What's this Lu Bu worship that I see all over the place?

[Terranigma Freak]

Seriously, it boogles my mind that Lu Bu is worshipped by people these days. I can understand if people thinks he's "badass" or whatever, but novel and history wise, the man was anything but badass. It seems more like the video games are what's driving people to love Lu Bu. Lu Bu was a coward and a backstabber. Oh yeah, he was a great fighter, but that's about the only thing he has going for him. Despite the stories, people still overexaggerate him. I'm not talking about his power, but his intelligence. Yeah, I know people viewed him as an idiot, but he's not. He's no genius of course, but I also find the exaggeration of his mind silly. He was just an average guy who can't be trusted. I can think of many more people from the 3 kingdoms to have done more impressive things, and more heroic things, be it historically or novel-wise. Considering the "mighty" warrior that he is, he's the only one I can think of who begged for his life.

So why do people like Lu Bu--when even the novel protrayed him as a coward?

[Yuan Seth]

Sadly, not everybody is as enlightened as we are, haha. But in all seriousness - the way he is portrayed in the games ignores actual history and makes Lu Bu appear to be this near-godlike warrior who is, as you've stated, "bad-ass". It could be to appease the American audience by catering to their desire for destruction and domination? (No disrespect for America, as I'm from there myself.. just some light humor.)

[Kong Wen]

Video games, 100%.

[GanNing]

Video games, 100%.

I'd say 75% games 25% novel.

The novel portrays him as pretty tough as well, at least until he begs for his life.

And of course some people can find virtue in anything.

[Terranigma Freak]

The novel portrays him as pretty tough as well, at least until he begs for his life.

He didn't just beg for his life, he backstabbed plenty of people as well. Don't forget that he begged Cao Cao's troops to treat so he can think about surrending, until Chen Gong shot an arrow at Cao Cao's hat. He also ignores good advice when it counts and a terrible leader.

[Lordyuanshu]

You could make the distorted view case for nearly all the video game characters. The video game companies create "personalities" (that are somewhat relivent but always blown out of proportion and fabricated) and they have to falsify the story to make X person look a certain way and so on. In turn the ignorant believe the wrong things.

[Wo Long]

I am quite fond of Lu Bu. He was an exceptional warrior, he respected those who respected him (Liu Bei being a great example), and though he wasn't a genius, he was a good leader. No, he wasn't god-like how Koei portrays him, but he was no buffoon and he certainly was one of the greatest men of his time.

[Kong Wen]

Video games, 100%.

I'd say 75% games 25% novel.

The novel portrays him as pretty tough as well, at least until he begs for his life.

Yeah, his semi-loyal tough-guy image in the novel is going to have something to do with people liking him, in specific instances. I was talking more about the widespread, general sentiment that "Lu Bu rawks." Without the video games, there would still be Lu Bu fans here and there, but it wouldn't be anything close to the kind of scale it's at because of DW, for example.

That's the only reason I weight the influence of the video games so highly. They take Lu Bu fandom to a whole new level.

[Mistelten]

This always threw me for a spin too. Obviously DW has a lot to do with that. I think it is also because of video game and comic fan tendencies to like the bad boy who does whatever he feels like. Lu Bu is the Akuma, Vegeta, or Wolverine of the RTK world to new fans.

I never liked him just because of his behavior in his last hours, and that he really didn't represent any cause, just reckless narcissism.

[Lulu]

Book/game
My impression of Lu Bu is that he could strike fear in people, even Cao Cao (those two events are some of my favorites in the book) Poor Cao Cao.
But he was used by a woman to kill a Tyrant.
I find him a fasinating character and I'm boogled at the fact he could be manipulated so easily, but at the same time feared so strongly.
I think the reason he has the following he does, is he's the villian people love to hate and hate to love.