Introduction written by Ryan Mason
Anime is an amazing art of storytelling.
I can still remember the Saturdays back in middle school when my friends and I held conference calls late into the night in order to hold a dialogue about the anime series we were watching – your friendly neighborhood blogger Brandon Lewis included.
It is in part because of those memories that this list was created. As we shared the drama and characters, we helped to define our childhood experiences. We found characters to look up to and to hate; we found characters that went through - albeit highly exaggerated - versions of non-sense we dealt with; we found characters that were simply down right badass.
As for me, Brandon, anime also represented a higher level of television entertainment that Saturday morning cartoons wouldn't dare to reach. While many shows were fun-loving, cheerful, and inspiring to their watchers, a good and healthy portion of them represented the darker, realer side of the human condition. The ability of the anime genre to portray the good, the evil, and the in between of the world has made it a tool of molding for many people all over the world, myself and Ryan included. it not only offered hours of entertainment; it also helped in sculpting our own ideas and morals of the world surrounding us.
And so here we are, years later, making a list of some badass folks from various Animes. Before we get to said list, we must humbly offer one caveat: this is much more akin to a list of our favorites instead of the boldly colorful statement ‘of all time’. It is widely indicative of the time we grew up in. But for any old school anime fanatics, we got you covered with some shoutouts.
Now without further ado, let's list some damn characters shall we?
25. Mugen - Samurai Champloo
24. Shin - Shin Chan
23. Ketaro - Love Hina
22. Julia - Cowboy Bebop
21. Sakura - Cardcaptors
20. Roy Mustang - Fullmetal Alchemist
19. Haruko - FLCL
18. Abel Nightroad - Trinity Blood
Abel Nightroad is easily one of the most enigmatic characters in recent anime history. He is a gentle natured man who works for the post-apocalyptic Vatican in their effort to prevent the vampires from destroying humanity. He just so happens to be a vampire himself, a technologically enhanced vampire that feasts on other vampires, no less. His struggle to find peace in a world without one while controlling the beast within leaves for a richly complicated character in a intricately-woven story I loved in 2007 (Brandon)
#17. Renton - Eureka Seven
#17. Renton - Eureka Seven
#16. Jimmy Kudo/Conan - Case Closed
When you are a kid, one of your life's missions is to prove that you are smarter than the adults around you. So wasn't Jimmy Kudo, or Conan when he was transformed into a kid, a breath of fresh air? Even though he technically had the mind of a highly-capable teen detective, whenever Conan solved a murder in half the time it would have taken the police, you felt a sense of pride. Bravo to the detective.
#15. Sailor Moon - Sailor Moon
Before any of these characters even came to my attention, there was a young teenage girl from Japan named Serena. A coward, a klutz, and an all-around fail, it made her transformation into the superhero with the power of the moon even more awesome. Despite her reluctance to be a superhero, then a princess of a planet, and then savior of the galaxy (if you ever bothered to watch the final series, Sailor Stars), Sailor Moon led her fellow Sailor Scouts to victory against the evil Negaverse and scored a boyfriend in Tuxedo Mask (also known as Prince Darien of Earth). While she may not carry swords or kick major butt like some characters before and after her, there is no denying her impact on pop culture. Her appearance on the Toonami block of Cartoon Network in the 90's helped in popularizing the genre in North America. I mean, who can forget those transformations? I certainly haven't. (Brandon)
#14. Ichigo Kurosaki - Bleach
Ichigo Kurosaki is certainly not a new type of character. There are plenty of fifteen-year old protagonists who are forced to deal with evil, supernatural beings all the time. What makes Ichigo special is his high level of morality and principle. He has a near-blind loyalty to those he cares about, willing to confront death head-on to protect him. He is someone doesn't tolerate selfishness, especially if puts others in harm. And, for reasons that escape me, he remains on the side of an irritatingly bureaucratic Soul Society, instead of just being a free agent. For a 15-year old, he quite the adult mindset, which makes him the best 15-year old protagonist forced to deal evil, supernatural beings at there. Plus, he has an AWESOME, HUMONGOUS sword!
#13. Agumon - Digimon
While it would be seriously unfair to call Digimon a crappier version of Pokemon (I honestly do believe that Digimon in many respects was actually better, but that’s a debate for another day), for those in the know Augumon became as much as an iconic creature as Pikachu for their respective shows. Sadly, only to a much smaller population, hence giving way to Augumon’s position at number #13. In the high day of Digimon, everyone and their mother wanted to have Agumon as a partner. A cute little dragon thingy, walking and talking next to me that could grow into some other big-ass dragon monsters in order to protect me? Hell ya, sign me up. Now, while Pikachu is a worldwide phenomenon, I’d love to see it try to take on a fully powered Agumon. (Ryan)
Ok, I have to throw my two cents in here. Agumon is not greater than Pikachu, and no matter how cool Digimon may have been (I even almost joined the Fox Kids fanclub back in the day), his appearance on this list, this high, is one of my favorite anomalies. That said, Greymon and his later digivolutions are some of the coolest looking creatures I have ever seen. (Brandon)
#12. Inuyasha - Inuyasha
Another 15-year old with a really big sword. Inuyasha became a anime phenomenon in the East and the West because of everything Ichigo wasn't. Inuyasha was a brash, rude, and downright mean sometimes. He was also half-demon, which meant that he also dealt with some pretty human conflicts, like bullying, self-loathing, and the desire to be accepted. What made him admirable was that, despite all of his personal struggles and his rough exterior, he still had a heart, even when he didn't show it a lot. Another thing Inuyasha had that Ichigo didn't? Two women pining after him. Another thing Inuyasha will be forever known for is being the center of the best anime triangle ever. It took him awhile (even though you have to wonder why he would consider choosing a woman essentially made of dirt and bones over a hot 16-year old girl), but he eventually got his happily ever after with the only woman who accepted completely, Kagome.
Kakashi, from the minute he appeared in the iconic series, was awesome. Maybe it was because of his insurmountable ninja abilities. Maybe it was because he had a Sharingan. Maybe it was because he had two incredibly awesome kids as his mentees. Those are all plausible and fair reasons, but everyone knows the real reason why Kakashi is awesome. It's the mask. From day one, the mask covering his left eye made Kakashi mysterious, and mystery is awesome. I mean, a whole episode was dedicated to figuring out what was behind his infamous mask. When will you ever have a episode (filler as it was) dedicated to you and your mask? Never, because no one is as awesome as Kakashi. Ok, maybe the Top 10 are, but just a little bit. Sort of...
And The Top 10 are....
#10 and #9. L and Light Yagami from Death Note
Our favorite depiction of tension between good and evil comes in at 9 and 10 in our list. And how the hell could they not? Light and L of Death Note fame spent the vast majority of the show playing a devilishly cool, intellectually kickass game of cat and mouse. Light, after he comes in possession of a notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written in it, embarks to rid the world of evil and corruption but ends up being corrupted himself. Soon, the Death Note becomes a tool in constructing his terrifying vision for a new world order; all the while L is on the case attempting to stop him. Light does end up killing L – I can still remember having to pick up my jaw from off the floor – yet in the end he and the rest of us watching find what fate had in store for him. (Ryan)
#8. Vegeta - Dragon Ball Z
If Vegeta had anything to say about it, he would be #1 on this list, being the "Prince of All Saiyans" and all that jazz. Yes, he was a ruthless villain in the beginning, but his transformation from bloodthirsty bastard to slightly disgruntled protector of Earth made him one of the most popular characters in anime history. Still, his adjustment to protecting his new home never abated his desire to surpass his greatest rival, that damn Kakarott. Of course, he finally conceded that Goku was more powerful, but that didn't take away from his own awesomeness. The scene where he kills himself in a desperate attempt to defeat Majin Buu is arguably the best scene in DBZ history, because as Piccolo put it, Vegeta finally fought for someone other than himself; he fought for his son Trunks and his wife Bulma. It was an epic moment for a truly epic character. Just don't tell him that. (Brandon)
#7. Lelouch Lamperouge - Code Geass
Lelouch Lamperouge had one major goal in life: create a happy world for his sister Nunnally to live in peacefully. How do you go about that? Simple, just disguise yourself as a masked rebel and commit unspeakable amounts of genocide to destroy your homeland, with the help of a mystical power that steals people's will away from them. From many perspectives within the show, Lelouch was a demonic monster without any kind of soul or moral code. It might be true, but who would after having Charles di Britannia as a daddy? His source of humanity lied within his touching relationship with Nunnally, an invalid due to his father's neglecty. That, along with his unmatched intellect and his harrowed past gives his actions a thick layer of depth. (Brandon)
#6. Byakuya Kuchiki - Bleach
Yes, I know, he is higher than the lead character, Ichigo, but can you really blame us? Byakuya is easily the coolest captain of the 13 Court Squad in the Soul Society. When he first appeared on Bleach, he appeared to be a stoic villain arriving in the real world just to kidnap Rukia. Then we learned he was her older brother, and that despite internal conflict, he felt that he had to follow orders. It would lay the groundwork for some of the most interesting and underrated character development in recent anime history. His internal conflict over love and duty makes for a truly fascinating character. That and his ability to slay with millions of pink flower petals. What more can you ask for? (Brandon)
#5. Spike - Cowboy Bebop
Let me just say I deeply respect Spike. He was everything a male hero should be. He was lazy, had amazing martial arts skills, and had a troubled past that haunted him all throughout Cowboy Bebop’s run. He also had another thing – a commendable death. I remember that the first thing I saw of Cowboy Bebop was that scene: Spike making a gun with his fingers, his forehead bloody, him saying his last words ‘Bang!’, then collapsing to his death and the wonderfully heartbreaking song to follow. At that point, I didn’t understand, so I watched the repeat of the episodes and then I did. And can bet your ass that I shed a tear. Or two. (Ryan)
#4. Edward Elric - Fullmetal Alchemist
Edward Elric is the classic "chip on his shoulder" teen. He had every right to be, though, with royally screwing his and his brother's lives more than it already was by trying and failing to bring his mother back to life. That, and he was short. Still, his unconditional love for his brother made his travels to find the Philospher's Stone very poignant and admirable. He also had the very awesome ability to turn his replacement arm into a variety of weapons with the power of alchemy. Now, isn't that handy (I swear, no pun intended)? (Brandon)
#3. Major Mokoto - Ghost in the Shell
Honestly one of my favorite heroines from any genre, the Major from Ghost in the Shell comes in at number 3. She commanded a military unit (well, sort of military unit), beat the ever living crap out of the bad guys, and got shot in the head ....only to come back later and seek out the scum that did it. While Ghost in the Shell had its run on Cartoon Network’s adult swim, I made sure I had a nap during the day in order to be able to make heads or tails of the bewildering storyline the show cranked out. And the Major wasn’t hard on the eyes herself either. (Ryan)
#2. Goku - Dragon Ball Z
Goku is more than a lead character. Goku is an institution in the world of anime. Regardless of your feelings about the three shows that surrounded him, denying his iconic status makes you look foolish. He is the strongest being in the universe, participating in the most epic battles in anime history. He has a heart of gold and he is incredibly selfless, dying countlessly to protect the world. Plus, when he chose to quit being such a lovable goofball, he could get badass in a way that could inspire awe from even Vegeta. All of that made Goku the perfect cartoon idol for kids growing up in the 90's, and, despite what I said about Sailor Moon, he can be single-handedly credited for bringing anime into the Western mainstream. He apparently can even beat Superman in a fight. While the archetypal hero character will continue forever, Goku is the gold standard.
#1. Pikachu - Pokémon
Are their stronger Pokémon than Pikachu? Yes. Are there cooler Pokémon than Pikachu? Absolutely. But there is no denying the singular cultural impact that the bright yellow mouse has made worldwide. His role as Ash Ketchum's other (and better) half helped make Pokémon a global phenomenon. The electric Pokémon has sold millions of games, trading cards, books, toys, and other crap to transform the brand into a multi-billion dollar franchise unmatched in its field. In the series, he beat countless opponents and his tough, but cute nature made Ash's "Pokémon master" proclamations a lot less annoying. It's not that difficult to see why Team Rocket spent twelve years chasing him; Pikachu was special. Yes, Pikachu may not be the strongest of the kajillion creatures out there, and I'm pretty sure that everyone in the Top 10 could decimate it, but then again, none of them had their own Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon, or their own Got Milk ad. Pikachu is more than a character, he's a pop culture landmark, and therefore, the greatest character in anime history.
