One of the great things about the Soul Calibur series has been my inability to choose an absolute favorite due to the inclusion of so many charming and well balanced characters. However, ever since I first played Soul Calibur on my Dreamcast, I've always liked Mitsurugi, Kilik, and Taki. I've always liked Mitsurugi's versatility, Kilik's well rounded speed and range, and Taki's acrobatic strikes and dodges.
Of the characters in Soul Calibur II, I find myself very much enjoying Ivy. Her swinging whip moves and new combos are great. She has one hell of a move list at her disposal. I have yet to master many of the new characters, but Spawn (I own an X-Box, so I have that version) sure is a lot of fun. I must admit, I'm going to have to get good with Raphael. He's a fun character to watch in action.