Quote:
Originally Posted by novalysis
I've noticed that there's a trend where LN characters feel richer once you get access to their internal monologue. Kyon, for example, I'd think would be very boring if we didn't have private access to his snarky narration.
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You have to distinguish LN narrator's ROLE vs the narrator as a character's personality. Perhaps I'm jaded, I automatically filter out parts that I recognises as narration (which is all too common) and treat it as such. An analogy is a policeman may be stern as dictated by his job but that doesn't mean he has to have the policeman persona away from the job. Kodaka is snarky or perceptive when the narration calls for him to alert viewers of OTHER character's traits. Eg noting a change, or something that reinforces a character's defined personality. On the other hand, when it comes to Kodaka's OWN self deprecating monologue about himself, you can safely conclude that it is himself. The two sides of Kodaka are not necessarily consistent and I do not believe they should be lumped together.
Kodaka on the scale of things is mostly a narrator rather than a fleshed out character. For we still don't understand the motive - what drives Kodaka. As for an exmple for a similar male, harem lead character in a light novel that actually has fleshed out personality - look no further than Haganai's collaboration partner Seitogai's Ken.
Had a chuckle about comments re: overthinking. When you start to cross into character motives/cause and effect, you are already overthinking. The only difference is in the opinion.