One of the most common victims of "Designated Protagonist Syndrome" is the audience surrogate. The stereotypical Harem protagonist, the everyman/everygirl, loser protagonist, etc.
Apparently, relatable means "a blank slate". Or just there to watch other characters be interesting. Since they're not well defined, it will usually be easy for you to step into their shoes. But the tradeoff is, you won't care as much about them. Sometimes you may be annoyed at the character since it's supposed to represent you.
So the question is, how do you strike the balance between a relatable character, and an interesting one?
I say, just develop them. No one is going to have the same struggles obviously, but take the chance to explore one of the potential paths that a seemingly ordinary person takes. Take the chance to give them some dreams or motivations.
One example is Rock from Black Lagoon. He's an ordinary salaryman who gets roped up into piracy...and adjusts to his lifestyle. We explore how his choice has impacted his life, how he can never return to his original lifestyle.
Apparently, relatable means "a blank slate". Or just there to watch other characters be interesting. Since they're not well defined, it will usually be easy for you to step into their shoes. But the tradeoff is, you won't care as much about them. Sometimes you may be annoyed at the character since it's supposed to represent you.
So the question is, how do you strike the balance between a relatable character, and an interesting one?
I say, just develop them. No one is going to have the same struggles obviously, but take the chance to explore one of the potential paths that a seemingly ordinary person takes. Take the chance to give them some dreams or motivations.
One example is Rock from Black Lagoon. He's an ordinary salaryman who gets roped up into piracy...and adjusts to his lifestyle. We explore how his choice has impacted his life, how he can never return to his original lifestyle.