Hey fam, so I went through Afterglow’s band story and, wow, they’re actually all my top 5 favorite girls now. The story got me pretty emotional at times, and I wa s genuinely laughing at other moments. I think Visual Novels might be one of my favorite video game genres now!
However, another user, AkaneHachi, was asking me to let them know my favorite character from Afterglow, so this is me explaining who it is and why.
Even before reading the story, I could’ve solidly said that it was Ran, but I couldn’t figure out why at first. I had the strongest reaction to her from when I initially got the game; the way she was posing + her design in their 2nd band picture, and even just playing as her in multilives. I just felt the most comfortable and natural seeing her cards and little chibi represent my name while I did my very best.
“She’s pretty cool”, I consistently thought to myself. And yet, that didn’t feel right. I felt like a stereotypical dudebro guy, just going straight for the punk rock band and the obvious cool rocker girl with the rebellious haircut. After going through the band story and “As Evening Clears” though, I’m glad to say there’s more depth behind why I was gravitating towards her.
I really relate to her in so many ways, one way being her father issues. My dad wasn’t part of my childhood at all, and I’ve only had actual conversations with him about seven times to date. Each time, we couldn’t connect and understand each other, so seeing Ran’s dad eventually come around really warmed my heart—maybe that’s something I’d like to have with my dad, although I can’t say for sure.
Another aspect I identify with her in, concerns her struggle to properly communicate. I very much prefer to keep my problems and personal life to myself, as I hate involving others in my stuff. Not a good thing most of the time, but I relate nonetheless, because my tendency to do that has definitely caused some strained relationships for me.
Perhaps what I love most about Ran though, is her outspoken artistry. I relate to it a little too well. It’s like, you take the frustration of your struggles, what you aren’t easily able to discuss with others, and you put it into art form.
For me, I really enjoy writing, and I pour my soul into it because there’s so many things I’m not comfortable to share in a normal conversation. So my writing ends up making me seem like a more open person than I naturally am, and I have a much easier time expressing myself this way. I get the same vibe from Ran and her music honestly.
She’s such a soul rebel, from the hairstyle, to the band she’s in. A lot of stuff about her speaks to her desire to stand out without actually saying much, something that heavily resonates with me. She’s not cold or distant though, and I like how she gets teased for how simple and easily embarrassed she is, while still being quick-witted herself.
I honestly love all of the five characters in this band so much and, outside of Ran, I can’t even decide how they would each line up in my top five. So, if you guys are interested, I might do a little write-up on the other four Afterglow girls and why I think they’re all well-written characters.
