okusawamiikun’s 30 Day Challenge!

Day 6: Favourite PasuPare character

Honestly? When I first saw Aya in PasuPare's band story I was strongly reminded of one of my fav characters of all time—Amu Hinamori from Shugo Chara! (no it actually wasn't Madoka, I can't remember if I thought of her when pigtailed Aya was on the loading screen but either way that comparison left less of an impression on me). They're very different in a lot of ways but Aya's casual hairstyle, hair colour and voice bore some pretty close resemblance to Amu's, and what really sold it for me was the way Aya's character was established. Namely through her sense of conscience and the strength of her beliefs. My brain took a pretty big nostalgia hit at that point because here was another pink-haired girl driven by idealism and a steadfast moral compass but prone to self-doubt, and I decided then and there that she was gonna be my fav in this band. She was actually my second-favourite overall for quite a while.

So yeah it started with me comparing her to someone else but it quickly became apparent that Aya is a wonderful character in her own right. I admire her for the warmth and kindness she shows to others and her determination to follow through with her decisions, even if the whole world is against her, including herself. Wouldn't having her as a friend be the best thing? I think it'd be easy to feel comfortable with someone like her in your company—she just gives off that sort of reassuring vibe.

That said, she's also an absolute mess when she has to perform and that and her idealistic beliefs I can relate to a lot. It's super inspiring, watching her struggle and pull through by working hard and refusing to give up, even if she may not be naturally talented as an idol. It's what she's always wanted to do, and she sticks with it and never loses sight of what's important to her—that an idol must be true to herself, because that's what the audience will connect with.