Tenko's original character design character design screams her, so why did Danganronpa S take that away from her?
Tenko’s original character design embodies her as a character especially her personality. Her extra frills (which she added by herself to make them more appealing to women) and her abs (which only women are allowed to touch) socks and sandals multiple hair accessories. Kodaka literally described it as "a fashion disaster that shows off the light-heartedness of a sportsy girl mixed with the harmonious Japanese essence."
(I personally headcanon that when Tenko was at the temple she was reading those teen girl magazines and it said something like "girls love accessories and frills" and she said bet and went a bit overboard.)
Just by looking at Tenko, you can tell that she is a very passionate girl who puts her heart into things and is bubbly and eccentric and that is part of what a character design is supposed to do.
It doesn't just stop at her original design even her Tenko's 10th anniversary outfit reflects her personality. I love the suit top skirt combo, the top hat, her hair etc . I think it's very Tenko, and very pretty.
I don't, however, like Tenko's Danganronpa S swimsuit. In the game, Tenko wears a pink and plaid, two-piece that completely takes away everything I complimented about her character design. Tenko is supposed to be this eccentric character with a bad fashion sense (I guess plaid is a weird pattern for a swimsuit, but still.)
Where are the frills, the cutesy additions to make it appealing to women? It's just plain.
I guess there isn't much you can do with a swimsuit, but on the other hand, I've seen people design way better swimsuits for Tenko that really portray her well and encapsulate what I wish her original design had done. So I guess the devs wanted it to be boring.
Examples that I believe fit Tenko really well:
@chibigaia-art redesign is really Tenko and captures her essence and personality with her extra frills and abs. You can view her amazing redesign here.
https://www.tumblr.com/chibigaia-art/661063246304985088/gave-tenko-the-abs-and-frills-she-deserves?source=share
@cl4ret-10ko redesign looks like something Tenko would wear and differs from the basic two pieces all the other girls wear especially with the added additions of the inflatable armbands bands and the abs. You can view their amazing redesign here.
https://www.tumblr.com/cl4ret-10ko/657459375318941696/redesigned-tenkos-swimsuit-closeup?source=share
And then there's the other side of Tenko's design problem in Danganronpa S, the abs Where are the abs! Kodaka explicitly said she had them so where are they? None of the athletic girls except Sakura have abs, and knowing the fandom i'm pretty sure the majority would love seeing more muscular girls with scars, so I don't know why the devs were being cowards about it.
Tenko's character design was eccentric, passionate, and bold. But Danganronpa S stripped that all away, leaving her with a swimsuit design that could have literally belonged to anyone else. No frills. No chaotic choices. No abs. Just the shell of a girl that was never meant to blend in. If fan artists' swimsuit designs can capture Tenko's essence, what excuses do the devs have? They played it safe and, in doing so, gave us an okay swimsuit and erased everything that made Tenko her.
Tenko deserved so much better.
(And if either artist is uncomfortable with me doing that I will remove it. 👍)
Sexism in DRV3 is crazy-like which loud, hot headed, oddly dressed, self sacrificical, hero complex having supportive character do you like more? But ones a girl.
It's not about disliking any of them honestly-I used to hate Kaito for no reason-if you asked me I wouldn't be able to give you a straight answer.
Now I appreciate his character and actually like him and he is my second or third favorite male character (the spot for second place fluctuates with Kokichi.)
That said its worth recognizing the double standards, you can ignore and forgive every questionable thing Kaito says but don't start hating on Tenko for her male hating when it isn't even that bad.
You don’t have to love Tenko just like you don't have to love Kaito. But it's worth asking: "are we holding the girls to a different standard than the boys?"
If Kaito’s flaws don't ruin his character for you the same ones that Tenko has shouldn’t ruin her character either.
It's okay to have preferences but at least be honest with why you hold them. Saying "hey I'm biased I just like Kaito more than Tenko" or "I don't like Tenko for this super specific reason" is totally valid. But sometimes the reasons people hate Tenko don't hold up when you compare her to Kaito, and that's worth thinking about.
No hate if you like either and not the other- this is specifically for the people who say "I don't like Tenko for her personality and sexism" but then defend Kaito from any criticism about his personality or sexism/ toxic masculinity. I think it's worth questioning whether the issues might be more about how we treat certain flaws than the characters themselves.
I've always been terrified of body horror, not just because of the grotesqueness but because of how it strips away your autonomy, turning you into something monstrous in the eyes of the world. It's the fear of losing control of your own body, of becoming something unrecognizable not just physically but mentally, and I believe Danganronpa V3 follows this same theme.
Not to the same extent as body horror, but the true terror of V3 isn't the killing game, it's what comes after-the unraveling of your very identity, realizing that everything about you, your relationships' backstories and personalities are all written by someone else. You're left not as who you once were, but someone else entirely a puppet to the whims of a creator.
And the worst part, there's really no one you can confide in. You don't want to hang around the people from your past, the ones who cling to the person you once were and now only see you as a celebrity on their favorite show, but the people who have been through the same things as you remind you of your past trauma. The people who should bring comfort only bring more ghosts.
And Team Dr could have changed anything to fit their mold of a perfect character your body something minor from eye color to hair texture to more major things like body type or gender your backstory if they make your character unlikeable, you're remembered like that forever think Kiyo and Miu or give you such a horrible yet detailed backstory that you have nightmares about it like you actually lived it (Maki and Ryoma) the identity crisis is the true killer.
It's also the horror of freewill. Before, all of your choices were pre-written. Now you have control of your own body, but it's terrifying when you don't even know who you are, you don't have any foundation to build your future on. You also lose your sense of purpose in the killing game. At least you had escape to push you forward and motivate all your decisions, but now you have nothing what you are supposed to do with your life.
Get a job? Where you'll be heckled for being in the latest season of Danganronpa by coworkers and fans alike, which brings me to my next point. You'll just be seen as the fictional character you were inside the game, and you know how some fans act theuy would admire you ridicule you treat you like an animal in a zoo like how some people act with celebrities stalk them have tattoos of them try to hurt them sexually, or otherwise it would be hard to go anywhere, and you may not even be safe in the privacy of your own home.
And sticking on the path of being a celebrity Team Dangaronpa using the cast for the press, especially if Shuichi actually ended the franchise, they would have to milk them for all their worth to try to hold onto straws as their biggest series falls apart around them invasive QnAs, forced smiles for photoshoots fake relationships to appease to the fans use your trauma annd suffering for content.
And wherever you go, you're haunted by your trauma. People dressing up as your friends in videos talking about your death, fans raving about your execution even after you escape. The pain isn't over.
That's the true horror of Danganronpa V3 not the blood, not the executions, not the killing game, but the aftermath. The terrifying questions of: were you ever real in the first place? How do you figure out who you truly are? And what does it mean to truly live?
It's weird how the characters that we and the game constantly call stupid are actually some of the smartest.
Well, a lot of characters fit this bill, but seeing as I am a DR rant blog, I'm talking specifically about Tenko Chabashira, Kaito Momota, and Gonta Gokuhara.
Now these characters are now referred to as dumb by the game and particularly the fandom for pretty similar reasons.
Gonta because of his speech pattern particularly is portrayed as Tarzan's speech, and his understanding of normal things we find simple like technology and most famously in chapter 4 where he was manipulated by Kokichi, but the localization, NIS America did change his character a lot they changed his backstory and how the whole killing game buster thing happened in chapter 4.
Which is funny because all three of the characters I'm talking about in this rant were changed pretty heavily by NIS America.
In the Japanese characterization, Gonta's backstory is more ambiguous, being raised by a forest family and developing an extensive knowledge of insect species, his speech pattern is more polite and formal, and the third-person way of speech is culturally associated with child-like innocence and a cute endearing or 'quirky' personality-not dumb.
And in chapter 4 he had more of an idea what was going on in Kokichi's plan from the beginning and acted upon his own decisions rather than just being a blindly lead victim till the end.
But in general, Gonta has a deep knowledge of insects and astrology (for this analysis we are ignoring the ending) and good observational skills that are helpful in class trials like how he noticed that he must be far away from home because the constellations looked different in chapter two and his knowledge about the state of the floorboards and the way the seesaw trick was carried out in chapter three which span both the Japanese and English translations.
Kaito is portrayed as being dumb due to his struggles in trials and his refusal to acknowledge certain truths because they go against his ideals.
But Kaito's intelligence while being shown in some ways on paper by passing the astronaut entrance exams excels in more ways than academically he has emotional intelligence and leadership shown by how he interacts with everyone particularly him supporting Shuichi and pushing him to grow his confidence and seeing past Maki cold exterior and helping her open up emotionally and also in chapter 5 acting out Kokichi's plan which shows strategy and trust.
He also possesses a good amount of street smarts that people overlook.
Tenko is often seen as dumb because of her loud over emotional nature and mannerisms. Some people also don't take her seriously because of her 'man-hating' and her relationship with Himiko.
Tenko also has the same problem as Gonta with localization. In the original Japanese her speech patterns are more elegant and refined, and her male hating is turned back exponentially.
Tenko is however extremely emotionally intelligent her flipping ability which allows her to read people's emotions contributes to this as well as her encouraging Shuichi to build his confidence and Himiko to express her emotions more.
It spans beyond this however in chapter 3 Tenko infiltrates Angie's cult to protect Himiko and avoids brainwashing as well as making it her mission to help Himiko grow from her emotional suppression.
Finally, Tenko allows herself to be the medium for Angie (whom she had a rivarly with) in the seance for Himiko showing her deep empathy self-awareness and willingness to prioritize someone else's emotional healing over her own safety. Is a clear demonstration of her emotional intelligence and wisdom.
In conclusion, whether a character is intelligent or not really depends on how the piece of media portrays the character and how the viewers define intelligence.
I think school systems have definitely skewed our perceptions of intelligence making us think intelligence is just test scores and book smarts rather than street smarts and emotional intelligence.
Gonta Kaito and Tenko- while not in the same as Shuichi or Kokichi- are smart. And I don't think our skewed perception and bad localization should determine how we view them.
Some characters are written to be dumb, and that's fine but Gonta Kaito and Tenko? They aren't.
They're loud, naive, and emotional but they aren't complete idiots.
And I hope this rant helped you realize that.
The existential crisis that is waking up in a body that isn't your own in a life that isn't your own but it really is yours and your perception of fiction and reality has been warped so much you still believe you're the person you were written to be in the simulation even though you know that person is fake because it's the only sense of identity you have left.
It's like having two people trapped in your body the person you were in the simulation and the person you used to be.
honestly, i really hope tsumugi lied A Lot at the end of V3 because if she is even telling 90% of the truth, the survivors are exiting the game into an existential nightmare
Hello I’m back from the dead I’ve been busy but I’m back with more Dr rants.
And I promise after this it will go back to the normal rants unless you guys like this form of content.
I fucking love Tenkaemaki that’s it that’s the whole post.
They’ve been my ot3 for a while after I stopped really hardcore shipping Tenmiko and Tenmaki became my otp and ughhhh! they’re just so ahhhhhh!
Like of course I can say that they’re cute and Maki has two loving girlfriends that will treat her like the princess she is and Kaede gets two strong girlfriends to simp over and Tenko gets two girlfriends she can protect from degenerate males even though they don’t really need her to but…
It’s also Maki having two overly affectionate girlfriends and being like affectionate ugh what is this give me more it’s Kaede not having to carry a burden by herself it Tenko caring and being cared for in return and finding true strength in leaning on others and not putting herself in danger time and time again because even though it’s a nice gesture to put yourself on the line to protect someone she has people who love her waiting for her at home.
It’s all of them not asking for help and caring for others without caring for themselves and having acts of service as a love language.
It’s Kaede sitting up all night pacing around her room waiting for her girlfriends to come back from their very dangerous jobs/ talents ready with tea and cuddles and comforting words. It’s Tenko and Maki forcing Kaede to take a break because she’s been wearing her self thin focusing on the class’s well being.
It’s all of them definitely pondering committing crimes for each other.
It’s them not having to say I love you they know in every touch every action every gesture.
It’s Maki’s bluntness and Kaede’s gentle Tenko’s hyperactive.
It’s Tenko and Maki both being so disconnected from their childhood due to their upbringing and Kaede giving them those gentle nice things they never got just so they know they deserve it and that they’re allowed to have nice things.
It’s Maki and Kaede stopping Tenko from being to hard on herself and over working herself it’s them correcting her how ever many times that it takes after she claims she’s not pretty enough not talented enough not good enough.
It’s Maki still not being used to affection after being tackle hugged for years but comfortable enough that she lets herself be hugged without retaliation and even reciprocates or initiates the affection.
It’s Kaede kissing Tenko and Maki’s scars.
It’s the group wondering how emotionally closed off cold and blunt Maki got two girlfriends.
It’s the fact they can make each other better and help each other grow in the best ways.
It’s the fact that they’re all independent and strong but have this mutual protection where no one is truly the “weak” one, but they all fall into that role for each other at times.
It’s rotating cycle of tough love and tenderness where each one of them refuses to rest until the other two do first.
It’s the “I’m hurt but you’re hurting more so I’m going to take care of you first but I know when you’re better you’re going to be pissed.”
Each of them keeps thinking they’re the burden, while the other two are the ones who truly deserve love and rest. So it turns into this heartbreaking relay race of:
“You’re always protecting us. Let us protect you.”
“You always listen. Let us listen to you.”
“You always take care of things. Let us take care of you.”
TenKaeMaki is amazing they’re so good and I just want the best for all my girls dammit all three of them deserve the world.
superparadise i held onto but i settle for a ghost separates:
Ethicality is the adherence to moral principles in decision-making and actions, evaluating whether something is right or wrong.
However, ethics in the form of Danganronpa is where the lines start to blur. It's not as simple as right and wrong. When your life is on the line, you can justify killing someone as self-defense, right? But it's not that simple once you add in the psychological and emotional factors—the stakes change.
What's the value of a life, especially one that's a stranger? What happens when that stranger becomes someone you actually care about? The price of their life may change, and suddenly, it's a whole new ballgame. So the questions become: how much would it take for you to kill someone, and is murder ever justified?
That’s what Danganronpa forces us to confront death isn’t just a consequence it’s the game and with every death comes new motives emotions and decisions behind it.
Some characters may seem like their killing to survive others do it for greed and their own personal gain and then you have the people who act out of pure fear and panic.
The physiological pressure the manipulation the backstabbing these aren’t just trivial things and there’s a thing in here somewhere about how being in a killing game environment isolated from the rest of the world with a bunch a strangers who can kill you at anytime would change you as a person effect your morals and such (but this sadly isn’t about that and maybe I’ll touch on that later, ) this is about how the killing game makes us and the characters question whether murder is even okay? Where do we draw the line? and why do we forgive some and ostracize others?
Of course, your first thought would be absolutely not murder is not okay, never under any circumstance. But then the other thoughts start to roll in, you think about your family you think about your life outside the game you think about the value of your own life then you start making friends with with the strangers that you’re trapped with, and you start to think about the value of their life then it becomes a twisted mess and the answer isn’t just a simple no anymore it becomes a no except… a maybe a yes only… your perception becomes skewed as other factors are weighed in.
Should we feel sorry for the murders or should we see them as monsters and what’s the cuff off point where do draw the line for sympathetic killer and heartless murderers
So, with all that in mind, how do we even begin to break down the ethics of murder in Danganronpa? It’s not a simple black-and-white answer. But here’s a framework to think about it:
Murder in Danganronpa: Breaking It Down with MBBCO Motive Brutality Bias Context and Obligation
*For specifically Dr based on the blackened trials and reactions of other students probably not good for use in real world situations*
Why did they do it? The motive is essential because it gives us a reason behind the action. Is it for the sake of others, like Kaede killing to end the killing game, or for personal gain, like Celestia? Some motives may seem more honorable, but it all comes down to perspective. Did they kill out of desperation, or was it a calculated act for personal gain? Understanding the motive helps weigh the ethicality of the act.
How did it go down? Was the murder violent and grotesque, or was it quick, swift, and painless? Brutality plays a significant role in how we perceive the act. Junko's actions were very gruesome and treated like a spectacle, while Kiyo killing Angie was painless, not very gruesome, and simple. Even though both had reasons, how the murder went down makes a huge difference. Was it cold or heartless, or were there moments of hesitation? Brutality not only shapes the act but also the way we see the killer.
Who is the victim, and who is the killer? Bias can cloud judgment, and while it shouldn't determine ethics, sometimes it still can. Take Kaito vs Kokichi, for example. The majority of the cast is quick to defend and stand by Kaito but ostracize Kokichi. This extends to everything, including murder. These biases sometimes get in the way, skewing the perception of ethicality.
Context: What was the situation? This is vital because the surrounding circumstances heavily influence the actions. If a character kills in self-defense, it changes things compared to a murder driven by power. Take Mondo as an example: Mondo killed Chihiro not just because of personal animosity but because of Mondo's fragile sense of pride and guilt. In his case, the context wasn't just survival or revenge; it was deeply tied to his own internal battle of self-worth. Context can either justify or complicate the ethical decision to kill.
Obligation: Was it a choice? In a killing game, the definition of choice can be murky. Was the character forced into a situation where they had to kill for survival, or was it something they actively chose for personal reasons? In some cases, like Hifumi's, it's clear he was manipulated, while many other characters acted on their own volition. The sense of obligation varies depending on the killer's mindset and circumstances.
Murder is always murder, regardless. But this doesn't mean we should ignore the complexities that determine the ethics and morals of each murder in the killing games. It's not always clear-cut, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Some characters make decisions we might understand, even if we don’t agree with them. Others make choices that are downright horrifying, and no amount of explanation can justify that. But that’s the beauty (and horror) of Danganronpa: it forces us to question the morality of our actions, and whether any of us would really be able to survive in such a twisted situation without crossing a line.
Hey, pausing the not so regularly scheduled Danganronpa rants to talk about a passion project of mine that has complety taking over my brain for the past several months.
You ever start a joke and then wake up one day realizing it’s gone way too far? Yeah. That’s The Duck Game.
It started with a simple board game, a dumb conversation, and a Danganronpa fanfic idea that spiraled completely out of control.
And now, somehow, it’s a real, fully fleshed-out narrative RPG about the dark side of ambition, success, and power.
Let me explain.
One day, my friend Jensen brought in a board game called Abducktion by Very Special Games.
It’s a strategy game where you move colored ducks into formations to score points. The game had this story where you’re an intern at a UFO company abducting ducks, and in the single player mode you could gain promotions based on how many points you earned.
So, as my friends Jensen, and Braylon were playing, we started joking around. What if Abducktion wasn’t just a fun little game? What if the boss was actually using it to weed out the weak to find the best interns, promote them and get rid of the rest?
And that’s when I thought: Wait. This would make a great fanfic.
I didn’t want to write a fic about me and my friends, so I did the next logical thing—turn it into a Danganronpa fanfic. That same day, literally hours later, I had a draft for the first chapter, multiple endings planned, and a whole choice-based structure where readers would click links to different chapters based on their decisions.
Then I realized... that would be alot of work even for an over-obsessed Danganronpa fan.
So, I told my friend Braylon about the idea, and he said:
"If you come up with the ideas, me and my team could make it a game for you."
And just like that, me and his team partnered up. But there was one little problem:
Copyright.
I couldn’t just submit a Danganronpa fanfic as a standalone game and try to market it off as my own that would be a legal disaster.
But then I remembered—my stupid brain had already come up with HCs so OOC they twisted the characters beyond reconigtion.
So I took my favorite (sadly) non canon friend group—Tenko, Kokichi, Maki, Shuichi, Kaito, and Kaede—gave them new names, new roles, new backstories, new trauma, and new relationships and boom.
The Duck Game was born.
What started as a ha-ha funny idea spiraled into something way bigger than I ever expected.
When I was writing the idea down for the first time I literally wrote "The Duck Game, lmao no way this will go anywhere"
And now, several months later, here I am—actually making a real game. And honestly? I’m really proud of myself (which is rare, so that’s how you know this means something).
It's also really weird to be super fixated on something that isn't Danganronpa for once.
It’s a narrative-driven RPG about climbing the corporate ladder at a shady company called Luxus Enterprises. You play as Bennett Brooks, an anxious intern who slowly gets tangled in a world of corruption, power, and moral compromise.
Every decision you make shapes his relationships, his career, and who or what he ultimately becomes.
With multiple endings, branching choices, and a heavy focus on ethical repercussions, The Duck Game asks one question:
"How far would you go for success?"
If you're into narrative driven games, power struggles, and complex characters you'll love The Duck Game. It's got drama, tough choices, and dark themes, with a unique twist on corporate ambition and moral dilemmas.
It's still a WIP but I'm excited to share as it develops. Follow @theduckgameoffical for updates!
If you're intrested I'd appreciate you checking it out! Your feedback and support let me know people are invested, but no pressure.
Thank you so much for all the support you’ve shown on my rants and projects in the past—I’m really excited to work towards making The Duck Game a fully fledged game with all of your help!
It’s like an unspoken rule in fandom: if you have a favorite character—a “blorbo”—you want to see them suffer. Not in a mean way (we love them!), but in a put them through hell and watch them break kind of way. And then, once they’ve been completely emotionally destroyed, we turn around and say, “Actually, I want them to be the happiest person alive.”
We’ll write fics where they get to be safe, loved, and thriving… but also fics where they’re barely holding it together. We’ll create AUs where the worst never happened, only to still find ways to make them suffer. It’s the duality of fandom.
But why do we do this? Why does suffering make our favorite characters better in our eyes?As a Danganronpa fan, I’ve seen this in action a lot. We’ll create non-despair AUs, but will that stop the angst? Nope. We’ll write post-game fics where the survivors try to move on, but the trauma still eats them alive. And yet, we also turn around and make content where they’re happy, together, and free.
It’s this weird push and pull between wanting them to heal… and wanting to drag them through the worst imaginable pain first.
So what is it about suffering that makes characters so compelling?
Let’s be real: watching a character go through hell makes them more interesting. A character who’s just happy all the time? Kinda boring. But a character who’s been through the worst and still keeps going? Now we’re talking.
There’s something about seeing them struggle that makes them feel more real. You get to see their vulnerabilities, their breaking points, and how they react under pressure. And when they do manage to grow from it, it feels earned.
Take Shuichi, for example. Seeing him go through all the weight of his friends dying then taking down the game that caused their suffering that's the good stuff. It feels so much more meaningful because we saw what it took to get there.
Characters who suffer just feel more real. Nobody’s life is perfect, and when fictional characters go through tough times, it makes them feel more human. Their emotions—whether it’s grief, fear, or desperation—make them easier to connect with.
Even if we haven’t been through the exact same things, we get the emotions behind them. Seeing them struggle can feel like looking in a mirror sometimes, and that connection is what makes us latch onto them so hard.
Ryoma is emotionally distant and initially refuses to get involved with the other students, but as the story progresses, his humanity shines through. His struggles with loneliness, despair, and his desire for redemption mirror universal feelings of wanting to escape the weight of loss while still searching for a meaningful connection.
His suffering, especially in dealing with his personal guilt and past trauma, can make him a very relatable character for some, as many of his emotional challenges are reflective of real-world emotional battles people face. Ryoma’s journey throughout the game embodies the theme of human vulnerability and the complexities of trying to find hope in the face of overwhelming darkness.
The reason we love to make our faves suffer and be happy is because one makes the other hit so much harder. If a character’s just happy all the time, it doesn’t feel as impactful. But when a character has been through hell and finally gets a moment of peace? That’s when we feel it.
Think about it: watching Maki smile after everything she’s been through? That is what makes it powerful. If she was just happy from the start, it wouldn’t have the same weight. The suffering makes the happiness feel earned.
Let’s be honest, sometimes we just project a little too hard. Watching characters go through emotional breakdowns, trauma, and existential crises is basically free therapy at this point. We put them through pain, watch them survive it, and in some weird way, it helps us process our own emotions
It’s like, “If they can make it through this, maybe I can too.” Their suffering feels familiar, but their healing gives us hope. It’s weirdly comforting, even if we’re the ones making them miserable in the first place.
Take Kokichi underneath all his lies and pranks, there's a longing for genuine connection and understanding, but he’s terrified of being vulnerable.
Kokichi's journey through deception and eventual emotional exposure offers a deep form of catharsis. Fans can project their own feelings of vulnerability, fear, and longing onto him, and when he finally allows himself to show his true emotions, it’s a bittersweet release that resonates on a personal level.
Let’s be real: we see ourselves in our favorite characters. Whether it’s their insecurities, their struggles, or just the way they react to things, we latch onto them because we relate. So when they suffer, it feels personal.
And when they finally win—whether that means healing, finding happiness, or just getting a break—it feels like a win for us too. Seeing them overcome their struggles gives us the tiniest bit of hope that maybe we can too.
Many people can project onto Kaito because, despite his loud personality, he struggles with feelings of inadequacy and fear, particularly surrounding his health and the pressure to be the "Ultimate Astronaut"—a title that weighs on him heavily.
Kaito represents the idea of pushing through hardship while trying to maintain an outward appearance of confidence, which is something a lot of fans can relate to, especially when dealing with their own struggles while trying to appear strong or capable to others. The way Kaito allows his insecurities and fears to be buried under his bravado speaks to the way many people carry their own emotional burdens while trying to stay positive for others. When fans project onto him, they might see aspects of themselves, their own struggles with self-doubt, or the desire to be a source of support and strength for others.
At the end of the day, we love seeing our favorite characters suffer because it makes their stories deeper, more emotional, and more relatable. Their pain makes them feel more real, their growth makes them more compelling, and their happiness—when they finally get it—feels earned.
It’s not just about watching them struggle or giving them a happy ending—it’s about the journey in between. And that’s what makes storytelling (and fandom) so addictive.
So yeah, I will continue to put my favorite characters through hell… but only because I love them. (Sorry Tenko.)
Why do you love "torturing" your favorite character is it one of the reasons above or do you have your own reason?
To preface I am a Tenko fan but even if I wasn't I still wouldn't get it, because you would only come to that conclusion if you changed Tenko’s entire backstory and I don't understand why you would because it's not really gendered.
Tenko’s master could have taught a boy that he shouldn't hurt women because that's bad and only what 'degenerates' do without the specific extra warnings about men that a woman may get because they are more susceptible to being assaulted by a man, then could still take Tenko out into the streets to protect woman, and beat up predators.
Tenko would then act pretty much the exact same as in the game, protecting women and hating men who hurt women, he might just be a little less overbearing on his hatred towards men (unless his master still told him about how bad and horrible men are without making a separation between bad men and good men and he grew up with some self hatred.) It might be a bit unnerving for a guy to be like "men are always trying to prey on vulnerable women" but he wouldn't be a misogynist.
And I don't think Tenko would be an alpha male or nice guy stereotype because there would be nothing to influence that. People aren't born with ideals or beliefs and there is nothing in Tenko's backstory that would have caused that.
Do people think that just because Tenko dislikes men as a women she'll dislike women as a man?
Tenko's animosity wouldn't change based on gender it would just transfer over.
I know Tenko's master had an anti romance stance, and might tell him that interactions with women would weaken his neo aikido energy so that he wouldn't date them, but then on the other hand if there's so many sexual predators out that they can just go out and find them multiple nights he would have to teach Tenko something about bad men and how some women get taken advantage of especially since Tenko in this situation is a man himself. Then he would still want to give Tenko a moral compass so they would still go out and protect woman.
Tenko's reason for hating men is mostly experiences anyway, the master's words are just the straw that broke the camels back.
There would be a lot of mixed messages, and the two would probably just cancel each other out and make Tenko more awkward around women. For example Tenko would protect Kaede or someone and then she would give him a hug and he would be like "no Kaede you can't do that you're going to make Tenko weaken his neo aikido energy."
Then Tenko would be afraid of having romantic or sexual thoughts about woman because A he doesn't want to fall back on his training and B he doesn't want to turn into the men he fought on the streets.
But that's just my characterization.
The gag is like Tenko as a man spews traditional gender norm like oh woman should be in the kitchen make me a sandwich but she doesn't say men are the earners of the household you shouldn't cry because you're a man etc so that doesn't make any sense.
Also male Tenko is basically just Kaito and plenty of people love him.
Second also if Tenko was a man he would transition to be a woman.
Someone please explain it to me because I don't get it.