Everyone has different opinions on video game characters. It’d be boring if we all thought the exact same thing, right? But there are some characters who just don’t resonate with the majority of players, and they end up being hated, or at the very least disliked, by the entire fanbase.
Sometimes it’s deserved, and sometimes it’s absolutely not. I’ve seen enough hate for these innocent characters online that it’s time for me to jump in and defend them. They don’t deserve to be so widely disliked, and here’s why.
8Ashley Graham
Resident Evil 4
Look, I know hearing “Leoooon! Help me Leon!” gets grating real fast. But put yourself in Ashley’s shoes. Really put yourself in them. You’ve been kidnapped, andnow you’re surrounded by zombies. Let’s be real, if any of us were in that situation, we’d be acting more like Ashley than Leon.
Protecting Ashley and making sure she doesn’t get killed in some parts ofRE4are a pain, yes, but it’s not her fault. Have you ever thought that you just need to get good, and then she wouldn’t need to scream for help all the time?
7Sharla
Xenoblade Chronicles
Sharla doesn’t get thebest character developmentinXenoblade Chronicles, but one of the most compelling things about her is her friendship with Melia. Imagine my surprise when, after playing the game, I found out that not only do people hate Sharla, but most of that hate isbecauseof her interactions with Melia.
In case you aren’t familiar with the game, Melia has a crush on the protagonist, Shulk. Shulk is in love with his childhood friend, Fiora, who everyone believes to be dead. Sharla encourages Melia to get closer to Shulk, because that’s what friends do. And… everyone hates her because of that. Sharla doesn’t know what you know at this point in the story, guys! She’s just trying to be a good friend to Melia, for crying out loud.
6Navi
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
If you hate Navi, you probably playedOcarina of Timeas a child and kept doing things wrong, or you just like to repeat things you see on the internet. Either way, directing your hate to Navi is just silly. She’s trying to help you!
I can concede that hearing “Hey! Listen!” does get tiring, but did you not feel at least a slight attachment to this little fairy creature who’s by your side when no one else is? No? Then you’re beyond help, I’m afraid.
5Squall
Final Fantasy 8
While Cloud is pretty much beloved asa Final Fantasy protagonist, Squall is the opposite of that, despite being very similar to Cloud personality-wise. He has his fans, sure, but a lot of people who played 8 didn’t get along with him for one reason or another. The reasons I’ve seen cited most often are because he’s moody and unsociable.
…Wouldn’t you be moody if the principal of your school just upped and left, and made you be in charge of all the child soldiers in the making he abandoned? Come on now, Squall is just acting realistically. Plus, he grows up a lot and actually becomes a strong leader by the end.
4Donald Duck
Kingdom Hearts
Oh, Donald hasn’t been healing you? That’s why you’re so hateful towards him? Did you forget you can change how often he uses healing magic and items in the menu? You did? Yeah, I thought so.
The only reason I’ll allow Donald hate is for how quickly he turned his back on Sora once he lost the Keyblade in KH1, but if it’s just about how he’s not a good healer, then I’m sorry, but that’s a you problem.
3Tom Nook
Animal Crossing
Tom Nook isnota loan shark. In fact, he’s very generous with how he loans bells to you. You don’t even have to pay him back, really. He never chases you up and he never adds interest on top of what you already owe. Boy, I wish that were true in real life.
Lots of fans also paint him as a rich billionaire who does nothing to help his community, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Did you know that, according to New Leaf, Tom Nook donates the majority of his profits to a local orphanage? How much more caring can you get than that?
2Chikorita
Pokemon
If Chikorita has one hundred fans, I’m one of them. If Chikorita has ten fans, I’m one of them. If Chikorita has one fan, that one fan is me. If Chikorita has no fans, then I am dead.
My biggest gripe with Chikorita is that it’s hated for all the reasons Charmander is loved. Charmander sucks against Kanto’s gyms? Oh, that just adds more challenge! Chikorita is weak against Johto’s gyms? It sucks as a Pokemon and no one should ever use it! Hypocrites, the lot of you.
1Karol
Tales Of Vesperia
For some reason, children get a lot of hate in games for being whiny and annoying. Karol from Tales of Vesperia falls into this trap, but he really doesn’t do much to be deserving of that reputation.
Sure, there are ‘cooler’ party members, and he has a lot of growing to do, but that’s to be expected. He’s young! Personally, I find his friendship with Yuri very sweet, as Karol sees him as a big brother figure.
