Neku Sakuraba: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
character is not individually notable, only covered in the context of the game's reviews... no sig cov, R to character section of game, which should be sufficient |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
#REDIRECT [[The_World_Ends_with_You#Characters]] {{R to section}} |
|||
{{ General VG character |
|||
|name=Neku Sakuraba |
|||
|image=[[File:Neku Sakuraba.jpg|center|256px|alt=The image shows a young boy who wears a black and purple shirt, white shorts, purple headphones, and purple shoes. He has fair skin and orange, spiky hair.]] |
|||
|caption=Neku in ''[[The World Ends with You]]'' |
|||
|series= |
|||
|firstgame=''[[The World Ends with You]]'' (2008) |
|||
|japanactor=[[Koki Uchiyama]] |
|||
|voiceactor=[[Jesse Corti#Personal life|Jesse David Corti]] |
|||
|artist=[[Tetsuya Nomura]] |
|||
|creator=Tatsuya Kando |
|||
}} |
|||
{{nihongo|'''Neku Sakuraba'''|桜庭 音操|''Sakuraba Neku''|ネク ''Neku''}} is a [[character (arts)|fictional character]] in the [[Nintendo DS]] video game ''[[The World Ends with You]]''. He is an antisocial teenage boy who claims he does not "get" people, and rarely interacts with others. Under mysterious circumstances, he finds himself participating in the Reapers Game and is forced to fight for his life, teaming up with a girl named Shiki Misaki. He allies himself with several other characters, including: Yoshiya Kiryu, who goes by Joshua; Daisukenojo Bito, who goes by Beat; Raimu Bito, who goes by Rhyme and is Beat's sister; and Sanae Hanekoma, an artist acting as a coffee shop owner. |
|||
Since appearing in ''The World Ends with You'', Neku has received mostly positive reception. While some have described him as being [[emo]] and "whiny", his growth as a character has received praise. He has been compared to several other characters created by [[Square Enix]], including [[Cloud Strife]] of ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'', [[Squall Leonhart]] of ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'', and [[Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)|Roxas]] of ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'', due to his "brooding" personality. |
|||
==Concept and creation== |
|||
Tatsuya Kando, director of ''[[The World Ends with You]]'', described Neku as a character who prefers to be left alone, yet feeling lonely and wanting to interact with others. The story of ''The World Ends With You'' deals with Neku's growth as a character, so the developers had to focus on his development, such as how he would feel, what thoughts lie behind his actions, how he interacts with other characters, how he will be affected by them, and how do the people around him feel about him. These elements were focused on to make a more believable story. The developers included aspects and daily concerns, hoping that they could be things that players would have to deal with their personal lives, and may be able to relate with Neku and feel like they are a part of the game. They also hoped that this would help players develop an understanding and tolerance for Neku's actions, which could help players feel more comfortable with controlling someone who doesn't act how they'd like them to.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends WIth You Interview |url=http://ds.ign.com/articles/947/947302p1.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-01-22}}</ref> |
|||
==Appearances== |
|||
In ''The World Ends with You'', Neku lives in [[Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya]], and is transported to an alternate version of it after being killed. In it, he is forced to participate in the "Reaper's Game" or face erasure, having to solve missions day by day for one week to escape the Game. He has few memories, as they were taken as his entry fee, and awakens in the middle of Scramble Crossing. Initially, he is forced into a pact with a girl named Shiki Misaki after meeting her at the statue of [[Hachiko]]. |
|||
Neku eventually learns that Joshua, his partner and secretly the Composer of the Game, killed him while shooting at the Game Master Sho Minamimoto, thus placing him in the Game to fight for the right to be revived. He is forced to re-play the game another two times and ends up one of the last Players in the Game. He battles the Conductor, Megumi Kitaniji, who attempted to modify peoples' minds and create a perfect world. Afterwards, Joshua reveals that he chose Neku to be his [[wikt:proxy|proxy]] in his challenge with Kitanji over whether he would succeed. However, Neku is unable to attack Joshua, who remains the Composer, and returns his, as well as his friends' lives to normal. |
|||
Neku makes his debut appearance in the ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' series in ''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]'', making him the first character to appear in the franchise who is from neither the [[Disney]] nor ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nintendoeverything.com/74073/ |title=Neku Is In Kingdom Hearts 3DS |author=Valay |date=September 15, 2011 |work= |publisher=NintendoEverything |accessdate=September 15, 2011}}</ref> |
|||
==Reception== |
|||
Since appearing in ''The World Ends with You'', Neku has received mostly positive reception. [[G4TV]] editor Jonathan Hunt stated that he was created from the same "brooding mold" as ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series characters [[Cloud Strife]] and [[Vaan]], stating that it's easy to hate him at first, citing his "over-sized anime hairdos" and "outlandish cosplay street wear". However, he added that Neku's growth into from a "mute teenager" to a "civil human" is great for anyone over 20 who has had to deal with someone like this, and that underage people would probably take more from the story.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends with You for Nintendo DS - Reviews |url=http://g4tv.com/games/ds/42471/The-World-Ends-With-You/review |publisher=[[G4TV]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-25}}</ref> [[Gameshark]].com editor Brandon Cackowski-Schnell praised Neku and the other characters, describing them as interesting and with their own reasons behind them.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends with You Review |url=http://www.gameshark.com/reviews/2981/p_10/The-World-Ends-With-You-Review.htm |publisher=[[Gameshark]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-08}}</ref> Nintendojo editor Andy Hoover described him as an "adamant lone wolf", praising his interaction with other characters as "brilliantly written, with just the right amount of intrigue, humor, and drama."<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends with You |url=http://www.nintendojo.com/reviews/NDS/view_item.php?1213812315 |publisher=Nintendojo |accessdate=2009-12-24}}</ref> [[1UP.com]] editor Jeremy Parish praised the story, stating that Neku's maturation had him hooked.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends with You Review from 1UP.com |url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3167457&p=39 |publisher=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-17}}</ref> [[IGN]] editor Patrick Kolan described him as a cowled, scowling teenager, stating that he had a "[[Squall Leonhart|Squall]]-like chip on his shoulder". However, he added that the character development adds a lot to his personality.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You AU Review |url=http://ds.ign.com/articles/867/867268p1.html |publisher=[[IGN|IGN AU]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-16}}</ref> [[Game Zone]] editor Stephen Woodward described him as a "regular spunky, spikey haired protagonist", adding that he was one of the most [[emo]] protagonists ever created.<ref>{{cite web |title=THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU Review |url=http://nds.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r34246.htm |publisher=Game Zone |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-02}}</ref> |
|||
[[Crispy Gamer]] editor Steve Steinberg called him the "RPG-standard mopey and disaffected 15 year old".<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You Review - DS |url=http://www.crispygamer.com/gamereviews/2008-05-07/the-world-ends-with-you-ds.aspx |publisher=Crispy Gamer |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-07}}</ref> Gaming Target editor Kris Rosado called him a trademark anti-hero. [[The New York Times]] editor Charles Herald, however, stated that he was not just an angsty teenager, and that the title of the game refers to his need to expand his horizons through self-examination and working with and learning from others.<ref>{{cite news |title=A World Beyond Comprehension (but You Know You Love to Hate It) |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/technology/personaltech/08games.html?_r=1&ex=1210910400&en=df9d7b4345974dfd&ei=5070&emc=eta1 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-08 | first=Charles | last=Herold}}</ref> FileFactory Games editor Eddie Bracco called him a spiky-haired teenage emo and the "culmination of the most annoyingly prevalent RPG-cliches rolled into a single character".<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends with You |url=http://www.gwn.com/reviews/gamereview.php/id/1420/p/1/title/The_World_Ends_With_You.html |publisher=FileFactory Games |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-13}}</ref> [[IGN]] editor Dave McArthy called his personal journey as important as the new game mechanics, calling it a journey from being a sulky teenager to being a socially adjusted young adult. He added that companionship and "seizing at what life has to offer" were big themes with Neku.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You UK Review |url=http://ds.ign.com/articles/865/865109p1.html |publisher=[[IGN|IGN UK]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-08}}</ref> Gamer Vision editor Sarah LeBoeuf called Neku's amnesia a typical story in role-playing games, but added that he forms strong relationships with other characters and discovers what life is about.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You |url=http://www.gamervision.com/gamer/sarah/reviews/article/the_world_ends_with_you_ds |publisher=Gamer Vision |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-23}}</ref> N-Europe editor Nicholas Hintze stated that while Neku initially comes off as a role-playing game cliche with his spiky-hair, anti-social tendencies, and amnesia, his maturation is fantastic to watch.<ref>{{cite web |title=Review: The World Ends with You |url=http://www.n-europe.com/review.php?rid=393 |publisher=N-Europe |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-08-01}}</ref> [[Game Daily]] editor Grant Holzhauer described Neku as a reluctant hero and influenced by the emo scene.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You Review |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/the-world-ends-with-you/ds/game-reviews/review/6924/2020/ |publisher=[[Game Daily]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-01}}</ref> Game Style editor Adam Gulliver called Neku the "biggest emo to grace video games" due to his mopey and hateful attitude. He added that it made the game unsettling, since players had to be able to connect with him.<ref>{{cite web |title=Review: The World Ends With You (NDS) |url=http://www.gamestyle.net/articles/1499 |publisher=Game Style |accessdate=2009-12-24}}</ref> |
|||
IGN editor Mark Bozon stated that Neku's story arc is strong throughout the game, and he eventually becomes the character players would like to play as from the beginning.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You Review |url=http://ds.ign.com/articles/867/867129p3.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-16}}</ref> GamesRadar editor Shane Patterson stated that while Neku seems like an ass, players begin to feel sorry for him.<ref>{{cite web |title=This is how the world ends - with a bang, not a whimper |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/ds/the-world-ends-with-you/review/the-world-ends-with-you/a-20080417172020581094/g-2007121917647605074 |publisher=[[GamesRadar]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-18}}</ref> His appearance has been compared to ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]''{{'}} protagonist [[Sora (Kingdom Hearts)|Sora]]'s; Atomic Gamer editor Matt Cabral cited his baggy pants, spiky-hair, and oversized shoes.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends with You Review |url=http://www.atomicgamer.com/articles/561/the-world-ends-with-you-review |publisher=Atomic Gamer |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You Game Review |url=http://www.gamer20.com/gamehub/the-world-ends-with-you-ds/review/1270 |publisher=Gamer 2.0 |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-02}}</ref> RPGFan editor Neal Chandran described Neku as a "spiky-haired, angsty, misanthropic cold fish of a teenage loner", though adding that his various partners throughout the game help his character develop. However, he felt that Neku's development was sometimes too sudden.<ref>{{cite web |title=RPGFan Reviews: The World Ends With You |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/wewy/index.html |publisher=RPGFan |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2006-05-06}}</ref> Nintendo World Report editor Mike Gamin stated that while he begins the game as self-serving and isolated, his partners help his attitude change, adding that the quality of his partners also helped make his development feel believable.<ref>{{cite web |title=DS Review: The World Ends with You |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=15950 |publisher=Nintendo World Report |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-05-14}}</ref> [[GameSpy]] editor Eduardo Vasconcellos described the game's cast of characters as cliche, citing Neku and his whiny punk teen attitude which makes it hard for him to be identified with. However, as the game progressed, Vasconcellos found the characters to be more endearing.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You |url=http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/subarashiki-its-a-wonderful-world/869033p1.html |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-23}}</ref> [[Eurogamer]] editor Dan Whitehead described Neku as a familiar touchstone of the role-playing game genre, stating that he is "fifteen, moody, and afflicted with convenient amnesia."<ref>{{cite web |title=The World Ends With You Review|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-world-ends-with-you-review |publisher=[[Eurogamer]] |accessdate=2009-12-24 |date=2008-04-24}}</ref> |
|||
==References== |
|||
{{reflist|30em}} |
|||
[[Category:Child characters in video games]] |
|||
[[Category:Characters designed by Tetsuya Nomura]] |
|||
[[Category:Kingdom Hearts characters]] |
|||
[[Category:Male characters in video games]] |
|||
[[Category:Role-playing video game characters]] |
|||
[[Category:Fictional Japanese people in video games]] |
|||
[[Category:Square Enix protagonists]] |
|||
[[Category:Telepath characters in video games]] |
|||
[[Category:The World Ends with You]] |
|||
[[Category:Fictional assassinated people]] |
|||
[[Category:Undead characters in video games]] |
|||
[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2008]] |
|||
[[Category:Video game characters who have mental powers]] |
|||
Revision as of 03:41, 14 October 2015
Redirect to:
- To a section: This is a redirect from a topic that does not have its own page to a section of a page on the subject. For redirects to embedded anchors on a page, use {{R to anchor}} instead.