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Majora's Mask What is It About Kafei?

Random Person

Just Some Random Person
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Location
Wig-Or-Log
Do you like Kafei? I freaking love the guy, and I know a lot of other Zelda fans do too. When I think about Majora's Mask, he's one of the first things that comes to my mind. The question I have is "Why?" Why do we love a character we barely even see? He's in one game out of the entire Zelda series and in that game, if you know how to get to him, more than 75 percent of the time you don't see him. Why do we love a character we hardly see? I have many theories (too many to put down without making an article) what are yours?
 

dumb180

Warrior Postman
Joined
Sep 30, 2009
Location
AL
I've entertained the idea that he might be Link's double, but this is unlikely due to the differing appearances. There are similarities, though. I wouldn't be surprised if other Kafei-ites have that thought as well. He's purposely made elusive and mysterious for some unknown reason.

Kafei has an interesting story. It's the first Zelda ever focused heavily on love, so far as I know. Perhaps a lot of people are drawn to that. He's also the only character aside from Link to regress in age. I really like the wedding at the end of the game. You never get to see what is likely grown up Kafei, which adds to his mystery.

Anju contributes to Kafei's net level of coolness. She's a cute sprite, and Kafei is certainly the luckiest character in the game. Again with the wedding scene, I wouldn't be surprised if we're seeing a re-envisioning of one of the game designer's weddings (due to the closeup shot of Anju). That was my first and remaining impression, and I liked this potential self insert. This too, contributes to my positive opinion of Kafei.

Kafei is one of the few characters that isn't concerned with the moon. It's like he's using this "get the Sun's mask back" quest to stop thinking about it. Understandable. Not many of the people in Termina avoid cowering in fear around dawn of the fourth day, but Kafei will if he gets the Sun's Mask and meets Anju. That is cool and sweet.
 

athenian200

Circumspect
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Location
a place of settlement, activity, or residence.
I think that Kafei is either Link's counterpart, or is at least has some kind of connection to him. Here's why, from a thread asking about this very issue. It points out all the similarities. This was the post that made me consider it.

I believe that Kafei is Link's Terminian counterpart, but not just off of appearances.

First, I'll explain with their situations. In the previous game, Ocarina of Time, Link started as a child, and after pulling the Master Sword out of the Pedestal of Time, he was sealed for 7 years and became an adult. Kafei on the other hand, encounters the Skull Kid, through some unseen event, and is transformed from a man to a kid. The two situations are opposite, but they're still very much alike.

Another thing I would like to bring up is the Ocarina of Time and the Pendant of Memories. In the beginning of Majora's Mask, Link loses the Ocarina of Time. When he gets it back, we find out that the Ocarina of Time was given to him by Princess Zelda. Kafei has the Pendant of Memories and gives it to Link so he can deliver it to Anju. Link obtains an item from someone precious to him; Kafei gives an item to someone precious to him.

The other thing I would like to add is that you see him running around with the Keaton Mask, and it seems reminiscent of Child Link running around the Marketplace in his Keaton Mask. Link also gets a Letter from Zelda (to show to the guard in Kakariko), while Kafei mails one to Anju. These aren't as big, but they stood out to me.

The final one... is that while Link is a successful hero, Kafei only manages a kind of tragic nobility in the face of doom (unless Link intervenes). Both stem from courage, though one is more effective than the other.
 
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Joined
May 16, 2008
Location
Kentucky, USA
Kefei's sidequest is more drawn out than any other in Majora's Mask. Being that the game is filled with and really centers around sidequests with character development, the obvious reason why people relate the game itself to Kafei is because it was such a big part of the game. Yes, we really don't see a lot of him. But compare him to some of the other minor characters in the game that you receive masks from or run a quest for. Kafei is obviously the most emphasized minor character in the game, and rightfully so I believe. Other characters have their problems, many of which die (Darmani and Mikau), however those situations are inevitable. Kafei is in love with Anju, about to be married to her and the Skull Kid turns him into a boy. He basically has nothing left to really live for until Link comes along to help him.
 

basement24

There's a Bazooka in TP!
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
Location
Ontario, Canada
I think the biggest reason most like him would be that his story is easily relatable. Most people know what it is like to love someone from a far, even a younger ages. Sure, the details aren't all the same (I don't know of anyone who was turned into a boy from a man...) but the concept is similar enough to experiences in real life. You like someone in schoool but you don't have the nerve to go talk to them or what have you. It's something that you can say "I know how this guy feels", and the fact that it pulls the right heart strings gets you involved easily.

It may not even be a relatable story of love lost, but just the basic concept of being too shy to confront a problem at hand. You strive to reach a goal but are not confident enough to do it. Kafei represents that yearning within you, and you want to see him reach his end goal. Other characters minght not be as relatable. Let's face it, it's not every day you deal with aliens or being mummified. Yes, you could pull out realted stories of loss from these sidequests, but it's a bit more distant to the heart I suppose.
 

insanity76

I don't suffer from it ..
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Location
Texas
Helping Kafei (and Anju) is the probably the most fulfilling to you, the player, out of all the characters listed in the Bomber's Notebook. It's such an in depth sidequest that you really get to follow his plight from the inside opposed to just being presented with the problem and creating the solution. Most of the others you help feels just like doing a deed and receiving a reward. Once you have completed the Anju/Kafei sidequest however, you truly get the feeling that you helped someone and made a positive impact on his/her life.
 

bbevington90

The Mask Salesman
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Location
Happy Mask Shop
I think part of the reason that he's so memorable is this: It's a game based on sidequests. The biggest and most difficult being the Anju and Kafei sidequest. It encompassed a lot of the other sidequests that were completed within Clock Town. I think the fact that Majora actually attempted to destroy someone's happiness, in a truest form of love, really hits home, and is a general theme of the whole game. Kafei with the Keaton Mask is also an extremely recognizable part of the game, and I'm pretty sure was one of the main pictures shown when talking about Majora's Mask.
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2010
We love him so much is simply cuz he's apart of the hardest, deepest, and awesomest side quest in the game! who can't feel for a guy that is transformed into a kid, and having the wedding mask thing lost? being forced to stay hidden, how sad is that? This makes you want to help this poor kid, (adult) AND his Fiancée to once again be reunited together, its just an amazing side quest = loving Kefei
 

Shyell

On a rocketship to Mars!
Joined
Aug 10, 2010
Location
Ottawa
U guise. :kawaii: I just completed that sidequest for the first time, and I think I need a hug. :cry:

I think the fact that Kafei and Anju are star-crossed lovers is their main appeal. You can't help but feel sorry for them for not being able to be together, or if they are together, for intending to die together. I admit that I just finished crying like a baby; that sort of emotional impact sticks with people. That's why Kafei and Anju are so memorable.
 
L

Link305

Guest
I feel sorry for Kafei.
First I love the misterious of that guy, it makes him a wonderful character.
But when I finished the sidequest, I was so sorry for his cause ...

Any way, we LOVE Link, and he...don't speak, we don't know how he is xD...
And I love he most than everything :P, hahaah.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
I don't like him, I love him and I feel really sorry for him.

I think the reason why I love him is because I feel sorry for him.
 

Ganondorf

"Dandori Issue"
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Location
Lake Hylia
I really liked Kafei. He's probably the only character I have ever actually wanted to help in a game, probably because his quest was so... tragic? He would rather die with his love, than stay alone and weep... you gotta like that about him. He wasn't going to just sit there.
 

JuicieJ

SHOW ME YA MOVES!
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Location
On the midnight Spirit Train going anywhere
Kafei was one of the characters that made the game. Basically throughout the entire game, the quest of Anju and Kafei was going on. It was quite obvious that the child figure with the Keaton's Mask was Kafei (the purple hair), but it was strange to see a child's body when Kafei was said to be an adult. Of course, we found out why this was so, later. However, he's rarely seen throughout the game, and is just this mysterious guy of which most of the information we know about is from people talking about him. Kafei was a great character, and the fact that he was seen so little throughout the game made him even better. I love Kafei.
 

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