Shrines to Same Characters

[Destinie]

Out of curiosity - how do you feel when you see multiple shrines to the same character? Do you like seeing shrines to the same character? How do you feel when it's a character you have already made a shrine for?

For me, I really like seeing shrines to the same character because you get a different angle on the topic. You can see why someone likes that character and it may be different from another person, you get different views, and you get to see how another person interprets the character. It's also unique to get some information that someone may have not written about on another site.

I kind of wish there were more shrines out there to characters I've already done. I like following the link trail through these sites and seeing what other people have to say and what I have missed. (I also like when someone else owns a fanlisting to a topic that I like because it's nice to know there are other fans for this same character or topic within the community, hehe.)

[Lethe]

I love seeing shrines to the same character! I also get excited when someone announces they're shrining something that "has already been the subject of another shrine" and want to encourage them, since I know people tend to think of it as a daunting or push back plans to shrine something when there's an existing shrine to the subject.

There are a lot of different ways and styles to make character shrines, too, so unless it's mostly summaries, it's nice not just to see different opinions (and angles, as you said), but also different ways of presentation, or different emphasis. I mean, just a relationship or introduction page can be written and designed in very different ways, and I like seeing each person's creativity.

I haven't shrined anything anyone else has shrined so far, but I know at least one character with an expansive shrine that I'd like to shrine, too - with different thematic emphasis. My shrines are fairly recent, so there haven't been shrines to the same things since, but I imagine it'd be a pleasant surprise because it'd mean getting more fan content to things I love haha.

On that subject............ I love crawling former Final Fantasy shrines lol, they're some of the most-shrined subjects, so... I love how the three active Squall shrines are not just really unique shrines, but distinct from each other.

[Robin]

I love same-character shrines for the reasons already mentioned above...but at the same time, if someone else has a shrine to the same character I do, I do worry that mine won't be of the same quality. I try to make my sites different enough so that if someone else makes a site to the same character, I won't be tempted to do a bunch of comparing, but I still do it a little anyway. Fail! LOL

I think a community like this helps alleviate some of that tension, though, because we're all such passionate fans that any competitiveness tends to melt away <3

[Crystal]

If it's something I have I tend to feel a little discouraged because theirs are always better than mine. xD

Despite that though it is always neat to see how different shrines can be between two owners. Somehow at the same time Michelle and I made Cherche shrines (without each other knowing) and it's amazing how completely different they are. I love it.

[Destinie]

If it's something I have I tend to feel a little discouraged because theirs are always better than mine. xD

Awww. I don't know if it's "better" or just different, you know? I wouldn't hold it to another piece to look at and say "that's better", but maybe if you felt that way it would inspire you to think about what you can do to your own piece? Maybe look at it and think "What do I not like about this that I would change?".

But I am sure there are a lot of people that feel like that about their own work but then you might have someone who visits and states that they really like what you've done. So it's all relative!

Despite that though it is always neat to see how different shrines can be between two owners. Somehow at the same time Michelle and I made Cherche shrines (without each other knowing) and it's amazing how completely different they are. I love it.

I think that's really neat! It really shows other people's styles and how they interpret the character. Everyone who likes something will interpret it their own way and I think that's what is interesting about shrines! ♥

[Emma]

I love seeing different takes on the same characters! Alex and I both have Kain sites, and I think they're both quite different from each other and it was really interesting to read her site and her ideas on his character. And obviously, everyone has a different style, so that comes into play too.

But even saying that, I must admit that it maybe make me a bit apprehensive shrining a particular character if someone else has a site to the same one, particularly if it's a minor character who maybe doesn't have a lot of development or there isn't a lot to say about them. I'd be concerned about repeating or inadvertently copying someone, you know? Although I don't think it would stop me if it was someone I REALLY wanted to shrine, and it also might force me to think a bit outside the box on what topics I'd talk about. There are a couple of Pokemon and Fire Emblem: Awakening characters I'd potentially like to shrine (on my stupid long list of sites I'd like to make but probably never will for a million other reasons) that already have great sites existing to them. It could be a little intimidating, I suppose.

[nyxmidnight]

Competition paralyses me. If someone has already made a shrine (like for Junpei Iori) I probably won't make my own.

[Mikari]

I don't mind there being lots of shrines to the same character. Everyone has their own perspective and opinions. I may skip over the basic fact pages, but then I might do that anyway even if there's only one, since I prefer the pages that dig deeper and that's where you can see each person's writing shine. Everyone has their own way to experience a story and relate to its characters, which makes every shrine unique.

[Megan]

Competition paralyses me. If someone has already made a shrine (like for Junpei Iori) I probably won't make my own.

Ahhhh don't feel like you can't make one just because I have one! Junpei is awesome!


I agree with Emma, I don't feel like I can make a site to a Pokemon character/minor character that already has one! I shy away from that... but if its a complex character why not! I do see the awkwardness of it though because I never want to make someone feel uncomfortable, especially if that person is my friend! But I think that as long as your shrines are unique and you don't copy the other existing one, its fine! :D

[Laura]

Out of curiosity - how do you feel when you see multiple shrines to the same character? Do you like seeing shrines to the same character? How do you feel when it's a character you have already made a shrine for?

I love it!! I always have and I think I always will for these reasons:

1) It challenges me to work harder on my own shrines to give something unique for visitors to see. It's friendly competition. <3

2) I make shrines because I love the characters. If other people are making shrines to the same characters, it makes me happy because that character is getting more love AND I get more character-related stuff to read. :3 Everyone has different opinions and different ways of approaching shrine creation!

3) It makes sad, lonely link pages look a lot nicer when there's a like shrine to affiliate with (or even just link to). <3

So yeah, I definitely encourage people to make shrines to the same characters. No one should feel like they can't just because someone else has done one. Back in the day, there used to be dozens of shrines to the same characters and it was lovely. <3 Anything that gets back to that is good, IMO. ^_^