Forum - View topicThe most iconic anime figure (character)?
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x_Hisoka_x
 Posts: 260 Location: Formerly: Anime_Newcomer |
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I was just watching Naruto today and I was thinking about how popular a character he is. Even friends who mildly know about anime and don't watch anime say, "Na, anime is gay...that Naruto sh*t is stupid!" So even amongst non-fans he is known. I started thinking about what character is the most iconic to define anime? When people think of gaming they would possibly think of Super Mario. So in your opinion, what character do you think is the unofficial posterboy (or postergirl) of anime? In my opinion, I think it's a toss up between Goku, Naruto, or Ash/Pikachu. They are mainly my choices for the sole reason that the series' they originated from have been insanely popular. Who didn't watch Goku go super saiyan? Who didn't watch Team Rocket go blasting off again? What anime fan hasn't seen Naruto believe it? Maybe your opinions can be based on who it is to you? Or you can possibly speak on behalf of the general public...who do you think they'd choose?
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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I just pointed this out in another thread, but it's hard to say there's one all-encompassing figurehead of anime because anime is too big and wide in fanbase for different reasons, like why people watch. It also depends on who you ask. Kids today will know Naruto and Pokemon, but older people will point out Astro Boy, Gigantor, Mazinger Z, Speed Racer, or tons of others. Also depends on country. Tons of places other than the United States got shows like Doraemon and such, so they'll know that character.
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nagato316
Posts: 306 |
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A perfect example of anime icons overseas (vs stateside) is Voltes V in the Philippines. It was to there, arguably, what Voltron was to the US in the mid-1980s. But you'd have to be either pinoy (as I am) or a major mecha geek (as I kinda used to be) to know this particular franchise. Getting back to who's the most iconic in the here and now, I would say Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop, thanks primarily to its huge following from about a decade ago, resulting from its high profile presence on Cartoon Network's original iteration of [adult swim], and the fact that Bebop was one of the few anime series so heavily influenced by (and I think specifically targeted more towards) Western pop culture that it was able to transcend the standard "oh just another one of those Japanese cartoons" mentality. I suppose I could have mentioned other members of the main cast, but you gotta go with Faye. She's Eye Candy personified, but her backstory and personality also establish her as a character who's not just fanservice for fanservice's sake. Though you cannot deny the uniqueness of her character design; that and the fact that she's been cosplayed in countless cons by countless otaku makes her instantly recognizable. Even if you don't know the name, you'd recognize that purple hair and yellow latex attire anywhere. To a lesser extent you can also say Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu of EVA. Notice I mention them together...their icon status is more the result of their paired likenesses being on damn near every conceivable piece of anime merchandise on earth. Bottom line though, again, you know the faces having seen them everywhere. |
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Blackpeppir
Posts: 234 |
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I'd have to say Haruhi, at least in japan. I mean Haruhi fans are called Haruhists who follow Haruhism. It's kind of like the following for star trek except they can all dance the Hare Hare Yukai. If a pseudo religious following doesn't say iconic I dunno what does.
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David.Seth
 Posts: 453 Location: near SF |
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couldn't agree more. The only one I would add to that list would be sailor moon. While I know a lot of people who barely know a thing about anime, they all seem to know that Sailor Moon is one. |
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Dorcas_Aurelia
 Posts: 5344 Location: Philly |
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For the US, I'd have to say Pikachu. People who aren't at all familiar with anime and don't care are familiar with Pokemon, due to the massive size of the franchise and it's popularity among children, and if they know any individual pokemon, it's the omnipresent yellow rat. Children know because they are the target audience. Parents/grandparents know it because their young children/grandchildren watch the show. Teenagers and young adults know it because the series has been around long enough that they watched it when they were younger, or even if they didn't watch the show, it was so ubiquitous that they knew of it.
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David.Seth
Posts: 453 Location: near SF |
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^^^ the only reason i didn't mention pikachu was that i wasn't sure if most people in the general public know that its from an anime. Never got into Pokemon, neither did my friends, so I really know nothing about it. Although, I do admit when pikachu was featured in the macy's thanksgiving day parade, it "officially" became an American icon.
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fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
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Given the response base I've read so far it would have to depend on the range of the viewers. For example with Lupin the 3rd it might be that way with people who watched Lupin when they were younger. Doraemon would definitely be one that stretches for generations due to the longevity of the show, and the same can be said for Astro Boy. Others I feel that would join the ranks of the older characters would be such as Black Jack, Sailor Moon, Cutey Honey, Sazae-san, Chibi Maruko-chan, and even Kankichi Ryotsu.
If you were to look at the younger generation of today, you would for sure consider Pikachu to be one of, if not the most iconic figure in anime today. That goes without saying, as the franchise is one of the biggest in the world. I would add others to the mix, as it hasn't been Pikachu who has dominated today's anime market. Naruto, Ichigo, and Luffy I feel have become iconic in their own wakes, as well as even Haruhi Suzumiya herself created a major phenomenon that to this day still brings more people to the medium. |
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Some Guy
 Posts: 135 |
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A lot the guys being listed here are really only well known in the anime in crowd. If I were to ask my brother (highschooler), who isnt into anime, who Lupin III was, he would probably say "Some french guy?". If I asked him who Goku was he would say "oh yeah, that guy from DBZ".
Point is that for people not in the circle, it really does come down to the 3 the OP listed. |
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fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
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If I were to ask my mother who is not into anime but who grew up watching anime while living in Japan, she would name Lupin as an iconic anime character. Not the most, but an iconic character. Generation and cultural gap, don't limit it to this country. |
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Toucanbird
Posts: 126 Location: Winona, Minnesota |
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I wish Ichigo from Bleach was more iconic...
Unlike Naruto, I think Ichigo is cool as hell and still pretty funny... While Naruto is just sort of stupid and immature all the time. |
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[ARX7]
 Posts: 20 |
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if it's a battle for popularity it's probably something like Naruto/Ichigo fighting at the top. But if it's based on which was first to get known i think Astroboy wins this
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chris o
Posts: 4 |
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Goku is the most iconic character you dont even have to like anime to know who goku is
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Ausdoerrt
 Posts: 481 |
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Well, like someone here said, depends on the region. The most all-encompassing one would be Doraemon. Another good one is Sailor Moon, especially because its anime style is so pronounced. Then there's always Goku from Dragonball. And the Gundam-style giant robots.
I'm not so sure about Pokemon - sure, everyone knows it, but I don't think it's representative of anime, nor do many people realize it is. Characters from Bleach or Naruto, from what I've seen, are kind of a novelty, that, I think, will pass with time - and they are only very popular in the US. Other countries have different selections of anime on TV. Could be absolutely random - I've seen things like Last Exile, Chrono Crusade, etc. on the TV back home... So where was I? Oh, right, I'm visiting China right now, and I've been to a few anime malls in Shanghai, and Bleach does not look too popular, and Naruto even less. Black Butler is more popular here .___. From what I know, nobody really cares much for Narutard back home in Ukraine either. So I'd say it's only iconic of anime in the US, at this moment. |
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plumpilicious
 Posts: 15 |
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I would have to say it would be Goku, Tenchi Muyo, Naruto, Sailor Moon, Raroni Kenshin, or Pokemon. And as a wild card I would throw in Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke. But honestly, its not so much which character is king of anime, its more which character of each genre or timeframe. For example if you started watching anime in the late 90's, it would be Goku, whereas if you started this decade it might be Naruto instead. Also, Sailor Moon is more of the female demographic so it has to be in its own category as well.
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