The Good to Know Prologue!
“(*A quote from a Discord conversation*)
”I like my favourite characters for the same reason; they’re the kind of people you can idolize for their strength in conviction, principle and personality without the potential curse that is meeting your heroes.
-Karim Abbadi”
Now I know the internet hasn't asked for my opinion on this, yet, since I’m currently a student of writing, this gives me a good excuse to geek out a bit. Today, I'll be talking a bit about one of "My Top Three Favorite Fictional Character's and Why they’re so Legendarily Well-Written," along with my analysis on the storytelling subtexts behind each authors character. Links are in 'bold' to learn more about the author and their work.
Alita aka Yuko (English version)
Image (Right) courtesy of Yukito kishro’s graphic novel ‘Battel angel alita Last Order
The character we will be looking at today is Yukito Kishiro's main character Alita, from the graphic novels "Battle Angel Alita." Initially released within the 1990s, after almost 20 years, a movie adaptation released in 2019 called "Alita Battle Angel," directed by Robert Rodriguez with initial pick-up by James Cameron, who aided in Production during the film's development.
Just in case if you were curious a bit about its Japanese roots, the title version of Battle Angel Alita is known as GUNNM exclusively in Japan. Shown in Shueisha's Weekly Business Jump [a manga preview & publishing company] who Yukito's worked with during his initial career.
Each character we will be going through has a specific aspect of depth, vitality and sincere intoxicating qualities that I would like to do justice (and briefly, otherwise, it'll be an essay). Most of us have role-models of personalities we crave to achieve or hope to encounter utilizing casual interpersonal relationships, professional or otherwise.
(Looking at you, every Internet fandom and Rule #34.)
I am become Depth, Distributor of Analysis. (Deep Dive Character Time!)
Courtesy from Yukito kishro’s first published volume of Battle Angel alita.
Apart from the appeal from most of these characters stemming from their story of the struggle to developed badass, Alita (and especially Yukito writing) brings a quality of natural and sincere development to her character that can be captivating, other than just a pretty face. Alita is a cyborg as her story begins with a fated encounter with Doc Ido, a Cybernetics Engineer.
Ido finds her under a coma-like slumber within the machine scrapyard, her figure nearly limbless but a head attached to her torso. As Ido restores her into consciousness, she awakens, remembering nothing of her past life. The sentimental doctor provides her with a new, placeholder name, "Alita," a name precious to Ido's during the passing of someone dear to him, giving new hope (and purpose) for our main character.
After weeks of ambiguous odd jobs on the side, Ido restores Alita with a new cybernetic body. Alita's journey of self-discovery begins as she encounters the morbidly strange and cynical in her compelling adventures. The main reason why I love Alita's character so much is how this character story arc is one big metaphor. Her amnesia is the catalyst for some psychological horrors of self-esteem and a lack of authentic identity, feeling that you are nothing of value to the world. Mental health can be a grey area for everyone; within storytelling, it can be a healthy thought experiment on how we deal with our headspace and sense of conviction.
Battle Angel Alita presents a cautionary (yet sometimes cheesy) tale of a character who's reset in life, remembering nothing, feeling like nothing while crumbling upon our mindset of despair. Our one shot in life is our decision to deal with hardship, gaining the strength for something better we doubt we deserve the chance. Your hopes and dreams begin with you.
That’s All, Folks! Thank you for reaching this far! You have my eternal gratitude!
Continue with us next time, in another compact deep-dive.
“The Analysis of Character! Sticking our ideas about our favorite characters where they don’t belong.”
Karim Abbadi
Greetings! An interest of mine is my love of storytelling, both fiction and non-fiction. The wealth of history and connection we have with characters and their personalities from all walks of life and literature take a special place in our hearts to whom we desire to aspire too.
