Okay, I'm interested. But since I've never really gotten around to watching Medaka Box aaallllll of this-
Means almost nothing to me at the moment. I have looked up what these things are on the wiki page so I got a very loose handle on the basics, but I don't really understand what it would be like to play a Special as opposed to say a Normal or any of the others really. Could anyone be helpful and provide a bit more on the specific differences between them and how it would affect the narrative.
Sure. I'm sure that there's plenty of people who haven't watched Medaka Box or have but need a refresher since it's been a while.
Normals: The Underdog choice. Completely normal people and the majority of humanity in Medaka Box. A Normal in Medaka Box is simply someone who isn't naturally gifted in some way and stays within the realms of what is humanly possible. Basically, think of them as baseline humans. Now, while being Normal sounds rather boring in a Shounen Jump-esque series like Medaka Box, a Normal is probably the most mentally stable out of all of the possible choices here. Additionally, while Normals are confined to being baseline humans at first, since this is a Shounen Jump Series, the feats a Normal is capable of if they train hard enough is still far beyond what is normally possible for a normal human.
Specials: Lying somewhere between normal humans and superhumans, a Special is someone that possesses the ability to excel in a specific area like Judo, Swimming or Singing. To put it simply, Specials are what normal humans would call talented. Still, a Special's abilities will never become blatantly superhuman or supernatural and as such, will never become truly Abnormal. However, this lack of power and brute force when it comes to their abilities means that they have no choice but to hone their wits and intelligence against stronger opponents and are less likely to become overconfident or overly reliant on their special skills.
Abnormals: Abnormals are the epitome of humanity, possessing a Skill or "Abnormality" that far transcend the capabilities of a normal human from birth. If Normals are baseline humans and Specials are talented, then Abnormals are Superhumans. While Normals can eventually come close to a Special's level of skill if they train hard enough over a long period of time, both Normals and Specials aren't able to become Abnormals no matter how hard they try unless they possessed the potential to become one from the very beginning. Abnormals usually are unable to possess more than one Skill, with one particular exception. Abnormals can be divided into two categories; Plus or Minus.
Plus: A Plus can be described as someone who has been blessed by the world. They are the geniuses, the ones who are a cut above the rest, the ones who bring something new to the table that is humanity, the ones who win. It's telling that a simple way to determine whether or not someone is a Plus is to have them roll six dice. If they're a Plus, all of the dice will roll a six. A common thread seen in Pluses is the desire to master and control their Abnormalities as their capabilities are so overwhelming that they are normally unable to control that part of themselves. Additionally, this often means that Pluses are alienated from normal society due to how overwhelmingly superior they are to the average human, which is also a major factor as to why they wish to master their abilities so that they can interact normally with people. This desire is often reflected in the way that Plus Abnormalities commonly manifest, as Internal abilities, or abilities that primarily affect the Holder of the Skill in a
positive way. The positive side of Pluses is that they are constantly trying to push forward and better themselves and those around them. However, they also have a tendency to have a sense of superiority over others, seeing themselves as above normal humans, and tend to become extremely overconfident or self-centered if they lack peers that can keep them in check. As such, for better or worse, Pluses tend to carry the sentiment that "one lives for others."
Minus: If a Plus is someone who has been blessed by the world, then a simple way of thinking about Minuses is that they're the complete opposite. They're the dummies, the talentless, the parasites of the species who can only be seen as a net negative for humanity. In terms of just how their Abnormalities normally manifest, a Minus' Abnormality commonly manifests as an external ability or an ability that affects the environment around them in a
negative way. Unlike Pluses, who seek to master their abilities, Minuses have no such desire: their very abilities are obtained through the further deterioration of their minds from hardship and trauma. As a result, a Minus' Anormality is often intertwined with the state of the User's deranged mind. This works in reverse as well. The more mentally sound a Minus is, the weaker their ability becomes. Additionally, Minus abilities cannot be researched or analyzed, as these abilities often defy both logic and physics. While Pluses seek to constantly better both themselves and those around them, Minuses seek to do the opposite, wanting to drag those above them down to their level. At their core, most Minuses are deeply broken people, both mentally and emotionally. In short, The Minus are selfish, near-suicidal leeches who refuse to give anything go for anyone but themselves and a few friends. Despite their pride, they're actually quite fragile. They are Absurdist heroes who laugh in the face of adversity because that's the only thing that can keep them from breaking down. They destroy because there is no meaning in doing so or not, it makes it feel like they have at least a little power over their own destiny, whereas the Plus don't need that since they find meaning in others.
Style: An ability based on communication that stands on par with Abnormalities - Styles primarily achieve different effects through manipulation of language, usually through clever wordplay or alternate readings, hence why stylists are referred to as Language Users. Because they are empathetic techniques, the basis of styles is drawn from understanding the feelings of others. However, for this very reason styles are totally ineffective against those who have become frenzied and are consumed by rage. Because Styles are something created or honed by one's self, one does not need to be an Abnormal or a Special to use a Style. Indeed, since Styles rely heavily on understanding how words can affect people, Users need to have a strong sense of empathy which is usually warped or stunted in Abnormals and Specials. As a result, Normals tend to make up most of the numbers of the Style Users.
