10 anime creators and their favorite characters in their own show
Have you ever wondered if the anime creators of your most beloved shows have any favorite characters they designed? Like any artist, anime creators obviously feel proud and love all of the characters they have created over the years. But there is always one that is going to have a special place in an artist's heart.
Maybe it has something to do with the person they base the character around or just because they feel proud of how their creation turned out. Every anime creator, unwillingly or not, has their own favorite character, even inside the worlds they created.
So, in this list, we will talk about 10 anime creators and the characters they like the most inside the series they brought to life.
Disclaimer: This list was created using Ranker and other websites as references.
Who are the favorite characters of your most beloved anime creators?
1) Akira Toriyama - Goku (Dragon Ball)
Anime would not be the same without the existence of Dragon Ball. The characters, plot, and powers developed by anime creator Akira Toriyama have inspired countless individuals around the world. Every anime fan has at least a few favorite characters from this franchise.
Toriyama himself is similar to fans in this regard, as he has talked about how fond he is of Goku and Piccolo in past interviews. Unlike many other anime creators who have not spoken about the topic, Toriyama is not afraid to admit he quite dislikes Vegeta, but recognizes that he is useful at times.
2) Gege Akutami – Nanami Kento (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most successful shows to be released in recent years. The show tells the story of a young man, Yuji Itadori, who is enrolled in a Sorcerer Academy after ingesting a finger cursed by an ancient evil.
The series has many characters with amazing designs, personalities, and powers that fans cannot get enough of, which makes it hard to choose their favorite characters.
But there is one that creator Gege Akutami loves above all else, Nanami Kento. In an interview with a French newspaper, the anime creator said that this is his favorite character in all of Jujutsu Kaisen because he is the first one he developed all on his own.
3) Tite Kubo – Rangiku/Yoruichi/Kon (Bleach)
When thinking about iconic anime, Bleach is one of the first ones that comes to mind. For decades, this show has been a part of many people’s childhood and teenage years. With so many amazing individuals in the franchise, most fans will likely have trouble choosing just one to be their favorite.
This is also the case for anime creator Tite Kubo, the author of Bleach. He has stated before, in a Comic-Con interview, that he has three favorite characters. Kubo loves Rangaku and Yoruichi because they are confident and do not let other’s opinions affect them. He has also proclaimed his love for Kon, saying he would love to trade places with the stuffed bear to be loved by everyone.
4) Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata – L (Death Note)
The debate between L and Kira fans is something that will always be a part of the Death Note fandom. Both characters have a massive amount of fans who claim that their favorite is better than the other. Sadly for Light fans, the anime creators behind Death Note are both on L’s side.
The writer for the series Tsugumi Ohba has stated before that L is his favorite because he is the strongest human character in the series, besides Light. Meanwhile, the artist Takeshi Obata loves everything about L, from his design to his personality. He said in the past that he would not have been able to create L alone, which makes him feel even more special to him.
5) Yuki Tabata – Charmy (Black Clover)
Another recent series that quickly became a fan-favorite, Black Clover. While most fans feel a deep connection with the protagonist of the series, Asta, this does not seem to be the case for the anime creator who worked on developing this amazing series.
Yuki Tabata has previously claimed that Charmy, a little dwarf-human hybrid who loves to eat, was created with his wife’s personality in mind. He loves being able to portray his wife in a manga of his own creation, which is why Charmy is his favorite.
6) Shinichiro Watanabe – Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)
The concept of a space cowboy does not sound that appealing at first to most people. But Shinichiro Watanabe, the anime creator of the beloved series Cowboy Bebop, was able to make it work somehow. The series has been a part of millions of fans’ lives for decades, thanks to its incredible plot, charming characters and alluring aesthetic.
Fans of the series who love protagonist Spike Spiegel will be elated to learn that the author shares their affection for the character. While he does not give a specific reason as to why he loves Spike, no one can blame him for choosing such an interesting individual as his favorite.
7) Hajime Isayama – Reiner Braun (Attack on Titan)
Although the end of the series caused a lot of controversy inside the fanbase, no one can deny that Attack on Titan is one of the most popular anime of the past few years. With a cast so unique and complex, it is no wonder that fans of the show have a hard time deciding which one is their favorite character.
Nonetheless, the creator of the franchise, Hajime Isayama, does know who his favorite cast members are. He has stated before that while he loved Jean when the series started, by the end his preferred character was Reiner. He did not give any more details about this declaration, but fans of Reiner will probably know why he chose him.
8) Masashi Kishimoto – Killer Bee/Choji (Naruto)
No anime fan can talk about their favorite characters without at least mentioning one from the worldwide hit series Naruto. The world created by Masashi Kishimoto has an abundance of amazing, charming, and powerful Shinobi that fans everywhere hold dear to their hearts.
For this anime creator, the question of who his favorite is a complicated one. When it comes to female characters, he prefers not to make a comment because he thinks it would be weird. But he had no problem revealing that his favorite characters amongst the men in the seires are the lovable Choji Akimichi and the energetic Killer Bee.
9) Boichi and Riichiro Inagaki – Kohaku (Dr. Stone)
Having an anime protagonist whose powers center around science and not fighting is a weird occurrence. Still, the creators of the acclaimed Dr. Stone know exactly how to make this premise work. Fans love the series for its original concept and the hilarious and delightful characters that inhabit its world.
Boichi, the artist for the manga, has made it clear that his one true love inside the show is Kohaku, going as far as to say he would love to inly draw her. The writer for the series, Riichiro Inagaki, has not made any comments about his favorite character, although he appears to agree with his colleague.
10) Eiichiro Oda – Gaimon (One Piece)
Luffy and his friends need no introduction, considering they are part of one of the most successful series in the world. The Straw Hat Pirates, as well as their allies and enemies, are amazing characters in their own right, which makes it hard for fans to choose a single one as their favorite.
You would expect the man who brought this world to life, anime creator Eiichiro Oda, to have a similar problem when talking about his favorite character. Oddly enough, Oda not only knew who his favorite character was, he also chose one of the weirdest ones, the trapped former pirate Gaimon.
Oda loves the idea of Gaimon spending 20 years inside a treasure chest for his past greed. Nevertheless, it is still unclear if what he said is true or was just a joke he made on the spot.
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Shreya Das