My Own MB Book, I Guess

Rant: Why These Days I Never Like OP/Mary Sue/Gary Sue OCs

A lot of Fanfictions I read nowadays seem to have OCs with ridiculously overpowering abilities, or is a Gary Sue, and I don't understand why.

I mean, sure. It may be appealing to some (*cough* Generic Isekai anime lovers *cough*), but it's just. . . . Meh.

If you read the title, then I will let you know that I was guilty of doing something such as this because I was 13-16 years old and I love OP shit.

Less effort, more reads, right?

But it was after I was 16 that I realized how saturated OP OCs are at this point, and so I started my first Fanfiction in this new account with an OC who's not OP. Powerful, yes, but not overpowering. This became the basis of any and all fanfiction I have done that has some form of power.

While yes, nullification of whatever magic is OP, it doesn't mean that they are easy pickings now.

Take my Chivalry of a Failed Knight fanfic (it's more of a side story but fuck it) OC as an example. Mesagi, while initially seemingly like a strong person with a seemingly OP ability, doesn't necessarily mean he can win through his ability alone. He has to rely on his swords and skills to win the match, as he won't know if the enemy he is up against is a more skilled swordsman than he is until they battle.

Granted, those who rely more on their ability will be crippled by his ability, but for those who has more skill in swordsmanship will overpower my OC. That's a balance I can get behind.

Then, the Worf Effect, or Worf Had The Flu.

If you don't know what those two are, it simply means that someone who's powerful or has demonstrated to be powerful is suddenly beaten by someone who was weak, either because of external factors, or because the plot demanded it. The former would require you to justify what the 'factors' are, while the latter is just plain bullshit.

I'm sure that there was a meme with that.

Villain: has trained hundreds of years to become powerful and has a mega army of orcs, goblins and any conceivably evil creatures.

Protagonist: trained only for 5 years, able to wipe out the army and villain with "the power of friendship" and some bullshit.

I don't do those sort of things anymore, because it's just cringe and unpleasing to the eye for me.

Next up, Gary Sue/Mary Sue OCs.

The OCs who are so perfect in everything they do, no one hates them, everyone loves them, they're your typical nice and forgiving person, etc.

I am guilty of doing this, admittedly. I mean, my OC, Mishiga, is basically a reincarnated, but lazy Gary Sue. He knows how to do everything, he's nice, but doesn't really show much of it, emotionless, etc.

Hell, I will say that he is the amalgamation of EVERY single cliche an OC could ever have.

And that is why he is the only OC I had done with such traits. Everyone else I had done so far are more human than I have ever done.

Kize Seikato, for instance in my Love Live fanfic. The good one, not the other one. He is an OC that is cautious around girls, hot-tempered, a grump, curses quite often, sarcastic and isn't afraid to lash out but he is in heart a boy who's actually nice and caring with a side of social anxiety.

I mean, granted, the caution around girls is kinda downplayed in the recent chapters, but that shows that he has character growth. Not sure if it's an organic character growth, but I feel like it is.

Anyway, I also realize that Mary/Gary Sue OCs are also saturated, and so I wanted to try something different. Something that allows me to do something with new experiences, even if I don't have any idea what the fuck I'm doing 20% of the time.

Anyway, thanks for reading this rant, and give your thoughts on it.