The Importance Of Side Characters / Secondary Characters In Manga Stories

Summary

The video script from 'Monitor Comics' YouTube channel discusses the importance of creating well-written side characters in comic, manga, and webtoon projects. It emphasizes that side characters, also known as secondary or supporting characters, are crucial for world-building and plot progression. They can serve as foils to highlight the protagonist's traits, or take on roles such as mentors, romantic interests, or comic relief. The script advises giving side characters their own unique traits, backstory, and development to avoid them feeling flat or like mere plot devices. It also warns against common mistakes like letting side characters overshadow the protagonist or introducing too many without clear purpose. The video encourages treating side characters with the same depth as main characters to create a rich and dynamic story world.

Takeaways

• 🎨 **Importance of Side Characters**: Side characters are crucial for world-building and providing context in a story, often taking on roles like crewmates on a spaceship or knights in a medieval kingdom.
• 🚀 **Role in Plot Development**: They help move the plot forward, motivate the protagonist, and can serve as foils to highlight the protagonist's qualities.
• 🤔 **Distinction from Background Characters**: Side characters are more than just world fillers; they have opinions, beliefs, and points of view that interact with the protagonist's journey.
• 🧩 **Foil Characters**: Foil characters are designed to emphasize another character's strengths or weaknesses, either through opposition or support.
• 🌟 **Supporting Character Types**: Side characters can be sidekicks, romantic interests, henchmen, mentors, best friends, rivals, or comic relief, each serving a unique purpose in the story.
• 🌱 **Character Growth**: Like main characters, side characters should grow and evolve over time, adding depth and realism to the narrative.
• 📚 **Backstories and Personalities**: Well-developed side characters have detailed backstories and personalities that influence their reactions and decisions within the story.
• 👥 **Unique Traits for Recognition**: Giving side characters unique traits, appearances, or mannerisms helps readers distinguish and remember them.
• 🎭 **Agency and Motivation**: Side characters should have their own goals and fears, acting with agency rather than merely as plot devices.
• ⚔️ **Strategic Usage**: Not all side characters need extensive development; some can be combined or used as one-off characters to maintain focus on the main narrative.
• 💥 **Purposeful Character Exits**: When side characters are written out or killed off, it should serve the story's progression or character development, not just for shock value.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video?

The primary focus of the video is to discuss how to create well-written side characters for comics, manga, and webtoon projects.

What is the importance of side characters in storytelling?

Side characters are important because they complement the protagonist and/or antagonist, help move the plot forward, motivate the protagonist to act, and add context and life to the world of the story.

What is a common mistake made when developing side characters?

A common mistake is unintentionally making side characters more interesting than the protagonist, which can steal the spotlight and detract from the main story.

What is the role of a 'foil' character?

A foil character is used to highlight or draw attention to the qualities of another character, emphasizing their strengths or weaknesses.

How can side characters be used to enhance the world-building in a story?

Side characters can establish context for the world, provide information and guidance, and reveal key details that define the story setting.

What are some types of side characters?

Types of side characters include supporters, antagonizers, informers, sidekicks, romantic interests, henchmen, mentors, best friends, rivals, and comic relief.

Why should side characters not be static or flat?

Side characters should not be static or flat because they should grow and evolve over time, just like main characters, to feel three-dimensional and believable.

How can a side character be distinguished from a background character?

A side character is distinguished from a background character by having a more significant role in the story, including their own opinions, beliefs, and point of view, while a background character only exists to fill the world of the story.

What is the recommended approach to learning new skills for creating comics and manga as mentioned in the video?

The video recommends using Skillshare, an online learning community with classes ranging from photography, illustration, graphic design, animation, freelancing, and more, to learn new skills and improve in creating comics and manga.

What is the significance of the '28 day drawing challenge anatomy for illustration and comics' class mentioned in the video?

The '28 day drawing challenge anatomy for illustration and comics' class is significant because it provides a simplified understanding of human anatomy tailored for comic artists, which is beneficial for improving anatomy drawings in comics, manga, and webtoon illustrations.

Why is it important to give side characters a unique trait or physical appearance?

It is important to give side characters a unique trait or physical appearance to make them easily distinguishable and memorable for the readers, especially when there are numerous side characters in a story.

What should be the goal of side characters in a story?

The goal of side characters should be to push the story forward or to influence the main characters in some way, whether it's through their actions, decisions, or the information they provide.