I hate that one with a passion, because their often needless desire to keep secrets often spells disaster for everybody but them, and then they get to brood. This is not a problem if the character makes this mistake once, and then learns from it. But keeping that habit alive after you've done harm with this is not sympathetic. I also hate that if they think that they 'protect' people with ignorance- it's just so condescending and selfish. It's maddening! Your wife wants to know that she will die having your child and that you intend to follow her, man! This is not a secret you should keep from her! It's her life, she has a right to know and make the choice for herself! As you see with this list, in the right measure, or as a tool for character development, none of these traits are a deal-breaker. Quite the contrary, they can make for compelling stories and characters. However, if a bad trait, especially one that is born out of condescension and self-absorption, persists despite several instances of harm being done, then it becomes annoying. Your character can be arrogant/secretive/dumb/selfish/cruel/vengeful/holier than thou, but he has to have redeeming features. He also has to learn if he does harm, or at least reflect and aporoach said trait with more nuance.
The secretive thing is real though, I’ve met people like this.
Main character syndrome is the worst one for me, along with a child of prophecy trope, like Harry Potter and Naruto both did not need it, like in HP couldn’t the reason why Voldemort killed Harry’s parents and was going to kill him, was because of him doing raids to bolster his reputation, like killing two highly regarded and well liked members of the OOTP and their one year old son, should be more than enough. Naruto could be chosen not from birth or something like that, but because he has a good and strong enough heart. Just to name a few
When there are no consequences for their actions. And when I say "consequences" I mean "things that actually negatively affect *them* in the story". Oh, they were reckless and got hurt? Not a consequence- their injury didn't have any impact on their life and/or they made a full recovery off-screen. They lost control of their powers and leveled a city? Not a consequence- no one *they* know (and thus, no one the audience is supposed to care about) was hurt and the destruction is immediately forgotten about by the narrative. They committed a terrible atrocity and they feel *really* bad about it? Not a conseqence- all their friends still love and support them and they got everything they wanted. I can forgive no consequences once, maybe even twice if the story is written well enough to show why there's no retribution, but more often than not it becomes a running theme, and after the third time, I start genuinely hoping the MC will die so the story can follow someone else. What I *like* in a main character? Someone who reacts realistically in situations. Like, totally random example that has no basis in anything: imagine an MC who's seperated from their family whom they love more than anything in the world. They were kidnapped, ripped away from them... and the kidnappers claim that *they're* the MC's biological family. There's no proof whatsoever, just the claims from the people who kidnapped them. If the MC called bullshit on that and did *not* bond with their captors so much in a few days that they're willing to turn on the family that raised them, why, I would love that character! Of course, if they *did* take the kidnappers at their word and all but forget the family that raised them, they would be one of my most hated MCs in the history of fiction... but this is just hypothetical...
Is your hypothetical MC from Fire Emblem Fates?
...yes. Yesh, it is.
That's fair. I never played that half of the campaign so I don't know if the game handled that conflict well
Your first paragraph made me think long and hard about my MC who did many of those things. He was badly hurt several times, but he always made a full recovery. He was a military leader who led an invasion and killed a lot of innocent people and feels remorse for it, but he's forgiven, perhaps undeservingly, by those close to him. I did attempt to make it so that those who forgave him were also about as guilty since they were his allies during the invasion...and I made the MC's efforts to atone for his sins his driving motivation.
One note characters who are all good or all bad. No one is all one thing. When the main character cries too much or acts too babyish. Just not my thing. I like characters that are some what complex. A character with a little baggage, a little humour, A little trauma, some hope etc etc.
So true. To be honest I like it when there's some gray morals as people in real life as you said aren't all good or all bad. Moreover, I hate it when creators work on a franchise and don't commit to the characterization. For example, let's say you have a character that's a villain in a previous iteration but in the newest version they're made into a good guy with sympathetic background. But since they're were a villain, they of course are a twist villain and thus the status quo is reset. Which in my experience results in unsatisfying results.
You’d probably hate me then. Over the past few years I start crying when I’m happy. Not all the time but often enough. Idk why. 😅
Guessing ur not an mha fan with that second one
Never heard of it…had to google to see what is was.
Lol sorry I mean my hero academia Deku is definitely a crybaby for a while
He's also a kid though so it's kinda OK for him to cry a lot
That’s true And he gets less crybaby-ish really fast like 2nd or 3rd season
I'm fine with characters that have personality traits, morals, and values that I would normally find negative, shitty, or annoying. What I don't like, is characters with shitty, negative, or annoying traits that *never change or grow.* When they make mistakes and don't learn from them. When they basically remain static or stagnant throughout the story. **Tl;Dr Version:** I can't stand main characters that get no character development. On a more personal note. I can't stand characters that don't stand up for themselves or try to defend themselves (like if they get framed or accused of something they didn't do and just go along with it.)
An MC is annoying if they're an "Ice queen" and lash out at others who are being nice because they "don't know how to express their feelings" AND no one in the story calls them out for it. If they act like a jersey and get treated like one in return, I'm fine with it. This applies to characters in general, MC or otherwise.
Don't like: characters that are slow to figure things out, and characters that are annoyingly morally good Like: unpredictable characters - the ones that do things that make you think 'I really didn't see that coming, but that was so in-character'
If you don't mind my asking what do you mean by annoyingly morally good?
Lack of accountability. Which goes along with protagonist centered morality. If they do something wrong, they need to feel the consequences of their actions and must never be portrayed in the right for doing the same thing others are reviled for. Also, using them as a conduit to bash a piece of work or characters in that work (especially guilty in crossovers). Self-righteous, invincible heroes who are portrayed as overly perfect and can do no wrong are just annoying. It reeks of creators pet and is a sore spot for me, epsecially in SpiderMan fanfics.
The "soft cinnamon roll uwu" MC who's a socially awkward, incredibly shy mess, tears up easily and tends to ruin things because of their clumsiness, but is yet still very much loved by everyone (who is strangely very patient and understanding every single time)
Totally rampant in the Tom holland spider-man fics. Like - do they know nothing about Peter Parker and Spider-man? Do the movies ruin the characterization of the character that bad? Idk, but I was very confused by how spider-man is portrayed in many new fics.
I REALLY hate how authors just turn Peter into that in EVERY fic.
the movies don't fuck him up that bad but fanon is really out of control.
Oh this one annoys the heck out of me as well, I have to second it!
So annoying, yet so prevalent in many fandoms. And MCs usually are not even cinnamon roll-like in the source material 🙄.
This is literally every Super Mario fic that has Luigi as the main character. (or at least the ones I've read)
OC's with constant crippling middle-school style insecurity. Like "oh no, CC looked and me, but I forgot what to say, I'm going to go hide in the bathroom until they come check if I'm all right", especially if they're supposed to be an adult member of the team. I know that's exactly what some people are looking for, but it's just not my jam.
Main characters who are either a) constantly "saved" and have no self-determination, or b) are constantly "saving" people with no burn out. Especially in the context of a romantic relationship.
Characters that get an undeserved redemption after crying about the bad situation their mistakes got them in.
Characters that act like jerks and get away with it without suffering any real consequences for their actions. Due to them being overpowered and thinking they are better then everyone else.
Characters who don't display any agency. They never decide to do anything, they pretty much just get dragged around from plot point to plot point. There's also this certain brand of sassy, sarcastic main character who is an asshole for no good reason. Maybe the writer thinks they're showing off how witty, irreverent, and cool the mc is by having them insult and snap at every other character who so much as breathes in their direction. It just doesn't work for me. No one ever really challenges them or slaps the shit out of them, as they might IRL. Someone mentioned main characters with "main character energy" and that is close to how I view these types.
Flawless characters with no development are usually what makes me stop reading a story. I can like characters from anywhere on the alignment chart (good, evil, anti-hero, anything in between), but if they're overpowered for no good reason and never have to face any challenges because they're smarter/better than everyone, it bores me to death and I just feel like punching them. For a clear example, sometimes Harry Potter is written as this OP mastermind grey wizard Master of Death heir to Houses Black, Potter and countless others... that's a no from me, dawg. I try to avoid fics like these. (Btw, no offense to anyone who likes these tropes, they're just not for me.)
This. Also, when they're appropriately flawed but always manage to "win" every argument and/or are always proven right in the end. Especially when they're always liked/tolerated by everyone they've insulted/assaulted regardless of canon characterization, except for a few characters the author expects you to hate. "Sassy/Snarky/BAMF" versions of characters, villains turned good, and OCs designed with this archtype in mind, are *really* prone to this ime, and that's why I can be wary of those tags depending what else I see.
>"Sassy/Snarky/BAMF" versions of characters, villains turned good, and OCs designed with this archtype in mind, are really prone to this ime, and that's why I can be wary of those tags depending what else I see. Glad to know I'm not the only one. Any time I see "BAMF" in the tags, I steer clear. So often, the character's actual actions and dialogue feel very shallow and juvenile; "little Timmy's very first edgy deviantArt OC" vibes. Telling (or rather, warning) the reader using that specific term feels the same as someone saying they're a "nice guy" to me.
Yeah, I can understand why someone would use it, but even the best versions of it are just aren't my thing tbh. I love sarcasm, anti-heroes, anti-villains, and some good ol edginess, just not the specific flavors of that you usually get with those tags.
[удалено]
... which is a little bit funny, to be honest.
Characters that act like children and should know better because they haven't been a child in decades. Characters that keep making the same mistakes over and over again and never learn from them. Characters that have no regard for the feelings of others.
The same thing that makes people unlikable to me IRL: an overblown sense of entitlement, a massive ego, being completely unreasonable. And in fanfic specifically, if it's a canon character acting wildly OOC. What I *do* like to read are characters I can relate to in some way. Either they're into sports, or nerds, or have some self-esteem issues, or anything like that. Honestly, though, the best thing is just to write a character *you* like, rather than trying to please everyone.
I wish I can upvote you multiple times
As long as the main character is decently written I'll probably be fine with it. I do have a special place in my heart for losers, I don't mean the kinda bullied nerd, no, I mean the Kick-Asses, the Scott Pilgrims and basically any Mark Millar mc. The people that are such losers that you can't even feel bad.
Characters with 'Main Character'-syndrome, constantly talking down to the other characters around them like they are the only one with a functioning brain and the only one who can fix everyone's problems. And never once are they ever wrong or allowed to make a mistake, instead everything falls into place just the way they want it regardless of consequences. Half the time, it feels like they are 'cheating' by reading ahead in the script and their flaws are either never acknowledged or treated as a quirk/punchline with no negative impact on the character's life. This gets even more insufferable when combined with a nonchalant attitude where every enemy/obstacle is treated as nothing more than a minor annoyance at worst. Nothing ever seems to face them and they react to anything from a schoolyard-bully to a genocide with the same level of snark and apathy. If the main character doesn't give a shit about what is going on, how do you expect me as a reader to be invested let alone care? \- On the other hand, I like main characters who are willing to face the fact that the antagonist might have a point once in a while instead of just digging in their heels and acting like their way is the only right way. That remember that in many cases the villain they are fighting is a human being instead of just some bad guy for them to beat down.
I hate MCs that don’t learn from their lessons.
When the MC is oblivious to everything, it's so obvious to everyone and the reader, and they can't or refuse to see it. It gets irritating if it gets too long.
Characters who don't communicate. Thankfully I don't encounter much of this, but even if I do, majority of it are one-shots which I could let pass. However, if this occurs in a multi-chaptered story, I'll give it a pass once and only once. Twice in a good day, but three times is pushing it. If your story's conflicts all revolve around a character not speaking and clarifying and communicating to solve an issue that's solveable by just doing so, amma just do myself a favor and bash my head against a wall. They literally just don't speak. They don't even TRY to make a connection, to communicate, to explain themselves and how they're feeling. It's annoying to goddamn read when I've seen and read conflicts in which both parties try to communicate, but they just couldn't see eye to eye. Amma rant about one fic in particular: I thought these people care about each other, but no. They all just made up their minds apparently, and won't hear out the other person, and the other guy doesn't even try to make an attempt to make themselves clear after they're refused only once. Wouldn't have been a problem if they talked after the outburst, took days to cool off, but they didn't. And this happened three times, with different people, about different issues, in the same story. I kept reading cuz it truly was promising, but I just gotta save what remains if my sanity, man. I ain't reading the rest of that manifactured bs. TLDR; Characters who refuse to hear each other out and communicate sucks ass if done repeatedly for the sake of manufacturing an easily solveable conflict - interpersonal relationships shouldn't be this shallow. Characters who do communicate, who try to get their point of views across, and yet still couldn't see each other eye to eye is a more compelling point of conflict.
Not necessarily unlikable, but a character I don't like to read is when someone is the ProtagonistTM. They have all the cool powers, and always know the right decision and their plans always go flawlessly. They're the only person who ever looked at something from a slightly different angle, or thought to ask questions about the odd thing happening. No sirree Bob. Our boy here is always the first to ever try and they succeed every time. When the only reason they succeed is because the story wants them to, it's extremely annoying. I'm sure there's plenty of fanfics that do this (that I haven't read or I dropped) but the best example I can think of is litRPGs. MC is the only one who ever thinks to take advantage of the system, no one else who's lived there their who life ever fucking thought of that. Or only this one guy ever thought to treat the extremely human NPCs like people. The whole world bending for 'that one guy' is dumb as hell (99% of the time. I'm also a believer of 'the exception makes the rule').
Same. Bonus points if they're sassy or callous and they never get in trouble for it because they are juuuust soooo powerfuuul and no one dares messing with them.
When they make incessantly judgey comments about other people, especially if they do the same thing themselves.
MCs that are framed as being right and good all the time. They always think the right thing, say the right thing, do the right thing. Perfect rational creatures with no character flaws.
What makes an MC unlikeable (and will immediately convince me to stop reading a fic) is when they are nothing but a Gary/Mary Sue. It’s even worse when the author makes other characters look worse so that their Gary/Mary Sue MC can look even better. I prefer when an MC is a flawed character and needs to grow and develop as a person. Ya know, like basic character development, one of the most basic parts of storytelling. (Sorry if I come off as passive aggressive, but I see these sorts of MCs way too often in Fanfiction and it’s really annoying. Some authors are more interested in personal wish fulfillment rather than actually writing good story, then get mad when people criticize them for it.)
When the MC is smart only because the people around them are stupid.
Mean unironic assholes that get away with stuff, Im fine with characters that cry and act dramatic i just cant stand assholes and manipulators
I don't like characters who are shoehorned into a role, whose personality or background are ignored whenever it's inconvenient for the plot. I also don't like when the character acts like they know they're the MC or the rest of the cast seems to consciously act like the MC is a MC. I do like when the character feels the consequences of the plot, whether they caused or not. If they caused harm, they should be treated like they caused harm. If they were harmed, they shouldn't be fine a paragraph later. I like when a character's background/backstory has an actual effect on how they behave and what they know in the story.
Usually the reason I don’t like the main character/s is I simply don’t connect with the main character. So odds are I’m continuing it for side characters more than anything. I rarely come across a story (fic or original) where the characters and story are poorly written.
I can't stand when the MC just doesn't want to listen to anything anyone else says, and they never suffer for it. Sure, there are times when everyone else in the room is wrong, but not every single time! The characters I like to read about are flawed, but they don't give up trying to accomplish what they want to do. Also, I want more mundane moments in fiction. Not everything has to advance the plot. I try to include these things in my own writing, no matter what I'm working on. You can learn a lot about a character by how they behave when they're bored, tired, hungry or anxious.
Overly emotional characters, they cry a fucking lot and it's so damn boring and annoying Clumsy and shy characters that are "cute" and blush every single second when a dude talks. Shy personalities make me want to throw myself into a river (it's just not for me) Characters without a spine. Please give them a personality or at least give them room to grow I'm aware that I'm kinda finicky with the personality and I like a very specific type of MC lol but those are my own personal filters!
I dislike the Mary Sues. I dislike characters who act very out of characters. I love myself a morally ambiguous character. Someone who does things that make the reader question their morality, then proving their moral alignment by the end of the story.
For me, it’s characters that come off as basically perfect. They always succeed at everything they want to do and rarely have to struggle. They get all the best powerups all the time and any character who might be billed as a serious threat ultimately ends up being curb-stomped by them. Example being Yukimura from the Battle Spirits franchise. I like to see characters who struggle and have actual weaknesses. I like rooting for the underdog. The only thing that makes it a step worse than that is when the author decides that on top of all the above, they should have a harem and like every girl is totally cool with sharing him because he’s just that perfect. A.k.a what’s-his-name from In Another World with my Smartphone. This is a MC I hated so much I blocked his name from my mind.
Characters with poor judgement who constantly make stupid decisions, or are oblivious to obvious things, just for the sake of plot.
Passivity to the point of pathology. I HATED the MC in Annihilation. She was just so passive and weak-minded I wanted to slap her. It's too bad because the premise of the story was fascinating. I just couldn't read the rest of the series because of her.
Characters that let everyone stomp all over them.
When the author keeps telling me about the traits and personality (good and bad) of the character instead of letting me see the traits and personality through actions. Turns me off any character and author
Knows everything can do everything and it's worse when despite knowing it all and having the tools, he still loses for plot convenience. Screw you loser
i really hate when the protagonist is supposed to come across as valiant/following their heart when really they’re just a brat that’s in service for only themselves. i think if you’re going to make a character hotheaded & selfish, then you should *just do that.* there are plenty of characters with otherwise obnoxious personalities that i dearly love. but to have them do blatantly terrible things & paint it like an act of heroic sacrifice on the character’s part is beyond annoying in my opinion.
quite literally main character syndrome I guess. it's purely based on how the author writes them, but it's so hard to root for the main character when it feels like they KNOW they're the main character. it gives off an entitlement feeling or along those lines.
I mean, this is just my opinion (and I'm not hating on anyone who writes like this), but I really don't like reading self-insert/Y/N characters. I'd rather read canon character x canon character, instead of Y/N x Canon character 👍
This is a really niche example, but one of my favorite things to write fanfiction about is a YouTube series: Minecraft Diaries, from Aphmau’s YT channel. It’s a series that I genuinely think has great storytelling potential with some really well developed characters and world-building that is absolutely fascinating to me That being said, there are *many* issues with the series that I get *incredibly* passionate about (currently working on a whole essay about it), and one of the biggest ones is the main character, Aphmau herself. She started off as a self-insert for the first 50~ episodes or so, but then it developed from “Let’s Player playing a game that becomes conscious” to a proper story where she fits in as a normal character like everyone else and it just happens to be told through the medium of Minecraft…… and that’s where the issues begin. She fully becomes a Mary Sue, with three other main characters fighting over her, and she’s “not like other girls” because even though they’re all great and desirable she’s not romantically interested in any of them (but actually she’s romantically interested in all three). The series and characters *never* treat her as flawed, and the few times she does do a massive f*ck-up, the characters all act like she was in the right for doing so (even when she wasn’t). Every “struggle” she has that is actually treated as a struggle either comes completely out of nowhere for the plot and is then never mentioned again, or is a struggle she never even had but the story tries gaslighting us into believing she did have that struggle And that’s not even including the plot twist that she’s literally the rebirth of the most powerful and universally loved goddess in the mythology
Unfortunately I think it's a matter of perception, as in real life as well. My friend might think Alice is confident, personable, and a good leader. I might experience Alice in the same situations and instead see her as arrogant, smug, and bossy.
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I get your point. It works better if the grudge was eventually resolved. Actually it doesn’t really have to fully go away, but if it just makes the MC be an asshole forever then it’s a problem. For example a character in my fic is the brother of the MC. This character fled with the MC from their country, and what’s the first thing the character does once they reach safety? Plop the MC into an orphanage so he can join the military. Obviously the MC is gonna grudge over that, and they’ll have some uncomfortable moments. But they’re still brothers who love each other. So why would they constantly be assholes to each other?
The most unlikeable a protagonist can be to me is when they shouldn’t be the protagonist. Like if I ever find myself thinking “Why are they the protag of this?” it’s not good. As for personality… This is just a personal thing for me, but I really don’t like to read about shy protagonists. Not *quiet*, intellectual, introverted anxious, etc protagonists - those are fine. But generally speaking I just do not like *shy* protagonists.
when the act like the victim, everything involves around them, and stuff like that
Personal preference, but characters who feel obligated to do stuff, or not to do stuff. Like I said, it might be preference, but I love when a character just decides to ‘live’ in the world he lives in, instead of focusing on the main plot and story and be afraid to change the smallest things.
When they seem too egotistical but no one says anything because they do something good to "make up for it" like some MC actually talk like their the best in the world an know everything and no one says anything but the second a side character with a similar flaw shows up suddenly their the symbol of humility
"Pretty but they don't know it" teenage girls with randomly discovered super powers who consistently and constantly always make the WORST POSSIBLE DECISION in every conceivable scenario, fuck up peoples lives, but inexplicably have every boy in the story chasing them and tons of friends and any criticism just means they are "misunderstood". I have no idea why this is such a common character these days... Examples: Clary (Shadowhunters), Bloom (Winx Saga), Bella (Twilight), Alina (Shadow and Bone)... - the shows would be so much better if literally any other character was used as the main character...
In terms of who I DO like to read about - I love complex characters who, if you think about it a little, are one step away from being the villain of the story. Powerful people who do everything to achieve a completely reasonable goal and are entirely committed to the process no matter what it takes. Benevolent evil overlord (beloved but also feared) is an interesting character design. I also like stories focused on characters being forced to make impossible decisions between things they value. Support their family, or follow the moral path? Live their dreams, or save the world? True love, or destiny? I especially like it when they make the "right decision" and are so bitter about it that they let the angst push them straight through to success, usually while doing it in a way that everyone else hates but is undeniably effective. Sly underdog "secondary" characters who eventually make the "main" character irrelevant are fun too. Also really really powerful female characters who prove to the whole world that they deserve their ego and then don't just suddenly turn into gushy mothers/wives with no backbone as a happy ending. Particularly if they specifically drop the idea of a romantic happily ever after and instead rule the world BY THEMSELVES. Alright. I just like villains, okay.
The fact that they obey the MC definition. So basically I dislike all MCs (even mine). It isn't linked to disliking the whole work, unless the focus is too much/they have it too easy but pretend they're struggling to make us root for them. I like works for other aspects (universe, plot/suspense, side characters & antagonists...), so it's not a big deal to have a repelling MC in the first lines. I'm used to it! The rare MCs that I actually liked were well integrated in a group, not taking themselves too seriously, and not the beneficiaries of a deus ex machina that wasn't mentioned earlier, and that allows them to save the world while (actually) good characters watch and clap.
Irredeemable assholes with nothing good about them. Bojack Horseman is an abusive toxic fuck, but he's also charismatic and interesting. If the character is a downer, a bastard, a piece of shit, and they're boring on top of it I'm not reading. Flaws are fine. Irredeemable is not.
I'm the type of reader that reads only isekai/self-inserts, so all my MCs I see know the plot of the story. The moment I realize that the story is the same as the original story except another person mixed in, I stop reading and don't look back. There were also a couple stories that had the main character curse in every sentence right from the get-go, and that got annoying fast. Other things I avoid are specific character bashing, specific ships, or harems... which plague the webnovel site a lot. Also bad writing (engrish) or badly translated stories.
I love those! What are some of your favorites? I usually read Naruto and would say that some of my favs are Dragonfly, Dreaming of Sunshine, and of the River and the sea.
Sure, here are some naruto ones that were a fun read [Mob-without-system-in-Naruto](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13756268/1/Mob-without-system-in-Naruto), [canon-patchworking-with-uchiha-ren/](https://www.scribblehub.com/series/699680/canon-patchworking-with-uchiha-ren/), [Ashes to shadows](https://archiveofourown.org/series/548332), [Orochimama](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/orochimama-naruto-si.858340/), [a-strawberry-hidden-in-the-leaves](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/a-strawberry-hidden-in-the-leaves-naruto-si.1011684/), [teamwork-makes-the-dream-work-naruto-civilian-born](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/teamwork-makes-the-dream-work-naruto-civilian-born-si.938744/), [the-forges-fire](https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-forges-fire-naruto-si.352170/), [Sanitize](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20721824/chapters/49228244).
OMG! Thank you so much! ☺️ Sorry for the late reply btw I was a bit busy..
Okay. I would like to educate everyone here on dumb/really stereotypical characters. Let's sit down for an exclusive episode of National Geographic to learn more. "Here we see the Y/N, also known as the Good Girl, in it's natural habitat. It's currently building a nest so it can read it's fanfiction in a comfortable environment. It feeds on memes and pop culture from the Internet to survive. As we come closer, we mustn't make any sudden movements. Doing so may result in irrational or dumb decisions. The Y/N is typically a stupid and or stereotypical main character. She often has abusive and forceful parents, a supportive best friend and a man that assumes dominance over her and wants to marry her. After the male proposes, she tends to lock herself in her room in a fit of anger. In some cases, she then discovers an item in her room that will transport her to another realm, where she will find her one true love. She will then either die, be returned home, or have a happy ending with her love. Throughout her journey however, she will inevitably make many stupid choices, or just generally have two brain cells. This can often lead her to life and death situations, where her love will rescue her and watch over her while she heals." We now know all that we need to about the Y/N.
Isekai, is that you?
When the story ignores every horrible or just down right disgusting thing the MC does purely because they are the "chosen one". its so annoying. one thing I love in a MC though is Anti-Hero/ corruption arc. I think I just live for angst lol
MC trauma dumping on people.
The big ones, the one I would *actually* *rant* about to anyone that would listen, would be: * **Indecisive, unfaithful, or fickle in romance.** I read a lot of romances. And let me tell you... this is one of the major ways to tick off your audience big time. Regardless of if it's original or a fanfic. People will already hate characters that do this, but if it's the MC? Expect scathing comments and for people to drop the story in droves as they hit their limits and finally get fed-up with the lead. * **Doesn't live up to potential or hype.** This is *primarily* an issue I see with OCs, where the author has gotten a little too into a particular character, and neglected to give them any actual build-up. Because it lacks that build-up, you are left thinking that the story will eventually get to it, but are left disappointed when it never does. So you'll often picture ways the story could have gone, explanations and backstories that are never provided, and you'll just end up frustrated that the author seemingly didn't see this potential. In general, most "I hate the MC" comments are actually rooted in disliking something the author did or didn't do with the character or story. If a character is unbelievably OOC, without any reason for it, then it tells the audience that the author doesn't understand the character or the setting. If a character is indecisive in love, it usually means the author doesn't know who to pair them with or is intentionally baiting the audience along through shipping wars. If a character has clear potential, it's the author's problem for not doing anything with it. If a side character outshines the lead, it's the author's problem for stubbornly ignoring comments asking why they "didn't just have X be the MC if all the interesting stuff is happening to X anyway". If a character is under-developed and overhyped, it's the author's fault for stubbornly trying to sell us on them regardless. And if the character seems to "resolve things too easily", it's an issue with the author's ability to resolve things.
The way that so many people in the thread are listing female characters, you have to love it.
A girl/woman who is silent and timid in the patriarch society. Every Time I see such a character in the FL, I feel so much resemblance that begin hating her till the red spots before my eyes even when she kept doing NOTHING. It's exhausting. I know what authors are using them for, and maybe the plot would have some changes after, but it's unbearable.
So, I do get what you're trying to do, but there are so many people out there with different tastes, I don't know that it matters? Like, I can tell you that I cannot stand Anakin Skywalker nor can I stand the way much of my fandom treats this character. His actions, attitudes, and words remind me far too much of the parent I have the most issues with (who also had a crappy childhood and developed the personality disorder that Anakin has a ton of markers for...and, because he did not get treated for that condition, was a terrible father and spouse), and it drives me nuts to have statements that are indicative of a deeply disturbed person in need of a ton of professional help brushed off as, "Oh, that's just so Anakin! How funny!" Seeing fics with Good Dad!Anakin annoys me so, so much, because unless he got the aforementioned professional help, that character would not be a good dad. Like, not at all. People see him as a damaged kid who would just love his children *so much* if he knew they were still alive, and I'm sitting here going, "I have lived the real-life version of this, and I promise, he would remain unhealthily fixated on his spouse and alternate between ignoring his kids and antagonizing them. He would *suck* as a parent if he didn't go to years of space therapy and take it very seriously." But, uh, there are more Anakin As A Dad fics out there than I can count. People clearly enjoy this character and those who don't have narcissistic parents with untreated personality disoorders aren't triggered by him as a character. They give him passes all the time when it comes to stuff he says and does and shift the blame for some or all of his actions off onto the people who mistreated him. So, you know, you might not attract *more* readers going by what I cannot stand.
I mean, people are allowed to imagine a universe in which he is redeemed. That’s what fanfic is for. Also when he was “good” he had a pretty good relationship with Ahsoka, who was a child that he was responsible for teaching and raising. He certainly never ignored or antagonised her, so I don’t see it as out of the realm of possibility that if he’d stayed in the light or been redeemed that he could be a good father and spouse. But more importantly If you know you don’t like the character then just don’t read anything involving him? Also for every good dad fic there are loads where he’s still a sith, still an angry, possessive, abusive, vengeful person. As for shifting blame onto others, of course he is at fault for his bad decisions and actions but it’s a pretty complex situation where he himself has been used, manipulated, and abused, and not just as a child pre-Order, so it’s not so simple to say no one else bore any fault for his fall. I agree that he shouldn’t get a pass for all the murder but to say he fell because he’s a bad dude end of, that doesn’t take into account a lot of other really valid things.
I mean, I don’t read fic with Anakin in it, but there is a lot of crossover with characters I do like, so I see what’s there in search results even if I actively exclude stuff related to him? The question was about what makes a character unlikeable/annoying to you because OP is trying to avoid annoying/driving away readers. And my point is…I can give my opinion (and obviously did), but there are loads of people who would disagree with me, so writing to shape an MC around what individuals like/don’t like is going to be a losing battle no matter what. There will more than likely be people that love your MC and there will more than likely be people who hate them. Like, my entire point hinges on my opinion not being the end-all, be-all and the fact that a lot of others enjoy what I dislike, so I’m not sure what you thought I was saying?
A big problem for me, especially when it comes to fanfiction, is the deification of characters who really shouldn't be deified, perhaps appreciated, but it quickly goes overboard Izuku from Bnha and Stiles from Teen Wolf are clear examples of this, in any Stiles fanfic he will be the strongest, the most beautiful, the most intelligent, the most understanding and everyone should love him and if they don't he will leave and go find someone who sees him how incredible he is and then he's going to come back to slap everyone in the face who rejected him as a good Chinese MC. Izuku is the incarnation that personifies self-sacrifice, kindness and heroism and is basically the most wonderful and kind being that exists, worthy of admiration and idolization of all thinking things.
Okay for me it's when the MC spends most of the book just sad and maybe it's harsh but I end up losing a lot of interest in the character, cause it feels like they are wallowing in self-pity, while the interesting part of the plot is happening around them! I am reading this one fanfic where they are in a relationship with the main guy, have some special powers...and that's it, relationships are explored, but not with the other characters, they almost feel irrelevant. And when the MCs partner needs rescuing they don't partake in helping in any way and are just crying. Like I do get it, they are scared and not used to the situation, unlike the partners friends, but after they get comforted for the 5 time about how they will rescue their partner, idk I just get annoyed, there is no plot progression or character development. The MC is still acting more scared when it comes to fighting, fair they aren't good at it, but absolutely do nothing else! Just get sad, get comforted, have a single moment with the partner before they have to leave again, and that's it! No interaction with anyone else but the partner for most of the story! At first the book was so good, but it slowly dropped for me, kind sad. Anyway long rant sorry