Your Role Models as a Kid?

[Painted Lattice 131]

Hi, guys. I'm asking this because I am genuinely curious.

 

What kind of fictional role models did you have when you were a child? Specifically speaking, I'm curious about fictional characters that were your role model when you were an older child or a teenager but it's cool to list younger-child role models too.

 

I'm also particularly curious about what female fictional characters may have been role models to you, because I'm wondering what kind of traits--male or female--appeal as something to look up to for kids of about this age bracket.

 

The Final Fantasy series raised me. I played Final Fantasy 9 when I was in 5th grade and around 6th or 7th I was playing Final Fantasy 10. I looked up to Princess Garnet so much that I had my hair cut like hers (after she'd cut it off with the dagger).

 

 

I believe what made me look up to her was because although she felt she had a heavy burden on her, with her responsibilities as a princess, and although her mother was a psycho ... she grew strong. She was weak at first and ran away from these troubles but she stuck with it. I saw her progression from weak to strong in the series and that really gave me something to admire as a young girl.

 

I can say the same thing about Belle from Beauty and the Beast, someone brave and intelligent thrown into horrible circumstances but keeping it together. Also like Garnet, she truly loved her father. Garnet loved her mother even with Brahne being... well... Brahne.

 

But an even bigger role model to me was Yuna from FFX.

 

 

She's a girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she keeps smiling and she stays hopeful. She'd even come to any sacrifice for the better good of the world.

 

 

She even accepts that at the end of her journey, she will die Spira in order to give them just a few years' peace from Sin.

 

 

 

[SFyr 1,982]

Sadly I don't know off hand if I had any large fictional role models as a kid. My mother and older brother (to a lesser extent) filled that role, though often there would be characters me and my siblings acted a bit like for kicks and what not, or to just make each other laugh--like Ed offa the cartoon.

Beyond that, I'm not sure. I suspect there were a few fictional characters I liked and learned a bit from, but none heavily stick out~

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Ash Ketchum from pokemon was my role model as a kid. He strove to be the best despite the falls he took along his journey. 

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

Not only was he a firefighter, but also the leader of the Power Rangers. And the only leader to charge a monster with a humvee, run into a hoard of them to save one little kid, and charge headlong at a giant monster firing his gun. So you got the public service hero, and the action hero all in one.

[Delernil 952]

Hmm...I dunno. I guess I could say the kid from My Side Of The Mountain. I still have that book. I love it :3

[NeedsMoreGoth 164]

Well my biggest role model was my brother but if you're looking for fictional, I guess a lot of anime heroes fill that role. First it was Yoh Asakura. His ability to find the good in people has always been interesting to me. After him came Naruto. The number 1 knucklehead ninja really didn't give up which is a great quality. After I started watching anime on the internet also came Natsu Dragneel and Kirito with pretty much similar qualities as Naruto. 

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, and the Jonas Brothers. >.>

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I know my current role model is my waifu

 

 

When I was a little ghostie, though, it was Joey Wheeler

 

I used to be WAYYY into YuGiOH! back in the Battle City and Duelist Island days (I think that's what they were called?) and I thought Joey was just SO COOL! 

Plus, he used Jinzo, which was my favorite card back when I played before it got so complex He was my favorite cartoon character and a bit of a role model for a while in my life, before I got tired of the show/game.

Edited May 29, 2014 by ghostfacekiller39

[Painted Lattice 131]

Very interesting posts, guys.

 

@Delernil and @Princess PeachBlink, may I ask you why those are role models? (Though in Peach's case those are real people)

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

Hmm...I dunno. I guess I could say the kid from My Side Of The Mountain. I still have that book. I love it :3

Hm. I have that book, too It's a really good one

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

Now that my Ipad has stopped fighting me, I can properly give the fictional character who influenced my life the most his proper tribute.

S-117, The Master Chief. He really influenced me not only in his classical heroic actions, in how he was always first on the line, and last out. How he was ready and willing to face danger at a moments notice like so many other hero's of fable and legend. But he did it without the speeches, without the epic monologues and sonnets. He needed no words of heroism, no lasting speech on the virtues of righteousness. He did not stand on the mountain top and proclaim he was a hero, he simply did. And that silent strength impacted me a lot. Going far to show how actions are far more effective than words.

[Delernil 952]

Very interesting posts, guys.

 

@Delernil and @Princess PeachBlink, may I ask you why those are role models? (Though in Peach's case those are real people)

I really have no idea. I just liked him, and he was someone I looked up to. I cant really place why though. He was a role model for me, but not the biggest. I looked up to real people more than fictional characters.

 

Oh fuck I remember who I loved as a kid. DATA! His constant quest for knowledge and to be better than what he was. I also related to him in being slightly awkward. He was my biggest fictional role model just because he wanted to be better. The one thing that I remember him saying from the first time I watched the show was that 'I'm better than humans, but I'd gladly give it up for being human'

Edited May 29, 2014 by Delernil

[Painted Lattice 131]

I really have no idea. I just liked him, and he was someone I looked up to. I cant really place why though. He was a role model for me, but not the biggest. I looked up to real people more than fictional characters.

 

Oh fuck I remember who I loved as a kid. DATA! His constant quest for knowledge and to be better than what he was. I also related to him in being slightly awkward. He was my biggest fictional role model just because he wanted to be better. The one thing that I remember him saying from the first time I watched the show was that 'I'm better than humans, but I'd gladly give it up for being human'

Oooh Data! That's an interesting role model.

 

I still plan on watching that generation of Star Trek soon. I never really watched Star Trek before but that particular character has my eye.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Painted Lattice

[CT-1138 3,182]

When I was a kid, my fictional role model was Dr. Alan Grant. I wanted to be a paleontologist more than anything.

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

Avicii

 

Chandler Bing from Friends. His style of self depricatory humor as a method of handling the world around him more or less became my MO when I was young, and remains a strong part of my identity to this day. I identified with someone who was genuinely a good person, buried behind a lot of different fears and attempts to dissociate himself from the world with humor.

[Steeplechase 17]

When I was wee little my two main role models were Macgyver (for his ability to be resourceful in any circumstance and his ridiculously feathery hair) and Donatello from TMNT. Donnie I admired for his brains and level headedness despite Leonardo's need to be the leader and Raphael's grumpiness. (I loved Michelangelo too! But I wanted to eat pizza and tell fart jokes with him rather than looking up to him) 

 

As I grew older, Doug Funny (Doug), Arnold (Hey Arnold), and PepperAnn (PepperAnn) helped me juggle my own conflicts in life. Probably my age and introspective personality played a big role with how they seem to understand me.

 

Also, I have to agree with @Little Black Dress , Chandler Bing still has an influence on my humor and sensibility. 

 

I could name more, but now I'm rambling... I digress.

[Lagom 204]

Raven-Symone and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus.. Please blame my 12 year old self back then for the HM/MC one.

[Discordian 6,015]

I never had any role models when I was a kid. Not that there wasn't necessarily people worthy of the title but no one that I viewed as such. This goes for both fictional and real people. I've never particularly thought I needed to strive to be like someone else. I was always perfectly happy being me.

[Nulln 755]

My role model as a kid (and actually, she still is. haha) is Pippi Longstocking.  She's weird, she does what she wants, she's strong, she doesn't give a crap what she's wearing, she's just great.

 

[Anci3ntArtiFact 66]

My role model as a kid was Harry Potter... he still kind of is.

 

He taught me to value everything and love your parents, because he didn't get the chance to know his mom or dad.

 

And he taught me that everything can be solved with

 

Berries? - Gio Volpe

 

 

Magic. (Hmm... sounds awfully familiar... what is that show that teaches you that everything is magic..?)

[Megas 27,539]

The Undertaker, because he scared everyone

[Painted Lattice 131]

The Undertaker, because he scared everyone

 

And did you aspire to scare people?

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,301]

My role model as a kid (and actually, she still is. haha) is Pippi Longstocking.  She's weird, she does what she wants, she's strong, she doesn't give a crap what she's wearing, she's just great.

 

Despite my being a boy, I'd also say that Pippi was one of my earlier role models.  I think the mere fact that I could admire / like a female character without her gender really being a factor was a good, formative experience for me.  We (my brother and I) watched the live action stuff, though; had no idea there was a cartoon until right now lol.

 

Raphael from TMNT was likely one lol.  I think he may have single-handedly taught me sarcasm; an absolutely inextricable part of my sense of humor nowadays.  And he expertly wielded the sai with only three fingers!!

 

(Super) Mario!  That overall-clad, mustachioed plumber with extraordinary jumping abilities and ceaseless dedication to Princess Toadstool Peach (that somehow got kidnapped by the same fire-breathing turtle four hundred times) was like a best friend to me, growing up.  That's loyalty, in my book.  And hey - my favorite pony represents the Element of Loyalty!

 

Liono from Thundercats.  I consider him the upstanding sort that you'd expect to always try to do what was right or best, whatever the situation.  Not perfect, but always well-meaning.  He made the best use of the tools and abilities he had at his disposal.  You could call him resourceful, I suppose!  Though really, most of the Thundercats embodied that same quality or those qualities to some degree.  Maybe not the Thunderkittens so much.  Or Schnarf lol.  And Cheetara was smexy.  Which...  Isn't relevant to this topic. xD

 

Honorable mentions include: Samus Aran from the Metroid video game series (sooo not the Princess Peach type AT ALL), and Optimus Prime and / or Hot Rod (the latter being, again, flawed but well-meaning) from Transformers.

[Nulln 755]

Despite my being a boy, I'd also say that Pippi was one of my earlier role models.  I think the mere fact that I could admire / like a female character without her gender really being a factor was a good, formative experience for me.  We (my brother and I) watched the live action stuff, though; had no idea there was a cartoon until right now lol.

 

Raphael from TMNT was likely one lol.  I think he may have single-handedly taught me sarcasm; an absolutely inextricable part of my sense of humor nowadays.  And he expertly wielded the sai with only three fingers!!

 

(Super) Mario!  That overall-clad, mustachioed plumber with extraordinary jumping abilities and ceaseless dedication to Princess Toadstool Peach (that somehow got kidnapped by the same fire-breathing turtle four hundred times) was like a best friend to me, growing up.  That's loyalty, in my book.  And hey - my favorite pony represents the Element of Loyalty!

 

Liono from Thundercats.  I consider him the upstanding sort that you'd expect to always try to do what was right or best, whatever the situation.  Not perfect, but always well-meaning.  He made the best use of the tools and abilities he had at his disposal.  You could call him resourceful, I suppose!  Though really, most of the Thundercats embodied that same quality or those qualities to some degree.  Maybe not the Thunderkittens so much.  Or Schnarf lol.  And Cheetara was smexy.  Which...  Isn't relevant to this topic. xD

 

Honorable mentions include: Samus Aran from the Metroid video game series (sooo not the Princess Peach type AT ALL), and Optimus Prime and / or Hot Rod (the latter being, again, flawed but well-meaning) from Transformers.

They have the cartoon and the live action, yeah.  I watched them both.   

[Painted Lattice 131]

Anyone else? I love all the replies I've received thus far...