Ask John: Which Anime Characters From the Last 5 Years May Become Iconic?

Question:

While roaming online, I found the question, “What are some anime characters that will be fondly remembered years from now? You know, characters like Char, Lupin, Minmay, Astro Boy, etc.” I thought the question was intriguing and wanted to address it myself.

Answer:
Most of the iconic characters that have come to represent and typify anime are characters that either broke ground or represent a memorable first of some sort. Tetsuwan Atom introduced the concept of the friendly anime robot. Lupin III was the first popular adult anime character oriented toward adult viewers. (Strictly speaking, Lupin wasn’t anime’s first adult character created for adult viewers, but he was the first to gain widespread popularity.) Char was anime’s first charismatic and suave villain. Lynn Minmei was the first of many anime idol singers. Kenshiro combined the charismatic masculinity of Bruce Lee with the a sense of Buddhist restraint. Son Goku serves as Japan’s Superman – the Japanese ideal of the physical and psychological ultimate humanity: superhuman strength tempered with goon natured innocence. Totoro is a rare non-human icon that represents the charm and wonderment potential to anime.

If iconic anime characters are often connected to firsts, how many more truly iconic characters can we expect? Anime continues to evolve and innovate, but most character archetypes have already been introduced. Anime now is far more about innovation, alteration, and updating than entirely new introductions. Fifteen years ago Sakura Kinomoto, Spike Spiegel, and Vash the Stampede premiered in anime. These characters are certainly fondly remembered, but they’re remembered more as mile markers for generations of anime fans than for their contributions to the development of anime itself.

No single person can predict what characters popular culture will collectively decide to remember, respect, and refer to ten or fifteen or more years from now, but guessing is fun. One character seems like a certain candidate. Other contemporaries seem less certain.

Without doubt, Suzumiya Haruhi has carved out a place for herself in the annals of anime history. School girls have been commonplace in anime for decades, but Suzumiya Haruhi is literally the god of schoolgirls. With the innate ability to recreate the world to match her whims, Suzumiya Haruhi is the ultimate anime school girl. She’s a character that literally demands respect and attention. Certainly even ten or fifteen years from now, anime otaku will still vividly remember Suzumiya Haruhi. She’ll still be a relevant marker and reference point for anime discussion, homage, and parody.

Just a few years ago, most of the international anime otaku community seemed willing to devote itself exclusively to Konata Izumi. However, Lucky Star has dimmed a bit with time, and otaku have turned their wandering eyes to other women. Konata seems to have the potential to become a beloved female otaku character, but only time will tell if she manages to sustain her regard of if she’ll continue to decline into future obscurity.

Fate/stay night’s Saber will never become a breakout, mainstream cross-over icon like Astro Boy, Totoro, or Sailor Moon, but she does have the potential to remain a perennial fan favorite character. She’s already based on an established heroic archetype; her tsundere personality allows her to appeal to a wide variety of fans; and her ability to transcend timeliness further contributes to her ability to always be current and relevant.

Non-human characters to achieve lasting anime celebrity are uncommon. Totoro and Keroro Gunso have certainly achieved that status, but since 2006 the only such character that might be able to reach that coveted plateau may be Madoka Magica’s Kyubey. A strikingly simple but unmistakable design, and the fact that he’s the first of countless anime mascot characters that’s not outright evil but also not entirely sympathetic and supportive of the heroine makes him unique and highly memorable. The Madoka Magica anime itself will certainly become an iconic reference point in anime discussion for years to come, but Kyubey may become a more singularly memorable character from the show than any of the title’s human characters.

Unfortunately, from roughly 2008 until 2010, Fireball’s Drossel von Flügel seemed to steadily build the sort of cult appeal that could cement her position as a memorable, iconic figure. However, the grossly disappointing Fireball Charming series in 2011 seems to have thrown a big wet blanket on fan enthusiasm for Drossel. The Fireball anime became a cult sensation because it was so witty and sarcastically hilarious. The 2011 sequel series, however, upped the animation quality significantly while failing to maintain the elevated humor that made the show so popular in the first place.

Some anime culture icons actually don’t originate in anime, or their fame doesn’t issue from their anime. Golgo 13 may be the best example of this situation. Duke Togo was a timeless celebrity to otaku decades before he ever appeared in anime. Hatsune Miku is the same. Premiering in 2007 yet still never appearing in any conventional anime adaptation, the vocaloid Hatsune Miku has earned a lasting place of honor in the minds of otaku. Even as she is surpassed by more technologically advanced decendants, her iconic favored position in the minds of otaku will never be forgotten nor supplanted.