Best Character with Glasses Faceoff Winner : Rei Kiriyama!

What should be the theme for the next round?

  • Best character with Sunglasses

    Votes: 4 18.2%

  • Best mecha pilot

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Character with the best smile

    Votes: 2 9.1%

  • Best gunslinger

    Votes: 7 31.8%

  • Character you want to bugger with a rusty knife

    Votes: 2 9.1%

  • Best mascot

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • Norio Wakamoto is the only nomination allowed

    Votes: 6 27.3%
  • Total voters
    22
  • Poll closed .
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Voting Rei because he's one of the most relatable anime characters

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Turky said:
Hange is the best, depressed guy is just depressed
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I'll actually dispute that. Rei isn't just a realistic depiction of depression. He's also a depiction of what someone trying to fight against years of abuse and neglect is like. He hates himself. He doesn't understand why anyone else would value him beyond his ability to win at Shogi is. Yet, he's trying to understand and better himself. He fully knows he's deficient, but doesn't understand quite how. The anime is his wavering journey in trying to work that out. He tries to connect through shogi, he tries to connect with the family that has pseudo adopted him. Yet, here is his whole old life style beckoning him back to his bad habits and old patterns of thought leading him to doubt. Leading him to try to break relationships that don't enforce his old patterns. He receives support from the people that care about him now, but it's still his own internal battle that determines his overall state of mind. He can have all the support he needs, but his own mind can be his worst enemy because it is programmed to make him doubt everything about his own worth despite everything positive going on in his life.

This isn't just a depressed protagonist. It's a depressed protagonist that's fighting for his own mind and emotional health despite his mental illness telling him at every turn that he isn't worth it. Watching Rei, I can't say I've ever been through exactly what he's going through, but at the moments when I want to hate or doubt myself I can feel some part of his struggle.
 
ZetsubouKaiji said:
I'll actually dispute that. Rei isn't just a realistic depiction of depression. He's also a depiction of what someone trying to fight against years of abuse and neglect is like. He hates himself. He doesn't understand why anyone else would value him beyond his ability to win at Shogi is. Yet, he's trying to understand and better himself. He fully knows he's deficient, but doesn't understand quite how. The anime is his wavering journey in trying to work that out. He tries to connect through shogi, he tries to connect with the family that has pseudo adopted him. Yet, here is his whole old life style beckoning him back to his bad habits and old patterns of thought leading him to doubt. Leading him to try to break relationships that don't enforce his old patterns. He receives support from the people that care about him now, but it's still his own internal battle that determines his overall state of mind. He can have all the support he needs, but his own mind can be his worst enemy because it is programmed to make him doubt everything about his own worth despite everything positive going on in his life.

This isn't just a depressed protagonist. It's a depressed protagonist that's fighting for his own mind and emotional health despite his mental illness telling him at every turn that he isn't worth it. Watching Rei, I can't say I've ever been through exactly what he's going through, but a the moment when I want to hate or doubt myself I can feel some part of his struggle.
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So much this, I've been struggling with depression for years. But what makes Rei so great is he doesn't just devolve into blind self-destructive toxicity and nihilism which would be easy when you feel like shit all the time and hate yourself that much. He takes a pro-active stance in trying to do something about it, and that's inspiring as fuck to me.
 
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ZetsubouKaiji said:
I'll actually dispute that. Rei isn't just a realistic depiction of depression. He's also a depiction of what someone trying to fight against years of abuse and neglect is like. He hates himself. He doesn't understand why anyone else would value him beyond his ability to win at Shogi is. Yet, he's trying to understand and better himself. He fully knows he's deficient, but doesn't understand quite how. The anime is his wavering journey in trying to work that out. He tries to connect through shogi, he tries to connect with the family that has pseudo adopted him. Yet, here is his whole old life style beckoning him back to his bad habits and old patterns of thought leading him to doubt. Leading him to try to break relationships that don't enforce his old patterns. He receives support from the people that care about him now, but it's still his own internal battle that determines his overall state of mind. He can have all the support he needs, but his own mind can be his worst enemy because it is programmed to make him doubt everything about his own worth despite everything positive going on in his life.

This isn't just a depressed protagonist. It's a depressed protagonist that's fighting for his own mind and emotional health despite his mental illness telling him at every turn that he isn't worth it. Watching Rei, I can't say I've ever been through exactly what he's going through, but at the moments when I want to hate or doubt myself I can feel some part of his struggle.
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Hmm... I guess I'll take your word for it, don't really remember the show that well besides some parts of season 2-

randomredneck said:
I refuse to vote for anyone from a show with a title that pretentious. March Comes In Like A Lion...sounds like a bad celebrity perfume.
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-Damn that's way more convincing an argument.

I do remember it being really pretentious, but I did enjoy a lot of season 2 regardless.
 
Rei is the best written character in this contest currently, so he'll probably have my vote to the final.

Honestly, despite being a show focused on a character with depression who has to deal with complex issues, the show is actually a pretty hopeful one. I've always found it very easy to watch... I don't think there's anything wrong with a show that deals with dark subjects being depressing, but it doesn't have to be and 3gatsu strikes me as genuinely hopeful every step of the way (though nikaidou and shimada are my actual favourites in that series...)

There's so many interesting things Rei has going on - his relationship with his surrogate father is actually so emotionally confusing even as someone who just watches Rei - and especially his relationship with his (maybe?) sister (even Rei doesn't know). The deal with Kyouko and Rei is only occasionally touched on yet threads through so much, there's a weird codependent tug and pull of Rei feeling guilty for her and Kyouko agreeing he should while also being a complex person onto herself...

He's a funny, awkward guy who actually can be self centered and originally keeps himself away from really acknowledging or believing he can be important in people's lives and embraces that he can. Watching him truly understand how Nikaidou's always looked out for him, or come to value and rely on the sisters, or join Shimada's club... Rei is a great central character and it's always clear the writer knows exactly who he is and is handling him with care.
 
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