[blackadder]

Season 1's characterization was worse in the first half. Lots of people seems to forget the first half of the 1st season and it's lack of anything really good other than the action. Then again, most strawman will complain about anything don't they. "Cool" guy who act like a jerkass toward the very lame and useless female protagonist, oh yeah, that's good characterization.
Kouga and especially Rei wasn't even that sympathetic in the first half. Hell, Takeru's action in ep 7 makes him more sympathetic to me already than Kouga during the first half. Do we know anything about Kouga until late in the series other than that his father is a Makai Knight? We don't even know Kouga's history until ep 12 and Rei's motive until ep 14. Yeah, if characterization is about how much we know about the character, then "good characterization" there. People are already complaining and wanting too much in just 7 episodes.
Whatever Dr Kain, you and I will always disagree whatever the hell you want to comment after this. I really wish this was real life, it would be more challenging facing in you in real life rather than hearing your strawman complaint