: Re: Can a likeable character be unsympathetic? I believe an unlikable character can be sympathetic, although that's tricky. But can you go the other way? Can your character be likable but at the

@Fox6458700

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This is a common character archetype in Manga/Anime. After so many great responses from other users, this is the only input that I can think to add. Standback, The Prolific Bastard, gave an fantastic reply. Toward the end of his answer he said this:

However, this does suggest a strategy for having such a character for a short stint - take a likable character, and have him serve as an antagonist or an obstacle for some portion of the story. Portray him as being difficult and perhaps villainous - don't provoke reader sympathy for him in any way; don't emphasize his motives or his emotions

I will stick with a very popular example. In the manga Bleach there is a character that appears fairly early on named Zaraki Kenpachi that serves as a major antagonist and obstacle for the main character, Kurosaki Ichigo. He is painted as a pure killer. His motivation is to seek out the strongest opponents he can find. His joy comes from the fight. He is hard to identify with, but very likable. He is simple.

For the entire encounter you know nothing about his motivations other than his love of fighting. The story leaves you with a ton of questions and next to no answers. He is likable, insane and very unsympathetic. It is clear that dying while fighting an opponent stronger than himself is something he would find satisfying. It is hard to have sympathy for him on any level, largely because of his lack of complexity.

Standback goes on to say:

For this portion, the readers will not sympathize with him; he is in their way, he is unsympathetic (right now). But he'll still be likable (and, in fact, you can even portray his "good features," things readers like about him).

This is exactly how Kenpachi is written. When you learn some of his back story you may feel some sympathy for him, but it will probably be short lived. Another character in Bleach with a similar setup is Kuchiki Byakuya. Byakuya is much more complex than Kenpachi and is motivated by a complex mass of conflicting emotions and obligations. When he first comes on the scene he is intensely cold and completely unrelatable. Byakuya is seemingly the polar opposite of Kenpachi.

If I keep this up I'm afraid I am going to grow a name for referencing Manga/Anime in my answers. Owell, could be worse. This type of character is so common in manga that it is expected most of the time.

I found this link to be interesting about the magnificent bastard archetype. tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/SoYouWantTo/WriteAMagnificentBastard

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