Favorite protagonists of VNs you played 2022

[Shiawase_Rina]

I got inspired by @otomeaddicted on Twitter. Questions like this are really nice to round out the year so why not post it here too?

So of all VNs you played 2022 which are your favorite protagonists?

The VNs don't need to have been released this year.

 

For me it would be:

Hibari Tojo from Variable Barricade for being the very opposite of a self-insert character as a tsundere ojou-san. She was packed full of personality and with her flaws she powered entire routes without being annoying. She also made different and interesting relationship dynamics possible per route. 

I did pity her poor suitors sometimes. She is not an easy one to win over lol

And:

I also really liked Tamamori from Hashihime of the Old Book Town. My guy is a mess and is in an even messier situation. The way he interacted with the world around him made the game feel like a fever dream. He truly defined the atmosphere and plot of the game.

I can't think of one thing I would change about him. Truly a pathetic guy I want to study under a microscope!

[adamstan]

I've read only 9 VNs in 2022, and there weren't many outstanding protagonists in them If I had to choose, then perhaps it would be Tyler from LOOPERS.

[HataVNI]

2 hours ago, Shiawase_Rina said:

I got inspired by @otomeaddicted on Twitter. Questions like this are really nice to round out the year so why not post it here too?

So of all VNs you played 2022 which are your favorite protagonists?

The VNs don't need to have been released this year.

 

For me it would be:

Hibari Tojo from Variable Barricade for being the very opposite of a self-insert character as a tsundere ojou-san. She was packed full of personality and with her flaws she powered entire routes without being annoying. She also made different and interesting relationship dynamics possible per route. 

I did pity her poor suitors sometimes. She is not an easy one to win over lol

And:

I also really liked Tamamori from Hashihime of the Old Book Town. My guy is a mess and is in an even messier situation. The way he interacted with the world around him made the game feel like a fever dream. He truly defined the atmosphere and plot of the game.

I can't think of one thing I would change about him. Truly a pathetic guy I want to study under a microscope!

Haha, I was just about to ping you about this this noon.

[Clephas]

Shiranui Yoshikazu of Evolimit (I play this every two years, lol).  A brave pervert incapable of feeling sorrow who pushes on through even the worst of situations.

[Seraphim]

I don't think I can decide on one, but the top 3 for this year are probably Kakei Kyoutarou from Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai, Niimi Kakeru from 9-nine, or Narita Shinri from Hello Lady (whenever he's not sexually harrassing people out of nowhere).

Might as well list the worst protagonist while I'm at it, and there's no competition whatsoever there. It's Kitahara Haruki from White Album 2. I think the only VN protagonist I dislike more is Itou Makoto from School Days, but he's in a league of his own and I haven't read that VN in years now so it doesn't qualify here.

[GoldenPincers]

I didn't read many VNs in 2022, but my favourite protagonist was Haku, the lovable lazy bum from Utawarerumono.

49 minutes ago, Seraphim said:

Kakei Kyoutarou from Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai

Also, great choice.

[Adze]

For me it would probably be Blackiris from True Remembrance. He was an excellent representation of grief, trauma, and repressed emotions and I think his arc was spectacular.

 

Honorable mention for the unnamed protagonist of Dra+Koi. The fact that he's an asshole of a tsundere in a story that's designed to be a love letter to the classic European epic folk fantasy stories was very amusing to me. He's probably the only MC I've seen who tells the heroine that she should kill herself while in the middle of an H scene.

[adamstan]

7 hours ago, Seraphim said:

Niimi Kakeru from 9-nine,

For a moment I thought - "How could I forget about that great protag?", but then I remembered, that I read 9-nine in 2021

7 hours ago, Seraphim said:

It's Kitahara Haruki from White Album 2

Damn, makes me hesitant to play WA2

7 hours ago, Seraphim said:

Kakei Kyoutarou from Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai

Perhaps it's time for me to read it? It's sitting on the shelf and on the backlog, and I'm currently "free" VN-wise

Edited December 23, 2022 by adamstan

[Guimu]

I haven't played many VNs this year but probably my fav MC is Tyler from Loopers. Energetic and never give up vibes from start to end which is cool for me.

 

Just saw adamstan's post, we are in the same page XD

[Seraphim]

4 hours ago, adamstan said:

Damn, makes me hesitant to play WA2

Well, the VN itself is great, but it hits hard and most of the bad stuff happening is because of Haruki's inability to commit to one girl for most of the VN. He seems a lot more human than your average VN protagonist, which is probably the main reason why his actions throughout the story made me start to dislike him so much. Makoto from School Days is, as I've already mentioned, a whole lot worse, but he's such un unbearable bastard all the time that you can't even take him seriously.
 

4 hours ago, adamstan said:

Perhaps it's time for me to read it? It's sitting on the shelf and on the backlog, and I'm currently "free" VN-wise

It had been sitting in my backlog for ages by the time I finally got started on it. I knew it was supposed to be good, but I was under the impression that this was just comedy/romance through and through, so it kinda hit me out of left field when I realized there's actually some drama and serious topics here as well.
It turned out to be one of my best reads of the year, so I highly recommend you give it a go!

[fuyopon]

Great question! The first one that came to mind is a spoiler in itself, so let's just say it's the protagonist for The House in Fata Morgana

[komatsu007]

Ruka Hiryuu (日流 ルカ) from Ryuusei World Actor 1 & 2. Not everyday you get to play as a complete dumbass who nevertheless has a charming side. He actually feels and comes across like an adult , though a severely a maladjusted one. A pity the VNs let a great setting and setup go to waste.

 

 

 

[Nemesis]

If rereading VN's count, then Kurosu Taichi from Cross Channel. Complex and funny character with extreme flaws.

For new VN's that I read, Ryou from BST. He represents the duality of humanity's kindness and cruelty. Ruthless and badass when the situation calls for it.