“From Mages With Love – Happy Waifus & Husbandos Day!”

TAAAAAAAKE MYYYYYYY HAAAAAAAAAND

TAAAAAAKE MYYYY WHOOOOOOOOOLE LIIIIIIIIIIIFE 2

Happy Valentine’s Day, or Single’s Awareness Day, depending on your current statuses. Beyond that, I think we can all agree that there are some great romantic characters in video games, or to say it more generally: “we love us some video game waifus and husbandos”! I believe that’s Japanglish for characters we’d love to go on a date with, from video games.

Expanding on our roster of lovey-dovey nominees from last year, here is another round of hopeless romantics, from our magely hearts to yours. Don’t forget to let us know who your favorite video game waifus and husbandos are! Feel free to wax poetic.

Quasi-spoilers for some games ahead.

Aerith Gainsborough – Final Fantasy VII

As the manual describes her, she is young, beautiful and somewhat mysterious. She is known to many players as the sweet and innocent flower girl who holds within her the power to save the world, but then tragically dies at the hands of the main antagonist. Truth to be told however, I never fully appreciated Aerith’s character until I started writing a version of her in fanfiction. I had here the opportunity to dive inside of her mind and see how she ticked. What I saw intrigued me.

She was more than just this innocent girl swept up in this epic battle between good and evil. More than just someone with an ancient bloodline that conferred upon her immense power. She was someone who survived. Her first years of life were spent as one of Professor Hojo’s subjects. When she escaped, she spent the next fifteen years running and hiding from Shin-Ra, trying with all her might to suppress her abilities and to live as normally as possible. The fact that she got through all of that hardship while still maintaining an upbeat and gentle outlook on things, is a real testament to the strength of her character.

After examining the script, dissecting her actions and imagining what thoughts she might have had at certain points of the story, I came to the conclusion that Aerith knew all along what part she had to play, including her death. She knew in her heart that she was the only one who could stop Sephiroth. She also knew she was probably not going to survive, but she continued to look forward and to live her life to the fullest. As Tifa once said, during the search for the Key of the Ancients, “Although she never talked about it to us, she must’ve had a rough life… I think [Aerith] looked forward to tomorrow and the future more than anyone… …she must’ve had many many dreams…..” That statement clearly encapsulates why Aerith is waifu material. It’s not her looks or her sweet demeanor, but it was the way she faced her destiny that really attracted me to her.

 -The Hyperactive Coffee Mage

Aya of Alexandria – Assassin’s Creed: Origins

Ah, Aya (pronounced “eye-yah”) from the first time I met you I was enraptured. Your dark eyes, your sultry voice, the secretive plots within plots. Ancient Egypt was never more interesting with you in it. Bayek may have been the game’s lead (and your estranged husband), but you stole my heart in that first cut scene. Knowing you were out there, leaping rooftop to rooftop, slitting throats and sabotaging plans, all to avenge your lost son. And yet you were not a playable character… maddening!

Then came endgame, where you boldly left your bumbling husband behind to cross a sea and affect change in Rome. You became fully playable for the briefest of moments. And change came, at the end of your blade. Murdering Julius Caesar right there on the Theatre floor. I nearly swooned.

How UbiSoft denied you your own DLC, I’ll never know. It’s as unforgivable as their unwillingness to make you the proper lead character for the entire game. And so my brief time with you is but a memory. But I shall never forget those intense moments guiding your feet, your hands. Crimson stained that mine could remain clean. Remembrance will have to be enough for now, Aya, vanguard of my heart and the Hidden Ones. I faithfully await your return to me, once granted a most deserved sequel.

 -The Slipstream Mage

Ms. Pac-Man – Ms. Pac-Man

Ms. Pac-Man is my waifu. I have no shame in this. As far as I know, she is still a free lady. Or paclady. Pacwoman. I’m not exactly sure how gender and sex works with Pacpeople. All I’m saying is Ms. Pac-man isn’t a Mrs. Pac-man, if you know what I mean. Sure, she has at least one kid, but in our modern age who doesn’t?

Besides, who wouldn’t admire Ms. Pac-man? Strong, intelligent, self-sufficient. She brings all the fruit, keys, and Galaga ships to the table. Besides, she’s earned over $1.2 billion. And that is in 1987 dollars. The most delicious of all dollars. (Well, second only to 1985 dollars. Gotta REPRESENT!) And what other billion-dollar woman do you know that can rock a hair bow unironically and make it look good?

In addition to all those hard-hitting facts, she took what Pacman did and improved on it. She knows how to get things done quick. Ghosts don’t stand a chance when she’s around. I get a good deal on the Amityville horror house, carry her across the threshold and bam! House un-haunted. Ms. Pac-Man is the best waifu. None of the other entries can even compare. I mean, do any of their waifu’s have a breakfast cereal branded after them? I didn’t think so.

Ms. Pac-man 2020 for President and Waifu-in-Chief.

 -The Arcade Mage

Waluigi – Mario franchise

We all need a bit of variety in our lives, and finding a spouse who’s got similar enough interests to your own while having a different enough temperament to keep things interesting can’t be a bad thing. Waluigi, like me, gets very down on himself when he’s not winning – which is often, since he happens to live in a world where there are main characters who tend to win at most things – but all he really wants is to better himself.

I get the feeling that he and Wario (Charles Martinet described them not necessarily as brothers but as ‘two nice evil guys who found each other’) would actually be perfectly lovely if they weren’t just there for Mario and co to defeat, and I’d love to support Waluigi to be that better version of himself.

Also, that mustache. That voice. That outfit. Waluigi is love. Waluigi is life. Waluigi is husbando.

 -The Sometimes Vaguely Philosophical Mage

Shantae – Shantae franchise

After a rather inauspicious start with her first well-received but overlooked outing on the phasing out Game Boy Color, Shantae has risen up to ranks to become one of gaming’s most popular characters. I don’t know if she could be classified as an indie character but with Risky’s Revenge on the DS she helped usher in this new era of 2D platformers of every sort coming from smaller developers.

Shantae, as a half-genie, has developed a reputation for being a plucky, determined and good matured character who just wants to help the people of the town she has been hired to protect (despite the Mayor being an absolute putz) from outside threats, mostly being her long time nemesis Risky Boots. Generally, she accomplishes this by morphing into various animal forms via dance as well as assists from her uncle Mimic, her friends Sky, Bolo and Rotty Topps. Through 4 games (and upcoming 5th game) these have largely remained constants.

Shantae has really has proven herself a great heroine with a cameo in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Spirit (as well as constant rumors she could actually be in Smash as a playable character) and even have an opening for her new game being done by Studio Trigger. Shantae has truly transcended her early slow start.

-The New Age Retro Mage

Nina – Breath of Fire II

Last year, my pick was Tifa Lockhart. Let’s be honest… there’s really nowhere to go but down after that choice, but this year, I’ve a great nomination who once swept me off my young feet. Princess Nina of Windia/Wyndia/Winlan/Whatever is one of the recurring characters of the Breath of Fire series, appearing again and again to aid the forces of good against those of evil, though her powers of righteousness weren’t enough to prevent her series from stumbling into obscurity and irrelevance.

Still, she’s a great character and my favorite version comes from Breath of Fire II on SNES. There, she’s in exile because of her black wings, though these prove to be less an ill omen as she joins the party to save the world. She’s willing to make tough sacrifices for others, though her sister beats her to the punch in one memorable scene, and she’s a powerful magician to boot. This Nina proves that the despised and unloved can overcome their social standing to make real, lasting change for good in the world around them.

Plus, if you were on a date with her and didn’t know what to do… you could always wing it.

…

-The Well-Red Mage

Red formerly ran The Well-Red Mage and now serves The Pixels as founder, writer, editor, and podcaster. He has undertaken a seemingly endless crusade to talk about the games themselves in the midst of a culture obsessed with the latest controversy, scandal, and news cycle about harassment, toxicity, and negativity. Pick out his feathered cap on Twitter @thewellredmage, Mage Cast, or Story Mode.