10 Best Anime Series For Those Nostalgic For The 90s - Screen Rant
Yu Yu Hakusho (1992 - 1995) · Cowboy Bebop (1998 - 1999) · Berserk (1997 - 1998) · Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995 - 1996) · Dragon Ball Z (1989 - ...
most iconic anime characters ever
Undoubtedly one of the most influential anime series of all time with some of the <anchor>most iconic anime characters ever</anchor>, Dragon Ball Z was a juggernaut for the genre as it helped build its influence westward. Akira Toriyama's original Dragon Ball was critically successful in its own right, but Z catapulted the franchise overall into the mainstream, with the concepts of "Super Saiyans" and characters like Goku and Vegeta being almost instantly recognizable in pop culture.
20 Most Popular Anime Characters Of All Time
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# 20 Most Popular Anime Characters Of All Time

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### Related

##### Now That My Hero Academia Is Over, It's Clear One Character Deserved Way More Screen Time

##### Shonen Jump's Hottest New Anime Is Already Going Downfall

##### My Hero Academia Season 7 Episode #17 Release Date & Time

Usagi, Naruto, and Goku, to represent the most popular anime characters.

The explosive popularity of anime in recent years has led to the most popular anime characters, like Dragon Ball's Goku, becoming household names even outside of Japan. Interesting and lovable characters help to make a series both memorable and profitable, so it's in studios' best interests to create the most appealing characters possible. Not every anime character reaches that bar, but the best of the best aren't just heroes fans can relate to, they're fully fleshed-out characters with fears, hopes, and dreams.

While it's impossible to have a totally objective list of the most popular characters, one of the first criteria must be that the most popular characters are well-known outside their own fandoms. Even those not into anime might be able to recognize these characters at a glance, and no anime convention is complete without a cosplay or two of them.

## 20  Sakura Kinomoto is a Beloved Heroine With a Compelling Arc

### Cardcaptor Sakura

Cardcaptor Sakura's Sakura and Syaoran, along with Kero

##### Cardcaptor Sakura

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Release Date April 7, 1998

One of the most iconic magical girls of all time, Cardcaptor Sakura's Sakura Kinomoto is a sweet young girl who accidentally released the Clow Cards, unleashing ancient magic on the world. The task of recapturing them and sealing their magic falls to her, even though she'd rather just get on with her ordinary life. Sakura has a relatable sibling relationship with her brother, with the two often teasing each other in a way not regularly seen in anime.

Unlike many other iconic anime characters, Sakura isn't fearless, but it's her willingness to courageously push on that makes her worthy of being one of the most popular anime characters.

## 19  Himmel's Heroism Has Made Him An Icon Of Modern Anime

### Character From Madhouse's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

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##### Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

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TV-14

Animation

Adventure

Drama

Where to Watch

SeasonAllSeason 1

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Cast Mallorie Rodak , Jason Douglas , Clifford Chapin , Chris Guerrero , Jill Harris , Jordan Dash Cruz

Release Date September 29, 2023

Seasons 1

Writers Tomohiro Suzuki

Directors Keiichirô Saitô

Creator(s) Tsukasa Abe , Kanehito Yamada

Expand

One of the major characters in Madhouse's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is Himmel, the hero who saved the world from the tyranny of the Demon King. Decades later, Himmel died peacefully in his sleep, and his death motivated Frieren, the elf mage of his party and the main character, to go on another journey to learn how to better understand people.

Thanks to flashbacks and other forms of exposition, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End always sells Himmel as exactly the kind of courageous and charismatic hero who would save the world, and that posthumous character work has made him one of the most popular characters in one of the most popular anime of modern time. It's become a meme in Japan to refer to a good deed as " what Himmel the Hero would do", and that's perfectly indicative of how big a mark Himmel has left on the community.

## 18  Spike Spiegel is the Epitome of Cool Despite His Many Flaws

### Cowboy Bebop

Close

##### Cowboy Bebop (1998)

TV-14

Action

Animation

Sci-Fi

Western

Where to Watch

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Cast Koichi Yamadera , Steve Blum , Megumi Hayashibara , Wendee Lee , Unshô Ishizuka , Beau Billingslea , Aoi Tada , Melissa Fahn

Release Date April 3, 1998

Franchise(s) Cowboy Bebop

Writers Keiko Nobumoto , Shinichirô Watanabe

Directors Shinichirô Watanabe

Network Adult Swim

Showrunner Shinichirô Watanabe

Expand

Though Cowboy Bebop might be more popular in America than Japan, there's little denying that Spike Spiegel is one of the coolest anime characters ever. A bounty hunter with a dark past and trust issues, Spike is the prototypical noir hero.

Far from coming across like a cliche though, Bebop uses audience expectations for a character like Spike to add depth to the character. Funny, strong, and always the coolest person in the room even when he's losing, Spike struck a chord with American anime fans for a good reason.

## 17  Haruhi Suzumiya Was The Most Popular Anime Character Of The 2000s

### Character From Kyoto Animation's The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya

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##### The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya

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Animation

Comedy

Drama

Cast Tomokazu Sugita , Aya Hirano , Yûko Gotô , Daisuke Ono , Minori Chihara , Wendee Lee , Stephanie Sheh , Crispin Freeman

Release Date April 2, 2006

Seasons 2

Creator(s) Nagaru Tanigawa

Character(s) Kyon , Haruhi Suzumiya , Mikuru Asahira , Itsuki Koizumi , Yuki Nagato , Mikuru Asahina

Expand

Kyoto Animation's The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya stars, naturally, Haruhi Suzumiya, an eccentric and charismatic girl who leads the SOS Brigade, a school club dedicated to uncovering supernatural beings hiding in the world. Unbeknownst to Haruhi, though, most of her club members are the exact sort of supernatural beings Haruhi is looking for, all of whom have gathered together to observe Haruhi and her godlike powers, something Haruhi is kept blissfully unaware of.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was easily the most popular anime of the 2000s, and thanks to Haruhi Suzumiya's infectious charisma and wit and the memetic nature of the "Hare Hare Yukai" dance, it's easy to see how that happened. The anime has somewhat fallen into obscurity over the past decade, but Haruhi remains an icon to a degree that few other characters have ever matched since she first appeared.

## 16  Eren Yeager Represents a Much Darker Take on Classic Shonen Heroes

### Attack On Titan

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##### Attack On Titan

TV-MA

Animation

Adventure

Action

Cast Matthew Mercer , Josh Grelle , Hiroshi Kamiya , Shiori Mikami , Jerry Jewell , Kishô Taniyama , Jessica Calvello , Masahiko Tanaka , Yui Ishikawa , Romi Park , Robert McCollum , Tomohisa Hashizume , Hiro Shimono , Trina Nishimura

Release Date April 7, 2013

Franchise Attack on Titan

Production Company Wit Studio, MAPPA

Seasons 4

Expand

Eren Yeager quickly became one of the most popular anime characters due to his distinctive personality and morals. Even though he does not start as a strong character in Attack on Titan, he soon develops into a powerful anti-hero after discovering his Titan-shifting powers. Many of the best quotes from Attack on Titan are attributed to him, as he's known for his fearlessness in battle.

Fans wanting a more light-hearted version of Eren should watch the gag series
Attack on Titan: Junior High,
which is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

Eren never backs away from a fight and is always the first to jump into action and lead his group. What defines Erin early in the series though is his loyalty to his best friends Mikasa and Armin, and their friendship is one of the best relationships in anime. Eren's character does suffer a major change towards the end of the series, but that doesn't seem to have harmed his popularity all that much. By the end of Attack on Titan, Eren might well be anime's greatest anti-hero, and that's more than enough to make him iconic.

## 15  Ichigo Kurosaki Adds a Rebellious Spirit to Shonen Jump

### Bleach

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##### Bleach

Animation

Action

Adventure

Where to Watch

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Cast Johnny Yong Bosch , Michelle Ruff , Stephanie Sheh , Jamieson Price , Derek Stephen Prince , Wally Wingert

Release Date September 6, 2006

Seasons 16

Writers Tite Kubo , Masashi Sogo

Directors Noriyuki Abe , Jun'ya Koshiba

Showrunner Tite Kubo

Expand

Ichigo Kurosaki ranks among the sweetest shonen protagonists and is certainly among the most popular anime characters. Even though Bleach has been around for over 22 years, Ichigo is still a popular character among anime viewers, with that popularity only bolstered by the recent debut of Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War.

Ichigo has the powers of a Quincy, a Hollow, and a Soul Reaper, giving him a wide array of abilities that make his fights incredibly flashy One of the main reasons for his popularity, though, is his unique appearance and caring personality. While most shonen protagonists rely on major character shifts towards the end of the series, Ichigo's personality remains a consistent part of Bleach from beginning to end, even as he grows.

## 14  Saitama is So Much More Than Just a Gimmick

### One-Punch Man

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##### One-Punch Man

TV-MA

Anime

Action

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Cast Makoto Furukawa , Kaito Ishikawa , Max Mittelman , Zach Aguilar , Hiromichi Tezuka , Robbie Daymond , Kyle Hebert , Shôta Yamamoto

Release Date October 5, 2015

Seasons 2

Writers Tomohiro Suzuki

Directors Shingo Natsume , Chikara Sakurai

Creator(s) ONE

Expand

Saitama is an ordinary, relatable guy who just happens to have incredible strength, a combination that easily makes him one of the most popular anime characters ever. With his detached and carefree demeanor, Saitama is the titular "one-punch man" (though he's never called that in the series) who has the power to defeat any villain with a single strike. The only problem is that this leaves Saitama without any challenges in life, leading to a familiar sort of boredom with everything around him.

Despite his ennui though, Saitama is the kind of guy who's a hero for fun, and that automatically makes him stand out. He's the moral core of his series, winning characters over to his way of thinking by living up to his ideals. With a unique hook and unrivaled powerset, Saitama isn't just one of the strongest anime characters ever, he's also one of the most iconic.

## 13  Satoru Gojo is the Rare Mentor More Popular Than His Students

### Jujutsu Kaisen

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##### Jujutsu Kaisen

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Cast Junya Enoki , Yuma Uchida , Yuichi Nakamura , Adam McArthur , Asami Seto

Release Date October 3, 2020

Writers Hiroshi Seko

Directors Sunghoo Park , Shōta Goshozono

Expand

A common theme in shonen anime is the next generation of heroes surpassing the old, and though that's a prominent part of Jujutsu Kaisen, Gojo's popularity has proven greater than that of his students by a wide margin. With Gojo's powers like Limitless and Six Eyes, it's easy to assume that the character's iconic status is tied into his ridiculously strong abilities. Despite this, it's Gojo's fun personality and deep backstory that keep fans of Jujutsu Kaisen coming back to the character.

## 12  Izuku 'Deku' Midoriya is Defined By His Kindness

### My Hero Academia

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##### My Hero Academia (2016)

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Action

Superhero

Animation

Where to Watch

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Cast Aoi Yuki , Ayane Sakura , Christopher R. Sabat , Yûki Kaji , Nobuhiko Okamoto , Luci Christian , David Matranga , Justin Briner , Kenta Miyake , Clifford Chapin , Daiki Yamashita

Release Date April 3, 2016

Franchise My Hero Academia

Production Company Bones

Seasons 7

Expand

Though how cool a character is can definitely be part of their appeal, that's definitely not the case for Deku. Deku's honesty, sincerity, and kindness make him My Hero Academia's beating heart. That isn't to say that Deku can't be cool when the situation calls for it, of course.

##### Now That My Hero Academia Is Over, It's Clear One Character Deserved Way More Screen Time

Momo Yaoyorozu had the potential to become one of the strongest and most versatile students in My Hero Academia.

Possessing One For All gives the young hero access to a wide range of powers that make him a serious threat to face in any battle he's involved in. That power is only increased when Deku is involved in a battle meant to protect people. It's no understatement to say that Deku truly ushered in a new generation of anime heroes.

## 11  Tanjiro Kamado is Always a Ray of Positivity Even in the Darkest Times

### Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

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##### Demon Slayer

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TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Cast Zach Aguilar , Abby Trott , Aleks Le , Bryce Papenbrook , Brianna Knickerbocker , Zeno Robinson , Johnny Yong Bosch , Erika Harlacher , Ray Chase , Kira Buckland

Release Date April 6, 2019

Writers Ufotable

Directors Haruo Sotozaki

Creator(s) Ufotable

Expand

Demon Slayer is one of the most popular modern anime franchises, and it's obvious that Tanjiro is a big part of that. It's difficult to undersell just how popular the character is, as a poll showed Japanese children rate Tanjiro as more trustworthy than their own mothers. Watching any Demon Slayer episode makes it easy to see why. Tanjiro is unflinchingly polite, isn't afraid to stand up to evil, but still has an incredibly kind and compassionate heart. It's telling that one of Tanjiro's defining traits is that he mourns for the demons he slays.

## 10  Anya Forger is Hilarious and Adorable in Equal Measure

### Spy x Family

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##### Spy x Family

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TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Cast Takuya Eguchi , Atsumi Tanezaki , Saori Hayami , Alex Organ , Megan Shipman , Natalie Van Sistine

Release Date April 9, 2022

Seasons 1

Writers Kazuhiro Furuhashi , Ichirō Ōkouchi

Directors Kazuhiro Furuhashi , Takahiro Harada

Creator(s) Tatsuya Endo

Expand

There is no shortage of adorable and funny anime characters, but few have exploded in popularity quite like Anya Forger from Spy x Family. Anya's memeable faces, psychic powers, and positive attitude are all traits that make her so beloved among anime fans. Kid characters are notoriously difficult to get right in fiction. Going either too wholesome or too rambunctious can often make the character come across more as annoying than cute. Spy x Family though strikes the right balance, leading to some truly hilarious moments involving Anya.

## 9  Kinnikuman Is Still A Staple Of Shōnen Anime Heroes

### Character From The Anime Series Kinnikuman

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##### Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc

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TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

Cast Mamoru Miyano , Akira Kamiya , Sumire Uesaka , Daisuke Ono , Katsuyuki Konishi

Release Date July 7, 2024

Seasons 1

The Kinnikuman franchise largely revolves around Kinnikuman, a clumsy oafish superhero who always fails to protect Japan from trouble, or at least without maintaining his dignity. As the series progresses, however, Kinnikuman grows into a more mature and competent hero, and he gains more and more respect from his peers with every tournament victory and, more importantly, every battle to save the world.

While Kinnikuman might not be well-known in America, it's one of the most popular and iconic anime in Japan, and thanks to that, Kinnikuman 's titular hero has spent decades being a staple of shonen anime thanks to his balance of stellar action and goofy comedy antics. The recent sequel series, Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc, has brought everything great about the character into the modern day, and with any luck, it will help his character reach a much wider audience around the world.

## 8  Fist Of The North Star's Kenshiro Helped Redefine Action Anime

### Character From Toei Animation's Fist Of The North Star

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##### Fist of the North Star (1984)

TV-14

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Cast Akira Kamiya , Shigeru Chiba , Teiyu Ichiryusai , Tomiko Suzuki , Kenji Utsumi , Takaya Hashi , Yuriko Yamamoto

Release Date October 11, 1984

Seasons 2

Franchise(s) Fist of the North Star

Writers Hiroshi Toda

Directors Toyoo Ashida

Creator(s) Yoshiyuki Okamura , Tetsuo Hara

Expand

Toei Animation's Fist of the North Star stars Kenshiro, the stoic and surprisingly emotional master of Hokuto Shinken, the world's most powerful martial art that can make people explode with a single touch. Kenshiro uses his abilities to maintain peace in a post-apocalyptic world wherever he may find trouble, even when it ties into his mysterious and tragic backstory.

Kenshiro is one of the most memetic characters in all anime thanks to his signature fighting style and iconic "You are already dead" catchphrase, with both being referenced countless times in not just anime, but Western media, as well. The surprising maturity of Fist of the North Star's writing also does a lot to make Kenshiro endearing, and overall, it's hard to imagine modern anime without Kenshiro's influence on the dozens of anime's to follow his legacy.

## 7  Usagi Tsukino is Easily the Most Famous Magical Girl of All Time

### Sailor Moon

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##### Sailor Moon

1

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TV-PG

Action

Drama

Fantasy

Romance

Cast Kotono Mitsuishi , Aya Hisakawa , Michie Tomizawa , Emi Shinohara , Rica Fukami , Tôru Furuya , Keiko Han , Kae Araki , Yasuhiro Takato

Release Date March 7, 1992

Seasons 5

Streaming Service(s)Hulu

Writers Sukehiro Tomita

Directors Junichi Sato , Kunihiko Ikuhara

Creator(s) Naoko Takeuchi

Expand

Sailor Moon is a wildly successful series, due in large part to Usagi, one of the most popular anime characters ever. Usagi is the everygirl, interested in boyfriends and fashion and not doing her schoolwork. She's often a reluctant hero, as her magical destiny was forced upon her without her permission. Usagi is the reincarnation of Queen Serenity, ruler of the ancient Moon Kingdom, and is thus given the role of Sailor Moon, tasked with protecting the Earth from evil forces. Usagi is also a good friend and works well with the other Sailor Scouts when the chips are down.

## 6  Conan Edogawa Is Anime's Most Iconic Detective

### Character From TMS' Entertainment's Detective Conan

Close

##### Detective Conan (1994)

Writers Gosho Aoyama

Penciler(s) Gosho Aoyama

Inker(s) Gosho Aoyama

Publisher(s) Viz Media

TMS Entertainment's Detective Conan, also known as Case Closed in English, stars Shinichi Kudo, a teen detective who was accidentally turned into a child by a mysterious criminal organization known solely as the Black Organization. Now going by Conan Edogawa, he must work to expose the Black Organization and return his body to normal, all while solving every gruesome murder he and his friends happen to come across.

Detective Conan has been around for 30 years and is even older than One Piece, and thanks to the sheer length of its story, Conan Edogawa has long since been a staple of anime thanks to decades of exposure and his signature intelligent detective work. Few characters have become as big a staple of anime as Conan, and with no ending for the story in sight, that's unlikely to change.

## 5  Naruto Uzumaki's Character Arc Cements Him as an All-Time Classic

### Naruto

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##### Naruto (2002)

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TV-PG

Animation

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Fantasy

Cast Junko Takeuchi , Noriaki Sugiyama , Chie Nakamura , Kazuhiko Inoue , Hidekatsu Shibata

Release Date October 3, 2002

Seasons 5

Writers Masashi Kishimoto

Directors Hayato Date

Creator(s) Masashi Kishimoto

Showrunner Masashi Kishimoto

Expand

Rated the best Shonen Jump anime of all time by Ranker, Naruto always comes up whenever the most popular anime characters are discussed. Fans adore the series' main character, Naruto Uzumaki, for his relentless drive and charisma. Despite having no family and being rejected by his people as a child, Naruto developed into a respectable and upright adult, defending the very people who bullied him.

An amateur ninja at first, failing to pass the Academy three times, Naruto's initial failures made him more relatable than many other shonen heroes at the time. He eventually advanced to the position of Hokage, the strongest shinobi, via training and pure willpower. He is intelligent, entertaining, and a devoted friend, all of which are key to making him a beloved character.

## 4  Monkey D. Luffy Represents Freedom and Liberation to Millions

### One Piece

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##### One Piece

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TV-14

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Drama

Fantasy

Super Power

Where to Watch

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Not available

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Cast Mayumi Tanaka , Kazuya Nakai , Akemi Okamura , Kappei Yamaguchi , Hiroaki Hirata , Ikue Ôtani , Yuriko Yamaguchi , Kazuki Yao , Chō

Release Date October 20, 1999

Writers Junki Takegami , Shoji Yonemura , Hirohiko Uesaka

Directors Kônosuke Uda , Junji Shimizu , Munehisa Sakai

Creator(s) Eiichiro Oda

Expand

One Piece has been airing for more than 23 years, making it one of the longest-running anime of all time. One Piece's hero, Monkey D. Luffy, has consistently been among the most popular anime characters for almost that entire time. This silly, innocent man is known for his loyalty, goofiness, and trademark smile. He will stop at nothing to protect his friends and their ambitions, and dreams of becoming King of the Pirates.

Luffy's real dream in One Piece is actually to be free, and to explore the world's hidden corners, a fantasy shared by many. His honesty and courage don't make him any less fun to be around, and Luffy is one hero who can always be counted on.

## 3  Ash & Pikachu Are the Faces of the Biggest Media Franchise Ever

### Pokémon

Pokémon's Ash and Pikachu. 

##### Pokémon

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TV-PG

Action

Adventure

Animation

Where to Watch

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Cast Rica Matsumoto , Mayumi Iizuka , Yūji Ueda , Tomokazu Seki , Kaori Suzuki , Fushigi Yamada , Megumi Toyoguchi

Release Date March 7, 1992

Seasons 25

Writers Takeshi Shudo , Junki Takegami , Atsuhiro Tomioka , Aya Matsui , Shoji Yonemura , Dai Saito

Directors Kunihiko Yuyama , Daiki Tomiyasu , Jun Owada , Saori Den

Main Genre Adventure

Creator(s) Naoko Takeuchi

Expand

Without a doubt one of the most recognized and most popular anime characters in history, Ash Ketchum was the protagonist of Pokémon for a whopping 25 years, so generations of kids grew up alongside Ash over that time. It's impossible to talk about Ash without also mentioning his best friend Pikachu, a loyal Pokémon who never leaves his side, and can often be seen perched upon his shoulder.

Ash's determination is unlike any other anime protagonist, as his quest to become the greatest Pokémon Master often sees him up against world-ending threats and even the literal god of Pokémon. Aside from his determination, Ash is also courageous and never afraid to stand up for what's right, even willing to look past his own ambitions to ensure good wins.

## 2  Totoro is the Enduring Symbol of an Entire Anime Empire

### My Neighbor Totoro

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##### My Neighbor Totoro

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5+

Fantasy

Family

Where to Watch

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*Availability in US

Cast Dakota Fanning , Elle Fanning

Release Date April 16, 1988

Runtime 86minutes

Budget $236, 677,550

Expand

My Neighbor Totoro is one of the most iconic pieces of anime ever, and a large part of that is the titular forest monster himself. Possessing a simple but incredibly likable design, Totoro is the perfect symbol for everything that makes Ghibli the powerhouse that it is. Totoro is almost the platonic ideal of a mascot character. He's not trying too hard to be goofy and his antics truly evoke a sense of childhood wonder. Ghibli truly could not have chosen a better character to represent themselves than Totoro, making him one of the most beloved anime icons ever created.

## 1  Goku is a Global Icon & the World's Most Popular Anime Hero

### Dragon Ball

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##### Dragon Ball Z (1989)

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TV-PG

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Comedy

Super Power

Fantasy

Martial Arts

Shounen

Where to Watch

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Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Cast Masako Nozawa , Ryou Horikawa , Hiromi Tsuru , Hiroko Emori , Shigeru Chiba , Naoko Watanabe , Mayumi Tanaka , Naoki Tatsuta , Yukimasa Kishino

Release Date April 26, 1989

Seasons 9

Writers Akira Toriyama , Takao Koyama

Directors Daisuke Nishio

Creator(s) Akira Toriyama

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Goku is undoubtedly the most famous anime character ever. He has served as the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball series for 32 years and has kept the show running with his wit, charms, innocence, and power. Over that time, Goku has grown from a slightly bratty young boy into Earth's greatest defender, having saved the planet time and again from magical and extraterrestrial threats.

One of Goku's greatest assets is his ability to turn enemies into friends, most notably his friendship with fellow Saiyan Vegeta, who went from an unrepentant killer to a family man due to Goku's influence. Goku's pure heart, selflessness, loyalty, and dedication are his best traits, and are key to why he's the all-time most popular anime character.

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