The Official Anime & Manga Thread Vol: 三

Suberzat1 said:
 
When I read the Manga I get disappointed when the anime catches up. 
frown.gif
 I may start reading Attack on Titan.

I still recommend everyone to check out Space Batersip Yamato 2199S
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That's a pretty glowing recommendation. I'll check it out sometime.
 
NARUTO
Could that be Kabuto at the end after learning the error of his ways? 
nerd.gif
Find out next time, on Naruto.
 
One Piece
Sabo about to go HAM on Burgess!

DRAGON claw huh? Heh
 
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Surprisingly, that was a good chapter of Naruto. :lol:

Edit:
OP was on point too this week. :pimp:
 
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Naruto question:

So did Madara summon the sage of six paths? Or...where the hell did he come from?
 
Luong1209 said:
Naruto question:

So did Madara summon the sage of six paths? Or...where the hell did he come from?
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that IS madara like when obito transformed meh chapter im glad its back tho.. no more breaks kishi and what the hell is sakura doing tryna pull some matrix ****? :lol:
 
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OP :nthat:

just knock that kid out already... she's extremely dangerous! :x :smh:
these fights are gonna be insane!
:x fighting fish with DFA's! :wow:

Naruto

who yall think that was at the very end for Sasuke?

D-Frag
:rofl: at guilting the MC to eat the food off the ground :x :lol:
 
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Air JustinXI said:
Definitely better than last week, but still a lot of wasted panels and still felt stretched out. Glad that fight wrapped up this chapter though.
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Going to defend Bleach/Kubo for a minute..
All managa/anime have pretty much the same plotkoi/formula where certain characters get power up, long drawn out fights,etc.. Being a big fan of this series, I can see where people are highly analytical of it now but this arc is just the same as the espada/hueco mundo/aizen. But what made that so good was that the chapters, characters, fights and storylines were all fleshed out and written very well. The problem I have is that I don't have a reason to care for the Sternritters, I don't know their individual stories, stolen bankais, etc.. Besides the Mask fight, the chapters have been good and are getting better because we are starting to get more information (to an extent) on the whole SS and Sternritters...
I think people are just hard on the series right now because of silly things of people"not" really dying, etc, which is totally understandable but to reiterate my first statement I have followed and read many mangas who stick to this formula but don't nearly generate the same level of hate,lol...
Even now that I am getting into One Piece, I am seeing the same formulaic writing through out the universe, but what hides it is that like I said the stories and characters are fleshed out so good that you totally forget about it..
End of Rant, lol
 
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OP
THAT N SABO THOUGH!!!! Dragon claw like a dragonite :lol:
Damn I was hoping we saw a zoro sho shi shi son son or something real quick like when kuma came/spoiler][/quote]
 
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Bleach :x

So many words saying nothing b :smh:


EDIT: and another thing, bleach has got to be the king of BS power ups... Like it's just so bad it's funny :lol:
 
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Spidermachine916 said:
Naruto

who yall think that was at the very end for Sasuke?
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I got my money on Kakashi da gawd.

Either Kakashi or Kabuto.

OR dare I say...

jiraiya1.jpg


:wow: :wow:

Either way, they need someone. Madara is about clap all dem shoulders, b.

:x My dude Madara ascended to a level beyond super saiyan :x :x


BTW. What happened to Hashirama?
 
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OP
Man Oda stay ******g up with Robin. She's right there and he's not gonna have her handle Sugar real quick?
Finally get to see Sabo do work. They need to go ahead and eliminate Rebecca real quick tho all she does is take up space.

Are we gonna have Ussop, Robin, and the dwarves vs Trebol? I want to see Robin get a 1 on 1 fight, since she hasn't had one since Skypeia.

I was hoping to see more of Zoro and Luffy. Guess we'll have to wait till next chapter. The Strawhats are gonna have a lot of allies after this arc once all those toys get changed back.
Naruto
I thought it was an ok chapter. Didn't feel like much happened. The series hasn't excited me lately
 
Dbz was the king of power ups,lol...
I see alot of similarities in Bleach & DBZ..
Quite frankly I see alot of similarities in Narauto and OP with DBZ,lol
"Kanye Shrug"
 
They both look up to Toriyama if I'm not mistaken, but they SHOULD'VE taken inspiration from the original Dragonball instead.
 
http://m.ign.com/articles/2014/02/04/top-25-greatest-anime-characters

I am happy with the list. Vegeta, Spike, and Vash made the list.

25-11
[h3]Haruhi Fujioka[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Ouran High School Host Club, 2006



The reverse harem anime genre had been done to death by 2006. We knew the tropes, we knew what to expect. But then Ouran High School Host Club introduced us to Haruhi, and new doors were opened. Haruhi isn't one of those typical anime school girls. She's super tomboyish, demure, and not at all moe. In a series that often satirizes the usual shojo genre stereotypes, Haruhi wins by just being completely free of typical teen drama.

That's not to say that Haruhi hasn't seen her fair share of difficulty in life. She lost her mother, but that tragedy is not treated with melodrama, just a somber nostalgia. She has a great relationship with her father, even though he's a professional cross-dresser. And she somehow maintains her cool even when her privileged companions are acting like idiots. Haruhi is thoroughly...normal. In many ways she's the exact opposite of what you would expect out of this type of anime, which is part of what makes her such a great character. She's down to earth, relaxed, and a perfect contrast to the crazy rich boys in the host club.

24
[h3]Black Jack[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Astro Boy, 1980



One of Osamu Tezuka's most famous creations, Black Jack introduced the idea of a "medical mercenary" to anime. A brilliant doctor with a mysterious past, Black Jack was like the House of his time, but with a more dramatic fashion sense and less snark. He operates outside of the medical establishment, not even carrying a medical license even though he's one of the most talented doctors in the world. In the annals of anime, you'd be hard pressed to find another character quite like him.

On the surface, Black Jack is a bit of a shady character. He takes on patients from all walks of life, but he charges insanely high prices that would make even the richest man cry for a single payer health care system. So the word on the street was that Jack is greedy and uncaring. But the reality is much more complex; Black Jack renders his medical services for free if a patient moves him emotionally with the tale of their suffering. And even when he squeezes wealthy patients out of the money, he gives most of the money to charity.

This character did what few characters in anime have achieved: he made an everyday profession into something heroic. Although his stories can certainly be fantastical at times, the tales are really all about how science, medicine, intelligence, and compassion can make a difference in the lives of the sick. Black Jack has had a few anime series over the past 34 years, and although he's slightly different in each incarnation, at his core he's always about solving medical mysteries and making the world a little less miserable, one patient at a time.

23
[h3]Afro[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Afro Samurai, 2007



The only anime character voiced by one Bad *** Mother******, Samuel L. Jackson. Afro Samurai was a fresh, modern take on the samurai genre and it featured a man who's probably the first black male title character in an anime. The series first aired on Spike TV and the stylized battle scenes and Samuel L. Jackson's unique lead voice talents made it an instant hit.

Some argue whether the series even counts as "real" anime because its development and release involved so many American parties. But the series was adapted from a Japanese manga, directed by a Japanese anime director, and produced by well-known Japanese anime studio GONZO. So it's definitely anime, and one of the more interesting ones of recent times. Afro himself is the strong silent type, preferring to let his sword do the talking. But when he does speak, the words that flow are spoken with single-minded focus. He's only got two things on his mind; vengeance, and the Number One Headband: the sacred headband said to bestow great powers upon its owner.

Afro by himself would be an interesting guy, but he's made even more remarkable by the inclusion of Afro's alter ego Ninja Ninja, who provides colorful commentary on Afro's thoughts and actions. Where Afro is mirthless and mute, Ninja Ninja is irreverent and gabby, providing much needed comedy relief in the face of all this slicing and dicing. Ninja Ninja is either a complete figment of Afro's imagination or some kind of nature spirit guardian thing that is a manifestation of Afro's repressed thoughts. Either way, through him we get an even more interesting peek at who Afro is and what makes the man tick.

22
[h3]Guts[/h3]

First anime series:  Berserk: Legendary Wind Sword, 1997



The horror/fantasy/action anime Berserk was set in a cruel fantasy world so horrible it makes the Game of Thrones setting look like a child's playground. A brutal place needed an equally brutal hero, and that man was Guts. Born from a corpse that was left hanging from a tree, his life didn't get any easier from there. Guts goes through so many trials and tribulations it's hard to keep track. He sees his friends and loved ones brutalized, raped, or killed (or all of the above), and eventually loses an arm and an eye. You have to be a badass or bootlicker to survive in that kind of world, and you can guess which one Guts picked.

But what makes Guts truly great is that, although he does just swing his big *** sword around most of the time, he is actually a thoughtful person. He employs a great deal of tactical thinking in many fights, and in those sparse moments between battles Guts does a lot of talking and listening, and we see the story through the eyes of a man who has every reason to detest the world, but is still fighting to protect the good in it.

Guts served as a template for many heroes that came after him. The ridiculously big sword he wields in the Berserk manga arguably started the trend of big *** swords in anime, which spread to characters like Cloud Strife and Ichigo Kurosaki.

21
[h3]Alucard[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Hellsing, 2001



There have been many vampires in anime, but none have been as deliciously sadistic as Alucard. He revels in his battles, enjoying every moment of them. He doesn't sparkle in the sunlight, and he doesn't make women fall madly in love with him. He's just a demon who enjoys being given full reign to destroy other monsters in any way he sees fit, which usually involves him playing with them.

Alucard is practically invincible, which would normally be boring. But Alucard uses that invincibility to dramatic effect as he often lets his opponents damage him, only to regenerate and take utter delight in their disappointment when they thought victory was so close. This vampire doesn't just feed on blood; he revels in the despair of his enemies. It's fortunate that he's a "good" guy.

But there are softer sides to Alucard too. He has a great fondness for the members of his team who are devoted to destroying the forces of evil who threaten humanity. Even though the anime version of Alucard mentions that he doesn't entirely understand humans anymore, he seems happy to work in the service of them, and to protect them from devils who aren't as honorable as he is.

20
[h3]Vash the Stampede[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Trigun, 1998



Ever the reluctant fighter, Vash was a living contradiction. He's gifted with superhuman fighting abilities, but also a superhuman capacity for compassion and kindness. He's a character who suffered countless scars and wounds to his own body to protect others, even the very villains he was trying to stop. His vow to never take a life provides plenty of drama in the series as his enemies use his virtue against him.

Vash is called "the humanoid typhoon" because utter destruction tends to follow him wherever he goes, and there's a huge bounty on his head. But in reality he's humanity's secret guardian angel on the distant, wild planet of Gunsmoke. As a "Plant", he's a being with power that few can comprehend. He's the greatest gunman on the planet, and all the criminals he faces don't stand a chance against him. But Vash's true challenge is in saving the world from his "brother" Knives, and it's this conflict that brings out Vash's real heroism. The tale of Vash's childhood and his mother figure Rem is a great story, as is the story of how Knives ended up being the polar opposite of Vash. Although Vash is often portrayed as a childish goofball, in reality he's a very complex and tortured character who is doing his best to save people who never even know what he's done for them.

19
[h3]L[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Death Note, 2006



Every good lead character needs a challenge, and L provided the opposition that the Death Note series required to captivate fans. L was an oddball, for sure. Unkempt hair, a disdain for shoes, and a penchant for crouching on chairs and eating junk food. He wasn't exactly the image that brings to mind "master detective", but geniuses often are quite eccentric, and L certainly was a good contrast to Light's sociopathic personality and the mask of perfection he wore. L was weird, a little creepy, and badly in need of some sun, but he was the good guy, and the pretty boy was the one trying to kill everybody.

L was every bit as brilliant as Light, and the battle of wits between them created a dramatic tension that just keep fans starving for more. If it hadn't been for Light's supernatural help, L might have won in the end.

18
[h3]Lelouch Lamperouge[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Code Geass, 2006



The first of the maniacal and murderous masterminds on this list (but not the only one), Lelouch was one of the best examples of a hero gone astray. As often happens in dramatic stories, his good intentions paved a road to a dark place. The words "the ends justify the means" were his mantra, but his desire to right wrongs and create a better world for his sister led him to become the exact kind of despot that he was trying to fight against.

His rise and downfall is almost Shakespearean in nature, as his own pride and arrogance cloud his judgment and he misses out on what was truly important. But at least he did it all with a sense of dramatic flair! His alter ego Zero, complete with mysterious helmet and flowing cape, was an iconic tool to secure a place in the psyche of both his enemies and his followers. But it wasn't just a costume; slowly Zero becomes a persona for Lelouch until eventually the hopeful boy he was starts to fade away. In the end, Lelouch's plans are successful, though not in the way anyone ever expected.

17
[h3]Eikichi Onizuka[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Great Teacher Onizuka, 1999



He'd never be able to help you with geometry or neoclassical art studies, but he can teach more life lessons than damn near anybody. Onizuka ranks right up there with the great eccentric teachers of fiction; Keating from Dead Poets Society, Wayne Kotter, etc. But where those other teachers were just unorthodox academics, Onizuka is straight up gangster (like, literally, he was in a gang right before he decided to become a teacher). He wouldn't have even passed college if he hadn't cheated.

So, how did a guy like this get into teaching? For women, of course. At least, that was his original intent. Once he starts getting into the profession he discovers that his street-wise perspective can actually help kids with the challenges of adolescence. Onizuka is put in charge of a class so bad it had already driven several teachers insane by the time he got there (and this is at a private school). But Onizuka handles those brats like a boss and he ends up befriending his students.

Onizuka, like many of the characters on this list, brought a lot of fresh ideas to the scene. The vast majority of school life anime had focused on the students, not the teachers, and this one brought to life one of the most interesting and hilarious teachers in all of fiction, animated or otherwise. Onizuka also is seen in a wide variety of clothing; somewhat rare for anime when characters often wear the exact same thing every day. But, most importantly, Onizuka bucked many social standards and teacher stereotypes and showed that teachers can indeed be everyday heroes.

16
[h3]Arsene Lupin III[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Lupin III, 1971



In the early 70s, anime was still gaining a foothold as a legitimate and profitable form of entertainment. It was still largely seen as a vehicle for either dramatic stories, or children's tales, but Lupin brought adult comedy anime into the forefront. Although his adult-oriented themes took a while to catch on, eventually his lecherous antics and suave handling of epic heists brought grown-ups firmly into anime and proved to Japanese studio execs that this kind of anime could make them money.

From Rome, to Paris, to Rio, Lupin traveled far and wide in search of booty...both kinds. It was Lupin's love of women and his dirty mind that provided much of the comedy in the series, and it was the first time racy humor found itself in popular anime. But the most beautiful part of the anime version of Lupin is that he's much more chivalrous than his manga counterpart (who was honestly kind of rapey). The anime version of the character was much more appropriate for the times, and his role as a leading man of anime.

Lupin was regarded as the world's greatest thief, and with his gang of pals he went about stealing the world's most valuable things. But he enjoyed the stealing much more than the keeping, and often he just gave away the things he stole. And he wasn't just a thief for the sake of thieving; he often used his skills to help people in trouble, and to fix injustices. He was almost like a modern Robin Hood in a way, but with much more style and panache.

15
[h3]Kakashi Hatake[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Naruto, 2002



It's tough to outshine a lead character in his own series, but Kakashi pulled it off and often outranked Naruto in popularity polls. He's a complex character, with an iconic character design and a laid back attitude that just exudes cool. He's the kind of teacher everyone wishes they had; smart, relatable, chill, and utterly devoted to his students. He's saved Naruto's bacon countless times during his journey to maturity. Where Naruto himself was formulaic and predictable, Kakashi had many surprising traits that helped him steal the show (including his habit of reading erotic love novels).

Kakashi has a storied history that's full of sadness, loss, and retribution. Some of the most poignant stories in the Naruto lore involve Kakashi's past. From the story of Kakashi's father's suicide, to the tale of how he aquired the Sharingan and his eye scar, Kakashi has always proven to have many tales to tell despite his quiet demeanor. He's got enough interesting back story to have a series of his own (which many Naruto fans would no doubt love).

14
[h3]Haruko Haruhara[/h3]

First anime appearance:  FLCL, 2000



FLCL was an insane series, mostly due to this girl. An alien from a planet far, far, away with a mind that was often equally as far out there, Haruko made FLCL the hilarious romp that it was. Without her as the catalyst for the show's events, the series wouldn't even be a fraction as interesting.

Flitting around on her Vespa scooter, with her Rickenbacker bass guitar strapped to her back, Haruko was a unique character from a design standpoint. But her personality was what really defined her. Rude, crude, and seemingly completely crazy at times, you never knew what to expect out of her. But there was always a method to the madness, even when she was hitting poor Naota on the head, or making out with his father, or shamelessly flaunting her female assets in front of a poor, confused boy.

13
[h3]Asuka Langley Soryu[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Neon Genesis Evangelion, 1995



She's part Japanese, part German, part American, and 100% awesome. Asuka brought crass and sass to Evangelion, and a decent amount of comedy too. On the surface, she's a simple character. Proud, cocky even, and always ready to prove that she's the best at what she does. But as the series progresses we see that her pride is a cover for deeper emotions and deep, deep psychological problems.

Asuka, like many of the characters in the series, is messed up in the head. She's been trained to be an Eva pilot since her early childhood, and her mother was involved in the program too...until she went mad, killed herself, and poor Asuka had the bad luck of finding the body. That was the beginning of a string of events that pushed Asuka closer and closer to the edge of her own madness. But Asuka repressed these emotions, and used her pride and arrogance as a shield, enjoying pushing other people's buttons to cover up her own vulnerability. In the end, as always, repressed emotions become unrepressed at the most inopportune times, and Asuka is left unable to do the job she values so much. She's a tragic character, and a complete train wreck, but that is what makes her so compelling because we just can't help but watch this beautiful disaster unfold.

12
[h3]Lain Iwakura[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Serial Experiments Lain, 1998



There are few characters who undergo a transformation as dramatic as Lain does. She starts off as kind of a dumpy girl, not particularly special except for behaving younger than her age (although, who wouldn't want to wear a full body teddy bear suit at any age?). But when she discovers the world of The Wired, she becomes something entirely different. The meek girl that no one paid attention to becomes powerful, confident, and even a little sexy in a strange creepy loli kind of way.

It's truly fascinating to watch Lain develop a number of varied personas both in the real world and the virtual world of The Wired. But that's not all that made Lain a remarkable female character for her time; she was portrayed as a true geek capable of building her own computers and mastering the online world. By the conclusion of the series she ends up as an entirely different kind of being, one who straddles the line between the physical and digital.

11
[h3]Motoko Kusanagi[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Ghost in the Shell, 1995



Major Motoko Kusanagi is the driving force behind the Ghost in the Shell franchise. The story often descends into long dialogue full of political drama, but Motoko keeps things interesting. She's not just a participant in all the political intrigue, she's a master of it, proving that she's more than a pretty face behind a gun. She's also a very capable detective, often going solo to root out the truth behind the cases she's working. And she does it all while surrounded by a heavily male-centric supporting cast. Motoko was a stunning example of a strong female character that didn't need to have her feminism make a statement. She simply was who she was, and everyone respected that without question.

But her greatest use is as a platform to speak on the nature of humanity in a technological age. She's a human mind that has been stuck in an artificial body since childhood, and her life and trials bring up the age old question, "What does it mean to be human?"
Top 10

[h3]Vegeta[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Dragon Ball Z, 1989



Prince of the Saiyans, but forced to play second fiddle to Goku ever since his Google Glass told him that Goku's power level was OVER NINE THOUSAND, Vegeta was often the true outlet for creator Akira Toriyama's creativity. Goku's path as the leading hero and shining light of goodness was pretty straightforward, but Vegeta progressed along a different road with many twists and turns. He started out as the iconic, typical bad guy. But over the course of his history he switched sides and became first a hesitant ally, then a frenemy, and loving father.

Still, he couldn't quit being bad cold turkey, and there were times when he went back to being a bad guy. But at the heart of his wicked ways was a deeply rooted inferiority complex; he was the prince of the Saiyans, and yet overshadowed by Goku at every turn. His ego couldn't take it for years, until finally he matured and realized he didn't have to define his life that way.

9
[h3]Nausicaä[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, 1984



The star of one of Hayao Miyazaki's classic tales, and the movie that got Studio Ghibli started, Nausicaä was a female main character in a fantasy epic; a rarity at the time. She wasn't the typical fantasy Princess shuttered away in a castle or trying to find some prince to fill the void in her life. She was a take-charge kind of girl and her only concern was the well-being of her kingdom, her entire kingdom, all the way down to the little squirrels and the giant bugs in the forests.

Miyazaki loves putting nature and conservation themes in his stories, and Nausicaä is a perfect vehicle for that message. She is a genuine, charismatic character who is loved and respected by her people. But she's also a capable, though reluctant, warrior. She's good with a sword, a gun, and probably every weapon you can think of. She is portrayed as almost perfect, and as peaceful as a still pond. But when her father is killed, sweet tree-hugging Princess Nausicaä opens up a can of whoop *** and kills a group of armed men twice her size. That moment of unadulterated rage immediately makes her a flawed hero, but it also humanizes her in a way and opens her eyes to the darkness that can dwell in everyone, even herself.

8
[h3]Edward Elric[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Fullmetal Alchemist, 2003



Wildly ambitious, wickedly smart, and wise beyond his years, the precocious Edward Elric entered the stage with a fresh take on the modern shonen anime hero. Unlike those who came before him, he wasn't the lovable but dim-witted guy with a heart of gold. He was smart, calculating, arrogant, and shrimp sized. But most daring of all was the fact that Edward is technically handicapped, having had both an arm and a leg lost in a tragic accident fueled by love and hubris.

In Edward we had a character who was truly multidimensional. He could be comedic and pull off wild takes and sight gags. He could be placed in the most tragic circumstances and portray the deepest kind of sadness. He could be a complete badass, but he could also be the nicest guy on the planet. And most of all we saw Edward discover harsh truths about the world, and learn that he didn't know nearly as much as he thought he did.

7
[h3]Light Yagami[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Death Note, 2006



Diabolical, calculating, and determined to remake the world in his own image, Light Yagami was the force that drove Death Note and made it a phenomenon. The manga was incredibly addictive; it was absolute can't-put-it-down material (largely due to author Tsugumi Ohba's masterful use of cliffhangers). The story heavily relied upon Light's cleverness, and the layers upon layers that comprised his plans. Light started out as a good kid, doing well in school and heading to a bright career in police work like his father. But when he gets possession of the death note, he begins a remarkable transformation into a disturbing mastermind who becomes judge, jury, and executioner for the entire world.

But Light's character remains complicated throughout the story. His ultimate goal is to make the world a happier, safer place; a noble goal but perhaps misguided. His idealism and nobility still shine through when he doesn't have the Death Note. When he temporarily relinquishes ownership of the death note to throw L off his trail, Light loses all memory of the death note and he reverts to his normal personality. His sense of morality returns and he shows more compassion for those around him. He even refuses to use Misa Amane to get information out of her when L asks him to. These qualities help to create a complex character who ends up being a detestable villain, yet you still kind of root for him to come out of this story as a winner.

Light's progression through the series is marked by his brilliance. He's got a mind that would make Machiavelli jealous, and the power of the death note adds a callousness that makes him free to use people in whatever way necessary to accomplish his goals. It's highly entertaining to see his intricate plans play out. But Light's ego is just as big as his brain, and that arrogance ultimately leads to his tragic downfall.

6
[h3]Johan Liebert[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Monster, 2004



Often called the greatest villain in anime history, Johan was a serial killer who would fit in well in any blockbuster film. Monster told the story of a man who had truly become monstrous; a charismatic, intelligent sociopath with no other goal than to kill everyone else in the world. He didn't just kill people, he made other people into monsters just like him. This skill of corruption is first displayed in his youth, when he used stories to convince the other boys in his orphanage to kill all the staff, and each other.

Johan is often compared to Light Yagami of Death Note, but the two are quite different. Light's fatal (and genius) flaw is his own ego, which leads him to put his own life above all else, even his goal of changing the world. But Johan isn't afraid of death. He welcomes it. He's perfectly willing to put his own life at risk, and one of his signature traits is how he challenges people to shoot him.

Johan is also a masterful manipulator. Where Light had to resort to supernatural means to get what he wanted, Johan just used his own wits and knowledge of human nature. He's most frightening because he exposes the base human nature of his victims. Monster's remarkable story was almost entirely due to Johan, and Hollywood director Guillermo del Toro has teamed up with HBO to try to get a live action series based on the anime off the ground.

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5
[h3]Kenshin Himura[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Ruroni Kenshin, 1996



Arguably the template for other characters on this list like Vash, Kenshin marked the anime scene with a unique trait; he was a killer who wouldn't kill anymore. After years of being a hired sword and killing countless foes, he makes a vow to never deal in death again. But his vow is tested time and time again as less virtuous people endanger the country's peace.

Kenshin was a refreshing change of pace in the samurai genre of his time. Firstly, he was quite feminine, often being mistaken for a woman by viewers who weren't in the know. He was also one of the most polite characters in anime history, frequently putting others before himself and speaking to them with the utmost respect and patience. On the surface he's a model nice guy, the kind of guy you'd expect to be a teacher or a florist, not a warrior trying to atone for years of bloodshed.

But woe to those who keep pushing his buttons, because underneath that serene exterior dwells a ferocious beast. When Kenshin's hand is forced, he can go to a dark place and fall back into the habits that made him known far and wide as the most fearsome swordsman in the land. Although Kenshin's momentary lapses make him a complete badass and set the stage for some of the most epic sword battles ever animated, Kenshin always goes back to his sweet persona once the danger is gone. But in his solitary, quiet moments, he's gripped by his greatest fear; that one day he will permanently revert to his former self and become a manslayer once more.

4
[h3]Astro Boy[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Astro Boy, 1963



One of the oldest anime characters in existence, Astro Boy first appeared on television screens in 1963, helping to usher in the phenomenon now known worldwide as anime. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the "father of manga", the original Astro Boy was a mix of the classic Pinocchio tale with the science and zeitgeist of the post-war Atomic Age (in Japan, Astro's name is Tetsuwan Atom). In the original story, Astro was created by Dr. Tenma to replace his own son, who had died in a car accident. Out of that grief was borne the bright-eyed robot boy named Astro, who then became destined to use his X-Ray vision, rocket-booster feet, and 100,000 horsepower arms to protect humanity from itself.

Astro Boy's design is quite childish, and there's no question that he has appeal with kids. But beyond those long lashes and that cute smile is a character who portrayed stories for Japanese children who had seen war; kids who often had lost at least one parent to the madness of World War II (even Astro's "father" Dr. Tenma goes insane from the grief of losing his son). Astro, a boy who was both more than human and less than human, guided kids through complex morality tales where the characters had complicated motivations, social problems didn't always have easy solutions, and people had the capacity to perform both great acts of kindness and great acts of evil.

3
[h3]Goku[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Dragon Ball, 1986



Arguably the archetype of modern shonen anime lead characters, Goku was somewhat of an innovative creation back in his day. When the plucky, pint-sized kid Goku first appeared in Dragon Ball, the trend for male heroes was to have larger than life muscle heads (which Goku ironically turned into in his adulthood). Goku also grew up; another drastic change in a time when characters rarely changed much.

But Dragon Ball Z is where Goku truly earned his fame. Goku isn't even the most popular character in DBZ sometimes, but he is the foundation of the series. His heroism, strength, and dedication make him the perfect core for a kid's show where the themes are meant to be pretty simple. He may not be the most complex character in anime history, but he's perfect for the goal he was meant to accomplish. But Goku isn't ranked so high so much for his complexity; it's his influence that cannot be denied. He was, in many ways, a character that bucked the trends of his time and defined the direction of shonen manga/anime for decades. The creators of Naruto, One Piece, and many other manga/anime have openly admitted that Goku heavily influenced their stories and character designs.

2
[h3]Spike Spiegel[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Cowboy Bebop, 1998



Combine Bruce Lee's martial arts, a little Lupin III, a heavy dose of film noir, add a dash of cool and you've got Spike Spiegel.

Spike was an amalgamation of influences, and the result was a creation greater than the sum of its parts. In a series like Cowboy Bebop, which was itself a combination of cultural influences from around the globe, Spike was the essence of the story. Voice actor Steve Blum launched his career into new heights when he gave the performance of a lifetime in the English dub of the series, giving Spike a sense of smooth, effortless cool that many argue surpassed the original Japanese version.

Spike proved to be a versatile character; he was an expert pickpocket, a gearhead who worked on his own spaceship, a clever detective, a badass fighter, and even a bit of a philosopher. But what made Spike most interesting was his past as a gangster, and a man hopelessly in love. His relationship with Julia, and the tragic end of that relationship, haunts him throughout the series and shows us what truly mattered to him all along. When Cowboy Bebop reaches its powerful conclusion, Spike goes out in a blaze of glory that is unmatched in all of anime.

1
[h3]Shinji Ikari[/h3]

First anime appearance:  Neon Genesis Evangelion, 1995



Yes, Shinji is #1. Yes, we know some of you are probably confused and/or pissed. But here's the reasoning:

Heroes are often who we want to be; powerful, capable, beautiful, confident, selfless, and with some carefully added flaws to make them relatable. But Shinji was different; he wasn't who we wanted to be. Instead, he provided an uncensored look at who we are. He's hated for being a wuss; scared, whiny, creepy, and hopeless. But what 14-year-old kid wouldn't be given what he's had to deal with? He's a character that challenges the audience by not giving them a superficial, vicarious power fantasy like you'd get from so many other anime. He is pathetic, but that is what makes him great. That is what makes him a genuine work of art.

Hideaki Anno, writer and director of the Evangelion series, went through a serious bout of depression while making the show and like a true artist he poured all of that emotion and despair into his work. Each of those characters is a piece of him at his worst, immortalized in media. No character represents his emotions more than Shinji. Through the boy Shinji, who is tasked with defeating giant demons trying to destroy his world, we get an intimate peek at the man behind the production trying to defeat his own personal demons.

Shinji is a mirror of all the things depression teaches a person to hate about themselves; he's not an exit door to a fantasyland. There's nothing wrong with escapist fantasy, but it's not the only thing anime can be used for, and Shinji's legacy is that he was perhaps the most emotionally true-to-life character in anime history.
 
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