Already covered overall game impressions so now I can talk a bit more about characters. Right off the bat I can just call out the ancient timeline cast being pretty whatever, that portion of the game was kind of a slow teasing drag as I mentioned. I really like Sakuya tho, poor Asura picking inferior girl thus dooming the heavens. Nevertheless it's hard not to still like Asura decently like "man if only Ruca actually was cool" - but Orifiel's at least there to be more legitimately interesting (although Asura's story ended really well). Himmel through Vulcan are eh likeable charicatures... I can't quite tell why I kinda like Vritra but it's probably more Hermana bias tbqh. Hypnos whatever, really hurt by being so inn rest skit heavy but Durandal and Inanna are pretty shitty so have a free bye - Senate & Gae Bolg are such insignificant non-personalities they can't pass that bar though!
Others I mean they're very much miscelanious others - but what's not to love about an old nudist man in a forest wanting people to listen to his songs and then your standard butler assistant Hartman. Eddie & Nino were surprisingly likeable, not just school bullies tormenting Ruca but just actual school friends who razz on him but ultimately stick up for the guy. The bouncer had a cool twister turning out to be a nice guy (tho wow he drops the ball on his only job later), Ruca's dad seemed like a jerk at first but like the school bullies made for a heartfelt turn standing up for Ruca and hoping for his son's safe return later. Coda the mascot character eh, he's just annoying and typically something about food. Basically Tales's Tatsu from Xenoblade X - the rest of this group whatever. Albert is listed on the wiki as an antagonist but he's hardly presented as such and he's just trash dragging down Ange which I'll get to later.
Main baddies are all fun and/or interesting or surprise good dudes - that's Hasta to Sian. Hasta's as completely nuts as he speaks lmao but then woah Garam. Shame his previous life is so lame though... As far as Tales main villains go, Mathias is definitely one of the more interesting ones with a personality which tbf isn't saying much with Tales villains. Thitose though definitely has the most presence of 'em, engaging with the cast, a great previous life, it's hard not to root for her actually being nice to Ruca. I didn't really get her siding with Mathias tho... until the reveal made sense. Gardle & Sian are close... I'm kinda surprised I have Gardle over Sian but the spoiler reveal and relationship with Ricardo was a good plotline. Still, Sian's the nice baddie, a lone feral kid mistakenly trusting Mathias - Hermana is the mom he needs.
With that I can talk about the playables! Hermana has me sold with her intro, a bandit kid in the slums looking after other orphan kids. She's still very much just a kid herself but with the soul of Vritra she also makes for a mature loving parent type as well. Yet Ange's also there still giving her the kind of parenting love she needs - I was surprised how likeable Ange turned out to be for a priestess character but she's also very level-headed as she is caring, yet still quirky (yo how is she the victim of all these fat jokes tho). Unfortunately... Albert exists and wow that plot was dumb pointless geez, it's single-handedly responsible for keeping Ange out of the S tier, still I also wanna mention she surprisingly took charge a lot for the party despite being one of the last members. Illia was really great to start as was Spada but they didn't really keep it up. Spada's still ultimate bff at least but damn why did they have to keep Illia leaning 100% on the tsun side of tsundere.
Ricardo's a bit the opposite, not interested to start with him being such an adult mercenary trope member. That started to shift though around Grigori as his bonds with the group are tested and he comes out of it a castmate that wants to be there now which he needed - plus the Gardle story arising at this point. Ricardo's a much better tsundere than Illia, but Illia still had her fun early sinister personality. What I can add about Ruca... I mean he's lame, which as an Emil fan might seem odd but like he's just also such a poor protagonist just going along with things until the end and he just feels like a kid til then.
New additions Kongwai & QQ! Very different characters too, but lmao both top tier. Kongwai's definitely the more serious character and he adds a whole lot of mystery on just wth he's adding. He's clearly knowledgeable and has other motives for helping the party and I still don't know! He's a mystery man for sure, but it's interesting and whatever he's doing seems carefully planned. QQ at least as it seems is nothing like that, just woop here I am let me come with you! It might seem shallow then to rank her so high but she's an absolute joy to have around immediately since her first time spinning cicles. She's honest, friendly, and oh god especially in a language barrier playthrough her own language barriers were super relatable... also the post-credits scene leaves some mystery for her true intentions as well hmmm hmmm. Somehow I could actually put QQ over Hermana already but I'll give her some space for Hearts to lift up.
QQ also absolute raddest casual costume tho
lol at the contrast between the casual modern outfit and the tunic and shield.
