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Anime Mary-Sue Test
First of all, who is Mary Sue? She's the annoying product of a fanfic author's (especially a novice author) imagination and/or desire to be part of the story. She (or he, in rarer cases) is beautiful, talented, adored by all (or at least everyone her creator likes) and dating the hero. The fanfic is hers, with the main characters just along so she doesn't have to talk to herself (and to provide romantic interests, friends, a cheer leading squad, etc.)
Nobody likes reading a Mary Sue. Well, the author and her/his friends do, but for all us mere mortals, having a prefect character annoys the heck out of us. We want to read about the series regulars, not the new girl.
Not all author characters are Mary Sues. Here's a simple test to see if your creations will drive the readers up the wall. Get something to write with and something to write on, and make a tally mark for each yes. And I don't care about your excuse. The answer is either yes or no. Yes, but... counts as yes. Don't try to weasel out of things.
Part 1: Name. Let's face it, names are important. They often tell us something about a person's background.
1. Is your character named after yourself (first, middle, last, nickname, screen name)?
2. Does your character have an unusual name in another regard (variant spellings count, as do names that are unusual for the character's place/time/gender/ethnic group/species. Exceptions may be made if you're writing in an English dubbed anime universe, and the main characters in Tokyo have names like "Serena" or "Davis".)? [One point for each group]
3. Will this be a plot point?
4. Did you spend more than a day thinking up or looking for a name?
Part 2: Appearance: It's text. We can't see things, so describe it to us.
1. Is your character the same gender as you (yeah, I know that same gender Mary Sue, but it's a symptom.)?
2. Is your character a hybrid of two species (human/Pokemon, human/Digimon, human/talking cat, Pokemon/Digimon, etc.)?
3. Is your character a teen/college aged (another symptom)?
4. If he/she's not, does he/she look like one?
5. Is your character unusually beautiful/handsome?
6. Does he/she have unusual coloration (hair, eyes, skin, fur)? [one point for each]
7. Will this be a plot point?
8. Do you describe his/her appearance multiple times?
9. Does your character have an unusual/exotic accent?
Part 3: Background: We all come from somewhere
1. Is your character a relative (biological or adopted) of a main character? [Double points if it's a child of two main characters]
2. Does your character have siblings? [Double points for a twin]
3. Are you going to bring them into this, too?
4. Is your character a jack-of-all-trades, excelling in a diverse list of things?
5. Is your character better than a regular at his/her best skill (better Pokemon breeder than Brock, smarter than Amy, better at soccer than Tai or Davis)?
6. Does everyone (or at least, everyone you like) like that character?
7. Do things like school rules not apply to your character?
8. Does your character take an unconventional approach to rules?
9. Does your character have a great deal of angst over something that wasn't his/her fault?
10. Does he/she have a particularly traumatic past?
11. Does your character have a hobby that turns out to be pretty darn convenient to the plot?
12. Is your character unusually musically skilled (it's a symptom)?
Part 4: Special Powers: The Generic Ones: less expensive than name brand Powers.
1. Does your character have a unique/unusual power (telekinesis/telepathy)?
2. Is she/he presient/precognitive (can see the future or knows stuff for no good reason)?
3. Do animals/Pokemon/Digimon like her/him almost instinctively?
Part 4a: Special Powers: Sailor Moon: Um... Planet Something Attack!
1. Is your character a Sailor Scout/Knight? [Double points for Sailor Earth or anything to do with the Sun]
2. Does he/she get a neat weapon to attack with (Scouts only)?
3. Is he/she as/more powerful than Sailor Moon?
4. Is he/she as/more powerful than Sailor Saturn? [Double points for this one. How the heck can you top being able to blow up a planet?]
5. Is he/she Sailor Chibi-Something (or Sailor Mini-Something, for American continuity)?
6. Does he/she have some type of enhanced Senshi power (like Saturn's healing ability, etc.)? [Double points for one that can be used in his/her mundane form]
Part 4b: Special Powers: Digimon: Digivolve! To... um... what's after Mega?
1. Is your character Digidestined?
2. Does he/she have a Crest and/or Tag?
3. Does he/she have one or more DigiEggs/Digimentals?
4. Does he/she have something else than enhances Digivolution? [Double points if it's unique to the character]
5. Does your character have an enhanced Digivice (Like a D-3 when nearly all other DigiDestined have the old ones)? [Double points if it's unique to the character]
6. Can his/her Digimon reach as high or higher level as the strongest series regulars (Mega)? [Double points if you introduce a new level to Digivolution
7. Is his/her Digimon unusually strong (example, can walk around as a Champion like Gatomon, or is just powerful, like Greymon and practically every evil Digimon)?
Part 4c: Special Powers: Pokémon: I choose you, Mewtwo!
1. Is your character collecting Pokemon badges?
2. Is he/she a Master in one or more league (Pokemon, Orange, Johto)?
3. Does he/she work for/have a Gym?
4. How many unusual/legendary kinds of Pokemon does he/she have? [one point for each]
5. Does he/she have more than 50 Pokemon? [Double points for more than 100]
6. Are any of his/her Pokemon unusual in any way (coloration, power, can talk, unusually intelligent, etc.)? [One point per Pokemon]
Part 5: Love Life: "I love love. It's so... lovely" Geek points for knowing where I stole that.
1. Does your character fall for a main character? [Double points for a character in a relationship (Serena or Darien)]
2. Does a main character fall for your character? [One point for each]
3. Do you have a crush on said main character?
4. Does your character fall for an original character?
2. Does an original character fall for your character? [One point for each]
6. Do you have a crush on said original character?
Part 6: Reality: Be honest here.
1. If you met your character in real life, would you want him/her as a friend?
2. Do you think everyone should automatically like your character?
3. If someone criticizes your character, do you take it like an attack on yourself?
Part 7: Plot: Have one. Or else...
1. Do you introduce the character on the first page on the story?
2. Is the story told (all or mostly) from your character's point of view?
3. Does your character meet the main characters and almost instantly, become friends with them?
4. Does your character reform a villain by becoming friends with him/her?
5. Is your character transformed into a more powerful life form?
6. Does your character save the day?
7. Does he/she save another character's life?
8. Does this save involve him/her nobly sacrificing her life?
9. Are you going to resurrect him/her in the sequel or later in the story?
10. Are you going to write a sequel with him/her in it?
Scale:
0-4: Your character's probably normal. Everybody has a few unique traits
5-9: Light Mary Sue. Probably not one, unless your a novice fanfic writer.
10-14: Medium Mary Sue. You're on thin ice. Careful when writing this one.
15-19: Full-Blown Mary Sue. Maybe you should tone it down a little.
20-24: Major Mary Sue. Maybe you should tone it down a lot.
25-29: Demi-god Mary Sue. Maybe you should scrap this fanfic.
30+: Godlike Mary Sue. Ack! Kill it! Kill it now!