Character Portraits

[Purity]

I know this suggestion has been requested before, the idea was sound, but apparently it was shot down (https://mangadex.org/thread/7111/manga-character-list-page)

I thought it would be nice to have Character Portraits available on description, regular users are able to contribute with this information easily. For example, we need an option to submit two fields (Character Name and Resizable Character Image) behind a captcha. After introducing both fields and the captcha, the post should be pending approval, and a moderator should be able to authorize the edition.

 

[Wolvenworks]

so basically something like a manga chara database? TBH i don't think i get what you mean at all...

 

[monkey123]

Nah please don't. Better keep this site small and simple (KISS, not kissmanga).

 

[Pokari]

The idea seems a little foreign to me too, but based on the other thread, I would think it would be much better for the community if people just used set up MAL links and filled out the characters there as appropriate?

That is to say, I imagine that part of the problem is that not too many people are interested in such things (manga that desperately need a dramatis personae listing, quite often have them in the manga already...?)—if so, wouldn't splitting efforts between different sites be counterproductive?

 

[ununseti]

I can easily see the mods getting overwhelmed with a flood of edit requests

One major problem I can see would be spoilers. Some characters are pretty much a total spoiler (e.g. Ciel, Tobi, Reiner, etc.); and for series that span a very large timespan, there may be some dispute about the ideal picture to use because of the age variation. A sliding scale of spoilers/security clearance idea would be pretty cool (a different view based on how many chapters you say you've read!), though it'd probably require impractical levels of effort to achieve.

The only main advantage of having a character list here would be locality of reference; if there character list is right here, readers may be more inclined to update entries since it's right there when they finish reading a chapter; as opposed to some off-site place like TVTropes, wikia, etc.

Maybe it could be used as an informal staging ground before exporting to those other places? There are a lot of character profiles for more obscure series that are missing a lot of info!

 

[Pokari]

Maybe it could be used as an informal staging ground before exporting to those other places? There are a lot of character profiles for more obscure series that are missing a lot of info!

So, I'm genuinely curious now: What is the purpose of such a list?

I understand the utility for long-running series where it's hard to keep track of all the cast, but what use are character profiles on a more obscure series?

 

[ununseti]

Maybe if it's been a while since the last update (if it was dropped by the scanlator or whatever), a reader may need a refresher on who's who?... though tbh I keep notes on continuity for series that I care about, so a character list wouldn't actually do that much for me. _{(and readers could always just reread the manga)}

Or maybe it's just for the satisfaction that this super obscure character that no one knows about has a profile somewhere on the internet, at least.

Though I do think that this site lacks the critical mass/traffic to make this kind of feature self-sustaining/worth it tbh;