Is Re:Zero’s Subaru actively bumming you out each week?
Does Mob make you feel a bit psycho?
Maybe you feel like the male leads in all the anime you’re watching just plain suck.
Don’t despair, dear reader! Turn with me to the anime of yesteryear, and I will show you five leading male anime characters who most assuredly do not suck.
Simon The Digger – Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
During the course of Gurren Lagann, Simon goes from being a lowly digger, the butt of jokes in his small cave-dwelling tribe, to the pilot of the most badass robot in the universe and the literal savior of humankind. It’s by no means a steady uphill climb, though; he faces his share of challenges along the way. Despite experiencing heart-breaking loss, being set up as a traitor to his entire race and having someone he cares about get possessed by an alien, Simon ultimately does not lose heart. The erstwhile digger develops an indomitable spirit and frequently looks within himself to reflect and rely upon the treasured words of his mentor Kamina, “Pierce the heavens with your drill!” Did I mention he pilots the most badass robot? One time, it throws a galaxy at an enemy. A GALAXY!
Kusuriuri – Mononoke
Kusuriuri, translated Medicine Seller, catches the eye every time he is onscreen in the criminally underseen Mononoke. Originally appearing in the Bakeneko arc of Ayakashi, Kusuriuri wanders Japan exorcising spirits known as mononoke. He is as mysterious as he is beautiful and has a voice that is simultaneously alluring yet haunting. Kusuriuri’s most enduring, memorable quality, though, is just how unflappable he is. As part of his exorcism ritual, he must use detective work to deduce the truth behind the always-grizzly situations that lead to the hauntings. Some of these details would make lease men recoil, but not Kusuriuri. The consummate cool customer, the Medicine Seller remains unfazed whether he is learning dark truths of human nature or staring down a ghastly mononoke.
Gon Freecs – Hunter X Hunter (1999 and 2011)
Things can get pretty grim in both versions of the exemplary shounen title Hunter X Hunter, but you can always count on Gon’s sunny disposition, staunch determination and unflagging optimism to bring levity and heart to the proceedings. He is a preteen boy, but his intense curiosity and fierce loyalty to his friends make Gon a compelling character to follow, no matter your age. At the beginning of Gon’s life, his father Jing basically abandons him in order to pursue his own dreams as a Hunter. Rather than being mopey about this, Gon aspires to go through the grueling process of becoming a Hunter just so that he can track Jing down and give him a piece of his mind! En route to this family feud, Gon tangles with a legendarily dangerous criminal organization, breaks into the estate of the world’s most notorious family of assassins and eventually faces off against Chimera Ant monsters.
Prince Ashitaka – Princess Mononoke
Ashitaka proves his un-suckiness almost right away. The first scene of Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke features Ashitaka single-handedly defeating a stampeding boar god who’d been driven into a mad rage. In the process of slaying the beast, Ashitaka’s arm becomes marked by the evil that had taken hold of the creature. Because of this mark the prince is exiled from his tribe, and he begins to travel across the land to seek a cure and to see the world “with eyes unclouded by hate.” Ashitaka never bemoans his plight or disparages the elders who banished him. On the contrary, he exudes a quiet confidence which is deeply-rooted in his faith in his own destiny. There is a war going on in Princess Mononoke, and, though Ashitaka is a genuinely kind person who promotes understanding between the factions, he is also not afraid to take up arms for a cause he believes in. It takes a certain kind of man to debate with the gods and then also try to woo their princess.
Captain Phantom Harlock – Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, various other Leiji Matsumoto works
Captain Harlock is perhaps the most iconic character from the works of Leiji Matsumoto, an artist known for creating iconic characters. Harlock stoically sails the sea of stars aboard his magnificent ship, The Arcadia. A man of deep moral conviction, the pirate captain lives by the code blazoned on his heart and finds true fulfillment both in dwelling within the vastness of space and also in the freedom to set his own course within it. Harlock believes so strongly in his ideals that you can’t help but be moved when he speaks about them. In addition to having a clear and distinct philosophy, Harlock explores new worlds, topples oppressive regimes and can absolutely drink anyone under the table. He’s also a bit mysterious: His ship also seems to have a mind of its own, and Harlock frequently has intriguing encounters with the Leiji-verse’s fantastical beings, Maetel and Emeraldas.
There you have it, folks. Five leading male anime characters, and not a suck-er among them. The shows these fellows star in are all readily available either streaming or on disc in North American markets, so, if you haven’t seen these guys in action, you should check them out!
