However, from time to time it’s possible to catch a cheeky little American mixed into the cast. We already covered some of our favorite gaijin characters, but what about the good ol’ US of A? Well for this list we’ll be ranking some of the most American characters in all of anime. And for this list I’ll be including American citizens in anime, along with characters who fit the spirit of America to a tee. I can already hear the Star-Spangled Banner in the distance.
12. Bandit Keith (Keith Howard)
Anime: Yu-Gi-Oh! If we’re talking about likability, this dude is at the bottom. But if we’re talking about being American, this dude won’t shut up about it. It’s basically a meme in the abridged version. In case the bandana wasn’t enough, he insists to constantly remind his opponents of his glorious heritage and how he’s the best. Wait, is that from the regular or the abridged version? Well either way he still gets wiped clean in a children’s card game by a child… ‘Murica!
11. Angela Burton
Anime: Genshiken Angela is a woman of culture. Consider this: it doesn’t matter whether a doujin centers around guys or girls, if you hand her a doujin, she is bound to enjoy herself. You also just have to admire her endurance. I mean, it’s no secret that being a cosplayer takes a lot of time, patience, and the nerves of a saint when you have to stand in one position for hours on end. And yet Angela does it all so effortlessly that you just can’t help but give her a mental applause.
10. Five
Anime: Terror in Resonance It’s hard to tell whether Five is biologically American, since her childhood and origin are pretty much a blur. However she does work with the FBI, so I think she qualifies. She’s initially set up as a villain, and a terrifying one at that. But we soon learn that her circumstances were anything but pleasant. Carrying a lot of trauma on her shoulders, she’s barely able to keep it together and does end up losing to the dynamic terrorist duo in the end. Some might hate her because she’s a bit psychotic. But if you take what we know about her past into account, I think she can’t really be blamed for it.
9. All Might
Anime: My Hero Academia Put down your pitchforks, I know he isn’t really an American… but man does he carry that US spirit. For one, his costume (especially in his golden age) is as Superman-esque as you can get. And the fact that he names all his moves after countries in the US only further emphasizes what a westaboo he is. He even went to America in his youth, so it’s not like he had no contacts with their culture. Add his blonde hair and blue eyes to the mix and you can understand why Endeavor even refers to him as “the American” at one point.
8. Patricia Martin
Anime: Lucky Star It’s impossible not to love Patty. Because Patty is all of us at heart. She’s a girl from the US who just really loved anime, to the point of doing what we all thought about doing at one point: learning Japanese. However, since she did learn it through anime, her vocabulary is a bit odd. And the fact that she has an accent can easily point her out as the foreigner. But who cares! She’s so full of energy and cultural assumptions that tend to be wrong, I say nothing can stop her!
7. Michelle K. Davis
Anime: Terra Formars You often hear about the “strong independent woman who doesn’t need no man” character in American movies and shows. Well here she is, in anime form. Michelle is a gorgeous busty badass with abs that you can shred cheese on, who isn’t afraid of getting down and dirty. And by “not afraid” I of course mean, if she’s coming towards you, be very afraid. As she will knock out your teeth and make your entire body explode like you were a side-villain in Fist of the North Star. To clarify, besides being extremely strong and skillful, she also has ant powers. I know, she’s perfect.
6. Franky
Anime: One Piece Franky falls under the same category as All Might. Although he’s not technically American, he’s beyond American. It’s like if you took every American stereotype and then just crammed them into a character concept. The man literally gains powers from drinking Coke, wears a Hawaiian shirt like it was his uniform, and is really obsessed with stupidly big guns. He’s so manly and yet so ridiculously sensitive that it’s hard not to love the guy, even though he was kind of a jerk when he was introduced.
5. Eda
Anime: Black Lagoon For a while I felt that everyone in Black Lagoon had a gun. And that opinion was definitely cemented when I saw Eda, a nun, pull out a firearm without the slightest hesitation. Spoiler alert here: she’s just posing to be a nun and actually works for the CIA. And I don’t know if it’s just me, but when I hear “undercover nun operative with a strong personality and a license to kill”, I just can’t help but think of America.
4. America
Anime: Hetalia Axis Powers I mean, if we’re talking about American-ness, you can’t really beat a guy who’s literally the representation of the entire country. As a character he really likes taking the leading role. And then subsequently telling everyone to sacrifice themselves so that he can be the hero. He’s really into superheroes, video games, and doing an All Might laugh. It’s also worth mentioning that he’s one of the few characters not afraid of Russia.
3. Susanna Hopkins
Anime: Genshiken Susanna falls under a similar umbrella as Patty, being that she’s a total weeb and has decided to only communicate through anime and manga references. And if quoting anime and manga when it’s really inappropriate wasn’t enough, she also has the vocal cords of a mid-sized jet engine. So it’s guaranteed everyone is going to hear her. She’s also incredibly kind towards her friends and will shower them in compliments and waifu titles, making her even closer to her real world audience.
2. Graham Aker
Anime: Mobile Suit Gundam 00 I have so many mixed feelings about Graham. It’s like, I know he’s the antagonist, but on the other hand I kind of get where he’s coming from. He was initially the best pilot on Earth, easily winning every battle. But the second the Gundams came that all changed. He lost a lot of his friends and superiors to the Gundams, and kind of lost his way; changing his name and devoting his life to defeating this new enemy. He’s a bit insane on the battlefield though, which scares me sometimes. Just a little.
1. Joseph Joestar
Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Battle Tendencies / Stardust Crusaders) To me, Joseph Joestar is arguably one of the best characters on the show, and in all of anime. In Battle Tendencies he’s an absurd character, knocking out soldiers through the power of cross-dressing and tequila. While in Stardust Crusaders he’s that lovable grandpa that occasionally curses in English and makes everyone laugh. The dude is still competent and strong, but I just love the fact that he will act like a master strategist even though he won by pure chance, just so that he can annoy his opponent… I can both relate to and respect that.
