i actually answered a question a long time ago about how i approach interpreting characters, so i’ll just relay what i said then. and also, that is totally normal! actually, my view of niigo was very similar to the general fandom perception prior to me meeting a few people who introduced me to different perspectives (and just generally discussed card stories/events that i previously didn’t really know about with me). because of those people, i was able to view the narrative more objectively and come to my own conclusions— we clash in terms of opinions, but i strongly believe that existing in the same space with dissenting views and being able to take them well is extremely necessary. anti-intellectualism exists because people are too afraid of ‘outrageous’ takes and prefer to stick to one unanimously agreed upon opinion alone. i don’t think media analysis is something you have to learn in class necessarily either (though formal academia will always help in terms of theory); just try to engage in understanding the themes, motifs, progressions, etc. more and be open to all parts of discussion!

anyway, without further ado:
on analysing:
- whatever preconceptions you have about a character: abandon them. if you think they are morally white/gray, inherently good/bad, based off of your own perception, ditch it temporarily. when analysing a character, it’s important to approach them objectively and understanding the message and intent of the writers before viewing it subjectively. take into account their actions, motivations, narratives; whether good or bad, it’s crucial to acknowledge all aspects of a character before deciding on how you personally view them. Everyone’s understanding of a character will be affected by implicit bias, so being aware of that will carry you a long way.
- Be open to disagreements and differing opinions. If someone else’s opinion of a character is factually sound (canon evidence present, analysis of subtext, etc.), acknowledge and consider it. Don’t hold onto your own analysis too strongly, especially if you don’t have a strong understand yet. Even if you still end up disagreeing by the end of your discussion, being able to hear out different perspectives will force you to think about your own interpretation more thoroughly and be aware of other ways to view the story.
- Do as much research as you can (or want to). Analyse card details, read area conversations, card stories, etc. Take into account historical & cultural circumstances, i.e societal norms, the language used, general psychology and social science. As a given, studying literary analysis itself will also help, even if you think it’s pretentious (“The curtains are blue because they’re blue,” is a purposefully shallow way of interpreting media, I’m serious). Little hints that characters will drop in seemingly inconsequential ways will always add up and give you more information about them to draw from when actually inspecting their actions and narratives.

I hope this is helpful! And if you have any more questions, or if you’d like more specific pointers, my twt DMs are always open (i think). thanks for asking!!