Pandora Hearts Appreciation: Day 6
Day 06 - Favorite male Character.
I think we all know the answer to this one. What started out as being a character, that catered to my interests, turned into someone that I looked up to. There is a lot that I wish to say about this man, and he deserves every bit of it.
Like you were expecting anyone else, right~?
Okay, so I guess it's only best to start from the very first time I saw him. As I stated earlier, I was doing some general research on Pandora Hearts, to see if it would be worth checking out. When I was on the anime's website, I was looking at the character designs, and I instantly knew that Xerxes Break was destined to be my favorite character. He had that creepy, eccentric look to him, that I tend to gravitate toward. (Basically, he reminded me of mai husbando.) Heck, even his name is made of awesome and win.
And I totally loved his outfit. It takes a true man to be able to pull off such a style, and Break does it with complete confidence. He has a few other outfits in his wardrobe, but his default outfit is just so cool! Heck, I loved Break's fashion sense, so much, that I actually based a few of my outfits off of his. He even gave me a love for the color purple, too. I used to not like it, but I started wearing it, and it actually looks good on me. Furthermore, when I realized he was going to be dying for real, I decided to go with Midnight Purple, when I got my 3DS. I even named it after him. So, if anything, I will always remember you for your stylish fashion sense, Break!
So, anyway, I ended up checking out the Pandora Hearts anime, mostly because I wanted to see if my impression of Break would be right or not. Yes, Break was ultimately the reason why I ended up getting into this series, in the first place. I know it's a shallow reason, but I was in need of a character, that could entertain me, and he managed to do just that.
Break didn't really get to properly show off, until episode four. I wasn't completely sold on the series, at that point, but I decided to stick it out, for him. He was everything I hoped for, and, eventually, he became more than that. He started off being the creepy and eccentric character that I was hoping he would be, but over the course of the series, he became so much more human. He played so many different roles. He was the comedic relief, the ace, the mentor, the invalid, and the inspiration. I love watching the main source of the comedy being able to hold his own in a fight, but Break kicked numerous amounts of ass.
As an aside, it still kills me that the anime never got dubbed. Because of how versatile Break's character was, it's just such a damn shame that Liam O'Brien never got to voice him in English. I had him pegged, since the beginning, to voice Break, and it's such a wasted opportunity to not have done it. A versatile character deserves a versatile voice actor, and I know he would've pulled off Break, flawlessly. If anything, though, I always read his lines, using the same voice Liam used for Lloyd; or, at least a variation. I'm not just saying that because Lloyd's mai husbando. I'm saying that, because that voice would've been absolutely perfect for Break, as well.
Anyway, moving on...
One of the aspects I've loved about Pandora Hearts the most, was the character interactions. When it comes to Break, I think there's two or three other characters, that I absolutely adored watching him interact with. First, was both Sharon and Reim, obviously. Sharon's been like a little sister to Break, while Reim's more like a younger brother, who constantly nags at his older brother to behave himself. I know they're really more on a platonic basis, but I haven't really been able to see Break and Reim as just friends. They've always seemed more like family, to me. -shrugs-
The other character, that I loved watching Break interact with, was Oz. Oz and Break's relationship was just a lot of fun to watch. I know that Gil and Alice are the two most important people in Oz's life, but Break also managed to impact Oz in a big way. He would often lend an outsider's perspective on things, and they both existed on a more similar wavelength. Mostly, though, they were just a great pair. They'd spar with each other. They'd snark and trade information; even if Break still hid a lot of things. Still, they clearly had a pretty deep relationship, even if Break didn't want to admit to it. Oz could see right through him, at times, and Break knew it. On top of that, Oz was the first one to notice how Break was deteriorating, physically, over time. Yet, he never said anything, because he knew that Break didn't want anyone worrying about him. So, he kept quiet, just to respect his wishes.
Now, I knew Break wouldn't survive the series. He flat-out said so, early on, but I still decided to just enjoy him, for as long as I could. However, there was a certain aspect of his physical deterioration that really impacted me. I've been saying that I looked up to him, in a few ways, and, ironically, this is one of them. When I came down with asthma, a few years ago, I was so scared that I was going to die. I did everything I could to stave off the attacks, but they kept coming. It was difficult getting through them, and some of the attacks were downright scary. However, I managed to force my way through them, because I thought of Break. If he was still able to keep kicking ass, while blind and dying, then I could keep on living, even if I was having trouble breathing. Of course, I'm on some proper asthma management medicine, now, and I haven't had an attack since October 2013. However, I still owe a lot to Break, for helping to ease my mind and survive the attacks.
There were a few other lessons that Break taught me, as well. Going along with the aspect of our weaknesses, he taught me to respect my limitations. Break had a tendency to overdo things, at times, and he paid for it. Now, I know I just raved about him helping me though my asthma attacks, but in turn, his habit of going all-out would cause his body to break down even more. So, I learned that there's only so much I'd be able to do, after contracting such a thing. Fortunately, I have tested out my limitations, and I can do a lot more, than I had expected. I just don't want to go too overboard, is all.
On the flip side, he and Sharon both taught me that there's nothing wrong with making a tactical retreat, in order to recuperate. It's better to relax and get some rest, so you can go back to working at full strength. I actually had to implement this, a few days ago, when I got extremely stressed out, to the point that my chest started feeling tight. Since I didn't want to come down with an asthma attack, I just decided to stay home and try to recover. Sure, I got guilt-tripped, but I know I made the right choice. I know my body more than anyone else, and, as I just stated, I respect my limitations.
Finally, there was one other really big lesson that I learned from him, Oz, and Lloyd. That was to screw what everyone says, and just be yourself. Have fun with life. Life's too short to be depressed and negative, all the time. You only have a limited time, and you have to use that time wisely. Live the life you feel that you're meant to live, and not worry what all those tasteless idiots say. You're you, and, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.
...And I hope that he's finally happy, now, too.
So, I just want to thank you, Xerxes, for being a part of my life, for the past six years. I hope your new life is one filled with happiness, love, and lots of sweets! Stay gold, my friend.
Day 01 - Why do you like Pandora Hearts?
Day 02 - How did you get to know of Pandora Hearts?
Day 03 - What was your first reaction after read/watching it?
Day 04 - Could you imagine your life without it?
Day 05 - Random Screenshot.
Day 06 - Favorite male Character.
Day 07 - Least favorite male Character.
Day 08 - Random Fanart.
Day 09 - Favorite female Character.
Day 10 - Least favorite female Character.
Day 11 - Favourite chain.
Day 12 - You meet older and younger Gilbert, who do you refer to as Gil and who as Gilbert?
Day 13 - Favorite Pairing.
Day 14 - Least favorite Pairing.
Day 15 - Favorite Episode.
Day 16 - Saddest Episode.
Day 17 - Funniest Episode.
Day 18 - Favorite character past.
Day 19 - Least favorite character past.
Day 20 - Random Gif.
Day 21 - A song that reminds you of one of the Characters or Pairings.
Day 22 - A song that reminds you of Pandora Hearts.
Day 23 - Anime or Manga?
Day 24 - Who do you think would look good as the opposite sex?
Day 25 - Favorite Quote.
Day 26 - Random page from Manga.
Day 27 - Character you relate to the Most?
Day 28 - Character you wish they would kill off ASAP?
Day 29 - Favorite Manga Volume.
Day 30 - Why you would recommend Pandora Hearts to others?
I think we all know the answer to this one. What started out as being a character, that catered to my interests, turned into someone that I looked up to. There is a lot that I wish to say about this man, and he deserves every bit of it.
Like you were expecting anyone else, right~?
Okay, so I guess it's only best to start from the very first time I saw him. As I stated earlier, I was doing some general research on Pandora Hearts, to see if it would be worth checking out. When I was on the anime's website, I was looking at the character designs, and I instantly knew that Xerxes Break was destined to be my favorite character. He had that creepy, eccentric look to him, that I tend to gravitate toward. (Basically, he reminded me of mai husbando.) Heck, even his name is made of awesome and win.
And I totally loved his outfit. It takes a true man to be able to pull off such a style, and Break does it with complete confidence. He has a few other outfits in his wardrobe, but his default outfit is just so cool! Heck, I loved Break's fashion sense, so much, that I actually based a few of my outfits off of his. He even gave me a love for the color purple, too. I used to not like it, but I started wearing it, and it actually looks good on me. Furthermore, when I realized he was going to be dying for real, I decided to go with Midnight Purple, when I got my 3DS. I even named it after him. So, if anything, I will always remember you for your stylish fashion sense, Break!
So, anyway, I ended up checking out the Pandora Hearts anime, mostly because I wanted to see if my impression of Break would be right or not. Yes, Break was ultimately the reason why I ended up getting into this series, in the first place. I know it's a shallow reason, but I was in need of a character, that could entertain me, and he managed to do just that.
Break didn't really get to properly show off, until episode four. I wasn't completely sold on the series, at that point, but I decided to stick it out, for him. He was everything I hoped for, and, eventually, he became more than that. He started off being the creepy and eccentric character that I was hoping he would be, but over the course of the series, he became so much more human. He played so many different roles. He was the comedic relief, the ace, the mentor, the invalid, and the inspiration. I love watching the main source of the comedy being able to hold his own in a fight, but Break kicked numerous amounts of ass.
As an aside, it still kills me that the anime never got dubbed. Because of how versatile Break's character was, it's just such a damn shame that Liam O'Brien never got to voice him in English. I had him pegged, since the beginning, to voice Break, and it's such a wasted opportunity to not have done it. A versatile character deserves a versatile voice actor, and I know he would've pulled off Break, flawlessly. If anything, though, I always read his lines, using the same voice Liam used for Lloyd; or, at least a variation. I'm not just saying that because Lloyd's mai husbando. I'm saying that, because that voice would've been absolutely perfect for Break, as well.
Anyway, moving on...
One of the aspects I've loved about Pandora Hearts the most, was the character interactions. When it comes to Break, I think there's two or three other characters, that I absolutely adored watching him interact with. First, was both Sharon and Reim, obviously. Sharon's been like a little sister to Break, while Reim's more like a younger brother, who constantly nags at his older brother to behave himself. I know they're really more on a platonic basis, but I haven't really been able to see Break and Reim as just friends. They've always seemed more like family, to me. -shrugs-
The other character, that I loved watching Break interact with, was Oz. Oz and Break's relationship was just a lot of fun to watch. I know that Gil and Alice are the two most important people in Oz's life, but Break also managed to impact Oz in a big way. He would often lend an outsider's perspective on things, and they both existed on a more similar wavelength. Mostly, though, they were just a great pair. They'd spar with each other. They'd snark and trade information; even if Break still hid a lot of things. Still, they clearly had a pretty deep relationship, even if Break didn't want to admit to it. Oz could see right through him, at times, and Break knew it. On top of that, Oz was the first one to notice how Break was deteriorating, physically, over time. Yet, he never said anything, because he knew that Break didn't want anyone worrying about him. So, he kept quiet, just to respect his wishes.
Now, I knew Break wouldn't survive the series. He flat-out said so, early on, but I still decided to just enjoy him, for as long as I could. However, there was a certain aspect of his physical deterioration that really impacted me. I've been saying that I looked up to him, in a few ways, and, ironically, this is one of them. When I came down with asthma, a few years ago, I was so scared that I was going to die. I did everything I could to stave off the attacks, but they kept coming. It was difficult getting through them, and some of the attacks were downright scary. However, I managed to force my way through them, because I thought of Break. If he was still able to keep kicking ass, while blind and dying, then I could keep on living, even if I was having trouble breathing. Of course, I'm on some proper asthma management medicine, now, and I haven't had an attack since October 2013. However, I still owe a lot to Break, for helping to ease my mind and survive the attacks.
There were a few other lessons that Break taught me, as well. Going along with the aspect of our weaknesses, he taught me to respect my limitations. Break had a tendency to overdo things, at times, and he paid for it. Now, I know I just raved about him helping me though my asthma attacks, but in turn, his habit of going all-out would cause his body to break down even more. So, I learned that there's only so much I'd be able to do, after contracting such a thing. Fortunately, I have tested out my limitations, and I can do a lot more, than I had expected. I just don't want to go too overboard, is all.
On the flip side, he and Sharon both taught me that there's nothing wrong with making a tactical retreat, in order to recuperate. It's better to relax and get some rest, so you can go back to working at full strength. I actually had to implement this, a few days ago, when I got extremely stressed out, to the point that my chest started feeling tight. Since I didn't want to come down with an asthma attack, I just decided to stay home and try to recover. Sure, I got guilt-tripped, but I know I made the right choice. I know my body more than anyone else, and, as I just stated, I respect my limitations.
Finally, there was one other really big lesson that I learned from him, Oz, and Lloyd. That was to screw what everyone says, and just be yourself. Have fun with life. Life's too short to be depressed and negative, all the time. You only have a limited time, and you have to use that time wisely. Live the life you feel that you're meant to live, and not worry what all those tasteless idiots say. You're you, and, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.
...And I hope that he's finally happy, now, too.
So, I just want to thank you, Xerxes, for being a part of my life, for the past six years. I hope your new life is one filled with happiness, love, and lots of sweets! Stay gold, my friend.
Day 01 - Why do you like Pandora Hearts?
Day 02 - How did you get to know of Pandora Hearts?
Day 03 - What was your first reaction after read/watching it?
Day 04 - Could you imagine your life without it?
Day 05 - Random Screenshot.
Day 06 - Favorite male Character.
Day 07 - Least favorite male Character.
Day 08 - Random Fanart.
Day 09 - Favorite female Character.
Day 10 - Least favorite female Character.
Day 11 - Favourite chain.
Day 12 - You meet older and younger Gilbert, who do you refer to as Gil and who as Gilbert?
Day 13 - Favorite Pairing.
Day 14 - Least favorite Pairing.
Day 15 - Favorite Episode.
Day 16 - Saddest Episode.
Day 17 - Funniest Episode.
Day 18 - Favorite character past.
Day 19 - Least favorite character past.
Day 20 - Random Gif.
Day 21 - A song that reminds you of one of the Characters or Pairings.
Day 22 - A song that reminds you of Pandora Hearts.
Day 23 - Anime or Manga?
Day 24 - Who do you think would look good as the opposite sex?
Day 25 - Favorite Quote.
Day 26 - Random page from Manga.
Day 27 - Character you relate to the Most?
Day 28 - Character you wish they would kill off ASAP?
Day 29 - Favorite Manga Volume.
Day 30 - Why you would recommend Pandora Hearts to others?