31. Beat, whose real name is too complicated for me to write out, is the kind of person I would hate if I met him on the street. He's a tough guy punk with a skateboard and a bad attitude, and he's not exactly the brightest crayon in the box. Over the course of the game, though, we begin to uncover more of Beat's character and backstory, and by the end you begin to admire him for his determination. Being able to take a character so far from their first impression isn't easy, but Beat is a fantastic example.

32. Rhyme is a welcome voice of reason among a hot-headed cast, but due to story events I don't want to spoil, her character doesn't get fleshed out quite as much as I would've liked. Still, these same events ends up turning Rhyme into a major driving force for the remainder of the game, and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't like her.

33. No list of characters would be complete without mentioning the main character, one Neku Sakuraba. He's antisocial, so he always wears a giant set of headphones to keep the rest of the world out (leading to his nickname "Phones"), but to survive the Reaper's Game he needs to learn to trust people, else he's going to get erased. Neku is a modern teenager who's easy to relate to, and his steady growth throughout the game has inspired a lot of players to change their own viewpoints. A main character needs to be someone you can connect to, and as long as you're willing to care, I think anyone can connect to Neku, making him effective in his role.

34. Next on the menu is the Game Master of Week 1, Yodai Higashizawa. He may not get as much screentime as a lot of other characters, but this dish is not to be missed--his constant food jokes make him deliciously hilarious. As an added spice, his voice actor is someone you anime fans will probably recognize, but the secret ingredient is how he very casually serves up one bombshell of a plot point. I won't spoil your dinner by typing it out, but it's definitely one of the highlights of the meal.

35. Koki Kariya and Uzuki Yashiro are two mid-ranking Reapers who continue to harass the main characters all throughout the game, sort of like Team Rocket. Watching them, you have to wonder how their friendship works: they seem to be complete opposites! Kariya, despite his experience, is lazy and undriven, while newer employee Uzuki is determined to outshine her peers and earn a promotion as soon as possible. They have a fantastic yin-yang thing, though you may not notice while they're annoying you. Still, near the end of the game we find out that they do have hearts, and you just might begin to respect them.

36. Since I've mentioned the other two Game Masters, I have to also mention the only one who doesn't joke around. And let me tell you, she does not joke around. Mitsuki Konishi is cold, calculating, and utterly heartless--probably the character you're most likely going to love to hate. She mainly stays backstage in Weeks 1 and 2, and even during Week 3 she spends a decent amount of time off-screen, which helps to make her seem distant and uninterested. Still, you end up with plenty of reason to despise her by the time you finally get to fight her, but don't expect it to be easy. The battle against Konishi is one of the more complex battles in the game, divided up into multiple stages that each have a trick to them. Defeating her a challenge, but the pins you get for doing it are definitely worth it!

37. Giving out orders to the rest of the Reapers is the Game's Conductor, Megumi Kitaniji, also known as "Shades." Besides his trademark sunglasses, he's always seen wearing a set of headphones suspiciously similar to Neku's, but no one ever points this out--even when Neku and Kitaniji meet. Since he collects the entry fees and reveals the results of each game, he quickly becomes a target for players to hate, something that actually only gets worse the first time you fight him. I won't tell you why, but I will tell you that a certain aspect of that fight really takes you by surprise. Of course, being the perceived "master bad guy," you need to fight him more than once, so you should be able to vent all of your frustration...just in time to find out his true intentions.

38. While he's almost entirely irrelevant to the plot, I have to make mention Eiji Oji, the Prince of Ennui, and his blog, which apparently everyone in Shibuya reads to find out what's most fabulous in the city. I hesitate to go into detail, not for spoiler reasons, but because, while the blog is not obscene in any way, it is phrased in a way that the unaware will think that it's obscene. Then again, that's exactly what makes it great!

39. During battle, executing combos with the top screen character obtains you Fusion Stars, and when enough are collected, you can unleash a spectacular Fusion attack where both characters combine their powers. These attacks are great because they not only damage every enemy, but they also heal you, not to mention that most of the attacks are epic, hilarious, or epicly hilarious. Of note are Shiki's Level 3 Fusion, where Mr. Mew turns into Godzilla and shoots lazers from his eyes, and Joshua's Level 3 Fusion, which literally drops the moon onto the battlefield. Believe it or not, Kariya and Uzuki even use a Fusion attack when you fight them together!

40. Walls blocking you from certain areas are a common occurence, but most can be lowered by talking to a nearby Reaper and completing whatever task he assigns you. Some of those Reapers give you a short quiz. Ahem..."Like a bolt from the blue, it's time for the Reaper Review!!" If you're not paying attention to your surroundings, you may not be able to pass, but the Reaper won't tell you which question you got wrong, so it takes a few tries. Still, these Reapers have a habit of referencing internet memes, so it's all worth it. "But! Though you may forget the Review, rest assured, it remembers you."