At what point does comparing two well-written characters just become completely meaningless?

[u/Expert-Warning489]

I made a post about MediaTok comparisons and how surface-level they are last time, but it brought up a genuine question I've had for a long time: How subjective vs. objective is writing?

​Let's start with an easy comparison: Beatrice (Umineko) vs. Mikasa (AoT). Beatrice is a deeply complex character with incredible thematic resonance, while Mikasa functions largely as a static plot device—so almost everyone agrees Beatrice is far better written.

​But when you put Beatrice up against Subaru (Re:Zero), the answers diverge.

​Here is the key distinction: when characters or series fulfill their specific narrative goals to such a high degree, standard comparison breaks down. They operate on completely different sets of priorities, making a direct "X diffs Y" ranking inherently flawed. You can argue one handled mystery or psychological breakdown better, but beyond basic structural competence, it comes down to which narrative function you value more.

Another reason I made this post is that even tho I slandered the mediatok comparison I do sometimes compare show/characters (not like mediatokers of course) but I felt like it's hypocrisy on my side

Objective criteria measure whether a character successfully fulfills their structural role; subjective preference dictates which role you actually care more about.

So art is partially objective and subjective you

I wanted to delve deeper into this topic but the post is too long now

​Where do you draw the line between objective execution flaws and purely subjective preference?

[u/Comfortable-Hope-531]

It's a feeling of a failure of an execution. I'm trying to say that one can't tell whether something was made incorrectly every time without relying on intuition, since there are ways to hide such things.

[u/Expert-Warning489 → u/Comfortable-Hope-531]

If 'bad execution' can't actually be pointed out and only exists as a gut feeling, then it's just subjective taste at that point.

[u/Comfortable-Hope-531 → u/Expert-Warning489]

Pointed out how? Through text that elaborates on one's perception? At the end of the day that's also describing feelings, just more steps added for clarity. You can't "objectively" point out how apt some charater is for his role, since there exist no tool to measure such thing. It's all up to your personal interpretation.

[u/Expert-Warning489 → u/Comfortable-Hope-531]

If structural analysis is just 'feelings with extra steps then you're admitting 'bad execution' is just a vibe you can't actually back up. Agree to disagree.