Inspiring Anime Characters

Time for something fun!

Hello there, readers! Foshizzel here with my very first editorial post for Metanorn! I really wanted to share some personal stories of my life and how anime comes into play for me. This post idea has been floating around in my head for a while now, so I finally decided to put some thoughts together and finally decided to share it with everyone to enjoy so let’s get the ball rolling shall we?

So have you ever found yourself chilling beside your computer or TV while watching a few episodes of a favorite anime series? And after about six or seven episodes you suddenly find yourself attached to a certain character? From the rage of fandom, it’s clear that everyone suffers through this feeling in different degrees as the world of anime has countless pages of amazing anime characters with lots of different personalities and special traits. My question relates to this very subject, so readers do you have any anime characters that you share some special connection with? Maybe you have something in common with that character? Maybe they even remind you a bit about yourself? I do have a few favorites that I have connections with and I would like to share them with you today.

Edward looking really awesome in this shot reaching out to you.

First up is Edward Elric, most anime fans already know his story from both FMA and FMA: Brotherhood. But why this character? I think it’s the way he had to pull himself together again after that horrible accident involving his mother and the failed transmutation. With the release of Brotherhood, we got to see more of this broken Edward, who was really like a mindless zombie for a while, having lost the desire to keep on going. Watching Edward struggle through those key moments of wanting to walk again no matter the cost or how painful it might be was sad but they did touch me the most. And of course I always enjoyed his never give up attitude of wanting to get his body back to normal and he kept on trying till the end.

Keep on rocking Yui!

Next up on my list is the loveable yet super hyper-active Yui from Angel Beats! A few fans of this pink-haired character would find her annoying at first because she was always around to produce laughs and nothing more. That is until you reach her episode, we learn the truth behind her “death” and how she arrived in the Angel Beats! world. I will admit her story stands out more than the others to me due to the heavy themes of her struggles with being physically disabled. And it’s true I might not share everything in common with Yui but there are a few similar things. I do rely on my family a lot to help me with a few things and watching those moments with Yui and her mother I found were really wonderful to watch. And then the ending of that episode rolled by as we watch Yui and Hinata together, it was another great moment that left a mark for me.

Kyoko-“Did anyone get the number of that tree…ouch.”

This next character is a bit of a random choice and it came to me during Index season two. I’m going with Kuroko Shirai but most of us really know her from Railgun. Kuroko might not have any real physical problems aside from her insane desire to get on with Misaka, which is more of a mental problem than physical. Anyway it was close to the end of the Daihasei Festival Arc; they had Kuroko riding around in a wheelchair after getting injured during in a previous battle. I think any fan of Index II at the time remembers the scene with Kuroko suddenly seeing Misaka standing alone and racing off like a rocket towards her. Of course, she ends up missing and gets smacked by the tree! I can say from personal experience I had a similar event like Kuroko. I was at a church camp one summer and I had a push chair at that time. I think I had just got some pizza and my cousin decided to start pushing me really fast downhill until we hit a pothole and I was thrown from the chair, which caused me to drop my damn pizza. I did land on some grass so thankfully nothing got broken and we had a good laugh about it afterwards. That memory still makes me laugh to this day.

Misaka is prepared to shock you back to life!

Now how can I not mention Kuroko without talking about her awesome counterpart Misaka?! Of course there is a very special connection between me and this popular electric character. While Misaka also has no physical problems either, her background story was a total surprise to me! In the beginning scientists originally approached her wanting to user her DNA to cure Duchenne Muscular dystrophy, which is the same disease I have. Sadly we all know what happens with that in the Railgun plot. But after I learned this fact I was really shocked; yes pun intended. I started to love this character even more; it did get my mind running if anyone could really apply her origin story to real life experiments? I guess it’s better not to be too optimist, huh?

The ultimate showdown.

There was one more character I wanted to add on this list and that would be Ayase from Guilty Crown. However we don’t really know much about her yet, but she has me interested in how they deal with her use of the wheelchair and how she perfectly deals with being disabled. Anyway thank you for reading my first editorial post about a few amazing characters that I have some special connections with. So what about you? Do you have any unique characters that you have something in common with? I would love to hear them.

To wrap this up, enjoy some picture spam.Show ▼

About

Is huge anime fan from Florida! who loves to watch anime and also enjoys drawing and collecting pictures, my favorite genre of anime has to be Mecha, there is just something awesome about giant robots beating the crap out of each other! Other than that type of show, I love a good comedy or action series :D
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40 Responses to “Inspiring Anime Characters”

  1. Jrow says:

    Yui’s episode of Angel Beats was one of, if not the series’ best. I have that song “Ichiban no Takaramono” on my iPod, and whenever I hear it, I think back to the ending scene of that episode and have to do a eye check to make sure tears don’t come down. It’s a really powerful scene and the song has such a power to it that adds to the emotion.

    A character that inspired me? I always have felt I had so much in common with the guy I use in the Metanorn Team pic, Tajima from Oofuri. He played 3rd base (I wanted to play 3rd base aka Hot Corner), he had a high IQ for the game, isn’t really strong (my dad would pick on as a kid for being so lanky) and he was just a fun guy… who dug around other’s houses searching for porn. I wish I’d seen that anime when I was younger since it probably would’ve driven me much more to play baseball.

    Nice job Fosh! I’ll be saving some of these images, especially the Ed/Yao pic. And from Index, one of my favorite scenes in all of season 2 right here.

    • Foshizzel says:

      Yeah agreed Yui’s episode is great! It has has a great blend of laughs with the first half and then some serious moments near the end. That is probably why her episode will always stand out as something special and so emotional! I love scenes like this.

      Ah nice! That is one series I have to look up I bet you would be great at baseball! When I was six I used to play tee ball ahaha but yeah nothing really came of that I guess it was a random thing lol xDD

      Why thank you Jrow! I had fun digging up images and lol yeah lots of great pictures, oh yes! That Kuroko hahaha she was great in that episode.

  2. BlackBriar says:

    Good job on your first editorial, Fosh. In every anime, you find at least one character you can relate to and have a connection.

    A character that I can find a connection with is Seishin Muroi from Shiki. He’s very observant, quiet and someone who often dwells in his own thoughts. When he sees things happening, he seldom talks about it unless he feels it’s necessary to talk about it but will not reveal every detail because he has difficulty to trust people and keeps his emotions bottled up when he likes or dislikes something. And it always showed that he would make a life choice that no one else would make.

    Nice work with the images, Fosh, especially with the Index pictures. I don’t know which ones I like the most.

    • Foshizzel says:

      Ahaha thank you BlackBriar! I was really wanting to do an editorial for some time now glad I got to do one. Yeah lots of anime out there and soooo many characters to choose from and share connections with.

      This sounds a lot like my brother! And very nice choice I loved Shiki it was such a fun and interesting series and full of REAL vampires! Hooray!! True most people do keep their emotions to hidden away 😉

      Thanks! I have to shout out to Kyokai for that main picture set up, oh yeah I have lots of Index artwork mostly saved for future drawings.

  3. Reaper says:

    RAILGUN!!!!! Have to say it, she’s probably one of the best secondary protagonist/main character out there. Not only because she is the Electromaster (Hm, quick q, Hei the Chiense Electric Batman vs Misaka Mikoto, the Railgun? Who would win? XD), but because how she actually had to work her whole life to get to where she stands as one of the 7 Level 5. I’m pretty sure no one in the world could ever accomplish becoming a Level 7 esper and using our arms as a Railgum platform but her back story is painful (though more lighthearted than most, like the Elric brothers), with her duping leading to the deaths of 10000 clones of herself; not an easy weight to bear but she surmounts it with a little help of a certain teenage boy 🙂
    I think in these classic animes (we all know what defines the classics from the…uh, lesser anime?…), it’s not just about the story or the animation but the characters are the real attracting element to anime. Whatever the setting, characters with darker and painful backgrounds will always be related and more popular than happy-go-lucky characters because, speaking from a reviewer’s perspective, the world can be pretty painful; only a rare few really live scot-free lives but for the rest of us, our lives are brightened just that little bit by seeing characters we can relate to (though not by having murderous impulses or anything evil like that…I hope).
    Concluding this rant, I say Railgun wins, relatable characters are the best, and I’m probably going to fail my exams XD

    • Foshizzel says:

      Hell ya! Much love for Misaka! <3 Oh wow the Chinese electric batman that is awesome I never thought about that...as for who would win damn that is hard! Probably Misaka? She does have more powerful attacks unless Hei gets close then it's game over...xD

      Yep you summed up everything that is wonderful about anime ahaha we all love to find characters to love or ones we love to hate, right now Shu from Guilty Crown fits that role for lovers and haters.

      Good luck on your exams!

  4. Tofu says:

    Nawh~ I feel for ya bro ^^ and I totally know what you mean by having a favourite character not just because she or he is overpowered or good looking but likable for their development or personality. That goes for Mio on my case. Mio Akiyama ^^ Though I’m not as smart as her I do share same traits and because of that I can really understand this character which has led to me liking her so much :3 Well that’s the big reason, there’s other reasons like falling for the moe trap but let’s not talk about that too much in detail ^^ Being who you are I can tell these characters really mean a lot to you Fosh and they should mean a lot to you. Even if anime can be as ridiculous as they can get, the morals behind the shows are real ^^ Just like your family, we’re all here for ya as well mate ;D

    PS: Mio isn’t the only character I like by the way xP

    • Foshizzel says:

      Ohhh hello Tofu! -wave-

      Oh I can totally relate to your love of Mio! Trust me ahaha and yes she is great! But do you get jumpy like her? and you play bass right? No worries there she is always the fun girl to watch ;D

      Indeed! The characters in any series bring you in and then you love them forever! Thanks Tofu! I think of everyone on the interweb and Metanorn and Twitter as my second big family <3

      Ohhhh? Who else do you like?! Is it a non K-on! Character?

      • Tofu says:

        The other characters I think are more ‘likable’ characters rather than ‘relatable’ xD But of course I have other favourites! xP

        Yeah I do get jumpy like her… I can’t stand anything to do with horror (though I can take the gross stuff).

  5. Bob from Accounting says:

    Who’s going to play the honesty card and say that they found Konata Izumi to be the most relatable character in anime? Nobody yet? Looks like it’s going to be me, then. She is, you know.

    But I think relatable and inspirational characters are completely different matters. And that much more prestigious title must go to Rika Furude from Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni. I won’t say why due to major spoilers and I’m sure there are still people in the world who haven’t seen it yet, but for those who have… I’m sure you’ll agree that she’s probably the strongest character in existence if she could make it through all… ALL OF THAT.

    • Foshizzel says:

      Ooooh god I love me some Lucky Star! I wish there was more of that…and Nichijou! But yeah Konata is a great anime character and doesn’t hide the fact she loves her anime xDD

      Rika! Damn that girl went through a lot of stuff! Agreed she has some strong will power to keep going after all that stuff…I miss the good old days of Higurashi you know the ones…freaky yandere days.

  6. Overcooled says:

    Awesome editorial, Fosh! I love the personal touch as well. I feel like I learned a lot about you from reading this. I think we can all relate to the feeling of growing personally attached to a character when we see a bit of ourselves in them, or feeling inspired by a character who seems incredibly noble.

    If I had to pick one character I resonate with the most, without a doubt it would be Reki from Haibane Renmei. I’m a bit more rambunctious than her when I’m with friends, but almost everything else matches up quite well with my personality and how I care for my friends.

    • Joojoobees says:

      Wow! I was going to say Reki, too. She is my all-time favorite character. I think it is because she is so utterly broken, but remains a good person (even if she can’t see it herself). Plus I have a thing for painters.

    • Foshizzel says:

      Thanks OC! Glad you liked it, ahaha well I had to share some of my random random irl moments. Oh yes! Every season there are lots of characters we grow attached to, even if they only do one thing that makes us remember something funny from our own past xD

      One of these days I will check out Haibane Renmei! I watched maybe the first two episodes, but she sounds awesome well I bet you are great to hang out with ;D

      • Overcooled says:

        @Joojoobees: Whooaaa what an interesting coincidence! Nice to see another Haibane Renmei fan! I like how she’s still a caring person and a role model despite all of the suffering she’s been through. Once I realized that she had to deal with so many issues, i started to really respect her character. I don’t like my characters too perfect, they need a weak, human side too!

        @Fosh: I bet if you wrote about the same topic 5 years from now you’d have a completely new set of characters too. By the way, Haibane Renmei is a great anime as long as you’re patient. It’s more on the philosophical side, a la Mushi-shi or Kino no Tabi.

        If only everyone from Metanorn could hang out! I’d cook food for all of you!

        • Foshizzel says:

          True that! I bet it would be completely different I will have to store that idea for a while xD Yeah I hear good things about Haibane from a few bloggers and the usual Sccsav members, maybe ill check it out on the non updated days… I did DL all of Utena that I planned on checking out xD

          Oh! That would be amazing ahaha

  7. gavin says:

    I just love you’r site keep it up please, oh & my favourite character is AFRO SAMURAI.

  8. Amutofan123 says:

    Nice post! I love Yui so much! ;_;

    Hmmm… If I had to pick a character that I can relate to the most, I would pick Nako from Hanasaku Iroha. She acted almost exactly how I act. I can relate to almost any shy anime character, but probably to her the most. As for an inspiring anime character… probably Nagisa from Clannad. My god, I love Nagisa. She’s such a strong character.

    • Foshizzel says:

      Thank you! And yesssss Yui! <3

      Ahh very nice! I liked Nako she was great to watch at the start she was sooo quiet! I was happy to see her near the end she open up and talk more to Ohana and the others. And Nagisa oh yes she is a great character and like you said so strong 😉

  9. Moni Chan says:

    Inspiring anime characters. There is so much of them. @ least one each anime series (depending)

    Edward I’m trying to reach to you. Damn u computer screen!!!!!!!!!

  10. Namika says:

    Wow, cheezy editorial .. yummy :3 great idea !! I think the subject is fantastic, because that way, you showed the reader that anime isn’t just something that can be used to kill time. Yes, those characters really are alive, and yes, you really can get emotionally attached to a certain character.
    Personally for me, Edward is the greatest inspiration for me. I did have a very problematic period in the past, and that’s when I discovered anime through FMA. And Edward’s phrase “Stand up. Move forward. After all, you’ve got two perfect feet to stand on” literally made me cry.
    Great post, Fosh! TT^TT and sorry for getting too mushy

    • Foshizzel says:

      Fufufufu thank you! Yes anime is great for finding characters that we can relate to, and anime can be very entertaining! Not to mention we can learn a bit about our own lives to through certain characters.

      Edward! Such a fantastic character, yep that phrase is very touching <3

      No worries! Thanks again heheh

  11. Joojoobees says:

    Dude, I feel so sorry for you. I can just imagine what it was like to lose that pizza! NOOOO!

    I already mentioned Reki above, who is my all-time favorite character. If I were to have a second, it would be Kintaro, from Salaryman Kintaro. I really like the fact that he doesn’t fit in, and people think he is a delinquent because of his past, but he is just trying his best to be a good person, even when he doesn’t quite know how. Wait, all of that is true for Reki as well!

    • Foshizzel says:

      I know! I shall miss that pizza forever…why!!! T____T

      LOL that character sounds amazing I should check out Salaryman Kintaro! And the classic delinquent turned good guy I love those kinds of characters they do surprise us.

      • Joojoobees says:

        Damn, man! You haven’t watched Haibane Renmei OR Salayman Kintaro? LOL. Seriously both are great series that I watch over and over. If you like the “delinquent turned good” character, there is something special in both series.

  12. amado says:

    NOOO… it should be hinataXyurippe.
    and YAHOOO for putting mikoto in there.
    +points for putting edward in there too.

    I have a couple of characters that I relate too as well. so il name the first one I can think of: sayaka miki.

    while she is hated by many fans, she’s my fave in madoka magica. I liked how she tried to keep on being a hero even when she wasnt really that heroic. how she sacrificed a lot and gained very little. she deserves more than what the haters are saying.

    btw, im currently at a debate about mikoto vs. aizen in mangafox. and mikoto’s winning thanks to me.

    • Foshizzel says:

      I know! That is a good pairing between Hinata and Yurippe <3 Yay! More Misaka love she is very popular as always, yep Ed is always a good choice to inspire anyone.

      Ooooh!? I liked Sayaka! Even when she goes all berserk mode killing that witch, and yeah there are haters out there against her. True she did sacrifice a lot and in the end gained nothing T___T

      Misaka versus Aizen? Wow that is a hard one! Nice! I would love to see that animated...LOL we can only dream...

  13. anaaga says:

    Such a great post *sob* You have characters that impressed me during the watch of the series (except Index because I haven’t seen that), hehe

    I have yet to find a character that inspire me, unfortunately, but I’m sure I will find them as I explore the world of anime seriously, if that’s possible for me

    • Foshizzel says:

      D’awww thanks Anaaga! Glad you liked it, yeah Index season one and two are a bit meh but Railgun on the other hand! Very good minus the middle it gets kind of slice of life less super powered Misaka shooting people…Or read the mangas xD

      One day! You will 😀

  14. Kyokai says:

    Awesome Editorial as I already said before. For a character that I can relate to should be Shiki Ryougi without any surprises. I like her act of simply living even after facing so many inner and outer conflicts. I’m more positive than Shiki and didn’t make solitude my motto but there’s definitely something that resonates with me whenever I see her making choices.

    • Foshizzel says:

      Thanks! And yeah I was like hmmm I know what Kyokai would say hehehe and I finally understand why! Yay for completing the KnK movies! <3 Right I can see that very fun character and addicted to ice cream hahah.

  15. Namika says:

    Heeey~ my commet didn’t show up again TT^TT
    why does that keep happening >3<"

    • Kyokai says:

      Is your net faulty or your connection timing out after posting a comment? Pro tip: saving your comment on a notepad helps retrieving it later.

      • Namika says:

        well, I had an issue with my computer, luckily, it won’t bother me again, because I repaired it today.
        TT^TT I hate this

  16. Alynn says:

    Biri biri! I love herrr.

    But yea, I have to say that a character that really stuck with me, not exactly from the OVA per say but more from the manga was Naoto from Dogs: Bullets and Carnage.

    Oh, and Ninth from Mirai Nikki. (Again more from the manga than the anime but still.)

  17. […] Fosh: Commentors on Inspiring Anime Characters editorial […]

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