Pink Kokoro - A Project Sekai Rant, Feat. BanG Dream!

When I first started Project Sekai, this was my first impression of Emu Otori.

You might think the rest of this post will be about how Emu isn't actually pink Kokoro.

It's not; I stand by what I said.

Rather, Emu is what Kokoro could have been if the Bandori writing staff was competent.

Kokoro is less of a character and more of a catalyst. Her role is to kick things off and keep the plot moving rather than to be a standalone character. This isn't the only instance of Bandori failing to build characters that can stand on their own. Afterglow has an issue where, even when they get their own individual development, it still somehow ties back into Ran, making them all satelite characters for her.

Mind you, Project Sekai isn't immune to this kind of issue. Leo/need has a similar issue where a lot of the group's development is centralized around Shiho. However, with Emu, a lot of the issues that hold Kokoro back from being a good character are solved.

Kokoro's personality is "happy" with no additional nuance. Even when she does experience some kind of sad emotions, it's very limited and doesn't lead to any kind of growth. Everything just goes right back to the status quo.

Emu, conversely, actually has a personality. As early as the WxS main story, she has issues and insecurities that she has to work through. She feels like an actual character, not a lifeless blob of positivity.

Kokoro and Emu are similar characters in several ways, which really only helps emphasize just how much better the writing is in Project Sekai compared to Bandori (even if Project Sekai's writing does have its own issues, but that's a rant for another time).