Yeah we doin this. Get ready for some shit that I will probably regret and keep tweaking until 2020
There is no rubric. All I'm thinking is "Which character do I like more?". But really, don't think about the numbers too much, because I certainly did and look how that turned out. If I could title this "60 characters I like a lot and why" I would but it's been 4 months since I started this and we're in far too deep now. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO:
Honorable Mentions, in no particular order: almost every 3-gatsu no Lion character, Miyazawa Yukino (Kare Kano), Oikura Sodachi (Monogatari Series), Inaba Miu (Planet With), Nakagawa Natsuki (Hibike! Euphonium), Aguri (Gamers!), Holo (Spice and Wolf), Tanamachi Kaoru (Amagami SS ), Ononoki Yotsugi (Monogatari Series), Araragi Karen (Monogatari Series), Boa Hancock (One Piece ), Ishino Arisa (3D Kanojo ), Toshinou Kyouko (Yuru Yuri), Mao (Hinamatsuri), Ruler Martha (FGO. would be top 50 easy if she had a show but that's never happenin. can't stop me from buying figs mwuahaha)
OBVIOUS, BUT FUCKING SPOILERS BELOW. (I will indicate any character with a spoilery blurb in big bold fucking letters for the myopic)
60. Kagamihara Nadeshiko (Yuru Camp)
Nadeshiko is the foundation of Yuru Camp, and her budding friendship with Shimarin is one of the more heartwarming in slice of life. Her bulletproof enthusiasm brings everyone together, and she's just plain hilarious. You don't get any cuter, weirder, or funnier than Nadeshiko.
Unless you keep reading this list.
59. Yuigahama Yui (Oregairu )
KINDA SPOILERY
There was a time in my life, about six months after I had first started watching anime, where Yui would have been top ten on this list. But I have learned things in the last 3 years: every single character in the top 20 of this list is from a show I watched post-Oregairu, after all. Yui is pretty great in her own right - she's adorable, not to mention she's awful at hiding her romantic feelings for 8man. She's voiced by Touyama goddamn Nao.
But she's not even the best Touyama Nao character on this list (go go gorilla!), and when you shine a bright enough light on Yui she lacks the depth and nuance of mains from plenty of other shows, not even mentioning any of the cast of Monogatari.
58. Asuka Langley Souryuu (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Asuka is unforgettable. She explodes onto the scene in Unit 02 eight episodes into Evangelion, and if it weren't for Misato she'd have stolen the show for herself by episode nine. She has spunk for days, and her body looks damn good in that plugsuit. Her brash self-confidence is a perfect juxtaposition to Shinji's bitchassery, and it's easy to see how she becomes such an integral part of the story both narratively and thematically. She'll probably end up wayy higher than #58 if I ever get around to re-watching Eva again.
57. Merry (Grimgar )
Grimgar is pretty easily my second favorite A-1 show (behind Sora No Woto), which isn't saying much at all, but it sports a sensitivity and realism I expect more from Saving Private Ryan than an isekai from the studio that brought you GATE and Sword Art Online. At the core of this sensitivity is Merry, striking a wondrous balance between her tragic past and her calm and sweet nature and stealing the whole fucking show. She is responsible for at least 3 of the show's 7/10.
56. Irizaki Mei (High School Fleet )
FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!!
55. Sasha Blouse (Attack on Titan)
AHHHHHHHHH THE TEARS MAKE THEM STOP I'M QUITTING THIS FUCKING MANGA
54. Kawamoto Akari (3-gatsu no Lion )
Akari is the rock of the Kawamoto household. Her motherly instincts are second to none, and let's face it: there's a reason every man in the show is enchanted by her. She is sweetness personified, the ideal big sister to both Hina and Momo, and a perfect granddaughter to Someji. It's against this backdrop that Akari's doubts, worries, and melancholy are explored in full and vivid depth. But her continued efforts to be strong not only for her family but for Kiriyama and for herself in spite of her melancholy are what make her special. She will certainly be higher on this list once Shaft inevitably (knock on wood) makes Season 3.
53. Yukihira Soma (Shokugeki no Soma )
Monkey D. Luffy wins out on this list due to the sheer amount of time Oda has had to develop him, but Soma might be my single favorite shounen lead today. He's got balls of absolute steel, and he never lets anything get him unnerved - a certain tongue notwithstanding. Still, he's the hardest worker there is and he physically doesn't know how to give up. Every dish he puts out is a step ahead of the last, and his endless pursuit of perfection, grinning all the while, puts him a head above the rest.
52. Arataka Reigen (Mob Psycho 100 )
Reigen is pretty slimy. He lies to his clients about having any supernatural abilities and often isn't kind to people. But he's got a heart of pure gold, and despite his dishonesty he legitimately helps others when he can. He's the only real adult - or at least ONE's idea of a real adult - we see over the course of the series, and his speech to CLAW at the end of the series is the most unequivocally fantastic scene of Mob Psycho. Sakurai Takahiro knocks it out of the park, and Bones brings him to life in a way that rounds out the character even further. REIGEN FOR BEST GIRL
51. Nami (One Piece )
NOT REALLY THAT SPOILERY
I didn't fall in love with Nami at first, even though she's pretty badass from the get-go in East Blue. Okay, she's a thief who steals from pirates, and she's cute to boot. But as with a lot of things in One Piece, she keeps getting better with time. Her maternal nature and her vitality to the crew as navigator make her one hell of a woman starting around Skypiea. Her weather fighting stick is the coolest. fucking. thing. ever. and while I liked her short hair more, she's plenty attractive post timeskip.
50. Yaoyorozu Momo (Boku no Hero Academia )
Yaomomo is intelligent, quick-thinking, talented, and blessed with a powerful quirk - truly a picturesque ojou-sama. But it's her cuteness and her perfect demeanor, not to mention her character arc so far, that cement her place here. Pretty easily my best HeroAca girl, but she would be much higher in this ranking if she were given more opportunities to shine.
And for the record, no, I do not count wasting half of an episode with anime original crap as a genuine opportunity to shine. Though shine she did.
(P.S. It seems Bones has also obtained my tapes from the NSA and set out to give Yaomomo some solid screentime in Futari no Hero. Thumbs up, Bones.)
49. Yanagihara Sakuratou/Kishou (3-gatsu no Lion )
KINDA SPOILERY
Long live the old men. Umino Chika delivers yet another incredibly human character, full of life yet running out of it, surrounded by friends but lonelier than ever, trying to stay competitive at the highest level of shogi. Sakuratou's persistent struggle against the weights and the burdens that he carried for decades moves you no matter your age, and his clash with Shimada as two dying old* men is simultaneously hilarious and remarkably poignant. Ootsuka Houchuu gives the performance of a fucking lifetime, and you know Shaft knocked the visuals out the park. Maybe he belongs higher, but this is one competitive-ass list.
*Shimada is in his 30s but basically a dying old man
48. Togata Mirio (Boku no Hero Academia)
SUPER MANGA-SPOILERY THROUGH END OF EIGHT PRECEPTS ARC
The hero known as Lemillion erupts onto the scene immediately post-All Might with easily the coolest and baddest intro of anybody out there. The character design is absolutely wonderful, and the immense obstacles he had and has to face every time he uses his quirk, as well as the spirit and work ethic required to overcome them, instantly make him an incredibly compelling guy. And that's before the fight against the Eight Precepts of Death during the Internship Arc. (BIG MANGA SPOILER! ->) His continued efforts to fight and keep smiling in spite of losing his quirk make him truly one of the most inspiring characters I've ever seen.
47. Kiriyama Rei (3-gatsu no Lion )
DECENTLY SPOILERY
Rei is broken. After a sad and tragic childhood, he finds himself still drowning (metaphorically) even after moving out to live on his own. But when Kawamoto Akari and her sisters take him in him he finally finds a family, and a reason to fight as well. The way his depression is characterized and contextualized in the early episodes is excellent, but his development into a true young man who can support others and work hard to be the best in his profession is the foundation of 3-gatsu. Can't wait to see what else Umino Chika has in store for us.
46. Miyamori Aoi (Shirobako )
Aoi-chan-senpai is a lot of things. She's cute, she's enthusiastic as hell, she got spunk for days, she's a bit of an air-head, and she's far from perfect. But she has passion coming out of her butt, and that translates into some real good shit during the development of Third Girls Aerial Squad, when she really blooms and comes into her own as a character and as a producer. She is indispensable to Shirobako and is one of the most human characters in anime.
45. Rider (Fate/Stay Night )
SPOILERY
Yeah okay, so half the reason Rider is so compelling as a character is because of her identity as Medusa. But Nasu does such a damn good job of blending myth and history with solid character writing, spinning complex personalities and motives and giving us plenty more to connect with. Her character outside of the Holy Grail War - in shows like Emiya-san chi no Kyou no Gohan, my 2018 AOTY - is relatable and lovable (she just likes drinking alone and reading! how fucking cool is that!) and the way she relentlessly protects Sakura cements her as my favorite servant and easily my favorite Rider.
44. Tohsaka Rin (Fate/Stay Night )
Kinda like Yaomomo, Toe Sucker is the daughter of a prominent family born with strong supernatural powers and high intelligence. What Rin has that Momo doesn't is an actual backstory, multiple compelling arcs over several routes and spinoffs, and the most attractive character design in Stay night (a high compliment), not to mention an absolutely heart-stopping Shaft character design (above). Through her developing feelings for Shirou, her Master-Servant relationship with Archer as well as Lancer, her camaraderie with Saber and Aka Saber, her secret sisterhood with Sakura - not even mentioning shit covered in FGO - we are able to see her character through a multitude of different lenses and angles, and what we see is one hell of a woman.
(^ I have a feeling Ima be saying that one a lot)
43. Miki Sayaka (Madoka Magica) PRETTY FUCKING SPOILERY
Miki Sayaka is the realest character in Madoka Magica. Homura has one hell of a backstory, but the show is all about psychological realism, and nobody hammers that home better than Sayaka. When Kyuubey presents her with a choice, she acts decisively (way faster than Madoka, anyway) and her weighing the consequences of that choice with the feelings that led her to make it is one of the show's most moving character threads. Her slow descent into hell is captivating and profound as anything else Urobuchi Gen has pulled off, not to mention driving Madoka's character development forward all on its own for much of the story. Like every magical girl in the show, she decidedly swings the other way, and her relationships with the rest of the cast - Kyouko especially - round out her character extraordinarily well. Her development into Madoka's confidant and ally in Rebellion is a fitting conclusion to the most psychologically real character arc since Shinji.
42. Alice Carroll (Aria the Animation)
Alice is by far the cutest and most empathetic of the three apprentices. I totally get her frustration towards her left hand (pls stop switching me from port to starboard every other day), and Hirohashi Ryou delivers what has to be the cutest performance of the young millennium. Unlike her senpai, Alice is quiet and reserved yet so certain everyone hates her that she ends up isolating herself. When she meets Akari, she sees up close a person who can make friends with anyone without even trying, and endeavors to become more like her. Slowly coming out of her shell over the course of the series, Alice becomes an absolute joy to watch in Aria the Natural (especially when shadow hopping) and has slowly wormed her way into my heart.
*four months after writing this I finished Aria the Origination, and it's safe to say Alice leaps quite a few spots in the next edition of this list. TBA
41. Tainaka Ritsu, Kotobuki Mugi, Hirasawa Yui, Azunyan, Akiyama Mio (K-On! )
* ^ in order of best-ness *
I know that this is cheating. But come on - it's impossible to leave out more than one member of HTT, and I want as much space as possible for other characters. Plus, they do function as a unit, and their identities as individuals are deeply intertwined with their dynamic as best friends.
Ritsu is my favorite. She's a 500V ball of forward energy, and her character is translated so perfectly into her drumming it almost makes me cry. Her and Yui are the heart and soul of Hokago Tea Time, and the way she deals with their impending graduation in Season !! is one of the most heart-rending things in anime.
Yui is the cutest. She's my favorite of anime's dime-a-dozen airheaded cute girl selection. (Not to say she herself is cliche or overdone.)
Mugi is damn close to being my favorite. She's the most like me out of the 5 - shy and reserved but fully aware of her own desires and eccentricities - and she complements the relentless energy of Ritsu and Yui perfectly.
Mio is my least favorite band member. Which is not to say I don't like her. She's tall and shy, passionate but easily embarrassed - like me - and damn good at bass guitar - not at all like me. But relatability only goes so far, and Mio lacks Mugi's depth, the growth and adulterated fun that Ritsu brings, or the pure cute of Yui and Azunyan. (After rewatching a few episodes months after I published this post, Mio is now my favorite, tied with Ritsu. Hokago Tea Time will get split up next time around so look forward to how high they can rise on this list)
I do have a soft spot for Azunyan. She's fucking adorable, and her relationship with the rest of the band as their kouhai adds both perspective and depth to her interactions with them as well as her character overall.
40. Makise Kurisu (Steins;gate )
Kuristiina is the most 3-dimensional character in a story chock-full of them. She boldly asserts her particular brand of femininity despite the male-dominant and often sexist atmosphere surrounding her as a scientist, and her mind is a force to be reckoned with. She takes no one's shit, but she's generous and caring to close friends and cares deeply about her father's view of her. She is the impetus for the plot of Steins;gate in its entirety, and watching her develop and show her quirky side more as she gradually falls for Okabe is an absolute privilege.
39. Nosa Kouko (High School Fleet )
In a show brimming with cute girls, Coco-chan stands out as the weirdest - and most hilarious - by far. Every single offbeat impression she does is 24 karat gold (thank you based Kurose Yuuko), and she injects a light air into the atmosphere on the bridge that prevents High School Fleet from bottoming out a few episodes in. She and Wilhelmina just turn like a third of the show into their own running bit quoting film lines. Her and the artillery girls are head and shoulders above the rest of the crew, and Kouko really gets to shine in the OVA episodes.
38. Togame (Katanagatari )
FUCKING SPOILERY
Togame carries Katanagatari on her back, which is ironic considering she's usually the one being carried. Say what you will about Nisio dialogue, but her banter with Shichika, her idiosyncratic Cheerio!s, and my favorite Tamura Yukari performance come together in one of the most fun-to-watch characters out there. Her death was Top 10 Heart-Wrenching Anime Deaths, and everything after that just felt empty and boring. Maybe that was the point. Regardless, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this particular strategist.
37. Sengoku Nadeko (Monogatari Series)
SPOILERY THROUGH MONOGATARI SS
Sengoku Nadeko is batshit insane. Let's get that out the way. What makes her special and gives her a spot on this list is the way Nisio characterizes and contextualizes her insanity, all while making her adorable and riveting to watch throughout. Sure, Hanazawa Kana helps (who am I kidding, she makes -almost- any character better), but the writing is what carries the character. Her breakdown and tirade at the high point of Otori is the best executed scene of the arc, and her dark presence adds newfound stakes to Second Season. Nadeko Snake is an average arc, but she truly shines in Otori and Koi, and her character resolution post-Koi is one of the most profound in a series that eats, shits, and breathes profundity. Of course, she's mostly despicable, but she's otherwise an incredible character study and interesting to think about.
36. Matsumae Ohana (Hanasaku Iroha)
Ohana is a ball of energy. We figure that out from the first 3 minutes of the show. But you don't expect for her to have a softer, worn-down side, and what you really don't see coming is her emotional arc into a hardened, fearless badass - taking charge of the situation around her and influencing both coworkers and others for the better. She shines in the selfless environment of the inn, and steals the show over and over and over again. The kind of person I strive to be.
35. Kirisaki Chitoge (Nisekoi )
FUCKIN' SPOILERY
The three Nisekoi commandments:
1. Chitoge is best girl
2. Chitoge. is. best. girl.
3. Tachibana Marika is absolute trash.
When she knees Raku in the face to open the show, Chitoge asserts herself as the true heroine. But she doesn't really give a shit about Raku at the start, as she energetically pursues her own path paying little heed to others. Say what you will about the whole childhood promise thing, but Raku and the Gorilla fall in love naturally, despite effectively hating each other when their fake relationship first began. She's cute, she's animated by SHAFT, she's voiced by Touyama Nao - do I really need to say more? (IF ONLY JUST THE LAST 20 CHAPTERS WERE ANIMATED)
34. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece )
SPOILERY THRU ALABASTA EPILOGUE
Again, it helps more than a little to have eight hundred episodes and over nine hundred chapters with which to develop your characters. Other shounen leads share similar traits and characteristics with Luffy, but the son of Dragon has it all - not to mention the most epic and expansive story out there and the best cast of ~1000 named characters you'll find - and is probably my favorite to watch (mostly read, though) of all the shounen heroes.
33. Kinomoto Sakura (Cardcaptor Sakura)
It's easy to forget that when Sakura accidentally released the Clow Cards to start the show, she was adamantly against becoming a Cardcaptor and had little to no confidence in her ability to succeed. Her subsequent growth into an ass-kicking magical girl grounded in reality is one of the most appealing elements of the show, even if it's a little stretched out over 70 episodes. Tange Sakura gives us an adorable performance every damn episode, and you know Madhouse went all in on making the little kaiju stand out visually. Her gradual descent into love over the course of the series is again stretched a bit thin but altogether natural and a joy to watch. Can't wait to see where she goes in the rest of Clear Card.
32. Talho Yuuki (Eureka Seven)
SPOILERY
The baddest bitch on the Gekko yet perhaps the most vulnerable, Talho spends the first half of the show steering the ship through thick and thin, feeling both fond of and frustrated with Renton and Holland, and chasing Diane's shadow. She spends the second half of the show married to the love of her life, captaining the Gekko through dogfight after dogfight and generally being the best mom ever. Eureka Seven director Kyoda Tomoki has mentioned bias towards her in the past, and its not hard to see why - Talho is one HELL of a woman. Would easily be E7 best girl if not for Anemone.
31. Tadokoro Megumi (Shokugeki no Soma)
When Megumi first showed up I was honestly kind of annoyed. She was a nervous wreck to the point of being useless, and I had little hope for her character. But Takahashi Minami gives her some amazing depth and feel, while author Tsukuda Yuuto develops her the way she fucking deserves, especially in the current arc of the manga. Badass Megumi is coming, and boy does she kick some ass. (But only for like 2 chapters before the cuisinier noir arc fully takes hold)
30. Megumin (Konosuba)
KINDA SPOILERY THROUGH VOL 9-ISH
Still, even in the Cuisinier Noir arc Tadokoro Megumi doesn't kick nearly as much ass as her similarly named explosive counterpart. On top of the ass she kicks, Megumin has the hilarious trait of becoming immobile after using her magic, and on top of that she draws more moé out of me than any other character in the show. Her family's poverty provides a sobering backdrop to her past (and present) antics, and her interactions with Komekko and Choumusuke are adorable to watch. But what really gets her on this list right behind fellow party member Aqua is the way she develops and expresses her feelings for Kazuma. Her self-assuredness - relative to the large majority of harem heroines today - and honest affection towards the slimiest man in the world (Hai. Kazuma dayo.) is heart-warming and easily relatable, and makes Megumin perhaps the most human character the show has to offer.
29. Aqua (Konosuba)
Unlike the alternatingly effective and useless Megumin, everyone's favorite party trick goddess is always the group's problem child. Still, Aqua is adorable and hilarious to watch, and her intentions are mostly good - except for when they're selfish and rotten to the core, of course. Even when she manages to do something right, it turns out she either created the original problem or solved it in a way that leaves the door wide open for more trouble in the future. Regardless, she cares deeply for her followers (perhaps out of self-preservation?), and she is the most shamelessly fun-loving member of the bunch. Plus, it's hard not to be entertained watching her cry and whine and complain, punctuated by heavy alcoholism. While she still wishes to defeat the demon king and go back to heaven, the way she comes to embrace living in Axel with Kazuma (Hai hai, Kazuma desu.) and the others is one of Konosuba's main emotional threads, and her antics push her ahead of Megumin as my favorite Konosuba girl.
28. Oshino Ougi (Monogatari Series)
You could make an argument for Ougi to be top ten. But she is hurt a little bit by being one of nine (!!!) Monogatari characters to crack the top fifty, and only comes in as my eighth-favorite. Still: even at eighth she might legitimately be Nisio's best character, and Mizuhashi Kaori is all sorts of enchanting. Her true identity and relationship with Araragi are amazingly intertwined and hinted at, and Ougi Dark delivers the most satisfying emotional climax I have ever witnessed.
~ m a y m a n y s l e e v e d i c k i n g s c o m e t o y o u ~
27. Kobayashi Rindou (Shokugeki no Soma) KINDA SPOILERY
It kind of bothers me that we haven't gotten to see Rindou's serious cooking yet, considering she was uneasy or afraid or whatever during the Regimént de Cuisine. Still, her identity as a chef is one of the most awesome and interesting ones in a show filled with shit like "The White Knight of the Table" and "The God Tongue". I love her reptilian side, and the way she plays around and does whatever she wants while simultaneously being head over heels for Eishi is absolutely enthralling. Would be my favorite Shokugeki character, save for an aforementioned holy tongue.
26. Hoshinomori Chiaki (Gamers! )
Chiaki is a hardcore otaku - she spends all her time developing her own games and playing mobile MMOs. She has specific tastes and things she appreciates about games, and the way she argues with Keita over their otaku leanings becomes the foundation for one of my top OTPs. Her revelation at the end of episode 8, that Nyoronn~, the way she fights for Keita, all make empathizing with her the easiest thing in the world, even if her struggles lack the scale or weight of Senjo's, or Robin's, or Anemone's. Best character in a show filled with some absolutely great ones.
25. Aikawa Jun (Zaregoto, Saikyou, and Ningen Series)
Humanity's strongest. Need I say more?
In case I do, Aikawa Jun just exudes swagger. She has the strength to do pretty much anything she wants. Once more novels get translated and I get to see more of her (please shaft at least adapt strangulation cycle) I am 100% certain she will be higher on this list.
24. Nakiri Alice (Shokugeki no Soma)
Even before we learn her emotional backstory and empathize with her character, Nakiri Alice is bursting with personality. Akasaki Chinatsu delivers a standout performance, as has become par for the course in Shokugeki. Her relationship with Ryo, Erina, and later on the members of the Polar Star dorm, coupled with her up-and-down character arc thus far, makes her easily one of the most approachable and empathetic characters in the whole show. Her specialization in molecular gastronomy instantly makes her an intriguing chef to watch no matter what she is cooking, and hers are some of the dishes that make my mouth water most. Truly an ojou-sama. Ohoho.
23. Yagami Kou (New Game!)
Yagami and Tooyama Rin feel like the only characters in New Game! who live and breathe as real people. Their relationship is organic and subtle - not to mention adorable - and they have habits and traits and styles that mesh together in harmony without coming off one-note. Yagami herself is driven, talented, and laid-back in her own unique way, and everything about her screams individuality. Her backstory is probably the most empathetic out of anyone in Eagle Jump. She's perfect as the show's chief adult figure, and over the course of the show her and Aoba's relationship develops into something truly special.
22. Akira E. Ferrari (Aria the Animation)
It's kind of hard to believe Akira is only twenty, as she's by far the most professional and grown-up of the Three Great Water Fairies. Everything about her character is in perfect unison - her strict, tough-love approach to training Aika, her inner girlishness underneath the princely reputation, and her interactions with both colleagues and juniors paint the image of a strong and self-assured woman who just wants others to see her for what she really is. Minagawa Junko fucking kills it, and my heart stops every time Akira shows up toting an oar and sculling drills. And she ignores the haters like its part of the job? And she's the grillmaster?? And she had to work her ass off and struggle through years of self-doubt and lack of results before getting to where she is now??? Seriously, one hell of a woman
21. Holland Novak (Eureka Seven)
SPOILERY
While Holland spends all of Eureka Seven's 50 episodes as the leader of Gekkostate and the chief father figure aboard the Gekko, he doesn't spend all 50 episodes acting like it. He succumbs to his pride, jealousy, and pain rather often, and takes it out on Renton and Talho. His development into a real leader and mentor for Renton and Eureka is truly inspiring, not even mentioning his development into a loving husband for Talho. Together they head up my favorite terrorist group in anime, and their presence is no small part of why Eureka Seven is my third favorite show ever.
20. Kouda Kyouko (3-gatsu no Lion )
SPOILERY
Kyouko is fucking complicated. Her childhood, her relationship with her father, her one-sided not-quite-relationship with Gotou, her thorny affection for Rei - all paint the picture of a torn, confused, lonely woman who long gave up on happiness. And it's riveting. Inoue Marina brings the character to life, and Shaft imbues Kyouko's every move with sass and personality - but what make her truly compelling are the scattershot moments of vulnerability and pure sadness she occasionally displays. I just want more of 3-gatsu to see how her character continues to grow and change.
19. Katsuragi Misato (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Misato is a woman. When she screeches up in her cobalt Renault Alpine in the first five minutes of episode one, her dominance is already asserted. Over the course of Eva we get to see her badass side at NERV, her relaxed side at home, her cute side around Kaji, and her vulnerable side from plenty of angles. Hers is perhaps the most fascinating backstory and character arc in Evangelion - a tall order indeed - and Misato is absolutely rockin' in every sense of the word. One hell of a woman.
18. Araragi Koyomi (Monogatari Series)
Putting aside any and all accusations of pedophilia or sexual misconduct, Arararagi (shitsurei, kamimashita) is integral to everything that happens in Monogatari as the main narrator. Senjo falls in love with him for a reason: he's weird as fuck and a little slimy from a certain perspective, but he is genuinely caring and regularly puts himself in harms way to save others, even those he barely knows. Regardless of how you feel about the toothbrush scene, Karen and Tsukihi legitimately love him and look up to him as an older brother. Kanbaru respects him as a dependable senpai, Nadeko is, well, Nadeko, Hachikuji loves him, Hanekawa is head over heels for him, Senjougahara took him for herself, and he is literally Shinobu's reason for living. Can't argue with that. You also can't argue with top tier Nisio straight-man banter delivered by Kamiya fucking Hiroshi.
17. Kaiki Deishuu (Monogatari Series)
P SPOILERY
When we and Araragi meet Kaiki for the first time in Nisemonogatari, the con man comes off as just a nihilistic, money-obsessed swindler with a penchant for falsehoods and daily lessons. But while that was what Araragi saw, we see a different side of Deishuu-kun in Koimonogatari when he sets out to deceive a certain someone. He's logical and quick on his feet, self-assured and grounded. When certain elements of his backstory are revealed unceremoniously by everyone's favorite 100 year-old corpse, his character is shown in a whole new light, and by the end of the arc its impossible not to empathize with him. Yeah, we all say best girl ironically, and he's not even one of my five favorite Monogatari characters, but he outclasses mains from most shows, and is just a general fucking G.
16. Kawashima Ami (Toradora! )
SPOILERY
It isn't long after we meet Kawashima Ami that we also learn her true nature - the perfect pretty model girl is actually just putting on an act. (Shocker.) But it's what comes after that reveal that makes Ami so special. Her vulnerability and loneliness is explored in full depth, and Kitamura Eri gives the best performance of her career to make Ami the easy pick for Toradora! best girl. Sure I wish the Ami x Ryuuji ship had sailed in canon, but I got both Ami's normal ending and true ending in Toradora! Portable so I can die with no regrets.
15. El Condor Pasa (Uma Musume )
SPOILERY ASF
El Condor Pasa is a force. She's introduced rather casually in episode 1 as ~the American chick~, though we quickly learn that she is no cliche but likely Special Week's biggest non-Suzuka obstacle in her year. Watching them run the Japan Cup is top-tier edge-of-your-seat shit, and her race against Broye coupled with her translation for Spe later on (La victoire est a moi!) make ECP the funnest girl to watch in the whole show. Takahashi Minami sounds cute as all fucking get-out (kachiMAS!) and her character design is one of the few great ones. She's handcuffed by a lack of screen time as many of the cast are, but boy does she fly when given the chance.
*And while it's outside of the show, just knowing that she's from Kentucky and occasionally trains by wrestling her competitors elevates her even more
14. Hachikuji Mayoi (Monogatari Series)
BIG 'OL SPOILERS FOR ONIMONOGATARI+ OWARIMONOGATARI SEASON 2
Yes, the loli thing. And yes, people will still roll their eyes when I explain that she's a ghost and that she actually has over 20 years of experience on this earth, but hey. Don't worry about that part. (Forget also any incidences of sexual harassment for the moment.) Hachikuji's backstory and character arc in Mayoi Snail is heartwarming and handled well enough, but it's her development in Nisemonogatari and beyond that catapults her into the top 15. Her tearful goodbye in Onimonogatari is one of the show's most emotional moments, making her triumphant return even better. Her banter with Arararagi (shitsurei, kamimashita) is some of the best in a franchise with regularly amazing banter, and one of Nisio's best running gags. She barely cracks the Monogatari top 5, but Mayoi is one hell of a ghost girl goddess woman.
(Still thinking about courage to tell a lie)
13. Gokou Ruri / Kuroneko (Oreimo )
Otaku are weird. Maybe you're a little sister who loves games fetishizing little sisters. Maybe you're just a normal, boring guy who got introduced to anime by his little sister and never looked back. Maybe you're a lifelong outcast who comes to realize more about yourself thanks to said sister and her brother. Regardless, Oreimo places its otaku at center stage, bouncing them off each other to explore them as individuals. As the longtime otaku and social outcast, Kuroneko represents the foil to model and track star Kirino - and the core of the show's entire identity. Her complicated triangle with Kirino and Kyousuke coupled with her family situation and her otaku identity make her the most interesting case study in the show. Seriously, how unfair is it to have two sisters voiced by Hanazawa Kana?? This could very well be my favorite role of hers - there's a lot - and it's hard to imagine Kuroneko being any more enchanting or empathetic than with HanaKana on the mic. Say what you will about Oreimo, but Ruri is the show's biggest bright spot, providing an excellent characterization of what it means to be an otaku. Best Oreimo girl by multiple miles.
12. Midori Imai (Shirobako )
Diesel-san spends the first half of Shirobako largely on the sidelines as MusAni struggles through the production of Exodus!, but when she is brought on for an actual role in the production of Third Girls Aerial Squad, we get to see best girl truly shine. As a writer she is easily the most personally relatable girl in the show, and both her uncertainty as a college student with no work experience and her development into a confident ass-kicking young lady scratch every itch I could want scratched. Her skill at researching and presenting info is the perfect down-to-earth character trait that really rounds out her character into something truly special. Likely the most sublime character in the top 15 not written by Nisio.
11. Bakugou Katsuki (Boku no Hero Academia)
Kacchan starts off HeroAca playing the part of the fucktart bully, and it's always fun to watch Okamoto Nobuhiko just scream at things for reasons unexplained. But the gradual characterization author Horikoshi Kouhei sprinkles over Bakugou turns him into the show's most compelling hero by the time the Eight Precepts roll around. Driven yet lacking restraint, prideful yet prone to self-doubt, blowing up everything on his path to greatness, Katsuki serves as the perfect foil to Deku, and his take-no-prisoners approach to becoming number one drives the show forward along with the rest of Class 1-A - even if he does take a bit of a backseat after the Provisional License arc. Here's to more screen time. (Ground Zero here we come babyyy)
10. Oshino Meme (Monogatari Series)
P SPOILERY
As the closest thing to a real adult we get to see throughout most of the series, Oshino nevertheless spends all of Bakemonogatari's fifteen episodes lounging about in a ruined cram school, getting his ass kicked, being snarky, and charging exorbitant fees on a whim. Even so, he is easily one of the most endearing characters in Bake, and his character concept and design, not to mention another brilliant performance by Sakurai Takahiro, are simply unforgettable. We really see him shine in Kizu, where we learn more about his personality, his philosophy of balance, and his tenuous yet unbreakable friendship with Araragi. People just go and get saved on their own, but he nonetheless plays a major role in helping pretty much everyone in the story and is hands down the most badass character in a series where two of the MCs spend twenty minutes laughing literally tearing each other's heads off. His flippant, sarcastic, vagabond approach to adulthood is as captivating as it is cool as shit. Seriously, who wouldn't want to be a thirtysomething dude wearing a Hawaiian shirt and clogs going around ripping out hearts and listening to urban legends to keep the balance? While I wish he were onscreen more, he's so fantastic when he is around that it balances out. One helluva guy
9. Anemone (Eureka Seven)
I didn't really know what to think of Anemone at first. She's introduced with the 'bad guys', but she doesn't come off as a villain so much as a kid caught in the crosshairs. Over the course of Eureka Seven we watch her toil endlessly with her purpose in life and her identity, and the empathy builds as we see more and more of her daily life. The climax of her arc is one of the very best moments in the whole show, resolving all of her hangups and giving her a renewed desire to live - not to mention putting the finishing touches on the show's OTP. Her character design is jaw-dropping, and Bones animates her to perfection. We don't even get her backstory until like three quarters of the way in, but once we do there's no going back. I love Talho, and Holland, and of course Renton and Eureka, but no one in Eureka Seven makes me feel the way Anemone does. Dominic is one lucky bastard
8. Special Week (Uma Musume )
Uma Musume opens with Special Week generally being an air-headed country bumpkin whose dreams of competing in the Twinkle Series still feel far off. From here she is almost immediately thrust into the competitive and ruthless atmosphere of horse girl racing, and her earnest and straightforward passion drives the show as well as her racing career. We as the audience have the privilege of watching Spe experience highs and lows aplenty, and watching her struggle with a dispiriting loss makes victory taste that much sweeter. Hers is maybe the best - certainly the cleanest - design in the entire show, and Waki Azumi gives one rounded and nuanced performance. Watching Special Week's continual struggle towards greatness is the most inspiring through-line in anime in 2018.
7. Hanekawa Tsubasa (Monogatari Series)
SPOILERY AS SHIT THROUGH NEKO:SHIRO
Despite only meeting Araragi a month before the events of Bakemonogatari, Tsubasa-chan is treated like the childhood friend - ignored in favor of the mysterious one (Shinobu) or the tsundere (Hitagi). Hanekawa is after all the most normal of the Big Three - Shinobu is a loli vampire and Hitagi, well, pulls box cutters on people. But after finally reading Neko:Shiro cover-to-cover, I can finally give the class president to end all class presidents the acclaim she deserves. Her backstory is Nisio at his most relentless, and her acceptance of the Sawarineko as a split personality is unique and handled with delicate nuance. What puts her over the top is her character arc after the resolution of Tsubasa Cat. Her emotional journey and maturation over the course of Neko:Shiro might be the best in the whole franchise, and her narration is a perfect change of pace from Araragi-kun's charged antics. By accepting and embracing her destructive tendencies instead of simply averting her gaze from them, she positions herself as a deeply empathetic character integral to the franchise's main themes and motifs. onehelluvawoman
6. Miyako (Hidamari Sketch )
Leave it to Shaft to get me falling in love with a bunch of rectangles. Of the rectangular bunch, Miyako stands out in every scene as the funniest, most energetic, and most alive. Her rabid appetite somehow never gets old, and every ~Yunocchi~ makes my heart twinge. Mizukashi Kaori gives a show-stopping performance, blowing Nosa Kouko's impressions out of the fucking water. The joy of Hidamari Sketch is watching the six girls grow together and as individuals, and while Miyako doesn't change much externally her growth is palpable through her interactions with the other residents of the Hidamari Apartments. The other girls are great in their own right, but Miyako carries the cast on her damn back.
5. Teruhashi Kokomi (Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan )
Teryukoko is the perfect pretty girl who's just putting on an act and is different on the inside than most people think. Never seen that one before. Still, she's far from being rotten or cliched, and her falling for Saiki - slowly, and then all at once - is beyond adorable and the biggest reason to watch Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan. Plus, I really relate to her relentless pursuit of perfection from a personal standpoint. The work she puts in to maintain her image truly reveals her nature as a dedicated, incredibly kind-hearted person, just in a different way than the people around her (except, of course, Saiki) realize. Kayano Ai is just incredible, and while I don't love J.C. Staff's artwork on this show they nailed Kokomi's weird faces. Her gradual development, feelings for Saiki, and hints of reciprocation (PLEASE ASO-SENSEI) get her a spot in the top 5.
4. Nakiri Erina (Shokugeki no Soma)
SPOILERY THRU REGIMENT DE CUISINE (CH. 263)
The God Tongue wasn't even close to my top 50 before she started channeling Jeanne d'Arc, and the first three cour even saw her squarely outside my top three Shokugeki girls. But boy does she get the development she fucking deserves in the Regimént de Cuisine. Deliquent Daughter Style wraps up her character arc even better than it wraps up her course meal with Soma, and I couldn't ask for a more perfect narrative resolution. Taneda Risa really grew on me over the course of the first season, and the transition to Kanemoto Hisako is so seamless I didn't even notice it until my third rewatch of S3. Erina's now fully realized feelings for Soma, not to mention one of the most complete arcs in anime and the fucking God Tongue, elevate her to the #4 spot on this list.
3. Nico Robin (One Piece )
SPOILERY THRU WATER SEVEN ARC
Robin-chwan kicks off the Alabasta arc in force when she drops in on the Going Merry and instantly exudes mysteriousness. She spends the rest of the arc largely playing Crocodile's right hand (get it cause his hand is a hook?) but thankfully gets her time to shine at Enies Lobby. Her backstory is pretty great and easily my favorite of the Strawhats, and her Devil Fruit power is the. fucking. coolest. She does get pretty shafted for screen time, but watching her chill and do her own thing in the background is one of the most charming aspects of her character. Really hope she is given a bigger role in the plot going forward.
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the créme dela créme
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2. Senjougahara Hitagi (Monogatari Series)
PRETTY SPOILERY THRU NISEMONOGATARI
It's damn fucking close. Senjo was my #1 for a good year or more, and she still ends up on top about a third the time I run through my top 5 in my head. Hitagi is the most human character in a show filled to the brim with them: her arc after her past trauma and family problems is altogether real, and it's easy to understand how Araragi will later fall for her as soon as episode one. Like the girl ahead of her on this list, she had another love before Araragi, but it is precisely that history that gives depth and meaning to her love for Koyokoyo. Her banter is top-tier even accounting for Nisio, and the way her complicated past and equally complex personality are expressed through her jabs and cruel jokes might be one of his greatest triumphs. Her duality as both boke and tsukkomi (funny man and straight man) in her relationship with Araragi is one of the many things that make the early episodes of Bakemonogatari so damn magical. Chiwa Saito delivers a down-to-earth and rich - not to mention type-shattering - performance that cements Senshougahara in the upper echelon of this list, even if she loses bragging rights to her romantic rival.
1. Oshino Shinobu (Monogatari Series)
SPOILERY AS SHIT. WATCH MONOGATARI.
Even though she loses out in the Koyomi Bowl, Nobu and Hitagi are dead fucking even. But when it comes to pure moe and empathy, for me the 600 year-old loli vampire comes out on top. The magical realism of Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-Blade's tale, paired with the emotional ups and downs she experiences as Shinobu over the course of the series, makes her near impossible to keep out of the top spot.
Sakamoto Maaya drops a plethora of adorable show-stealing lines as usual, and Watanabe Akio absolutely nailed the character designs - especially in child form - lending a distinct personality and verve to Shinobu's every move. But it's what is under the surface that counts, and boy does Nisio deliver. MASSIVE FUCKING SPOILERS BELOW THIS IMAGE. IF YOU HAVEN'T GO WATCH THE DAMN SHOW
The first five centuries of Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-Blade's life are fraught with pain. Her tale of the First Aberration Killer reveals a lover predating Araragi, giving her current feelings context and nuance while showing her softer, romantic side -- before brutally ripping her heart out (figuratively. literal heart ripping-out coming later). And Heart-under-Blade's suicidal trip to Japan - the impetus for the whole series - hints at a crushed woman, treated as a monster even by the only one she can remember loving, who just wants to die and put an end to the boredom. If it ended there, she would still easily be one of the Monogatari Big 3 and a lock for my top 10.
But it's the resolution to her suicide wish that earns her a special place in my heart. Kiss-shot's abrasive self-confidence and self-loathing in Kizumonogatari are juxtaposed artfully against Shinobu's delicate romanticism in Nisemonogatari and onwards. It takes time, but not only does she fall for Araragi, she decides to dedicate the life she nearly threw away to him. Her supreme dedication to her "servant" - and vice versa - forms the core of my favorite onscreen relationship ever. (The finale of Kabuki, including their walking chat and Shinobu's exchange with her alternate self, is pure Nisioisin perfection and might very well be my favorite moment in Second Season.) The way she closes the door on her suicide wish and latches on to the one she loves is incredibly personal to me, and Shinobu's arc is simultaneously the most supernatural and the most intimately relatable out of the Araragi harem - Meme included.
Like with her partners in crime, the little girl Hachikuji and the young girl Yotsugi, it's easy to look at Shinobu and get caught up in the 500 year-old vampire loli thing (sorry, 598 and 11 months). I get it. But if you look even a little bit deeper you will find a tragic, broken woman who fell in love and made peace with everything. And who reeally likes Mister Donut.
Aand that's all folks. It's almost impossible for me now to imagine anyone other than Shinobu in the top spot. She's just that good. But even if the top two don't change for a while, look forward to the next installment of my top 50-ish to see who falls out and which new faces we'll get to see.
(And in the meantime: if you like lists, or if you thought this was cool or well-written, or you just like anime and the characters it presents, bookmark thejonion.wixsite.com/blog and follow me on Twitter @_animejon)
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