Kedamono is just a goofball kid, trying to make his way through the awkward stages of adolescence. I think he's such a likeable character in that he screws up along every step of the way, but just shakes it off and still finds a way to achieve his goals, no matter how fleeting. People can relate to a character that makes mistakes. Still being young, there's also some innocence (and ignorance) left in him. It gives him a whimsical, boyish charm that makes him easy to like and fun to draw. Despite his carefree attitude, he's really a sensitive soul.
In the original PoL, Kedamono was a hardened warrior, a demi-god from millenia past who was of very little importance in terms of character development. The main character shouted, transformed into an armored Kedamono, and the rest was left up to battle. You knew he was a fighter and a deity, sure, but did you know who he was on the inside? To the reader, he was just the guy who had special powers, showing up wherever supernatural trouble brewed. That was it. Today's Kedamono is far from the stiff warrior of some odd years ago. Now, he would be more likely to try talking a villain into going out for ice cream rather than fight him.
"If there's no love in your heart, you can never be a superhero," a lyric to a 20-years old cartoon theme song. There's a certain amount of truth in those words when it comes to making a main character. Kedamono feels joy, pain, and grief. He's no Superman, but he doesn't need to be.
