Anime is one of the greatest pop-culture elements that Japan has to offer. Here are ten of the greatest characters that emerge from such an amazing element. Which among the anime entities listed below declare as the best of them all?
Hanamichi Sakuragi
Lead characters must be nice people by default. That’s the common notion, until you meet this high-school delinquent who was never good at anything, except in doing rumbles and in getting rejected by girls. Unknown to himself though, he is a naturally gifted athlete which made him achieve great heights of success in ways that even the most gifted sportsmen would find astonishing.
Appears in: Slum Dunk
Created by: Takehiko Inoue
Naruto Uzumaki
While most writers struggle to make their characters deeply complex, the writer of this one has a diverse goal — to keep this young ninja in the boundaries of simplicity and stupidity. In spite of that characterization though, Naruto is still a very interesting character as he is well-loved by countless fans all over the world, which fall in a great range of age brackets.
Appears in: Naruto
Created by: Masashi Kishimoto
Kenshin Himura
The baddest boys often turn up to be the greatest lovers, and Kenshin is the perfect proof of such a statement. This love is not only on the erotic side though, for he is someone who would sacrifice everything in him, just to keep the ones he loves safe. A former assassin who turned over a new leaf, he can be the best protector you’ll have, but could be the fiercest foe you can clash against, if you have no regard for the lives of others.
Appears in: Samurai X
Created by: Nobuhiro Watsuki
Usagi Tsukino
In the world of anime, this gal is a pioneer, because she is the very character that made people realize that females can have a prominent place within the genre. As a carefree schoolgirl who can transform into a powerful crime-fighter, she is also an appointed leader of the Sailor Soldiers – a group of female warriors meant as protectors of the innocent. She is a being from The Moon Kingdom – a mysterious, powerful domain where she was given the birthright to become a princess and an extraordinary agent of justice.
Appears in: Sailor Moon
Created by: Naoko Takeuchi
Shinji Ikari
He is characterized as an archetypal “ababdoned boy” – a cliche storytelling element, but one that catapulted him into critical notice within the anime realm. Hideaki Anno, the show director described Shinji, as a boy who “shrinks from human contact”, and has “convinced himself that he is a completely unnecessary person. Other critics declare him as one of the most nuanced, and relatable characters in anime history.
Appears in: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Created by: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Light Yagami
There are times when the laws made by men fail to grant absolute justice. And in such times, this young man established his own brand of law enforcement- killing any criminal at will, by simply writing a name on a mysterious notebook. Though his noble goals eventually corrupted him and brought him a great downfall, it can’t be denied that people like you and me, sometimes dream of having his deadly talent.
Appears in: Death Note
Created by: Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata
Goku
He stands as Earth’s messiah on numerous occasions but guess what? Such a title doesn’t go to his head. For him, he’s just a typical guy who loves to compete in a variety of fighting methods without caring much about whether he is strongest or not. He ends up being the most powerful though, at the envy of many warriors on Earth, as well as on other worlds of the cosmos.
Appears in: Dragon Ball Z
Created by: Akira Toriyama
Motoko Kusanagi
She is characterized as being strong-willed, physically powerful, and of genius-level intellect. Her skill sets include deduction, strategizing and hacking. She flirts with both males and females which makes her an even more interesting entity. As an inhabitant of the mid-21st century, her body is artificially fashioned. In spite of that, she is more human than most natural-born individuals — a force to be reckoned with, and a friend you can rely on.
Appears in: Ghost in The Shell
Created by: Masamune Shirow
Monkey D. Luffy
Most anime characters are equipped with powers like energy projection and other bunch of arrays that make them highly formidable and dangerous. But for this kid, he is endowed with one power that gives him a unique kind of toughness: stretchability and malleability that makes him a literally human rubber. He can be the coolest friend you can have as well, because he will do whatever it takes to keep his pack of pirates secure from all sorts of harm.
Appears in: One Piece
Created by: Eiichiro Oda
Ichigo Kurosaki
Samurai are known to be the greatest warriors to emerge from Japan, but if a samurai is known to fight evil monsters and spirits, then that samurai must be the greatest of all, undoubtedly. The 2007 Japanese Newtype magazine polls ranked Ichigo as one of the top 100 most-loved anime characters. And because the TV show in which he appears in is till actively running, the warrior known as Ichigo will most likely remain to be anime’s best throughout the years.
Appears in: Bleach
Created by: Tite Kubo
Who do you think among them should be declared as number 1?
I love the characteristic of kenshin himura. From the nightmare of his past he changed and used blade to save people.