I've been giving this a lot of thought, but I now feel up to attempting to answer the questions posed by 0utf0xZer0.
To put it very simply, I tend to like moe characters for these two reasons:
1) Simple aesthetic appeal. I like how most moe characters are drawn and designed. They tend to have either a loli appearance or a "girl next door" appearance. I find the loli appearance cute in a non-sexual way (that's just me personally). I find the "girl next door" appearance cute in general.
2) They are usually very good-natured, and generally positive and upbeat. In an era dominated by angsting male leads, bad ass anti-heroes, and cynical snarkers, I find that most moe characters constitute a refreshing and cheerful change of pace for me.
Most moe characters come across to me as simply nice, warm, friendly people (if they were real and not fictional, of course). I know that comes across as very hokey, but it's true, and it's something that I appreciate. It's definitely why I like most of the cast of
Clannad and
Kanon 2006, especially Kotomi Ichinose and Shiori.
Now, beyond that, I share a lot of Archon_Wing's views.
Of my five favorite anime characters of all-time, four are female, and they are Nanoha Takamachi, Haruhi Suzumiya, Shana (of
Shakugan no Shana), and Fate Testarossa.
Considerable competence in particular areas of expertise is something that all four of these characters share. All four of these characters are also very driven and determined characters who do not easily give in or quit.
So, even with moe characters, I love a "never say die" attitude.
Stoicism is probably the character trait that I like the most of them all, as it tends to tie together all of the various character traits that I do like.
I also tend to like very theatrical, or "hammy" characters. This is a big part of the reason why Haruhi is one of my favorite characters.
I like characters who come across as a bit "larger than life"; characters that tend to capture every scene that they're in.
With this in mind, while I very much like most moe characters, I'm not as much into what could be called an anime with a very relaxed, moe atmosphere.
I think that moe's strengths really come out when there's serious action and drama going on. Part of what makes the female characters of
Higurashi Kai so appealing, in my opinion, is the fact that they
really are in danger; they really do need help. "Moe" is sometimes said to evoke a strong feeling of protectiveness in the heart of the viewer; a desire to ensure that the moe character is not harmed. Well, I would say that this feeling is at its greatest, at least for me, when such harm coming to a moe character is a very real possibility.
Putting aside moe for a bit, I like suspenseful dramatic action-packed anime shows in general. I like fantasy and sci-fi. I like good multifaceted plots that are very solid, but with at least an unexpected twist or two. Animes that aim to be a bit epic in the story or stories that they seek to tell are ones that I tend to like. This is why I like a lot of mecha animes, like
Gurren Lagann and various
Gundam shows: their narratives exist on a grand scale, involving global if not interstellar conflict.
I generally don't like very weak-willed characters, and some moe characters are like this, I'll admit. I think that one thing that has hurt the perception of "moe" is how the term is tied to Mikuru Asahina in the minds of many non-Japanese anime fans.
Mikuru, while having some good character traits, does tend to exemplify a lot of the character traits that annoy many anime fans. And, somewhat incorrectly I think, those traits became associated with moe characters as a whole due to Mikuru, the "Moe Mascot" of the SOS Brigade.
Truth be told, most moe characters are not as weak-willed as Mikuru, most moe characters are more assertive than Mikuru, and most moe characters have a wider range of usefulness as characters than Mikuru does.
Moe, to me, is like having a cheerful smile on a sunny day with a brilliantly bright blue sky, walking over gregarious green grassy hills, and receiving happily hearty hugs. It's the anime equivalent of the famous "Trololol" video on YouTube
:
Ok, that was a bit silly of me, but sometimes it helps to be over-the-top to get a point across, lol.