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[Sho_Nuff82]

6. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
7. Edward Elric (Full Metal Alchemist)
8. Pikachu (some Hentai)
9. Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)
10. Rei Ayanami (Evangelion)
11. Shotaro KANEDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Akira)
12. L (Death Note)
13. Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
14. D (Vampire Hunter D)
15. Arsene Lupin III (Lupin the Third)
16. Jubei Kibagami (Ninja Scroll)
17. Vash The Stampede (Trigun)
18. Light Yagami (Death Note)
19. Haruhi Suzumiya (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
20. Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)
21. Vegeta (Dragonball)
22. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
23. Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass)
24. Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)
25. Shinji Ikari (Evnagelion)

I'm not even that big of an anime fan, but even I know that Vash the Stampede is a GREAT character, and the bolded characters are all fucking terrible.

Shinji is the worst of all, as he has absolutely zero redeeming qualities and is whinier than the protagonist from .hack. D has barely 10 lines of dialogue in both movies.

But Pikachu doesn't even have dialogue! He's like the fucking cat rabbit from Tenchi universe.

 

[FnordChan]

For a look at a better list, here's a Japanese poll from 2000 where the TV station Animax, the magazine Brutus, and the rental chain Tsutaya polled 187,373 fans for their favorite shows and characters. Here's the character list:

1. Doraemon
2. Lupin III
3. Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
4. Char (Gundam)
5. Amuro Rei (Gundam)
6. Yabuki Joe (Ashita No Joe)
7. Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)
8. Pikachu (Pokemon)
9. Edogawa Conan (Detective Conan)
10. Atom (Astro Boy)
11. Nausicaa (Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind)
12. Lum (Urusei Yatsura)
13. Kentaro (Fist Of The North Star)
14. Heidi (Heidi Girl Of The Alps)
15. Matel (Galaxy Express 999)
16. Sakura (Chibi Maru Chan)
17. Jigen Daisuke (Lupin III)
18. Gundam (Gundam)
19. Ayanami Rei (Evangelion)
20. Saeba Ryo (City Hunter)
21. Ojiyaru (Ojiyaru Maru)
22. Shin-chan (Crayon Shin-chan)
23. Cadace White (Can D Can D)
24. Takumi Fujiwara (Initial D)
25. Rascal (Rascal)
26. Anpanman (Anpanman)
27. Bakoban Papa (Bakoban)
28. Devil Man
28. Fujiko (Lupin III)
30. Star (Star Of Giant)
31. Captain Harlock
32. Oscar (Rose Of Versailles)
33. Lina Inverse (Slayers)
34. Tatsuya Uesugi (Touch)
35. Sakuragi (SLAMDUNK)
36. Conan (Futureboy Conan)
37. Vegita (Dragon Ball Z)
38. Heero Yui (Gundam W)
39. Ancient Shin (Space Battleship Yamato)
40. Tetsurou (Galaxy Express 999)
41. Sakura (Card Captor Sakura)
42. Maki Arare (Dr. Slump)
43. Goemon Ishikawa (Lupin III)
44. Kankichi Ryotsu (Police Box Katsushika Ward)
45. Ruri (Nadesico)
46. Himura Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin)
47. Kore (Kiteretsu)
48. Kamiyu Bidon (Gundam)
49. Onizuka Eikichi (GTO)
50. Yang Wenli (Legend Of Galactic Heroes)

This poll ain't perfect or anything, but it's a damn sight better than what IGN just put up, which was presumably thought up by editors who haven't seen any anime before or since the heyday of Adult Swim.

FnordChan

 

[Dresden]

This poll ain't perfect or anything, but it's a damn sight better than what IGN just put up, which was presumably thought up by editors who haven't seen any anime before or since the heyday of Adult Swim.

FnordChan

19. Ayanami Rei (Evangelion)

Even Japan agrees, Rei belongs there.

Much better list... although most people have probably never seen Doraemon, or know what Ashita no Joe is.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

For a look at a better list, here's a Japanese poll from 2000 where the TV station Animax, the magazine Brutus, and the rental chain Tsutaya polled 187,373 fans for their favorite shows and characters. Here's the character list:



This poll ain't perfect or anything, but it's a damn sight better than what IGN just put up, which was presumably thought up by editors who haven't seen any anime before or since the heyday of Adult Swim.

FnordChan

hot damn!

Japan liked Camile? Well, okay. I admit he's a layered and well-developed character and all...

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

or know what Ashita no Joe is.

It's been domesticated! At least the film, anyway

I HEARTILY recommend it to anyone on GAF. Especially if you enjoyed Ippo.

 

[andymcc]

what a fucking terrible list. Goku really does deserve the spot (or somewhere close) as he is pretty much the archetypal shonen character.

really disappointed with the lack of Char or Amuro, though. Considering Shinji Ikari being on there over Amuro is kind of :lol

hot damn!

Japan liked Camile? Well, okay. I admit he's a layered and well-developed character and all...

Camile is my favorite Gundam protagonist. :lol

 

[shintoki]

hot damn!

Japan liked Camile? Well, okay. I admit he's a layered and well-developed character and all...

You called me a girl's name! Take it back! Take it back! *Cries*

 

[Jamesfrom818]

Ichigo? Naruto?

I don't believe it.

 

[S. L.]

hot damn!

Japan liked Camile? Well, okay. I admit he's a layered and well-developed character and all...

His whole story is pretty tragic, not hard to see why people like him

 

[djtiesto]

No Lum or Ranma characters = Fail.

I am a big Rumiko Takahashi fanboy, and even then, I applaud for not putting that shit titular character from Inuyasha.

Yeah, WTF at nothing from Ranma, or no Lum?

 

[methane47]

If you follow Shonen Jump's fan-favorite character polls, Naruto actually isn't the most popular character in his own series most of the time. Kakashi and Sasuke walk away with it as often as not, and he's even been squeezed out by a villain or two on occasion.

/shakes head... makes me upset everytime i think of it.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Ranma 1/2, once the most popular anime in the states, has been relegated to near-obscurity.

 

[Dresden]

/shakes head... makes me upset everytime i think of it.

I don't know why it's so upsetting. Naruto isn't even the author's own favorite character.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

IGN's lists are terrible. I can't believe Fist of the North Star wasn't on the list. That has to be one of the most influential anime movies of all time.

 

[Hero]

hot damn!

Japan liked Camile? Well, okay. I admit he's a layered and well-developed character and all...

I don't even see Camille on the list?

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

I don't even see Camille on the list?

He's there. They spelled his name 'Kamiyu' or something like that.

 

[flintstryker]

For a look at a better list, here's a Japanese poll from 2000 where the TV station Animax, the magazine Brutus, and the rental chain Tsutaya polled 187,373 fans for their favorite shows and characters. Here's the character list:



This poll ain't perfect or anything, but it's a damn sight better than what IGN just put up, which was presumably thought up by editors who haven't seen any anime before or since the heyday of Adult Swim.

FnordChan

fuck yes Yabuki Joe.

 

[Mr. Sam]

No love for Rock Lee? None at all? I reckon he's both the funniest and most awesome character in the whole of Naruto.

Spoiler

And anime.

 

[smurfx]

#1 Luffy

agreed.

 

[Femmeworth]

I'm not even that big of an anime fan, but even I know that Vash the Stampede is a GREAT character, and the bolded characters are all fucking terrible.

Shinji is the worst of all, as he has absolutely zero redeeming qualities and is whinier than the protagonist from .hack. D has barely 10 lines of dialogue in both movies.

But Pikachu doesn't even have dialogue! He's like the fucking cat rabbit from Tenchi universe.

I actually think Shinji is a great character, or perhaps it's better to say he's a more realistic character.

 

[r4z4]

I think Takamura (from Hajime no Ippo) is one of the best anime characters I have seen (not that I have seen that much anime)

 

[captmcblack]

How does this list exist and not have Kenshiro from Fist of The North Star? :lol

 

[Pein]

/shakes head... makes me upset everytime i think of it.

why? the main character is most likely not my favorite character in most series. I mean who's favorite character is ichigo from bleach? or whatever.

I think Takamura (from Hajime no Ippo) is one of the best anime characters I have seen (not that I have seen that much anime)

beating down a bear made him a great character.

No love for Rock Lee? None at all? I reckon he's both the funniest and most awesome character in the whole of Naruto.

Spoiler

And anime.

Ranma 1/2, once the most popular anime in the states, has been relegated to near-obscurity.

anime skews very young, in a few years most new fans won't give a shit about any of these series on this list.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

I still think Ginko from Mushi-shi is one of the best anime characters of all time, but given the cult status of the series...

My number one would have to be GitS:SAC characters, but I'd have a sort of hard time deciding which. Spike Spiegel would be up there.

 

[Freshmaker]

Ichigo? Naruto?

I don't believe it.

Believe it!

 

[Geneijin]

This poll ain't perfect or anything, but it's a damn sight better than what IGN just put up, which was presumably thought up by editors who haven't seen any anime before or since the heyday of Adult Swim.

FnordChan

Much, much better. If the criteria is lasting fame, impact on anime and/or its genre, depth and quality of character, then the poll you posted is pretty good list personally (Doraemon is Japan's anime ambassador :lol ). Also, regarding that list, I'm kind of surprised Tetsujin 28 didn't make it on that list but it's really old and (probably) not as great as I remember it either. Now if IGN's list was anime in the U.S. instead of all-time in general, then I can actually see some sensibility for why they ranked such and such. But IGN's list isn't so meh.

 

[Beowulf28]

How can he not be on the list

 

[MetatronM]

*glares at Ichigo, Jubei, Rei, and Shinji on the list*

Swap those four out, rearrange things a bit, toss in Char, Guts, Harlock, and Nausicaa, and you're already at least a few steps closer to a list that's almost acceptable. Oh, and make sure that the Ed Elric we're talking about is FMA: Brotherhood Ed Elric, since that's the only anime version of the character who might qualify.

Swap out Sailor Moon for either Johan Liebert or Kenzo Tenma (Monster) and you improve the list even more.


(Also, I've never really understood what people see in L. I mean, he's kinda fun, in that "Death Note is a hilarious train wreck" kind of way, but that's about it.)

Ussopp...REALLY? In a list of all time? I don't think so.

To be fair, Usopp IS the best developed character in all of One Piece. Though I don't think anybody would put him on an all-time list ahead of either Luffy or Zoro.

 

[Snaku]

Reiterating the fact that Goku is the Japanese equivalent of Superman. Hate on DBZ all you want, but he pretty much embodies most of all the ideal traits of a "hero."

Goku is Superman. I have no problem with him up there.

This is the bullshit I was talking about earlier. Goku is not Superman. Funimation's piece of shit English "dub" completely mis-characterized most of the characters, the most offensive of which was what they did to Goku. He's a selfish, stupid, terrible father/husband, mountain hick.

The "ally to good, nightmare to you" type garbage was completely fabricated bullshit by Funi.

 

[Rewrite]

This is the bullshit I was talking about earlier. Goku is not Superman. Funimation's piece of shit English "dub" completely mis-characterized most of the characters, the most offensive of which was what they did to Goku. He's a selfish, stupid, terrible father/husband, mountain hick.

The "ally to good, nightmare to you" type garbage was completely fabricated bullshit by Funi.

At least his english voice over is better.

Yes, I went there.

 

[Hitokage]

Goku is Ryu, or rather, Ryu is Goku. All he really, truly cares about is the fight. Friends and family come just after, and the safety of everyone else quite a bit after that.

 

[birdman]

You called me a girl's name! Take it back! Take it back! *Cries*

Camile's a man's name! And I'm a man!

 

[Hero]

This is the bullshit I was talking about earlier. Goku is not Superman. Funimation's piece of shit English "dub" completely mis-characterized most of the characters, the most offensive of which was what they did to Goku. He's a selfish, stupid, terrible father/husband, mountain hick.

The "ally to good, nightmare to you" type garbage was completely fabricated bullshit by Funi.

What the fuck are you talking about? I'm talking about how Goku is the Japanese icon equivalent to America's Superman.

 

[Snaku]

What the fuck are you talking about? I'm talking about how Goku is the Japanese icon equivalent to America's Superman.

he pretty much embodies most of all the ideal traits of a "hero."

Sure, Superman does. Goku most certainly does not.

 

[Dresden]

*glares at Ichigo, Jubei, Rei, and Shinji on the list*

Swap those four out, rearrange things a bit, toss in Char, Guts, Harlock, and Nausicaa, and you're already at least a few steps closer to a list that's almost acceptable. Oh, and make sure that the Ed Elric we're talking about is FMA: Brotherhood Ed Elric, since that's the only anime version of the character who might qualify.

Swap out Sailor Moon for either Johan Liebert or Kenzo Tenma (Monster) and you improve the list even more.


(Also, I've never really understood what people see in L. I mean, he's kinda fun, in that "Death Note is a hilarious train wreck" kind of way, but that's about it.)




To be fair, Usopp IS the best developed character in all of One Piece. Though I don't think anybody would put him on an all-time list ahead of either Luffy or Zoro.

I think we're also gauging their popularity, and lasting impact on the genre as a whole. Johan or Kenzo? I loved Monster, but if I had to pick a Urasawa work, it'd be 20th Century Boys.

I love Guts, but I think Berserk is more popular abroad than in Japan itself.

I don't think you can take out Rei or Shinji. One of them? Sure, but at least one needs to stay. I know you can't stand Evangelion, but it's influence was enormous and completely undeniable.

GARlock? Yes. Nausicaa? I'm not so sure. I loved the manga and thought the movie was good, but if any anime defined what Miyazaki was all about, it was Mononoke.

And I posted this before in this thread, but the fact that Luffy isn't above Ichigo or Naruto just shows IGN has no taste at all.

 

[Blair]

Because Kenshin was my first anime, i'm massively biased in wanting to see the list filled with all the great characters from the series and the OVA's.

 

[Blader]

You called me a girl's name! Take it back! Take it back! *Cries*

:lol Kamille sucks, one of the worst Gundam protagonists.

At least his english voice over is better.

Yes, I went there.

hi5

Adult men should not be voiced by old women. Sean Schemmel (or however its spelled) ftw.

 

[Snaku]

Sean Schemmel (or however its spelled) ftw.

As much as I love Masako Nozawa's Goku, I hate Schemmel just as much. Awful voice "actor." The Ocean dub trio: Peter Kelamis, Kirby Morrow, and Ian James Corlett all did a far better job.

 

[Orin GA]

Fail

 

[RBelong2Us]

Bebop is my absolute favorite anime and think Spike is an awesome character but if anything, I would actually put Vash over Spike.

 

[methane47]

I don't know why it's so upsetting. Naruto isn't even the author's own favorite character.

Thats the problem... the author's fav character of the series is not an interesting character at all...

 

[Tamanon]

Goku is Ryu, or rather, Ryu is Goku. All he really, truly cares about is the fight. Friends and family come just after, and the safety of everyone else quite a bit after that.

Hell, every DBZ character is Ryu. They all just want to fight, that's it. It's shallow even for a Shonen anime.:lol

 

[Blader]

As much as I love Masako Nozawa's Goku, I hate Schemmel just as much. Awful voice "actor." The Ocean dub trio: Peter Kelamis, Kirby Morrow, and Ian James Corlett all did a far better job.

God no. Corlett was the best of the 3, but he gets points for not being able to pronounce "Goku" correctly. :lol

 

[Hero]

Sure, Superman does. Goku most certainly does not.

And your criteria and sources are what exactly?

 

[arstal]

Chars I would put in that haven't been mentioned much that I've seen.

Reiko Mikami
Ayukawa Madoka
Dio Brando
Dark Schneider

 

[evil ways]

That list is terrible, even by IGN standards. Whoever did it used the criteria of being born in the 90's and start watching anime from Cartoon Network.

Don't worry big guy, I'll never forget...

 

[MetatronM]

I think we're also gauging their popularity, and lasting impact on the genre as a whole. Johan or Kenzo? I loved Monster, but if I had to pick a Urasawa work, it'd be 20th Century Boys.

I love Guts, but I think Berserk is more popular abroad than in Japan itself.

I don't think you can take out Rei or Shinji. One of them? Sure, but at least one needs to stay. I know you can't stand Evangelion, but it's influence was enormous and completely undeniable.

GARlock? Yes. Nausicaa? I'm not so sure. I loved the manga and thought the movie was good, but if any anime defined what Miyazaki was all about, it was Mononoke.

And I posted this before in this thread, but the fact that Luffy isn't above Ichigo or Naruto just shows IGN has no taste at all.

Princess Mononoke doesn't really have any truly legendary characters, though, which Nausicaa is. San herself is a boring non-character, and Ashitaka is alright but nothing special. Probably the only thing even close in Mononoke is Lady Eboshi, but she doesn't really belong on this kind of list. Nausicaa is kind of the ultimate representation of "Miyazaki" in one character.

If you're going to pick somebody from Eva, make it somebody with at least some semblance of personality, like Misato, Kaji, Gendo, or, as much as I can't stand her, even Asuka.

 

[Barrage]

Who's she

 

[AlexMogil]

Can the Daicon bunny girl go on that list, or am I trying too hard?

 

[Freshmaker]

Who's she

Inuyasha's older brother.