What I’m starting to realize is that “too many characters” usually isn’t the real problem—it’s a symptom.Some of my favorite stories, like Hunter x Hunter, One Piece, and Fullmetal Alchemist, have huge casts, yet I’ve never felt like they were weighed down by it. On paper, they should feel bloated—especially something like One Piece, which introduces plenty of characters who are minor, redundant, or disappear entirely—but it never really hurts the experience.By contrast, series like My Hero Academia, RWBY, Fairy Tail, Bleach, or Genshin Impact often feel like they have too many characters—but I don’t think the raw number is actually the issue.What makes the difference is how strong the core of the story is.When the main cast and central arcs are engaging, focused, and emotionally satisfying, the audience doesn’t really mind how many side characters exist. Even if some of them are underdeveloped or unnecessary, they don’t stand out as problems because the story’s foundation is solid.But when the main characters or primary narrative feel underwritten, inconsistent, or unfocused, the audience starts looking elsewhere for something to latch onto—often the side cast. And when those characters also lack depth or purpose, the entire story starts to feel bloated. That’s when people say “there are too many characters,” even though what they’re really reacting to is a lack of substance at the center.In that sense, underdeveloped side characters aren’t inherently a problem—they become noticeable because the main story isn’t carrying enough weight.tl;dr“Too many characters” isn’t a core flaw—it’s what a story feels like when its main cast and central narrative aren’t strong enough to hold attention.
>>287254233It takes a 10/10 and turns it into a 9/10. You are still enjoying it, but it's not as good as it could be.
A big cast isn't inherently bad, most harem anime have a ton of characters. If you turn to the US, the Simpsons have a ton of characters. The question is really how they're developed and used. Not all characters need a deep backstory or a ton of screen time
>>287254233Don't AI-slop /a/.
>>287254871>A big cast isn't inherently bad, most harem anime have a ton of characters.You've clearly never seen many harem anime because most of them have MAYBE ~10 characters while your below average isekai slop will have something like 30+.
