Fandom meme day 10

K: What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

Yoshitaka Waya of Hikaru no Go.

Yeah, I know, you didn't notice; that's becaues it's really "blink and you'll miss it" beneath the main plot happening. And yeah, you're right, this is far from the most spectacular piece of character development happening in Hikago - that prize goes to the other half of my Hikago OTP, Isumi.

Ask me about "best character developtment EVER" and I'll probably name Impmon on Digimon Tamers and everything that is Fay D. Fluorite and Kurogane. Yoshitaka Waya just happens to be the one most important to me, because I found Waya to be such a relatable character.

Waya is relatable because in an environment of geniuses and top-league players, Waya is the hardworking everyman who is very good but not exceptional. His exact aspirations are unclear, beyond the fact that he wants to be a pro, and is satisfied with passing clearing that hurdle.

The thing that makes his arc truly hit home, is the fact that the one who sets it in motion is Ochi. Because we and Waya all think that Ochi is kind of a stuck-up jerk who is only there because his grandpa paid his way. And, you know, the entire bit about how Isumi's journey through loss and back to triumph would never have happened if not for Ochi, and we all know how Waya felt Isumi's faltering as keenly as we did as we read it. So yeah, Ochi. What a little bitch, right?

Except come the Hokuto Cup qualifications, Ochi suddenly proves himself to be twice the sportsman that Waya is. And in true Hikago tradition, the blows most keenly felt are the most trivial: Waya spends the first few runs calculating the strength of his opponents, relieved that he can qualify for the team without facing the strongest players. He doesn't, because Ochi barely beats him - and then Ochi, upon seeing Yashiro's skills, effectively resigns his place on the team by requesting a game against him to determine who is truly the stronger player. And Waya is so ashamed.

His "arc", as it is, requires a bit of special attention, because Waya's shamed admission to his own cowardice in contrast to Ochi's pride is more or less the last scene we see through his eyes - the story moves on to the Hokuto cup proper, and Waya is only seen in a few more scenes, and in the focus of even fewer. But let me point it out:

1. When Ochi and Yashiro play for the third spot on the team, Waya sits in on the game. There is absolutely no comment made about this, but we can surmise that he is at least there to observe Ochi's Go, possibly also to remind himself of how he would've been by far the weakest player on the team, had he beaten Ochi

2. He invites Ochi to his study group (and Kadowaki, another one of those top league players) and sets up a tournament - he is intentionally going out to face players so strong he knows he can't count on beating them

3. Yang Hai invites him to come study in China - you know, the place where Isumi was trounced by the grade-schoolers. Waya is clearly terrified. And then he says yes, anyway.

And it's so small, compared to everything else that happens in this story. It's just a shift in attitude towards a game. But in terms of life philosophy, it's momentuous - and because Waya is my favourite character, and because of how unflattering his initial attitude is, compared to everyone else around him, and because I think this is something I myself could've needed to learn had I been in the same situation, this turn is immensly satisfying, to me.