T5 Anime Characters I Relate to Most

To make my header image, I googled “relatable anime character” and picked the first four images…

I wrote a post about relatability in anime not that long ago and how I ended up surprising myself with my views on the subject. And so for the first time, I started really thinking about which anime characters I relate to the most. These are not necessarily anime characters that are objectively similar to me in any way, just anime characters who see to think and act a bit like I would under those circumstances.

I’m a bit of a dork and really rather boring so it wasn’t easy to find 5 characters to relate to. If I really think about it, I simply wouldn’t make a very good anime character at all so I had to dig deep for this list.

Here are 5 anime characters I happen to relate to and why:

5. Tsuna from Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

I know, I know… I’m starting off with a really obvious choice here!

But really, Tsuna, (and let’s be clear I’m talking about every day unassuming high school student Tsuna, not in his cool power up boss form, I have nothing in common with that guy.. ) is just a very normal kid. He’s unimpressive but he tries. The extent of his ambition is just to not screw up too badly and not be killed. Or have any of his friends killed. All very reasonable expectations indeed that I happen to share.

Yet he constantly gets all this responsibility and implied power heaped onto him which he has very little clue what to do with or how to even properly enjoy. Boy have I been there. It’s weird when you have no desire or ability to lead and yet people still want you to for some incomprehensible reason.

4. Ippo Hajime no Ippo

I really connected with Ippo’s generally understated optimism and his ungraceful approach but earnest approach. Ippo just basically wants people to be happy. That’s about it. Nothing fancy. And when boxing, he has a very direct style. His footwork isn’t too fancy, he’s not very big or all that strong and he’s kind of slow. His biggest strength is that he’s resilient so he has learned to just take a punch really well rather than avoid them or KO people in the first round.

I’m like that too. I go with the flow. I’m not going to try to reinvent the wheel. If I can do something, even if it’s not the most efficient or impressive way to go about it, I’ll just figure out the best way to use what I got and stubbornly try until it works. It’s not a very exciting way to go about things but then again, I’m not that exciting a person.

3. Chiyo – Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun

My previous two choices had a lot in common with me but they did lack my sarcasm. I’m not as pure or nice as either of those boys. Once in a while, I do wonder what the heck people around me are doing and I can have a bit of fun now and then.

This is where Chiyo comes in. The straight man f the series but able to take in and appreciate the wackiness around her even if it does get a bit much now and then. I also would totally fall for a huge dork that was too oblivious to get what was happening and entirely devote myself to them. That just sounds exactly like something I would do!

2. Kumiko – Sound! Euphonium

I already went into detail of exactly how similar I am in temperament to Kumiko. Or to be more accurate, how similar I was to her at that age. I have to say with time I’ve grown calmer and for lack of a better word, happier…

Now I laugh a lot. A whole lot. And I find a lot of joy and humour in most things. I’m no longer the type to get myself too down about any given situation. But when I was younger I was a lot more timid and uneasy like Kumiko is.

1. Miss Kobayashi

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. For better or for worse, Miss Kobayashi is my anime avatar that doesn’t look much like me. I am just a tad more wacky and playful than she is but not that much. Otherwise, the even keel and adhesion to routine are entirely me right down to the spikes of unrestrained passion for certain subjects.

Let’s forget that Valentines days special when she was drooling over her kid, that is not me. I likes them mature. But for everything else, I could play the character without a script. Just drop me in one of the episodes and I’ll do what comes naturally, no one will be able to tell the difference. Except maybe Tohru. I mean if I just have one day, I’m going to take advantage of it… Miss Kobayashi would too!

Let’s be clear, all these characters are still way cooler than me. Out of curiosity, I looked it up and only one of these characters shares an astrological sign with me. Not sure what I was trying to prove but if there had been more In would have been all whoaaaa….

While trying to put together this list, I kept thinking of characters that had some traits in common with me but I ended up saying thinking I wish I was like that character a whole lot. Maybe I should do a list like that next. Characters I wish I was like. There are hundreds…. Do you have an anime character you particularly relate to?