On the other hand, while Kanji needs level 60 to get Mataru...that's when you start fighting bosses it matters for (Hippie, Killer, Eye, Pysch Case). Other skills at that point include:
Yosuke - Masukukaja (60)
Chie - Power Charge (52), High Counter (61)
Yukiko - Samarecarm (59), Mediarahan (65)
Rise - Healing Wave (63)
Teddie - Marakukaja (58), Amrita (61), Samarecarm (63)...Mataru for him comes at 42!!!!
Naoto - Mind Charge (56), Blight (58), Mudo Boost (64)
So if you want Mataru, Teddie gets it waaaaaaay earlier. However, as mentioned previously, Teddie's skill slots are a bit of an issue, especially with what you want him to do. As a healer, he needs Amrita, Mediarahan, Samarecarm, probably Diarahan too. If you want him as an attack mage, he needs the -dynes and Ice Boost/Amp. Mixing all of them together works (so Mataru, Maraku, Sama, Amrita, Mediarahan, Ice Boost, Ice Amp, Mabufudyne...is still missing ST damage, as well as ST healing and the few other skills he has such as Ice Break, Traesto, and even Mediarama to a point). So if you decide to make him pure support, that works...although support isn't too helpful for randoms. Make him mostly a random smasher, and he'll suffer a bit in the support department. Teddie is excellent, but mostly because he can do so much - it's just you need to decide what you want him to do. Also, if he's your only Matarukaja user, he might not use it often in boss fights if he needs to heal...so you use another healer or Matarukaja user, which is basically the same thing.
Not saying he's bad, but just because he gets it earlier doesn't completely count out Kanji. Each character is pretty balanced and has decent use
- Kanji is high physical ST damage, has electric damage, and has great durability + Mataru for support
- Yosuke has a bit of everything and fewer issue with skill slots than Teddie, great stat spread, does the wind damage, can do physical damage if needed, dispels, early healer
- Chie does MT physical damage, early ice damage, great ST damage once she gets Power Charge, also has good speed
- Yukiko has loads of SP, quick MT healing, great damage, gets Salvation
- Rise is immune to all damage, which kicks ass
- Teddie has loads of useful skills, does the ice thing well, has neat weapons to supplement him
- Naoto has Mind Charge and the Almighty skills, and Dark/Light, along with the best weapon in the game (+5 all stats) and some miscellaneously relevent skill
Everyone's good is the point >_> I'd say MVP in-game is PROBABLY Kanji, since his niche can be covered by everyone else. But they're all good for different reasons.