A few months ago, I was brought to attention an reading I was assigned to do entitled "Differing Destinations: Cultural Identification, Orientalism, and 'Soft Power' in the Twenty-First-Century Anime Fandom" by Susan Napier. Although this community focuses extensively on making sites to characters from video games, I figured that the appeal of characters, whether from Eastern or Western creation, are more or less idiosyncratic regardless of the medium they originate from (or at least, in regards to the following quotes).
In the past few years, time and time again site owners pose the question to one another about reasons they decide to make a site to a particular character. For example, we might give a generalization say "I have a favoritism towards characters with a mysterious past" to just plain finding "X character interesting". Unless stated at the actual site, I've seen very few responses delving into more personal reasons. The following is an observation made by Napier, who thinks might be a reason as to why people are attracted towards a particular character.
"In the fan community, the true fan is deeply engaged with the object of his or her fandom, which can range from soccer teams to Elvis Presley; and this engagement can evolve into, or even be based on, a feeling of identification with the object... this can be a narcissistic form of identification in which the fan sees the object of his or her engagement as "an extension of the fan's very self"
She also stated this in a later argument:
"Not only did fans find characters fascinating and emotionally affecting... they were also potentially objects of identification. Sometimes characters served as "extensions" of the fan's self and other times as idealized role models for the development of the fan's identity"
To rephrase the old question about why we make shrines in the first place,
for what reasons do you identify with a character you made a site to? In accordance with what is stated in the quotes, is it because you envied, admired, sympathized, shared a similarity, etc. with him/her?
Why do you find a character appealing (assuming that you do), and what does that say about yourself, if it does at all? And I ask this because, with an inclining favoritism to give our sites that "personal touch", sometimes how we feel about or view a character can give perspective to our analysis. If it helps any, try giving examples by mentioning a character you've made a site to (and please don't limit yourself to game-only characters).
To some degree, I like to think what I choose to interpret about a character also says something about myself, not only about the scope of my knowledge, but also about my own personality and experiences. I know that for me, having any difficulties expressing the latter through a character is what keeps me from making a site to them. Granted, if I disregard my own personal interest, I can play any game and pick any character to make arguments and theories for (legitimacy questioned, of course), but I feel that's what keeps my shrine from being fundamentally a shrine.
Sorry for the long and complicated post though; kudos to you if you're willing to reply, haha. I wanted to try and engage some critical thinking within the community because, as I love to say, why the fuck not?
Also, if anything needs to be clarified about whatever the hell I'm supposed to be saying, feel free to ask me.
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