Wikipedia:Notability (fictional characters)
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Using sources for reception
- "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.
- 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.
Other options
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.