Anime Character Challenge [ Day Eleven & Twelve]

I'm going to flip the days because I want to end the post on a positive note, not a negative one.

Day Eleven: Least Favorite pairing. 

Let's face it. In anime there are some pairings that are just not that great. But since I only tend to watch anime with good relationships, this is tricky. Obviously I hate it when fans pair friends together - 'cause no. Especially since friendships in anime usually consists of two girls or two boys. *Sighs* However, if I'm stick to actual canon pairings, than I think my least favorite would be Zuko and Mai.

"I don't hate you." - "I don't hate you too."

I don't have anything against Zuko and Mai. I think they're a good ship. She makes him smile. She makes him happy. That's all that really matters, right? I like Zuko and Mai! I will say though, that they're relationship didn't have enough screen-time to build or flesh itself out. I know Mai liked Zuko even when they were little,  but the whole arc with their story seemed a bit underdeveloped for me. For a while I really hated Zuko with Mai because I felt that she was holding him back, or that she was a bad influence on him. I also thought that Mai only liked Zuko because he was a prince. I mean, where the heck had she been when he got banished? It wasn't like she was there for him! *SPOILERS* And where does she get off, coming back into his life only after he was accepted back home?? *END SPOILERS* Ehem. As I saw more of their scenes together I realized that Mai really did love Zuko, and he actually helped her be a better person too - but I still would have liked Zuko to end up with someone a little less surly. Someone who would make him laugh a lot, someone who was a little more of a balance when it came to his serious attitude. Someone like that cute girl that took Zuko to see the lights.

So yeah. Zuko and Mai are my least favorite pairing, but I still like them. They were cute, in their own weird way. They just wish they'd had a little more growth and depth.

Day Twelve: Favorite pairing:

Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye.

"I can't afford to lose you."

I love ships that start out simple. "Oh, so they're co-workers. Oh wow, they make a really great team. Holy crap, they have a long history together. Oh my gosh, they've helped each other through so many rough spots. Oh my gosh, they're so close. Oh my gosh, they can't loose each other. Oh myyyYYY GOSH, THEY LOVE EACH OTHER.

What I really appreciated about Roy and Riza is that their love story is the sort that sneaks up on you. And it's this strong, loyal type of love that you don't see too often. It's the type of love that has it's bases on a long, fierce friendship which built itself into love. Quietly, without either party realizing it. Roy and Riza served in the army together, they went to war together, and they schemed to keep their country safe together. They are each other's support and moral compass. They keep each other standing when life gets hard. They help each other be the best that they can be. They keep one another on the right path.

"There's someone I have to protect."

Roy and Riza are a beautiful pairing. Even if you don't see them as a couple, their friendship alone is amazing to watch. They are so protective of each other. It's adorable 8-). And Riza is one of the few people who can get a laugh out of Roy every now and then. They're perfect. They're canon. And I love them.

Anime Character Challenge [ Day Eight & Ten]

Day Eight: The Character that Drives you crazy.

In other words, a character that makes you wonder 'Why are you a thing???'

Probably the character that annoys me the most in the anime I watch, who isn't a bad-guy would be Leorio from HunterXHunter. Not only is he pointless, but he is Obnoxious and pointless. He is also a bit of a perve so. 8-P I don't think I'll even grace him with a picture. He doesn't deserve one.

I'm skipping Day Nine because it doesn't apply to the shows I've watched: 

Day Ten; The Character who has the best arc. 

I want to cop out and use Prince Zuko again. He had a beautifully written arc, one of the best in animation history. He didn't change easily. He had to make a ton of mistakes. He fought for what he wanted, however flawed it was, and he had that hard, shocking realization when he saw the how wrong he was about so many of his beliefs and ideas. His arc was incredible!!!! I love it. Every time I watch Avatar:TLA I love his character and development more. However, since I've already done a post on him, I won't rant on and on about Zuko or how fabulous he is. Instead I will talk about Roy Mustang. Because he is proof that a character doesn't have to be an antagonist to have an arc. You can be a good guy and still have depth and development! IT CAN BE DONE!

Flame Alchemist.

Roy Mustang is freaking awesome. He is a Flame Alchemist, as well as a Colonel in the Amestris Army. He served in a bloody, horrific Civil War, but instead of letting that crush his desire to be a soldier, he simply vowed to be the best soldier he could be, a soldier who does more saving than killing. A protector.

I loved how much Mustang grew through the duration of the story. When Fullmetal first began, Mustang just seemed like another angsty, detached soldier. He was hard, cold, and he could be a jerk. At first I didn't know if I'd like him too well. But gradually more of his whole self was revealed;  A man who cares an awful, awful lot. A man who would put his life before the life of his followers. A man who loves fiercely, is steadfast, and is loyal. He was rough at first, but the more you get to know him, the more you see that the roughness is just the first, thin layer of who he is as a person. And he grows so much. He starts out distant and hard to understand, but he doesn't stay that way. He lets himself be wrong. He wants to learn, and he is always striving to have a better understanding of the world around him. If something is broken he wants to fix it. He's a small pawn when the story begins, but by the end of it he has made himself one of the strongest pieces on the board. Not only that. His rough edges are smoothed. He starts to be more gentle, more understanding, more of a guardian, a mentor, and a defender. Mustang has a big heart. He has a lot to give. And he has more fight in him than any one man should have.

"You have been the most troublesome of all the State Alchemists." - Pride to Roy Mustang

Roy never surrenders. The enemy scatters his army and 'isolate' him? He comes back stronger with more men than before. He is clever and intuitive. He constantly messes with the enemy, foiling their plans and creating problem after problem for them to deal with. He is a thorn in their side, one that causes concern, annoyance and even, for some, fear. He is freaking cool. It hard to explain how fabulous he is without spoiling his arc and development. To really understand you'd just have to watch FMAB. Watch it dubbed. It's better that way.

Which 'good guy'  in animation has the best arc in your opinion? Can you think of some heroes that have incredible arcs? It doesn't even have to be a "Wrong to Right," or an "Antagonist to Protagonist," arc. It can just be a "Really good Protagonist to Fabulous,amazing Hero," Arc.

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella