konno teppei appreciation post
literally the first exposure to the mc of cage is this beautiful portrait:
so you’re thinking he’s a pretty simpy guy, right? well, you’ll see!
Konno is one of the most refreshing MCs I’ve ever seen in a BL VN. Cute design aside- man, he rocks purple- he’s actually a really relatable character, even if you can’t exactly identify with being thrown into a death game. He’s kind-hearted, but not a doormat, and isn’t afraid to fight to get what he wants. He loves his family dearly, wanting to take them on a trip, which is honestly something I appreciated- I feel like with BL (and visual novels in general), most of the time, it’s as if the only significant relationship that exists is the one between the MC and the love interest. But no, you can genuinely feel the connection he has to his little brothers and sisters.
He can be stubborn and a bit hot-headed, but not in that overly aggressive dumb jock way- rather, he’s actually really empathetic and sincere. He wears his heart on his sleeve but isn’t well, for lack of a better term, ukey about it. The introspection he experiences is really engaging in that it doesn’t feel overly self righteous or pretentious? It feels very much human, and that’s where he shines- in such a dark, gritty setting, Konno grounds the fiction being portrayed. He isn’t a well of despair and angst, but he isn’t annoyingly optimistic- he’s just your everyday normal guy, which is something you need to help you get through the craziness. But that’s not to say he’s boring or bland- in fact, he does make some surprising decisions.
plus, he’s got the cutest smile ever.