Normally I don't do these journal list thingies, but I thought this one might be fun. Here, I'll list my five favorite fictional characters, along with my own commentary on why I like them. Ready, go!

5. Detective Richard Moore/Detective Kogorou Mouri
From Case Closed/Detective Conan, it's everyone's(Well, my) favorite bumbling private eye. Richard is vain, arrogant, and quick to jump to conclusions, yet despite that(And the fact that most of his fame was earned by Jimmy/Shinichi Kudo), he has proven himself to be an effective detective in his own right at times.

Moore's deductive skills aren't bad, per se; he's just a bit slower on the uptake than Jimmy is. Furthermore, the second movie shows that he's also a skilled shot in addition to a skilled sleuth, so despite his comical nature, he's definitely not mere comic relief.

Of course, his comical nature is the main reason I like the character. His over-the-top zany antics, cluelessness, and- most importantly- his unwavering love for his own ego make him a thoroughly entertaining character to watch. And given the series is still going in Japan, there's a whole lot of screentime for the goofy gumshoe to ham it up.

Richard. Because when it comes to hard work, sometimes less is Moore.

4. Hercule/Mr. Satan
What Richard is for the deductive arts, Hercule is for martial arts. Dragon Ball Z's self-aggrandizing champion is in a class of his own, and the afro-donning warrior has a lot more depth than he initially lets on, both in terms of physical prowess and his compassionate nature.

While not nearly as strong as the main characters, Hercule is amazingly powerful for an ordinary human, and has rightfully earned his place as a true champion among fighters. But more importantly than that, he's a genuinely good and kindhearted person, despite his overdone tough guy act. His friendship with Majin Buu helped the creature learn to fight for the forces of good, and his eventual pleas for the planet to lend their power for a final Spirit Bomb was integral to saving mankind. He is truly a hero in every sense of the word.

Of course, what draws me to the character is many of the same qualities I found so entertaining about Richard- Hercule showboats his way through life, with overconfident cries of his own awesomeness, flashy displays of power, and a charmingly goofy disposition that added that much-needed lightheartedness to the later series. From his antics in the tournament to his unsuccessful attempts to learn how to fly, Hercule was always a champion of comedy. He's also really fun to play as in the games based on the show, as he usually comes packed with wacky joke moves, giving his fighting style a uniquely comical flavor.

3. Waluigi
Everybody cheating but he! Weh heh heeeeeh!

Ah, Waluigi. I'm not even sure why I like this character so much. I just do.

His out-of-nowhere debut in Mario Tennis, and recurring appearances ever since, have always brought a smile to my face due to the sheer absurdity of the character's nature. As I was already a Wario fan when I was introduced to this guy, he became an instant favorite, giving Wario a friend and someone equally-twisted to interact with.

He's never been too important to the storylines of the games, usually taking the role of a minor nuisance instead of a full-fledged villain or a fellow adventurer like Wario, but he's just so ridiculous and amusing that I can't help but like the guy.

2. Wario
What humble beginnings this character has risen from. Initially a mere "Bizzaro Mario" when he debuted in Super Mario Land 2, Wario very quickly developed a distinct identity of his own with the Wario Land platformers. And what an identity it was; Wario was greedy, loud, obnoxious, and an all-around hilarious character. Never before have I seen such a seamless blending of comic hijinks and badass toughness all rolled into a single character.

Wario is self-centered in such an overdone and ridiculous way that it becomes outright endearing. His love of cash, unhealthy foods, and of course himself creates a wacky character of pure id. Of course, there are hints that Wario has a soft side(He finds Mona cute according to the third dream sequence in WarioWare Inc.), which just make the character even more likable.

To me, Wario's an interesting concept. Most overblown funny characters are usually cast aside as weak, unimportant, "comic relief" roles. But Wario turns the standard on its head and manages to be amusing and incredibly strong and capable at the same time. And for that he's an awesome character in my book. In fact, he was my all-time favorite throughout my childhood, at least before I found...

1. Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik
Where do I begin? Dr. Eggman seems like a perfect combination of all the traits I love in a single character. He's got a wacky and theatrical personality, coupled with an arrogant love of his own existence. But at the same time, he not only has a soft side, but a very complex sense of morality that is rarely seen in villains, especially primary antagonists like himself.

First, Eggman is a deadly and capable foe, and has proven this countless times across the Sonic series. From giant robots and widespread invasions to more subtle schemes like sapping Sonic of his speed, Eggman's come back time and time again with a new scheme to achieve world conquest. Some of his greatest villainous accomplishments include, but are not limited to, defeating Super Sonic, creating Eggman Land, and even conquering the world successfully.

Of course, as I've said in other topics, I see Eggman as a character first and a villain second. Naturally, his personality and brilliant characterization is what drew me to him and made me the fan I am today. While Eggman is renowned for launching doomsday machines and giving longwinded speeches about his ambitions for world domination, he's also just a normal guy in his off time. From idle conversation with his minions to enjoying a sandwich for dinner; Eggman even scratches his butt when he's by himself in SA2, going against his usual "classy gentleman" persona he tries to exude when in public. Sure, Eggman's a would-be dictator, but at the same time, he's a plain old middle-aged guy.

A more blatant show of his personality is his self-love. Statues, emblems, murals, even machines in the likeness of his own face populate the series. Eggman is completely enamored with himself, and simply thinks the world should feel the same way. You thought Sonic had an ego? He's got nothing on Dr. Eggman.

But most of all, what I love about Eggman is that he's a fundamentally good person. He may try to take over the world, and consequently endanger innocent lives, but he has a heart, and even the heroes know he has a self-imposed code of honor and abhors needless cruelty(Tails's acknowledgment of this in Sonic Unleashed was a nice nod to this fact). Naturally, he's also helped save the world multiple times. Argue that it was only to save himself if you want, but Sonic and friends couldn't have averted several apocalypses without Eggman's guidance and active support in battle. Truly, Eggman has to be the most heroic villain I've ever seen.

It's these combinations of aspects that make Eggman such an appealing character to me, making him number one on my list.

Conclusion

Well, that about wraps it up. I've noticed some interesting correlations about my favorite characters- They're all wacky, over-the-top, mustached men. But they're all over the place in terms of morality, role in their story, and prominence in their universe. Most interesting.

If you feel like responding, what are your favorites? And why?

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