Creating a memorable character involves various aspects, such as appearance, equipment, and personality, all of whichare essential for players to connect with the story. Additionally, each character’s journey and the challenges they face help establish a deeper bond between players and the character.
However, a frequently overlooked detail is the character’s dominant hand. While most games feature right-handed characters, some titles stand out by includingleft-handed characters, offering unique approaches. This distinctiveness often makes these characters even more iconic, providing players with a new way to connect with them.
Johnny Silverhand is a unique case. The cutscenes and promotional material released by CD Projekt Red suggest that the Night City legend is left-handed,using his iconic pistol with his left arm, which is robotic. However, when V views the character’s memories or allows him to take control, Johnny is depicted as right-handed.
This was likely a choice made by the developers to make the character more familiar to players, as V, the protagonist, is right-handed. However, since the scenes involving Johnny Silverhand as the main character are limited, creating animations for left-handed attacks was probably deemed unnecessary. Perhaps he’s ambidextrous in-universe.
Nero may not have been left-handed since his journey in theDevil May Cryuniverse began. However, Dante’s nephew, who appears as a playable character in both the fourth and fifth games of the franchise, possesses some peculiar characteristics. He uses his right arm to manifest demonic power.
Just as many left-handers have been forced to use their right hand to adapt to circumstances, Nero did the reverse. By perfecting the use of combat skills with his left arm, he leaves his right side free to utilize magical powers and further explore his potential in battle.
Sans is one of the most important characters inUndertale, accompanyingplayers from the beginning of the journeyand playing a significant role in many events throughout the game. In addition to his charisma, he is also memorable for being a left-handed character, as the game clearly shows in various moments.
From the moment Sans greets the player using his left hand, there are strong indications that this is his dominant side. In other scenes, like the dinner at Grillby’s, he holds and drinks the ketchup bottle with his left hand, highlighting him as a representative of left-handed individuals.
Persona 5 Royalis one of the best JRPGs ever produced by Atlus, and made the franchise even more popular among fans. Among an incredible cast of characters, Goro Akechi stands out not just for his personality, but also as one of the few left-handed individuals in the lineup.
However, the character’s dominant hand may also reveal some spoilers about his role in the plot. It is common in many forms of media to depict a traitor using their left arm to deliver a blow to others. This also applies to Akechi, a story cliché that hints at the character’s intentions to attentive players.
Mega Man, known as Rock Man in Japan, is the protagonist of one of the most belovedfranchises from the late ’80s and ’90s. Appearing in a wide variety of games, the character has undergone many visual transformations, but being left-handed is a trait that remains in various versions.
Although he can fire his shots with both hands in the games, the official art generally associates him with the left side of his body. InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, for instance, the character’s Final Smash, which brings together various versions of Mega Man, depicts all of them as left-handed.
FromSoftware is one of the best game developers when it comes to creating detailed and subtle narratives. A clear example of this is Artorias, a left-handed character. Players notice this detail through his equipment, showcasing how the company incorporates storytelling even in the smallest details of their games.
In the second game of the trilogy,Dark Souls 2, players can obtain the Majestic Greatsword, a weapon that once belonged to Artorias. Equipping it in the Bearer of the Curse’s left hand increases damage and unlocks new strong attacks. Moreover, the weapon’s description mentions that several former wielders were also left-handed, reinforcing the connection with Artorias.
Many of thechampions available for players inLeague of Legendshave the left hand as their dominant one, such as Dr. Mundo and Lulu. However, Aatrox stands out not only for being left-handed, but also for being one of the most powerful characters in the game. In the lore, he is one of the main warriors of the Darkin War, recognized for his impressive feats and the destruction he causes.
In addition to being feared for his strength, Aatrox is known for nearly defeating the Aspect of War, Pantheon, in one of the most epic confrontations in theLeague of Legendsuniverse. His story is marked by tragedy and uncontrollable power, symbolizing the destruction he brings wherever he goes, always wielding the power of death with his left hand.
One of the most iconic villains in theFinal Fantasyfranchise, Sephiroth is known for his combat prowess and for being responsible for one of the saddest scenes inFinal Fantasy 7. Another detail that sets him apart from other villains in the series is the fact that he is left-handed.
By wielding the Masamune with his left hand, an absurdly long sword that he can handle with mastery, Sephiroth’s strength and the threat he represents are further emphasized, not only to Cloud, but to the world as well. This characteristic, combined with other elements of the character, makes him one of the most iconic figures in JRPGs.
Released for the SNES in 1995,Chrono Triggerisconsidered one of the best JRPGs ever made. This was largely due to the production team, which included the renowned artist Akira Toriyama. Although the main character, Crono, is a silent protagonist, the fact that he wields a katana with his left hand places him in a unique position.
Throughout the game, Crono primarily attacks enemies with his left hand, using the right only for occasional support. This trait is also reflected in the official artwork, where he is consistently depicted as left-handed, reinforcing his uniqueness in the JRPG universe.
Link, theprotagonist of theLegend of Zeldafranchise, has a story that is at least amusing. Since the earliest games, he has always been depicted as left-handed. However, when the Nintendo Wii generation arrived, this trait was changed due to the motion controllers. Since most people are right-handed, Link’s dominant hand was changed so that he held his sword in the same hand that most players held their Wii remote.
Later, on the Nintendo Switch, the developers decided to keep him right-handed in the duology ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, taking away one of the main representations for left-handers. However, inLink’s Awakening, a remake of the classic Game Boy game, Nintendo chose to retain the character’s original dominant hand.
