User:Cukie Gherkin/Hero (Dragon Quest III)

The Hero is the protagonist of Dragon Quest III.

Reception

The Hero has received positive reception. In particular, they have been identified as a noteworthy example of a hero, with Magmix writer Luis Field saying that people think of this Hero when they think of heroes and that the male Hero's design is an iconic hero design. A poll of Magmix readers had the male Hero ranked as the second favorite Hero in the Dragon Quest series. Anime News Network writer Jean-Karlo Lemus felt that the Hero in Dragon Quest III was a foundational character design, being the basis for hero designs in video games and light novels, arguing that the protagonist of the light novel Maoyu took from the Hero's design. Magmix writer Katano felt similarly about the ubiquity of the Hero's circlet, stating that it has been a part of the image of a hero for years. They argued that the blue bead in the circlet and on the designs of their allies contrasted the red beads worn by villains like Zoma and Baramos, representing an antagonistic relationship between the two groups. USgamer writer Nadia Oxford appreciated the ability to play as a female Hero in Dragon Quest III. Siliconera writer Jenni Lada felt that the ability to choose your gender helped set Dragon Quest III apart and created a trend that appeared in future Dragon Quest games. Futabanet writer Yamaguchi Quest expressed a desire for the remake of Dragon Quest III to allow the Hero to have a happier ending with his mother and father surviving to the end. 4gamer writer Kenichi Maeyamada found this ending sad, particularly that Ortega died without being able to see his child and that the Hero could not return to their world.