This seems like a good opportunity to gush about Dunban from Xenoblade


Consider by most Homs (humans) to be a living legend. Single-handedly driving back a wave of killer robots at the end of a last stand, even after the order to retreat was given. He was actually intending to sacrifice himself for it, it just worked out that his drive and an enchanted weapon were just barely enough to get the job done. But in doing so he ruined the use of his right hand, and amusingly enough his character animations are true to that, he can move it, but most of the time it hangs dead at his side and he's always using his left to climb and fight and whatnot


In normal cases like this, the older hero in a video game or anime trope he'd have a dark past, and either be all uppity or not talk much at all. This hero is actually very human, and humble. He doesn't consider himself a hero, just a tool that did a job when the time was needed. Other than that he doesn't expect or want any adulation and never treats anyone differently. He does however accept that everyone looks up to him. He can't change that, so he does what he can with it. He's a great father figure, and a great brother figure. He uses his fame to try to make a difference in the world and the lives of those he cares about, and generally deals with his own issues on his own and in his own time. Even when people are worried about him, he generally ends up cheering them up or motivating them instead


He's just super selfless and awesome. And I'm always complaining that JRPGs don't have enough worthwhile adult characters. And when they do, they're usually completely unrelatable. Dunban is not only someone I can relate to, but also someone I, myself, can look up to and admire. He's a great guy, and a great character


But if any of that changes over the course of the game, please note that I am only like 2/3 of the way through. But I can't see him falling and failing to be who he's set himself up to be already, and at this rate, even if he does, I'm sure he'll do it admirably and still be a good example of a well developed and humanized character in a video game


Yay Dunban