Who is your best Key girl/guy? Write a short defense (at least a paragraph or so) on why your favorite character is THE BEST. Post it here, and feel free to respond to others. At the end, the community will vote on who had the best defense of their character.
This event runs from today until 23:59UTC on the 24th!
Every participant will earn one Light Orb for their team for a max of 2, with the community favourite earning an additional Light Orb.
Don’t forget to be civil! It’s all in good fun.
That’s right, everybody. I made Saya the picture. And you can’t argue with me because Maeda agrees! You see, Saya is pretty much written to be the ideal girl. Some would call her a Mary Sue, and to those people I say… yeah you’re probably right. But whenever her cool-spy persona is broken and she sulks, I think we can all relate to that.
Plus, she’s so cool they tried to make her again in Angel Beats.
Ideal girl? Well, if you’re Maeda, sure 
It’s also hard to call her a Mary Sue when she screws up all the time. She may be cute, I’ll give her that, but she’s also way too pretentious about herself. Sure, there may be a reason for that, but I can’t quite respect a character that can’t accept themselves for who they are 
Saya route spoilers: Now if it were Aya we were talking about, that’d be a different discussion 
I’m writing for Team Happiness
In my opinion, Kyousuke is the one of the most vital characters in the KEY universe. Which is only part of why that makes him one of the best characters. He’s the one who brings the fun to the whole world of Little Busters by bringing together the original group and then by bringing the rest of the girls. Kyousuke is not only super likable with a great sense of humor, he’s caring and compassionate too.
Kyousuke has a charismatic personality that is infectious by making every day worth living and fun experience. This is seen in his missions he did in the past, but later in their high school life and other things like his proverbs to Loi Loli Hunters and everything in between. His humor is on another level making some of the best comedy in games by KEY. It makes me wish my high school life was as fun as Kyousuke made it.
Kyousuke is accepting of others as seen from Riki and in Masato and Kengo’s route when we learn about their pasts and how he reaches out and them. He offers them a place with him to make their lives better without holding judgment where they are accepted. Kyousuke time and time again has shown to care so deeply for his friends and others. We see his selfless act in Refrain when he risks his life to save everyone on the bus by blocking the gas leak. He is also the one who created the artificial world to make Rin and Riki stronger to survive in the real world. He came up with many missions because he thought it would be the best way to prepare Rin and Riki. It shows that even if his methods aren’t agreeable with everyone, he is doing it because he loves his friends and wants them to have a great life.
Also here for Team Happiness!
I’m gonna have to rep Komari. While Komari may seem a little naive and simple on the surface, I think she’s actually really wise; she understands the simple pleasures in life, and does what she can to spread them around. Eating sweets makes her happy, so she eats them. Other people being happy makes her happy, so she tries to share her own happiness and help them when they need it. Instead of treating the world as a zero-sum game, she makes it a feedback loop of happiness!
Komari is really important as the first “new” member to join the Little Busters, and the first to be brought in by Riki instead of Kyousuke. I actually really like their little exchange of ‘best places’; when Komari asks Riki whether he has a favorite place, he responds that he’s happy wherever his friends are, but follows up in his mind that he “can’t ‘feel at ease’ in such a place.” So Komari shares with Riki her rooftop as a place to come to relax and appreciate the simple niceties of the world - the wind, the view, the stars, the taste of a particularly nice waffle - and in return, he introduces her to his own ‘best place’ by bringing her into the Little Busters, giving her a group of friends to belong with instead of just being a nice girl on the fringes of everyone’s radar, liked but not necessarily close.
She’s also really vital to both Riki and Rin’s development; of course, her nurturing Rin and helping her out of her shell is an arc that gets hammered home pretty clearly through the story, but she’s also important to Riki. Riki’s actually fairly melancholy and cynical; he has a fairly depressing view of the world, and has trouble recognizing that he can accomplish great things without Kyousuke’s help. However, over his scenes with Komari, his outlook shifts, becoming brighter as she proves to him that there are lots of great things out there if he cares to look for them. [Komari route] This grows ever clearer over the course of her character route, as Riki continues to find just how many things there are out there that can make him happy, from helping out at a senior center to sharing a sundae she’d always wanted to try. Through the route we see more and more of Komari’s positivity slipping into Riki’s narration, until he has the strength to help her out of her darkest hour just like Kyousuke once did for him. [Sasami]Her effect on him can even be seen after her character route, when he adopts one of her mannerisms to build up the courage to figure out what’s going on in Sasami route. [Refrain] Komari is also quite possibly second only to Kyousuke in how much she tries to drive the plot and help Rin and Riki get where they need to be; two of her three wishes - for Rin to keep smiling no matter what and for Riki to see all the wonderful things out there - are meant to help them find happiness no matter what happens, and at the climax of her route she pushes Riki to complete the other character routes and fulfill the dying wishes of all the other team members.
[Refrain]In fact, I’d argue that if Kyousuke created the physical window of possibility for the day to be saved by crawling to plug the gas leak, Komari can be said to have created the metaphysical opening that ensured it had to be. When she and Riki watch the meteor shower in her route, Komari introduces the idea of ‘saving’ a sad story by rewriting the ending; this theme isn’t just used by Riki to help her get over her brother’s death, but also can be seen with her trying to rewrite a fairytale that represents Kud in that route. So when we see in common route that she’s been writing one more storybook that goes unresolved until Refrain, it establishes that no matter what - whether it’s done within the scope of the visual novel or left up to a fan to write on their own - the story of the Little Busters won’t be thematically complete until somebody saves its ending too. Her sticking around to see Rin off in the ending really only solidifies that it’ll be happening as part of the novel proper.
Overall, Komari is a ray of sunshine who reminds us to have hope in hopeless situations, to always remember to appreciate the happiness we can feel in live, and to bring that happiness to those around us because doing so can only bring us further up. I’ve hardly even scratched the surface here; I haven’t talked about how perfect the simple sweetness of her route was as an introduction to Key works for my own experience, or about her worries about inadequacy shown in the story she writes about the star country, or how her assurances that she’s just normal both play into that while at the same time showing how simple and attainable her outlook is for others. That said, I don’t have to; this post is already far too long for a brief silly winter debate topic, and when she asks, there’s already more than enough evidence to say: Yes. Komari, you did get to do something awesome - possibly the most awesome thing of all.
But how can Kyousuke be the best Key Boy if he isn’t even the best LB boy? I mean, he’s awesome, but there’s someone standing in the background, yet outshining him in the long run.
“But Naoki, isn’t Kyousuke your avatar?”
Shhh!
Usually, our favorite characters are the protagonists. Because we see the world through their eyes. Because they’re with us readers all the time and therefore, the creators put the most effort into them. But most importantly, because other characters make them shine. And who spends the most time doing that? That’s right, the best friend/wingman characters! They sacrifice themselves the most, often being in charge of the comic relief.
And the one who reigns supreme on the throne of wingmen is without a doubt Little Busters’ Masato.
No other key wingman can compare.
Not the disappointing Kitagawa who does nothing.
Not the victim of mobbing Sunohara “HIIIII!” Youhei who’s mostly a punching bag and only does a useful thing once in a blue moon while otherwise only worsening a given problem.
Not Yoshino who’s too normal to get involved into the really heavy problems and isn’t even a full-time friend like the others.
Masato is the ultimate bro. His kindness is up there at the peak of Key’s kindest characters. Always there when you need him, giving you just the right amount of help. He can’t do everything, but what he does, he does with 110% commitment.
(LB girl routes)
You need the room for yourself and your girl? No problem whatsoever. He’s not smart, but he’ll still try to give you some advice when you’re stuck. Heck, thinking about complicated stuff makes him scream in agony, but he’s still gonna pull an all-nighter to prepare for classes and offer to do homework if that’s what you need right now! You brought home a dead cat? This man amongst men is gonna go out into the pouring rain and bury that cat like it’s the most obvious thing to do!
No girl could make you feel as loved and special as Masato does!
No one gets more devastated by the mere thought of being just one afternoon away from his buddy.
And all that while being the everyday lovable kinniku baka who always makes you smile with his silly antics, which are comedy gold right there! He’s gonna get kicked in the face, crawl on the floor, no shits given. If that’s what makes you laugh, then that’s all that matters. Even if a man from Kansai burns his homework with a laser beam or the earth explodes, Masato will always be there for you! He works out day in day out, but his greatest gains are the smiles of his friends!
And when things get really serious, his muscle will shine even brighter. Why? Because he’s a man of principle with an iron will. (Refrain)
Masato knew the secret of the world, but he never showed it. He pretended to be the same so that his friends could continue having fun. While the others got caught up in their little schemes, Masato never told Riki what to do. He kept acting with Riki in mind all the time, and that’s after literally enveloping him in gentle muscle and saving his life. He made one rule for himself and he followed it until the bitter end. Never putting himself first, he did his job consistently and perfectly.
Masato never seeks the limelight unless it’s to challenge his rival Kengo. But otherwise, he’s in the background, supporting his buddy with all his might. He’s the rock, the ever-reliable pillar of strength.
Without a doubt, Masato is the strongest! The best friend you could ever wish for!
Right, I’m gonna bring up something we talked about in the podcast here, but there’s really one thing about Kyousuke that prevents him being the first in my book. You are exactly right about everything you said, however, it’s his definition of what a “great life” is. Kyousuke dreams of grandeur and crazy fun as his definition of a great life. And while that is all good and well, he also pushes that idea to others, especially those close to him. And frankly, that kind of life isn’t for everyone. And I’m not all too fond of characters who like to push their own worldview, instead of trying to work with others’ worldviews
Ahh Komari. Such a great character, and a very good choice, I must say. Although, I could never consider her a “best girl” material. This might be more attuned to my personal tastes, but there is one thing she severely lacks in my book: dimension.
Komari, as you state, is a simple but wise character. She is happy to just see other people happy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she continues on that path for the rest of her life. But, where are her desires? Her motivations? Her selfishness. These little things that every human being has that sometimes we don’t even realize ourselvds. I feel that Komari lacks this sense of dimension to her character in that she has nothing to hate herself about. She has nothing to feel guilty about. She is the utmost good and that makes her great, but she lacks these flaws which could bring a great character into something more organic.
I feel like I’ve had this conversation on kaza some odd years ago, so forgive me if this sounds familiar somehow. But there’s one reason I cannot consider Masato an ultimate bro: he is unable to tell someone else when he thinks they are wrong. In fact, he has almost no sense of what is right and wrong in what others, especially his friends, do. He always plays the neutral, fun-loving card, and that loses severe points for him in my book.
I would pay good money for Masato to punch Riki for being an idiot in many of the routes 
that’s something that Sunohara did very well
Pardon me for being devil’s advocate for all of your characters, but it is quite jolly good fun to pick apart characters for their flaws (or lack of)
For Chocomint! (possibly my least surprising contribution…)
Fuko is best girl. OK so she is rather “idiosyncratic” and on a logic wavelength all of her own which makes her a bit difficult, but she has a honest “what you see is what you get” personality. I mean look at what she does to try and achieve her goal: projecting her remaining life force into a seemingly hopeless project. She has no talent for carving but spends countless hours at it nonetheless, injuring herself and even being subjected to pain (boo @ Tomoya!) in the process. Fuko expends so much time and energy trying to get a largely apathetic audience to accept her offerings. She almost alone recognises the beauty of the underappreciated starfish.
Despite their initially antagonistic relationship with Tomoya , he and his friends are won over by her earnestness and single-mindedness so much so that the little group pitch in despite her total lack of social skills and the fact that Kouko left teaching and the school years ago. Even though she is the butt of cruel pranks at her expense, she stays resolute and her dedication to the task never wavers. She helps bring the little gang and even Akio and Sanae-san together in a spirit of shared determination in this seemingly hopeless task - all for the sake of her sister.
And Fu-chan was so admired she attracted a Bodyguard / Protection Corps! She can even smell cuteness!
[spoilery Fuko route stuff follows] Then ultimately, as eccentric and maybe annoying as she might at first seem her gradual and eventual disapearance from people’s memories is one of the most affecting character moments in CLANNAD. Subconsciously she is aware that she is the reason why her sister delays her wedding and is prepared to make the needed sacrifice.
In spite of all the obstacles and much indifference she encounters and endures, Fuko and those she inspired to help her overcome all the odds, make her sister’s long dreamed for marriage to Yoshino come to fruition and provide an unexpectedly memorable day for the happy couple and hundreds of fellow students.
It’s almost all pain and no personal gain. Fuko is best girl. Failure to agree only signifies that your whole existence is weird.
Austin from Vitamin C here representing Makoto from Kanon! My love for Makoto is a special case. Most opinions about her range from indifference to full on hatred. And I will admit I was on the extreme side of that scale when I first watched Kanon. Though, my experience with her as a character started what I call The Makoto Effect. I saw her in the opening and immediately knew I would love her, but once I was introduced to her character I hated her guts. But as I learned more about her, and saw her change throughout her route, I fell in love with her and she remains one of my all time favorite characters in any medium.
Many Key fans hate her because she is an annoying brat, and they are right. She also does some questionable things that I will try to defend. But there’s not much I can do to sway that opinion. But if you look deeper, there is plenty that redeems her. I think what touched me most was the sacrifice that she made to be with Yuuichi. She knew she would be giving up her memories, and eventually her existence, but they were trivial losses compared to the short time she would be able to have with him.
Another thing I’ve noticed gets lot of hate was when she drops Piro off an overpass. This was an accident of course, and her lack of response to the situation was because she no longer understands the feeling of abandonment. That was one of her sacrifices. But she realizes her mistake and searches for hours to find Piro.
Makoto’s courage, and her ability to change herself and push forward even in her weakest moments, is what drew me to her as a character. The scene where she forces herself to remember and speak Yuuichi’s name was what most catalyzed my affection for her, sending me on the path to this belief that she is Key’s best heroine. No other heroine sacrificed as much as she did just to be with the one she loves.
I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t take this opportunity to showcase Mio’s greatness, official entry or not (it’s not). But I guess I can make it short this time.
Nishizono Mio is Key’s best girl. Why? Because she’s Mio.
Q.E.D.
I’ve omitted a couple of steps, but surely you can understand, no? No?
Fine, I’ll explain.
First of all, she possesses a rare trait among Key’s heroines: She is an educated intellectual with a refined taste who also has common sense. I can only think of one other key heroine (namely Rewrite’s Akane), who is similar in that regard. Most key girls aren’t outstandingly smart, instead standing out thanks to their childlike, ditzy innocence and cuteness and the few intellectuals instead have some heavy handicaps that make them hard to deal with under normal circumstances. But Mio is someone you can long and profound, enriching talks with.
Speaking of taste and profoundness, Mio has a fine sense of humor and she is skilled with words. Just by talking, she can exert pressure and dominate the conversation. She also knows to choose her battles wisely and always finds the right moment to strike. If that’s not classy, I don’t know what is. Seriously, Mio can dish out some sick burns. If I were on the receiving side of those, I’d probably be too busy admiring her wit to get mad.
Mio’s appearance shines with simple beauty and elegance. Many overlook her qualities due to said simplicity - she doesn’t stand out in her class at all, earning her the nickname “no shadow”. But all you need to do is look closely and you’ll have found yourself a secret gem - and that applies to everything about her, not just her looks. If you pay attention during her route, you will realize that many of the initial impressions people have of Mio are in fact, false. For example, she does enjoy company, as long as it’s the right company. As you can see, Mio’s charm points are not all obvious. Rather, just as she wants it, you have to put effort into getting to know her first. But the search certainly is rewarding.
She loves fiction, which is the ultimate form of entertainment. This is where I’ll take the opportunity to mention my favorite Mio quote:
“The reason why people write novels and read them is to lament the fact that they can live their lives only once.”
She reads books, which people rarely do anymore. But as fellow VN readers, you all understand that both fiction and long texts are awesome, so we’re already on the same page. (Get it?)
But Mio does not remain a mere consumer. No, she shows growth throughout her route by not only creating something of her own and writing a tanka, but also by infusing it with her feelings and expressing her love through it.
Next is something I find even more important: Mio values and desires long-term relationships. She seeks something genuine - which she clearly communicates. In the common route, she reveals that the contents of her favorite book have a deep personal connection to her. She sees potential in Riki and makes it clear that one day, if he displays honest interest in getting to know her, she will open up to him more and explain those deep sentiments of hers. What she seeks is not superficial sympathy, but true understanding. And understanding is the key to her entire route. In a time when interpersonal relationships are mostly casual, where friendship equals a click on facebook and may shatter due to a single text message (or the lack of one), Mio’s standards resonate with me deeply.
Mio is also an empathetic person with a strong sense of responsibility. (Route) After remembering Midori and feeling guilty for abandoning her, she decides to take responsibility for something that wasn’t her fault and let her beloved sister take her place. This shows once again how much she values the people that are dear to her. And speaking of Midori, her very existence really shows how carefully crafted a character Mio is. After all, even after completely inverting Mio’s personality for a second character, you’ll still get an outstandingly charming, profound yet also frightening girl you’d rather not mess with.
For the reasons listed here, Mio is undoubtedly the best Key girl. She stands out among the others thanks to her unique qualities and she possesses a deep and interesting personality.
Let’s wrap it here! You guys did pretty good!
We got 1 participant from Chocomint and Buff Busters and 2 from Vitamin C and Team Happiness, so that will be the light orb totals.
Pepe didn’t actually defend anyone, so I can’t include him in the poll 
I’ve asked Vitamin C and Team Happiness to designate a single argument to represent their team, and now it’s up to you to vote on who makes the most compelling argument! Have at it.
0 voters
Team Happiness wins the poll!
