What Does Everyone Love So Much About Dana?

[Akane]

I'd like to try and recapture the best parts of her character in a different setting someday if the chance comes up, so can anyone tell me why fans of this game love Dana so much?

[MicahDS]

I wouldn't say I 'love' Dana, but I like the sound of her English VA, and I like the blue hair. It's also pretty great that a more elegant and dainty sort of girl would wield such large weaponry. They really nailed a strong yet innocent goddess vibe.

Overall, her personality isn't anything all that special to me, though I wouldn't say I dislike it, I just didn't find her relatable enough. Ultimately though, the storytelling is why she didn't stand out and become more memorable to me, so I think her character had more potential.

In explaining, the story is certainly better than average, but - in my personal opinion - the biggest failure in the story was that it was missing too many relatable factors, especially in the intense moments (e.g. life threatening situations, character conflicts, etc.) that are intended to strengthen and deepen character bonds. With a story so focused on friendship, it just didn't do enough to make you get emotionally invested into the characters.

One of the biggest reasons the game's story doesn't make that big of an impact is that the storytelling tries to connect characters with characters as opposed to connecting characters with the player. At least, this is how I see it.

THE POINT for saying all of that is that I think Dana's character is actually very good, but she only came out as alright, since a character only shines as much as the storytelling allows them to.

[Akane]

Originally posted by MicahDS:

I wouldn't say I 'love' Dana, but I like the sound of her English VA, and I like the blue hair. It's also pretty great that a more elegant and dainty sort of girl would wield such large weaponry. They really nailed a strong yet innocent goddess vibe.

Overall, her personality isn't anything all that special to me, though I wouldn't say I dislike it, I just didn't find her relatable enough. Ultimately though, the storytelling is why she didn't stand out and become more memorable to me, so I think her character had more potential.

In explaining, the story is certainly better than average, but - in my personal opinion - the biggest failure in the story was that it was missing too many relatable factors, especially in the intense moments (e.g. life threatening situations, character conflicts, etc.) that are intended to strengthen and deepen character bonds. With a story so focused on friendship, it just didn't do enough to make you get emotionally invested into the characters.

One of the biggest reasons the game's story doesn't make that big of an impact is that the storytelling tries to connect characters with characters as opposed to connecting characters with the player. At least, this is how I see it.

THE POINT for saying all of that is that I think Dana's character is actually very good, but she only came out as alright, since a character only shines as much as the storytelling allows them to.

Story telling wise I did find that I didn't connect as much to the characters as they did to one another. Personally I didn't really feel much of a loss when Dana sacrificed her... existence... to save everyone else. Though I feel like the bigger issue with not connecting to Dana was just the fact that I felt like she should have joined the party a bit earlier on and helped them rise out of the first major obstacle that they didn't walk away from unscathed i.e. the threat of Nameless. I really loved Sahad, Laxia, even Dogi (when I've never seen him in any other game yet) and I feel like part of that is because they were with me from the beginning.

But anyway, do you know the reason why everyone else loves Dana? Does it mainly stem from her cute and unique design and from that point they like the fact that she's so openly... "friendly" with the main protagonist like it's some kind of Harem? Or is it her character that they love so much?

[Aura Enterpr//se]

Originally posted by Akane:

I'd like to try and recapture the best parts of her character in a different setting someday if the chance comes up, so can anyone tell me why fans of this game love Dana so much?

Just my opinions, and because of the title so I assume I needn’t to put things in spoiler.

Still, V E R Y H E A V Y S P O I L E R A L E R T

I loved Dana because:

1 - She's a lively girl. Unlike Tia (SEVEN), Olha (VI), Leeza (YoTC) and Elena (OiF) which they all seem formal, shy, subtle and pure hearted; and unlike tsundere Aisha or chilling type like Kana; Dana is more energetic, refreshing, sometimes being lovely with her carefree behaviors when doing her duty as a maiden. She do love and care for the people, but she also just want to enjoy life like a young girl along with Olga, Sarai and Rastell. That’s why she prefers playing with Mia and Sia, even the first maiden instead of doing tiresome traditional ritual and formality, or snucking outside and wandering around

2 – Her adorable smiles whenever get caught or being involved into trouble

3 – She’s very reliable. She is strong, has fast movements, dancing-like combat and always feel gooood with her airborne spinning attack. She has the talents and the favors from the spirits as well. She saved the Castaway Village once, and believe me when she indeed saved Adol a lot of times dealing with primordials too, one slash player is not enough to deal with dem cheeky super fast Giesaurs. Plus, She’s always my last card in holding a raid. And her Light form looks like she’s about to wreck someone to dust with badass muda muda muda reference.

4 – And that goes to her Light form vs Metaphorash. A fast-paced Muda battle! (of course I’m using mod)

5 – Once she got into something, she is serious about it. Her action may be reckless but it is understandable. After all, she understands the situation fast and act quickly (dealing with the primordials, the threats, the future incident, etc)

6 – Although it seems unlikely, but she does have a feeling for Adol (and him towards her as well). Probably Falcom haven’t decided on who is going to be Adol girl yet + the destined ending so they keep it very subtle I guess.

7 – Now to the dark thing. Of course, such lovely girl like that does not deserve such cruel fate and sadness. Probably there will be people who said they didn’t feel sorry for her. But I do! Here are the details:

- She felt guilty for not saving her mother when having a chance, but again she’s just a little girl

- Her people betrayed her. Her best boy Rastell almost betrays her. One of the two little girls died a terrible way. Olga died somewhere very far away. Then other supporting girls from Tree of Origin died when aiding the people as well. If you take time reading every NPCs dialogue you will understand more about their relationship with Dana

- No matter how hard she tried and kept giving it, the outcome is the same – Eternian age is over, not instantly but slowly and awfully (meteorite attacks > drastic climate change > dead supplies > ice age)

- And one of her her best friends Sarai, whether fake or true left without saying anything till current Ys 8 age

- It should come to the point where Dana might finish it all with herself, but again, the Warden tattoo is like the curse

- When recovered at Adol timeline, Dana is just a lonely girl with no purposes, no places to go, simply the living remnant of the past

- And just when she starts thinking she could enjoy life again… comes the next Lacrimosa

Anyway, it’s a bit relieving that she’s become Goddess of Evolution, yet it’s still sad when Dana have to continue to hold all the big responsibility without rest and not being able to live like a normal girl. But either that or our boi Adol would be gone as well. At least Dana needn’t to do it alone since there are other Wardens so she’s less lonely I guess.

P.S: Dana may not fit as being an ideal wife like Laxia, but she is the ideal girl, probably too good to be true for every man. And that’s why she in my list along with Feena, Lilia and Tia.

[DDR]

(Spoilers)
I got to admire how she never gives up! There are so many points during her story where it would have been completely normal for someone in her position to give up and accept the fate. I even started to laugh whenever she says "mada dayo" ("it's not over yet") every time after something completely hopeless happens. Even after her whole race went extinct.

Her own promise that she would never leave anyone in danger unfortunately didn't manage to save her own people. But because of the path she walked, her hope of escaping the fate reached the humans and led them to a kind of salvation. When playing through Dana's story, I tried to focus on the image of a single girl running around a doomed city fixing whatever she can and exploring every clue to fight destiny. It made me root for Dana so strongly.

In the end, she became a goddess, which is kind of bittersweet. But I believe she will keep her mindset to try her best to save anyone she can, even when charged with delivering the terrible Lacrimosa.