Extra playable characters: How it was, how it should be

I agree with the sentiments some have expressed already. I think a proper leveling up/gearing system would be awesome. I don't think it's at all necessary to give them extra stories or bosses, but hey, if that can somehow be managed in this already overly-ambitious title without causing the dev team to jump off a cliff, then by all means, go for it!

Oh, and I know it's been said, but I'd like to reiterate how utterly badass Zangetsu looks. I hope he's playable.

Well Enk (@enkeriagin), I am sure that Master Iga is fully focused on the 'stained project, trying to see what he could do best to please us players.
If you remember well, he said that if he would encounter a game that is not pleasing to him, it probably wouldn't be for the others... it is because he puts himself in our shoes (while knowing he cannot replicate this feeling fully) and it is not something that producers do often.

He also has to mix his own vision of the game and consider what would please us, some sort of good compromise.
I then hope he takes the best of our suggestions, the realistic and easier to implement ones.

As for the past games, yes, I still want to say they were just extras. There is still so much possible to do. I hope we get the best of it, as in really fleshed out characters... (I recently heard that Miriam was the most human-like character he ever created. This brings lots of hope for the character personality-wise!)

You went to talk about the art that Mana did. Renewed praises aside, I shall try to decrypt it a little.
Yes, the placement and expression of each character matters.

Miriam is in the front, she is the lead character and she got a nice smile. Sadly I won't talk about her further, since she is not the core of this topic.

Zangetsu is placed in an clear space, away from the others, showing his solitude and focused vengeance. His glowing ofuda (talisman) he is preparing... I want to call him 'stained's Gambit now. XD

Anne and Dominique are placed at the same plane as Zangetsu's. The warm smiles show that they are allies. Anne is placed at the front and one could joke that she is playable (hey, who knows, though), but I believe that since she is smaller, she is more at the front.

Johannes is behind them, not with a warm smile (well, too much of something isn't good anyway) but he is instead sideways (red flag), with a strangely plotting expression (red flag 2), while holding some journal/small diary (red flag 3)... what's more, the next one, the one behind him (with whom I would even dare say he got a family link) is...

...Alfred, an old man that literally shows coldness, if not calm ruthlessness. The expression he has in this picture is typical of an enemy with an unfathomable level of power. Does it inspire the words "final boss" or "penultimate boss" to you? It does to me.

As for the final one, Gebel, he has a lot of available space, just enough to strike an epic pose of "come at me if you dare", showing how ready he is (and Zangetsu won't relent on trying to stop him). Will he be the final boss? I doubt it. It would be too simple and uninspired.

And then there is a strange bat in the corner. The Mysterious Man? Could it be... Alucard? No, it's not possible. XD

I want to comment some topics that was addressed at this thread.

ABOUT HOW IGA CREATES THINGS

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We all know that, as better as some plots of Igavania games can be, the whole Castlevania series is not known for having a intricate, overcomplicated or awesome plots. Sure, some games had really interesting plots, but i remember IGA saying once that the first thing he thinks when creating a new game, is the gameplay. Back in the day, he gave a interview saying that all Castlevania games was created this way. The first thing he comes up with is the gameplay, how the magic / power system will work and things like that. And then he creates the plot, wrapping up the gameplay elements. The only Castlevania game during his time that wasn't created that way, was Lament of Innocence. It was the only one he designed the plot beforehand, because he already wanted to tell the origins of the Belmont Family.

ABOUT MANA'S ART

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Angel from 505 games already said in a podcast that Mana is one of the few people that knows most of the game and it's plot and he said that her artwork reflects her actual knowledge of the game's plot. For those who like to analyze artwork and what it represents...here's a good info for you.

We can't expect in the wildest dreams what can happen, indeed.
I also don't believe that the non-playable characters besides the villains, will only get a few spoken lines, that would be disappointing.

Let's hope for the best. Only the future will tell.
I want to know but I don't want to be spoiled, so I eagerly am waiting for the day the final product takes form.

^Yeah, this whole reply is pretty much what I think about this as well.

Even if the other playable characters don't level up in the same RPG-style fashion that Miriam does, I'd still like for them to have full access to a menu wherein they can manage equipment & abilities, and for them to have equal involvement in the story even when playing as them.

purifyweirdshard, why is the though of Miriam becoming fat and playing with a chubby version of Miriam coming to mind now. I thought the not getting fat thing would be a given. This is definitely something that will affect game play drastically.

1. Miriam eats too much cake and gets fat, so can't jump as high.
2. Miriam finds the gym and goes through a workout session to slim down so she can jump normal height again.
3. Miriam over does it in the gym and gets completely ripped and is able to jump extra high

I was thinking more along the lines of the rocket jump thing that Alucard could do in Symphony of the Night where he shoots up strait in the air.  I forget what it's called, but it doesn't actually involve rockets.  Having the Samus jump would put an interesting spin on things though.