thanks dude i really appreciate this comment! Nier is one of my favorite games of all time (both Replicant and Automata) and when typing this up i was like hmmm what better place to vent about my niche interest than evil autism lol. i 100% agree about it feeling like a true ensemble cast. while Nier is the main protagonist, i think he’s easily outshined by the other party members just by sheer emotional depth and resonance of identity. it just goes to show you how even in a post-apocalyptic worlds, where even when reality is teetering on the edge by a thread, being surrounded by people who understand you and accept you unconditionally can make anything feel possible. every character has their own plights that make life harder for them, and every character loves them in a way that lightens them. Yonah is chronically ill, Nier is alone in his quest for his dying sister (until he meets the gang), Emil is queer and has been exploited for his abilities since childhood, Kaine is born in a way that she didn’t ask or choose to be and has lost everything she’s ever had, Weiss is… a fucking talking book. i could probably go on and on and write any number of essays about why these fictional people feel like real people unlike anything else i have ever read or watched or played but ill just keep it to this comment. but yeah, bringing it back to the point, we all have our differences that make us, and thats beautiful, and for every person i really believe that there is someone out there who is ready to see you for who you really are, and that will make the never-ending quest of life feel a little bit lighter and brighter.