original Pokemon anime is one of the most popular action-adventure series ever, made famous primarily by its main protagonists. Ash Ketchum, the resident hero of the anime, is constantly working towards his goal of becoming a true Pokémon master alongside his best friend Pikachu. Although Ash is not necessarily an actual shonen anime protagonist, he has many similar characteristics to one.
However, there are many real-life shōnen anime protagonists who have an even greater legacy than the legendary Ash. Many of these heroes have faced even greater obstacles than Ash, many of which are even more deadly. Regardless, they still rise from these situations to help their friends and work for a better world.
Gon's Character Arc is one of the most infamous
An aspiring hunter searches for his long-lost father
Hunter x Hunter is popular with many audience members and it's easy to see why. The journey of Gon Freecss, the son of the legendary yet mysterious Hunter, is one that anime fans around the world have continued to pay close attention to. Upon learning that his presumed dead parent was actually alive but remained hidden, Gon decides to follow in his Hunter father's footsteps and become a Hunter himself. Along the way, he meets several companions and enemies, including lifelong friends Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika.
Like Ash, Gon is usually happy-go-lucky, impulsive, and somewhat naive. However, while Ash never abandons his morals, fans were shocked during the shocking Chimera Ant arc when Gon became fueled by rage and grief, leading to devastating, irreversible consequences. Even if Gon emerges from this infamous arc, his legacy is forever tarnished by his display of violence, a sight that even leaves Killua shocked. Gon is certainly one of the most complex shōnen anime heroes in history, due to his contrasting cheerfulness and capacity for brutality.
Ichigo Kurosaki navigates the world of Soul Reapers
A young man forced to work with his spirit-bound abilities
Stories of individuals with the ability to see spirits and even communicate with them are common, yet Tite Kubo Bleach is easily the most famous manga with this theme. Teenager Ichigo Kurosaki was born with the ability to converse with the many ghosts roaming his hometown, and even though he hates this skill, he still feels the need to help them. When Ichigo meets the powerful Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki, he accidentally gains her powers and must defeat corrupted spirits, or Hollows, in her place. Thanks to this, Ichigo can protect both the living and innocent souls trying to enter the afterlife.
While Ash longed for the role of Pokemon trainer, Ichigo initially wanted nothing to do with becoming a Soul Reaper. However, Ichigo also has a strong sense of justice and is definitely not the type to leave someone in need behind. Thus, Ichigo will not only become a great ally of the people in the human world and Soul Society, but also a born leader. Currently, the final arc of Ichigo's story is premiering through the anime sequel Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.
Edward Elric discovers that his fate is intertwined with the world's own fate
Fullmetal Alchemist tries to correct a devastating mistake
In a world where alchemy is part of everyday life for many, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric make the mistake of ignoring the laws of alchemy and attempt to resurrect their deceased mother. When their experiment goes awry, Ed loses a leg while Al's entire physical form disintegrates before his older brother's eyes. Despite the excruciating pain of losing one of his limbs, Ed gives up one of his arms in exchange for saving his brother's soul and binds it to the armor. Once he recovers, Ed becomes famous among the officers in his country's military as the youngest State Alchemist in history, known by his codename “Fullmetal Alchemist” due to his steel prosthetic limbs.
Unlike Ash, who longed for a life full of adventure, Ed only wishes to return to his peaceful life from before. However, the Full Metal Alchemist and his brother are forced to hone their alchemy skills (a craft they only practiced to please their mother) to learn more about the vast realm of alchemy in hopes of finding a way to restore their original bodies. Ed is a very independent character who prefers to work only with his brother and other allies when necessary, but he soon realizes that he will have to work with many others to save his loved ones and the world. Every character in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodincluding Edward, is extremely complex, making it one of the most famous shōnen anime in history.
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Luffy will never give up on his dream
The captain of the Straw Pirates has a strong sense of justice
On his deathbed, the famous pirate Gol D. Roger declares that his legendary treasure, known as One Piece, is up for grabs, but gives no details about what the treasure is or where it is. So thousands of pirates take to the seas to find the legendary One Piece, because whoever finds it will become the new pirate king. One hope is teenager Luffy D. Monkey, an endlessly enthusiastic pirate who is also working to expand his crew, the Straw Pirates. Although he appears to be a relatively normal young man, Luffy gained supernatural powers years ago by eating a Devil Fruit.
Although now unable to swim, Luffy's body now has the same properties as rubber, making him immune to electricity and able to stretch his body in inhuman ways. Over time, Luffy is able to gain even more extraordinary abilities, making him one of the most powerful shōnen anime heroes in history. The story of Luffy and his companions is celebrated worldwide One piece best selling manga today. Luffy's optimism, loyalty, and pursuit of freedom for everyone have made him such a beloved character since his debut in the late 1990s.
Naruto has inspired countless anime fans around the world
A despised Ninja works towards his goal of becoming Hokage
Throughout the narrative of the original Pokemon Anime, Ash always has a wide variety of characters, from Professor Oak to his friends who support him on his journey. In contrast, Naruto Uzumaki's peers often doubted his abilities. In the beginning Narutois the titular hero surrounded by classmates who mostly annoy him and adults who deliberately ignore him. Unbeknownst to the young ninja until the age of twelve, the spirit of the terrifying fox Kurama was sealed within him as a newborn. Despite having powers that made those around him cruel, Naruto still wants to become the Hokage in hopes of finally belonging.
Although his teammates, Sakura and Sasuke, do not have much faith in his abilities, Naruto never gives up on his allies or his loved ones. His optimism and loyalty to his dream eventually wins over those around him, even those who initially saw him as a nuisance or even an enemy to be defeated. As the series continues and friendships are tested and even destroyed, Naruto never abandons his devotion to those he cares about, even when they stray from the hero's path. All of these elements combined, as well as his extraordinary abilities, have made Naruto one of the most, if not the most, respected anime heroes in history.
Pokemon
- Release date
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1997–2023
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- directors
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Shigeru Omachi, Koji Ogawa, Fumihiro Ueno, Hideki Hiroshima, Maki Kodaira, Makoto Ooga, Ayumi Moriyama, Keitaro Motonaga, Shigeru Ueda, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Minoru Ohara, Yoshitaka Makino, Kiyoshi Na Egami, Makoto Keni, Heoki Ken Nishida, Tomoe Makino, Masahiko Watanabe, Hiroaki Takagi, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Ryohei Horiuchi, Yoshihiro Oda, Hiromichi Matano
- Writers
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Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hideki Sonoda, Yukiyoshi Ôhashi, Yuka Miyata, Takeshi Shudo, Shouji Yonemura, Shinzo Fujita, Michihiro Tsuchiya, Deko Akao, Reiko Yoshida, Aya Matsui, Junichi Fujisaku
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Rica Matsumoto
satoshi (voice)
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Ikue Otani
Pikachu (voice)
