Would you date a fictional character?

[geldonyetich]

The question is a bit self-defeating, really.

Would you date a fictional character? Fictional characters don't exist, so I wouldn't be able to.
Okay, lets say a fictional character existed - would you date it? Hold up, then the character would no longer be fictional.

Suspension of that aside, I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't have a desire to date a great deal of fictional characters were they real while preserving most of their qualities. After all, a lot of them were wrought in the vein of thought of being ultimate man pleasers, especially in anime where these characters are invented by artist committee specifically for shipping to their customers. Narue from World of Narue, for example, is an unfeasibly perfect girlfriend that exists in a nice fictional bubble of an anime that is specifically focused on dating, her boyfriend an otaku like most of the male viewers are likely to be. Lets not even get started with the design that went behind the characters in dating sims!

To make the conversation really interesting, I suppose I could mention that in expressing a desire to date a real life celebrity, chances are what we're really expressing is a desire to date their fictional presentation of themselves that they sell. Porno stars? Same deal.

"Would you date a fictional character" sort of equals "are you enraptured to a delusion," really. It's okay to acknowledge the effectiveness of sexy figments, you can even utilize them as tools to get your rocks off (as I've yet to read an article from someone in a mental of physical health profession who said that such a release is anything other than healthy) but to try to build a romantic commitment to a figment is most assuredly self-destructive madness.

 

[phohouse]

Sheena Fujibayashi from Tales of Symphonia. One of many female fictional characters I have shamelessly been attracted to.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

Yuki Nagato from the Haruhi Suzumiya series, because I find smart or slightly geeky girls cute. Plus she can kick anyone's ass anyway. Date at the library?

 

[modman8]

Yes, Tali from Mass Effect.
Or chuck Norris. "But he isn't fictional" I hear you cry.
Well, I'd have to make up my own Chuck Norris that wouldn't kill me on sight.
So that counts.

 

[Siegreich]

Asuka from evangelion.

 

[Billion Backs]

They wouldn't be very fictional then, huh?

And it depends. Most characters have little personality.

 

[Wriggle206]

Even though Im a girl Hong 'China' Meiling from touhou, so I could comfort her whenever she gets knifed.

Demi-Fiend form Nocturne, though Hes a slient protaganist. I just love his tattoos

 

[Crowghast]

Ah, the strange fantasies of the various geek sub-cultures here on the Escapist brought to light, here for the rest of us to marvel at in mute appeal... strange, strange appeal. If only any of these could be real, imagine the coverage they would get for some of these scandals.

And now to reveal my own perverse sexual lust. To answer your questions OP, I take it from the top!

Yes, I would date a fictional character.
It would be Eleanor from BioShock.
Because she is beautiful, can teleport, and looks great in a one-piece diving suit.
And since you've allowed me to break the laws of physics, we would be at Montereax, on the Lake Geneva shoreline. And we would watch a Frank Zappa and the Mothers concert. The one where some stupid with a flare gun burnt the whole place to the ground. And as the gambling house burned down, dying with an awful sound...

i'd turn and whisper into her ear: [i\]"Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky..."[/i]

Then i'd do a guitar solo while she shoots fireballs and electricity into the air. It'd be romantic as hell.

a: this is impossible.
b: this is really creepy.

so, no.

I think it's ironic that it says you were put on probation for a comment made on a thread titled: "Catholic Church rocked by latest gay sex scandal." (Creepy indeed.)

 

[Harlemura]

Vanille from Final Fantasy XIII.
Not sure where I'd take her, but I just want to see the world from a more "absolutely crackers" perspective.

Although I suppose having Rubi Malone from Wet around wouldn't be so bad, especially if there's anyone irksome out there that deserves... you know... dealing with.
Vanille might be able to pull off said dealing. Just send her around to their house and get her to annoy them to death.

Still feel a little weird posting in these kinds of threads. But I continue to anyway. Because hypocrisy's cool.

EDIT:
After the reading the OP again, and even though it's blatantly obvious from my post, I still feel the need to answer the question.
Yes. I would date a fictional character. Now imagine I wrote this at the start of my post.

 

[Crowghast]

The question is a bit self-defeating, really.

Would you date a fictional character? Fictional characters don't exist, so I wouldn't be able to.
Okay, lets say a fictional character existed - would you date it? Hold up, then the character would no longer be fictional.

Suspension of that aside, I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't have a desire to date a great deal of fictional characters were they real while preserving most of their qualities. After all, a lot of them were wrought in the vein of thought of being ultimate man pleasers, especially in anime where these characters are invented by artist committee specifically for shipping to their customers. Narue from World of Narue, for example, is an unfeasibly perfect girlfriend that exists in a nice fictional bubble of an anime that is specifically focused on dating, her boyfriend an otaku like most of the male viewers are likely to be. Lets not even get started with the design that went behind the characters in dating sims!

To make the conversation really interesting, I suppose I could mention that in expressing a desire to date a real life celebrity, chances are what we're really expressing is a desire to date their fictional presentation of themselves that they sell. Porno stars? Same deal.

"Would you date a fictional character" sort of equals "are you enraptured to a delusion," really. It's okay to acknowledge the effectiveness of sexy figments, you can even utilize them as tools to get your rocks off (as I've yet to read an article from someone in a mental of physical health profession who said that such a release is anything other than healthy) but to try to build a romantic commitment to a figment is most assuredly self-destructive madness.

You're on the internet, buddy. Don't expect anyone to nod and shrewdly point out your most interesting philosophical arguments. Expect them to ignore you for being a killjoy.

These are speculative discussions. It is not as though they endeavor to make any of these fantasies come true! In reality, traveling through outer space or back in time would be utterly nightmarish and complicated. We prefer the fictional variations of these, wher ethey are safe, uncomplicated and easy. In the same vein, the characterizations of what you term "figments" are much preferred, because they are the ideal images of what we think real life people should be like. Compatible, uncomplicated, safe. Those qualities can change, but those are the general reasons a person would become enamored with a "figment".

Oscar Wilde once said "Life imitates art far more than Art imitates life." Does this mean one would devote his life to attempting to recreate the fictional character? Find an example in real life? Or worse, establish a fantasy that they are in fact in love? Who knows.

And as you say, since most characters are simply constructed to appeal to a certain audience, why not imagine them as they may be outside of the stories or situations they appear in? It is, after all, simply speculation...

(Got that off my chest. Whew! There go my epistemology drives! Empty already?)

So yeah, Mr. Geldonyetich, if it were at all possible, as it is impossible, would there be a figment out there you would date given the chance?

 

[mubobi7593]

If so, who, why, and where would you take her?

I find it super funny that you immediately say "she." Do you think gays and straight women don't want to date cartoons?

OT: Anyway... probably not, I'm too socially inept with real, flawed people to go after (usually) perfect characters. Might have a one-night stand though... d:

 

[Blow_Pop]

I already am...in my mind

really? you too? who's yours?

Heh, that was just a smart ass comment. I'd always had a crush on Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer though.

Mine are almost all from book series......

*sob* I CAN'T READ!!!

Nah, but I really only read nonfiction so that cuts down on my choices for a thread like this. Might I ask who your literary romances are?

The ones I can think of off the top of my head.......(and mind you even the ones that have movies/shows after them I am still talking about what I imagine in my head them to be)

Anita Blake series: (Laurell K. Hamilton)
Richard
Edward(Who is an assasin and not to be confused with sparkly emo "vampires")

Meridith Gentry series: (Laurell K. Hamilton)
Doyle
Frost

The Sookie Stackhouse books(What True Blood is based off by Charlaine Harris)
Alcide Herveaux
on and off thing for Bill and Eric
Sam


Harry Potter series: (J.K. Rowling)
Cedric Diggory
Ron/Ginny/Fred/George Weasley

.....and off the top of my head that's all I remember......I'm not home right now so I don't have the big list of books and crushes..........My top one out of those are Alcide and Edward <3 *sigh* If I could get a combination of the two I would be in heaven....

 

[SUPA FRANKY]

The question is a bit self-defeating, really.

Would you date a fictional character? Fictional characters don't exist, so I wouldn't be able to.
Okay, lets say a fictional character existed - would you date it? Hold up, then the character would no longer be fictional.

Suspension of that aside, I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't have a desire to date a great deal of fictional characters were they real while preserving most of their qualities. After all, a lot of them were wrought in the vein of thought of being ultimate man pleasers, especially in anime where these characters are invented by artist committee specifically for shipping to their customers. Narue from World of Narue, for example, is an unfeasibly perfect girlfriend that exists in a nice fictional bubble of an anime that is specifically focused on dating, her boyfriend an otaku like most of the male viewers are likely to be. Lets not even get started with the design that went behind the characters in dating sims!

To make the conversation really interesting, I suppose I could mention that in expressing a desire to date a real life celebrity, chances are what we're really expressing is a desire to date their fictional presentation of themselves that they sell. Porno stars? Same deal.

"Would you date a fictional character" sort of equals "are you enraptured to a delusion," really. It's okay to acknowledge the effectiveness of sexy figments, you can even utilize them as tools to get your rocks off (as I've yet to read an article from someone in a mental of physical health profession who said that such a release is anything other than healthy) but to try to build a romantic commitment to a figment is most assuredly self-destructive madness.

Question in my opinion was over analyzed. I'm only asking you if you would, regardless of them being fictional or real.

If so, who, why, and where would you take her?

I find it super funny that you immediately say "she." Do you think gays and straight women don't want to date cartoons?

OT: Anyway... probably not, I'm too socially inept with real, flawed people to go after (usually) perfect characters. Might have a one-night stand though... d:

Yea, sorry about that. I think I should go back and edit that, then. My Mistake!

 

[Konaerix]

Seven of nine from Star Trek.

She'd stare at you for a half hour, then get up and leave without saying anything.

 

[Konaerix]

Even though Im a girl Hong 'China' Meiling from touhou, so I could comfort her whenever she gets knifed.

Demi-Fiend form Nocturne, though Hes a slient protaganist. I just love his tattoos

I call Sakuya!

 

[geldonyetich]

The question is a bit self-defeating, really.

Would you date a fictional character? Fictional characters don't exist, so I wouldn't be able to.
Okay, lets say a fictional character existed - would you date it? Hold up, then the character would no longer be fictional.

Suspension of that aside, I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't have a desire to date a great deal of fictional characters were they real while preserving most of their qualities. After all, a lot of them were wrought in the vein of thought of being ultimate man pleasers, especially in anime where these characters are invented by artist committee specifically for shipping to their customers. Narue from World of Narue, for example, is an unfeasibly perfect girlfriend that exists in a nice fictional bubble of an anime that is specifically focused on dating, her boyfriend an otaku like most of the male viewers are likely to be. Lets not even get started with the design that went behind the characters in dating sims!

To make the conversation really interesting, I suppose I could mention that in expressing a desire to date a real life celebrity, chances are what we're really expressing is a desire to date their fictional presentation of themselves that they sell. Porno stars? Same deal.

"Would you date a fictional character" sort of equals "are you enraptured to a delusion," really. It's okay to acknowledge the effectiveness of sexy figments, you can even utilize them as tools to get your rocks off (as I've yet to read an article from someone in a mental of physical health profession who said that such a release is anything other than healthy) but to try to build a romantic commitment to a figment is most assuredly self-destructive madness.

You're on the internet, buddy. Don't expect anyone to nod and shrewdly point out your most interesting philosophical arguments. Expect them to ignore you for being a killjoy.

These are speculative discussions. It is not as though they endeavor to make any of these fantasies come true! In reality, traveling through outer space or back in time would be utterly nightmarish and complicated. We prefer the fictional variations of these, wher ethey are safe, uncomplicated and easy. In the same vein, the characterizations of what you term "figments" are much preferred, because they are the ideal images of what we think real life people should be like. Compatible, uncomplicated, safe. Those qualities can change, but those are the general reasons a person would become enamored with a "figment".

Oscar Wilde once said "Life imitates art far more than Art imitates life." Does this mean one would devote his life to attempting to recreate the fictional character? Find an example in real life? Or worse, establish a fantasy that they are in fact in love? Who knows.

And as you say, since most characters are simply constructed to appeal to a certain audience, why not imagine them as they may be outside of the stories or situations they appear in? It is, after all, simply speculation...

(Got that off my chest. Whew! There go my epistemology drives! Empty already?)

So yeah, Mr. Geldonyetich, if it were at all possible, as it is impossible, would there be a figment out there you would date given the chance?

Well, if you're asking me to give it less due consideration in order to facilitate a positive answer, then I suppose you've made up your mind what my answer is. I don't do these philosophical wanderings of the mind to show off, I do them because this is really how much I like to overthink things. True, I might be a bit of a killjoy sometimes, but I think that's preferable to being a supporting agent in living a lie.

 

[superstringz]

I guess Kim Ross would be cool. I'd take her on a Zeppelin and fly over the Pacific.

 

[Ziadaine_v1legacy]

Yuna from FFX-2.

Spoiler: as such

 

[Crowghast]

Well, if you're asking me to give it less due consideration in order to facilitate a positive answer, then I suppose you've made up your mind what my answer is. I don't do these philosophical wanderings of the mind to show off, I do them because this is really how much I like to overthink things. True, I might be a bit of a killjoy sometimes, but I think that's preferable to being a supporting agent in living a lie.

Arg! Beaten by logic once again! I can't complain, i'm exactly the same. Although, I don't know how many people here are living lie. Mostly just putting forward a few interesting ideas. Also:

"-less due consideration in order to facilitate a positive answer"

I don't get it. Extrapolate?