Wikipedia:Notability (fictional characters)
 | This is an essay on notability. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
Using sources for reception
[edit]- The coverage from reliable sources should talk about the character in a way which gives its notability from a real world or out-of-universe perspective. This means they are covered as a character in general, and not in the frames of its own series of fiction. For example, an observation of in-game statistics or a simple retelling of their role in the plot means little; the source should give commentary on why these things make it an interesting or notable character.
- Sources that are routine coverage of the characters and does not provide insights on the specialty of a certain character can hardly prove that character's notability.
- "Top x character" lists do not give notability by themselves, it is the explanations that go with them that provides the necessary significant coverage, which explains their notability.
Other options
[edit]If a subject is notable, but not fit for an article for other reasons, its notability can always be described in a parent article, such as a list of characters, or the article of the media the character came from. Sometimes, the parent article can be greatly improved by this content.
Translating from other languages
[edit]While Wikipedia's notability standards are largely identical across different language editions, subtle differences in implementation can affect how character notability is assessed. Some pages that can exist on other language Wikipedia may be assessed as non-notable on English Wikipedia. For example, English Wikipedia tends to emphasize critical analysis and commentary about characters, whereas Chinese Wikipedia places greater weight on documenting a character's real-world cultural impact and influence.