I KNOW THIS IS A SILLY POST and Im sure it been done before by someone or another but ok.
For a preface, I personally don't believe in 'hating' villagers/NPCs. I really don't care if you do, that's fine everyone is gonna have opinions but personally, I love every single character in AC, even if I shouldn't. And I love Tom Nook too. Another note to make is AC is like.. my 'thing' I have spent countless hours learning about the NPCs and I could talk for days about it, and I will if anybody replies to this with a comment that gives me the chance to. For this post Im pulling from my own memories of past games, videos, whole blog posts and other such things.
I think a lot of the 'I hate Nook' sentiment probably stems from GameCube days where house upgrades were not optional and he just kind of threw bigger houses and bigger loans at you like a *cough* loan shark,,,, but when you look at Nook with context from prior games and just think critically about him for a minute he's low-key such a good guy, and I want to make my silly little 'in defense of Tom Nook post'.
If anybody can be bothered to read through this I would be interested to see your perspective on Nook... do you like him? Or is there just something that's not for you?
So here it is - In defense of my favorite Tanuki:
- He gives you a whole house. a whole house, and he doesn't want interest when you pay it off.. It is a base rate with no (known) profit margin for himself... he literally doesn't even care if you don't pay it off at all. You could sit in your little wild world 4 x 4 cabin for all of eternity doing nothing but eating fruit and he would just be like
ok chill . I'm sure like 99% of us would literally kill to have a landlord like Tom Nook.
- Carrying on from my house point... if the house wasn't good enough for you he literally makes you the Resident Rep of an entire island. He literally lets you run the place. By all accounts, it's HIS island, and a getaway package he offered to you, but he lets you take full control and will just happily let you do whatever you wish to the island to make it your own
- People think (especially in older games) that he is harsh and toughened out, and he does say in HHD that he is okay with being viewed as intimidating as it can encourage people to pay their loans, but I think he is just a man who has absolutely been through it and the way he came into adulthood forced him to toughen himself up. He left for the city with plans to become a successful businessman but it's well known that those plans failed and he had a bad time, including negative encoutners with Redd. So for the 'he's too tough' thing I just think that he hardened his shell because sometimes thats what you need to do in the world, and that doesn't make him bad.
- The Nooklings. It is confirmed (and I assume common knowledge) that Timmy and Tommy aren't related to Nook. He adopted them as orphans and taught them about how to have good business practices because of how he suffered himself early in his career when he left for the city, and he did not want that for the twins. You can't tell me thats not wholesome. He literally had no obligation to care, but instead chose to dedicate the better part of his adult life to teaching these twins how to be successful and financially secure in business.
- It was confirmed in HHD that he donates 90% of the bells he makes in profits to an orphanage 'three towns over', presumably because of his experience raising the Nooklings. he also asks the player if they donate to charity and suggests they give it a shot. There is nothing but kindness in that little mans heart.
- This one comes from my Wild World days, but I do recall that when starting the game Tom was very bossy, and could come across as mean. But I think this could be linked towards the Nooklings idea. For him being late, unprofessional and the such were things that caused him hardship, and so I would theorise that he is simply strict because that is what he learned he had to be to be okay, and he wants others to get the same idea.
- Also in Wild World it is said by Sable that despite failing terribly and facing being extremely broke, Nook would still find the time to write her letters, and even sent her a pair of very nice (expensive) sewing scissors for her birthday, despite his struggles. He also says that her 'wisdom still guides him' and expresses regret for pushing her away wishing that he hadn't. A truly caring man.
- AC's creators themselves said that Tom Nook is kind, and wants to teach the players about responsibility as well as the fact that, in regards to loans and business, he won't get angry at them.
Also by the way in case you would like to know some fun (cute) facts about him, his birthday is May 30th, he likes to tend to his garden as he says it keeps him humble and talks about how as a schoolboy he was quite mischievous and was known for not handing in schoolwork when it was due. Sable reports that he has a 'beautiful singing voice' and said he had such a 'pure spirit' she was afraid the world would be too harsh on his soul.
I know this is a silly post but I just really really really wanted to express that I think Mr Nook gets a lot more hate then he deserves, he's an experienced and caring businessman and I don't care if he's just a game character he is deserving of love and praise for all that he's done.
For a preface, I personally don't believe in 'hating' villagers/NPCs. I really don't care if you do, that's fine everyone is gonna have opinions but personally, I love every single character in AC, even if I shouldn't. And I love Tom Nook too. Another note to make is AC is like.. my 'thing' I have spent countless hours learning about the NPCs and I could talk for days about it, and I will if anybody replies to this with a comment that gives me the chance to. For this post Im pulling from my own memories of past games, videos, whole blog posts and other such things.
I think a lot of the 'I hate Nook' sentiment probably stems from GameCube days where house upgrades were not optional and he just kind of threw bigger houses and bigger loans at you like a *cough* loan shark,,,, but when you look at Nook with context from prior games and just think critically about him for a minute he's low-key such a good guy, and I want to make my silly little 'in defense of Tom Nook post'.
If anybody can be bothered to read through this I would be interested to see your perspective on Nook... do you like him? Or is there just something that's not for you?
So here it is - In defense of my favorite Tanuki:
- He gives you a whole house. a whole house, and he doesn't want interest when you pay it off.. It is a base rate with no (known) profit margin for himself... he literally doesn't even care if you don't pay it off at all. You could sit in your little wild world 4 x 4 cabin for all of eternity doing nothing but eating fruit and he would just be like
ok chill . I'm sure like 99% of us would literally kill to have a landlord like Tom Nook.- Carrying on from my house point... if the house wasn't good enough for you he literally makes you the Resident Rep of an entire island. He literally lets you run the place. By all accounts, it's HIS island, and a getaway package he offered to you, but he lets you take full control and will just happily let you do whatever you wish to the island to make it your own
- People think (especially in older games) that he is harsh and toughened out, and he does say in HHD that he is okay with being viewed as intimidating as it can encourage people to pay their loans, but I think he is just a man who has absolutely been through it and the way he came into adulthood forced him to toughen himself up. He left for the city with plans to become a successful businessman but it's well known that those plans failed and he had a bad time, including negative encoutners with Redd. So for the 'he's too tough' thing I just think that he hardened his shell because sometimes thats what you need to do in the world, and that doesn't make him bad.
- The Nooklings. It is confirmed (and I assume common knowledge) that Timmy and Tommy aren't related to Nook. He adopted them as orphans and taught them about how to have good business practices because of how he suffered himself early in his career when he left for the city, and he did not want that for the twins. You can't tell me thats not wholesome. He literally had no obligation to care, but instead chose to dedicate the better part of his adult life to teaching these twins how to be successful and financially secure in business.
- It was confirmed in HHD that he donates 90% of the bells he makes in profits to an orphanage 'three towns over', presumably because of his experience raising the Nooklings. he also asks the player if they donate to charity and suggests they give it a shot. There is nothing but kindness in that little mans heart.
- This one comes from my Wild World days, but I do recall that when starting the game Tom was very bossy, and could come across as mean. But I think this could be linked towards the Nooklings idea. For him being late, unprofessional and the such were things that caused him hardship, and so I would theorise that he is simply strict because that is what he learned he had to be to be okay, and he wants others to get the same idea.
- Also in Wild World it is said by Sable that despite failing terribly and facing being extremely broke, Nook would still find the time to write her letters, and even sent her a pair of very nice (expensive) sewing scissors for her birthday, despite his struggles. He also says that her 'wisdom still guides him' and expresses regret for pushing her away wishing that he hadn't. A truly caring man.
- AC's creators themselves said that Tom Nook is kind, and wants to teach the players about responsibility as well as the fact that, in regards to loans and business, he won't get angry at them.
Also by the way in case you would like to know some fun (cute) facts about him, his birthday is May 30th, he likes to tend to his garden as he says it keeps him humble and talks about how as a schoolboy he was quite mischievous and was known for not handing in schoolwork when it was due. Sable reports that he has a 'beautiful singing voice' and said he had such a 'pure spirit' she was afraid the world would be too harsh on his soul.
I know this is a silly post but I just really really really wanted to express that I think Mr Nook gets a lot more hate then he deserves, he's an experienced and caring businessman and I don't care if he's just a game character he is deserving of love and praise for all that he's done.
Tom Nook is actually my favourite NPC in the whole game! He’s been there since day one, he’s always been so patient and helpful and allows you to take your own time, even YEARS 
- Heckkk a landlord would never let you do that in real life. Gosh help us. He’s had a sad backstory in Wild World. Tom Nook would become upset about it, which showed he cared. He helped Timmy and Tommy work their way up, starting from helping them to have a job and now in New Horizons, Timmy and Timmy have their own store. Tom Nook is misunderstood. I have always appreciated him, I don’t hate on any NPCs either and heck if that makes me bad then so be it. 
I have like 4 plushies of Tom Nook (the most of one particular character) and I hope to get more one day, I’m proud. ^^ HECK I even had a birthday cake made last year for my 21st and I wanted him to be on the cake, which he was and I was the happiest and luckiest lady ever. 
