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I'd like to ask about the character importance in Hatsukoi Limited. (I don't think entering error reports and then copy/pasting the info for all the entries is a good idea, hehe)

The anime focuses on a different character per episode, and the plot summary says that the story of each character intertwines at the end.

My concern is that the character listings say that the character Ayumi Arihara is the main character, and then the others are listed as secondary.
Ayumi Arihara was the main character for episode 1, and then the focus shifts to a different character for the next episode. (as is the case with all the episodes that have aired so far)

I was wondering if the encyclopedists can shed some light on what to do. Thanks! Smile

There's no main character at all?? Usually it's possible to point to one character who acts as a kind of thread to unify the various vignettes. But if that's not the case in Hatsukoi Limited, then either

a) each episode has 3 kinds of characters: a main character + important supporting cast + extras
-----> 8 main characters

b) each episode has 2 kinds of characters: important + extras
-----> 0 main characters

woah, I didn't know it was possible to not have a main character, haha. Surprised

I guess I'll have to wait until the end of the series to see if a main character can actually be derived from the story.

thanks! Smile

I posted this a while back and I'm revisiting it.
I'm highlighting the parts of the story where the character is the main focus of a particular episode. They also figure prominently in other aspects of the story.
(SPOILER ALERTS, since I have to try to justify their positioning)
This also tries to follow the premise in the "submit cast member" of ANN that a primary character is "who the story is about", a secondary character is someone where "the story doesn't hinge around them but they are still very important to the storyline" and that a tertiary character has a small role.

Here are my suggestions:

Main characters:
Kei Enomoto - primarily the main in ep3 (preparing for the sportsfest w/ kusuda), ep6 (the Christmas date) ep10 (arguing over kusuda with the theater girl) and leading up to the finale (ep11-12, where she "took over" plans to look for the guys)

Ayumi Arihara - main character in ep1, part of the love polygon with the Zaitsu brothers, her own brother, Misaki Yamamoto and the elder bessho.
EDIT: she also opens and closes the entire series. not sure if that helps.

Mamoru Zaitsu - along with sogabe and kusuda, are the main characters in ep11-12, and a part of ep2 regarding how he likes the girl next door / childhood friend (yamamoto)

Etsu Kusuda - main character, paired with Kei Enomoto (ep3,6,10-12). The story centers on Kusuda and Enomoto a lot, from both their perspectives.

Nao Chikura - featured in her own episode, (9) as part of the painting club. She meets and falls in love with Renjou, an upperclassman whose painting she admires. In that same ep, Sogabe also tries to realize his emotions for Chikura.

Hiroyuki Sogabe - part of the trio w/ Mamoru Zaitsu and Kusuda who went on a journey (ep11-12). Did it because he liked Chikura, and wants to be a better person. (figured in ep9, and some earlier episodes when Chikura pays attention to Sogabe, and triggers his emotions for her)

Koyoi Bessho - Featured in ep4, the story of her brother-complex. Without that ep, I probably would list her as a secondary character.

Misaki Yamamoto - Interest of several guys (esp. Mamoru Zaitsu), and is one of the central characters in ep2,4 and 8. Is a secondary character in episodes w/ Watase, offering her advice and helping Watase as a friend.

Meguru Watase - Her own episode was ep5, where her swimming skills are discovered, as well as the reason why she stopped. (Also featured her story regarding Takei, her crush who is team capt. of swimming. She again was featured prominently in ep10, being challenged by her "rival" and also tackled the issue of breasts and self confidence.

Secondary Characters:
Yoshihiko Bessho - elder brother of Koyoi and object of her brother-complex. Appeared mostly in episode 4, and some of the later episodes. In love with Yamamoto, and is heartbroken in the valentine's episode. (might warrant tertiary listing. comments anyone?)

Yuuji Arihara - in one episode (4) unsuspectingly makes Misaki Yamamoto fall in love with him by sticking a lollipop in her mouth. Doting brother of Ayumi, they (w/ Bessho) go as far as going to the middle school to see their sisters.

Yuu Enomoto - Sister of Kei. She never really got a chunk of the story to feature her, so I'm not sure if she's a secondary character. I'm leaning towards listing her as tertiary since she was never really in any spotlight. Just part of the gang..

Rika Dobashi - episode 7, love interest of Haruto Terai. She serves mostly as the person making Kei Enomoto realize her feelings while she (dobashi) learns to open up to Terai.
Haruto Terai - (ep7, dobashi love interest, partially his perspective)

Misao Zaitsu - featured in the earlier part of the series (ep1-2) and then later (12). Story didn't center on him but he is featured opening up to Yamamoto that he likes someone (forgot w/c episode)
Gengorou Takei - swimming club captain, object of affection of Watase.

Tertiary Characters:

Nanoka Kyuuma - swimming "rival" of Watase despite being younger.
Yukito Renjou - upper-classman (OB) painter, who happens to be admired by Nao Chikura. leaves after 1 or 2 episodes.
Sumire Fudounomiya - head of theatre group; tried to take Kusuda away from Enomoto because she wanted a "kappa". As a character, she only served to deepen the relationship of Kusuda and Enomoto.
Soako Andou - i don't even remember this character. Razz

Other notes:
ep8 was the valentine's day episode, a mish mash of stories, but it mainly involved Yamamoto. Ayumi Arihara and Koyoi Bessho also figured in the story as they wanted the guys they liked (who liked Yamamoto) to see her giving chocolate to a different guy.
Kei Enomoto also figured in that episode, being the one who bought chocolate for Kusuda but mixed it up by bumping into Yamamoto.

ep 11 and 12 was about the 3 guys going on a journey to find confidence or get over their girl slumps.
The end did tie together most of character's stories.

Comments anyone? It'll really help.
I hope this will also help the encyclopedia staff to fix the character listings.
Thanks! Smile

It seems you've put a lot of thought into this, so for now I'll just promote to "main character" status the 9 (NINE!) roles you listed. It's easy to change it again anyway. But from the descriptions you gave, it seems to me that maybe the main characters are Kei Enomoto and Etsu Kusuda. Featuring in 5 episodes (3,6,10,11,12) is on a different order than the 1-2 episodes of the others, and also the way those episodes are spread one could say those two characters anchor the rest of the series.

Also -- and this applies to many many series -- secondary characters often have a special episode where they are fleshed out and their background is explored. They are in effect the "main" character of that episode, but that doesn't make them main characters for the series.

Thanks.

I'm surprised with the number of characters as well. I was hoping others would share their opinion on it to help clear up the character's importance, but at least it's better for now.

Thanks again! Smile

*if anyone can share your opinion on this subject, by all means do it! Smile

Dan42 wrote:

But from the descriptions you gave, it seems to me that maybe the main characters are Kei Enomoto and Etsu Kusuda.

As somebody who avidly watched all 12 Hatsukoi Limited episodes (and who fervently hopes there will be another season), I can vouch for the statement above. It is an ensemble series, but my sense was that the Enomoto and Kusuda characters were more of a focus than the others.

And yes, thanks for all your work, littletykes. The series didn't seem to garner much attention in the anime forum, but I really enjoyed it.

Thanks. I enjoyed it as well, which is probably why I want to help fix the encyclopedia entry. Smile

Blood- wrote:

It is an ensemble series, but my sense was that the Enomoto and Kusuda characters were more of a focus than the others.

I agree. I got the same impression when watching the series, but the story didn't really revolve around them, per se. They did get a lot of focus so at least surely they are main characters.
(haha, this was part of the reason why i'm confused as to how the rest of the cast should be listed.)

PS. Thanks for reading through that loooong post. Smile

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