5 best running gags in anime (& 5 that got real old, real quick)

Running gags in anime are common because they allow for a lot of character development while also giving each series a distinct identity. Many anime characters, particularly those belonging to the shonen and shojo genres, are associated with quirky running gags that have become a part of their respective series, as well as their own individual arcs.

Some of these gags have worked well in terms of execution, comedic purpose, and story timing, while others have aged over time, as evidenced by some of the examples in this list. Nonetheless, they all have something for each viewer, eliciting laughter in many cases or annoyance in others.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for all the series on this list. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

5 best running gags in anime

1. Joseph Joestar’s predictions (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

The predictions of Joseph never get old (Image via David Production).

When it comes to running gags in anime, very few work as well as Joseph Joestar's predictions in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The second part of the series, Battle Tendency, features the most comedic elements of the franchise, and Joseph is the focal point of that, which is why he appears in so many iconic scenes.

The running joke involving Joseph is that he can predict what a person is going to say before it happens, with him stating, "Your next line is going to be...". It is one of the best running gags in anime, to the point that author Hirohiko Araki did a little moment of fanservice by adding the prediction once again when an older Joseph faced the Stand Empress in the third part of the anime, Stardust Crusaders.

2. Rukia's art (Bleach)

One of the most underrated running gags in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot).

People may not associate Tite Kubo's series with running gags because of Bleach's serious tone. However, the series does consist of a consistent running joke in the form of Rukia Kuchiki's drawings.

Rukia is usually a very straightforward character when it comes to voicing her opinions and teaching Ichigo Kurosaki the ways of being a Shinigami, but when she tries to explain things through drawings, the results are not very good. The most important aspect of the gag is Rukia's belief that she is an amazing artist, which adds to the levity of her character.

3. Hinata's bathroom luck (Haikyuu!!)

One of the best running gags in anime (Image via Production I.G.).

Shoyo Hinata might be one of the most underrated protagonists in the shonen genre, with one of the best running gags in anime, his bathroom luck. Whenever he goes to the washroom prior to a big game, Hinata always seems to run into players from the opposing team.

A running gag that has been going on since the beginning of Haikyuu!!, it led him to meet Tobio Kageyama, who later became his best friend and teammate at Karasuno High. Encounters with other players, such as Seijoh's Toru Oikawa and Shiratorizawa's Wakatoshi Ushijima, were also possible thanks to Hinata's bathroom luck.

4. Maki Shijo's inconsistency (Kaguya-sama: Love is War)

Another one of those underrated running gags in anime (Image via A-1 Pictures).

Because it is a romantic comedy, Kaguya-sama has some of the best running gags in anime. One involves Maki Shijo, an underappreciated character who initially appeared in the background while sobbing because her best friend and the boy she liked were dating, which happened because Kaguya advised the friend in question.

As the story progresses, Maki is introduced and revealed to be a nephew of Kaguya, sporting some of her demeanor and traits. The running gag with Maki is that she is very inconsistent, with her one minute saying something and then revealing her true feelings when pushed a bit, which never gets old and always makes fans laugh.

5. Katsura's name (Gintama)

Gintama has some of the best running gags in anime (Image via Sunrise).

Unquestionably, Gintama, perhaps the most popular and successful comedy franchise in the industry, features a wide variety of anime gags that are among the best. However, the notorious rebel Katsura is definitely the winner in that category.

Katsura is constantly called Zura by some of his comrades, which irritates him throughout the series, as he constantly reminds people of his actual name. There have been numerous instances in Gintama where his name has been made fun of, and it's still funny four hundred episodes in.

5 running gags in anime that quickly became tedious

1. Sanji’s lust for women (One Piece)

One of the most frustrating running gags in anime (Image via Toei Animation).

Many of the recurring gags in One Piece's anime have grown stale over time, like Usopp becoming a coward after overcoming it in a previous arc or Zoro getting lost. But the one that annoys fans the most is usually Sanji's infatuation with women, which frequently damages the character's reputation among the fandom.

Sanji's habit of lusting for women has become a lot more prominent throughout the series, rubbing people the wrong way in the New World segment, with him being actively out for most of the Fishman Island arc because of a nosebleed he got from watching mermaids. A portion of the fanbase feels that this tendency of his has diminished the character's worth over time.

2. Katsuki Bakugo's yelling and insulting (My Hero Academia)

One of the most annoying running gags in anime (Image via Bones).

Katsuki Bakugo is a polarizing character in My Hero Academia, and that is because of how his arc and development were handled by Kohei Horikoshi. At the beginning of the story, he is introduced as Deku's bully. Bakugo was generally rude and mean-spirited to the people around him, constantly yelling and insulting anyone who talked to him, even with the best of intentions.

Horikoshi attempted to develop Bakugo and make him a nicer person throughout the series, but his antics of screaming and demeaning those around him persisted. However, it was now portrayed as comedic, despite the fact that he continued to insult and mistreat Deku whenever he had the opportunity, albeit not as maliciously as before.

Redemption arcs are great, but they must first change the character's attitude and treatment of others, which Horikoshi failed to do with Bakugo.

3. Denji's degeneracy (Chainsaw Man)

One of the most frustrating running gags in anime (Image via MAPPA).

While some may compare this gag to Sanji's in One Piece, the main difference is that certain situations play a significant role in Denji's character development. Sanji's lust for women is one of those running gags in anime that rarely affects the plot, but Denji's case is unique in that it demonstrates a significant regression of his character.

During the first part of Chainsaw Man, one of Denji's biggest goals is to be with a girl, particularly Makima from Public Safety. However, as she is revealed to be the Control Devil, she makes Denji's life a living hell and kills several of her close friends simply because she can.

The first part of the series ends with a more mature Denji, who seems to understand the error of his ways and tries to comprehend where he went wrong. But once the second part rolls around, he falls back into the same pattern of groveling for women's approval, thus making this one of the most frustrating running gags in anime.

4. Hinata's stalking (Naruto)

One of those running gags in anime that look worse in hindsight (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Hinata has one of the strangest running gags in anime, as she constantly stalks Naruto and struggles to communicate with him. Her relationship with the titular protagonist of the show is one of the most controversial elements of the entire franchise because of how little development it got and how it seemed so artificial to a lot of fans.

While these two characters were shipped from the moment it was revealed that Hinata had feelings for Naruto, author Masashi Kishimoto never developed their relationship, making their marriage at the end of the original series even more bizarre from a storytelling standpoint.

While Hinata's shyness was endearing when she was first introduced, it soon became bothersome to many fans because she never moved on from it and never made a genuine effort to talk to the boy she was interested in, making her relationship with him feel unearned.

5. Gauche and his obsession with his sister Marie (Black Clover)

Another one of those annoying running gags in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot).

While the majority of Black Bulls in the Black Clover series are highly likable, Gauche Adlai is by far the most disliked member of that group. This is because he has a very unhealthy obsession with his sister, Marie, who is one of those running gags in anime that never truly worked.

Although Black Clover is not the first series to feature this trope, its popularity among mainstream audiences makes it one of the most well-known examples. Gauche can also be very selfish and mean-spirited to many of his teammates, even if he comes through in the end.

Also read: 10 most disliked Black Clover characters

Final thoughts

There are a lot more running gags in anime, but these are some of the more popular when it comes to the mainstream. Some of these gags are also classic tropes of the medium, which is something that a lot of people may like or dislike depending on their point of view.

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