Frequent deaths are not an excuse for lack of character. I remember when playing the Jak series, the animations followed a basic stock (die from fire, die from lava, die from drowning), but ever now and then, they would throw in a Daxter quip.

Similarly, Ye Olde Brave Fencer Musashi liked to spice up the standard keel-over-then-body-spinning-in-black-void with wonderful voice acting. My favorite: "If I'm reincarnated, I wanna be Musashi again!"