A few weeks ago, I read a blog post over at Merlin’s Musings. It was titled The Ten Anime Characters I am Most Similar To. I thought that was a great idea for a post. It promotes introspection and also provides an opportunity for self-expression. Moreover, it’s possible that readers will get to know you better if they understand what characters speak to you.
Needless to say, I decided to do the same style of article, highlighting ten anime characters who most reflect me and what I admire. Credit for the idea goes to Merlin. My list is in alphabetical order, because ranking them according to favorites would be too difficult for me. (I struggle with the concept of favorites and ranking things.) I also decided to include the MBTI type for each character. Anyway, here is my list, along with detailed notes for each entry. Key traits of the characters (and of myself) are noted in bold text.
Article Contents
- Akane Tsunemori
- Anthy Himemiya
- Ayumu “Osaka” Kasuga
- Chise Hatori
- Haruhi Fujioka
- Homura Akemi
- Kobayashi
- Lain Iwakura
- Miwa Kasumi
- Saki Watanabe
- Runner Up: Yuki Sohma
Akane Tsunemori
From: Psycho Pass
Personality Type: INFJ
It’s not easy to be a law enforcement officer in a sci-fi dystopia, but that’s the job Akane chose for herself. This dystopia is ruled by an entity called the Sybil System, which administers a problematic kind of “justice.” Akane possesses strong morals, so it seems at first that her idealism will crush her in the face of cold reality. But Akane is tougher than she looks. She always perserveres and stays true to her core self.
When it comes to Akane, it’s probably true that I admire her more than I am similar to her – at least for now. Akane is hard-working, driven, and passionate. In comparison, the current iteration of “me” lacks strong motivation and work ethic. I was definitely more like Akane in college, when I had a passionate drive to get things done and serve the world for the better. There also are other things I admire about Akane but don’t necessarily have myself – such as high intelligence, courage, and an endearing sort of natural charisma.
Despite these differences, there are some traits that Akane and I still share. For one thing, we are both stubborn and determined. Once Akane has made up her mind, almost nothing can change it. I’m much the same. Additionally, Akane and I share a strong sense of justice. However, we accept that we live in a world that forces us to compromise. We know what we think is right, and the systems at play are far from that. But we believe in working within the system to change it rather than trying to destroy the system completely.
Anthy Himemiya
From: Revolutionary Girl Utena (anime) and Adolescence of Utena (movie)
Personality Type: INFJ
Anthy is a quiet, introverted girl who loves to tend rose gardens and gets along well with animals. The story of Revolutionary Girl Utena is largely about Anthy’s journey to be free from a magical but abusive cycle of duels. However, for most of the anime series, Anthy has no desire to free herself, thoroughly believing she is meant to be a puppet in the cycle forever. Thinking of herself as a heartless witch, Anthy functions as an antagonist for many key parts of the anime, betraying Utena to serve her evil brother, Akio.
At the end of the series, thanks to Utena’s love, Anthy finally makes the decision to live her own life. She leaves her abusive brother in search of a world where she can win Utena back. This is where the sequel movie starts: Adolescence of Utena. In a slightly different iteration of the same isolated world, Anthy and Utena reconnect and fall in love again. This time, they both escape Akio’s world for good.
So, what do I have in common with Anthy? In terms of personality, we are both INFJs who also love gardens, animals, and quiet time. We also share the trait of being bisexual. Anthy definitely had evil moments, and throughout my journey toward mental wellness, I likewise hurt and betrayed others. I can be cruel and petty. Much like Anthy, I have identity issues and often view myself as innately sinful. I always blame myself for everything.
The good news is that I’m more like the movie version of Anthy now. I grew up in a very isolated, abusive environment, so I strongly empathize with Anthy’s struggle to escape Akio’s restrictive world. Regardless of my doubts and fears, I also made the decision to break free and live for myself, accepting the support of those who love me for who I am.
Ayumu “Osaka” Kasuga
From: Azumanga Daioh
Personality Type: INTP / INFP
Little miss Kasuga, AKA Osaka, is a character from the school slice-of-life comedy, Azumanga Daioh. There are so many good and memorable characters in that goofy anime, but the one who’s most like me is definitely Osaka. She’s incredibly spacey, oblivious, clumsy, and zoned out at all times. I am typically the same in social situations, or anywhere outside of my home.
Osaka’s focusing issues are severe, and she sometimes has trouble keeping up with basic conversation because of it. Many other Osaka fans have head-cannoned her as neurodivergent in some way, whether it’s Attention Deficit, Autism, a Dissociative Disorder, or all of the above. And much like Osaka, I am neurodivergent with a number of different diagnoses and suspicions of others still. (At a certain point, you start pursuing only the labels that help you, because there are so many options that match you.)
The best thing about Osaka is her wild and random imagination. I also have a pretty insane imagination. It’s one of the few positive character traits I can take credit for with relative confidence. I don’t know if I’m as funny as Osaka, but I think I’m equally friendly, good-natured, and curious. And I’m airhead, of course.
Chise Hatori
From: The Ancient Magus’ Bride
Personality Type: INFJ
Chise is an existence known as a Sleigh Beggar, a human who can see spirits, fairies, and other mythical creatures whether she likes it or not. This led to many terrifying experiences throughout Chise’s childhood. The monsters would often bully her after discovering she could see them. In the worst case, a monster would actually seriously attack Chise or her family members. Her mother was also a Sleigh Beggar, and she was slowly losing her mind from the stress of trying to protect two small children.
Things ended in disaster for the Hatori family. The father took the baby brother and fled. The mother killed herself. Without anyone to care for her, Chise found herself being trafficked in the underworld. She was then “purchased” by Elias Ainsworth, a nonhuman mage. Instead of enslaving Chise, he told her he wanted an apprentice for his magic. After growing attached to Elias, Chise made her own decision to stay with him. She became Elias’ student in magic and his teacher in the ways of being more human. One day, she would become his bride.
Due to her lifetime of trauma, Chise experiences major depression, especially in the first season. She doesn’t value her life very highly. At a few points, her thinking crosses into suicidal ideation. I’ve gotten much happier, but I still have persistent depression. For about four years, I was unable to shake my feelings of wanting to die. So, I completely understand Chise. On a related note, even if I’m not suffering from depressive symptoms, I tend to be thoughtful and melancholy by default. This is another trait I have in common with Chise.
Aside from depression, Chise and I share a few other personality elements. She is incredibly empathetic, often getting swept away by the emotional pain of others. It’s so intense that she sometimes dissociates and forgets that it’s not her own pain. I’m basically the same way, although I have learned to pull back from others when it’s too unhealthy. Another quality we both possess is the tendency to form quick attachments to people who are kind to us. This can be dangerous if never moderated, but in general, I think it’s a positive trait.
Haruhi Fujioka
From: Ouran Highschool Host Club
Personality Type: INTP
Normally, only rich people are accepted into the prestigious Ouran Academy. A rare exception, Haruhi is a poor commoner, only allowed to attend because of her ridiculously good grades. After starting school at Ouran, Haruhi gets roped into helping the Host Club in order to pay off a debt. Her job is to cross-dress as a boy and entertain young ladies from the school. Though she asserts she is biologically female, Haruhi is also very comfortable with presenting in a masculine way.
Haruhi believes that a person’s core self is much more important to who they are than sex or gender. For this reason, some fans consider Haruhi nonbinary. At the very least, she is an example of a gender-nonconforming character. Likewise, I am biologically female, but don’t really think of myself as a woman. I don’t consider myself specifically feminine or masculine, because gender doesn’t really matter to me. It doesn’t do much to describe who I am. That’s the first major commonality between Haruhi and myself.
Though I am not highly intelligent, I am a good student. I can usually make decent grades. I was in Honors Society for over half my time at university. Haruhi is also an excellent student. Though oblivious about certain things, especially pertaining to herself, Haruhi is keenly insightful about others and the world. I think I have this trait as well. Last of all, Haruhi possesses strong personal morals – and she will fight for them if needed. Finding courage can be hard, but I also strive to be someone who stands up for what’s right.
Homura Akemi
From: Madoka Magica (anime and movies)
Personality: INFJ
Note: I wrote three fat paragraphs of background information about Homura, but I didn’t think it would look good to have them taking up space in this article. So, if you want the background, you can ask me, consult a fandom wiki, or watch the anime yourself.
All of the characters in this list are dear to me, but Homura’s significance is probably even greater than the others. She reflects the darker side of my personality and embodies my misery in the worst of times. The main trait we have in common is an obsessive nature. We completely lose ourselves in the pursuit of what we love most. It’s usually obsession over a person, but sometimes, it could be an obsession over an idea or a cause. We can think of nothing else when in a state of obsession. We may even violate the wishes of the one we love in the name of staying close to them.
Another similarity between me and Homura is that we’re both some flavor of LGBT+. Fans usually interpret Homura as a lesbian character, whereas I am pansexual. If nothing else, we’re similar in the sense that we’ve both fallen madly in love with a cute female friend. I have a long, messy history of agonizing over unrequited love, and although Homura’s situation isn’t identical, I feel the same vibes from her. After all, though Madoka cares deeply about Homura as a friend, she never returns her romantic feelings.
Kobayashi
From: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Personality: INTP / ISTP
I have a number of issues with this anime, but I can’t deny that some of the characters are truly lovable. One such character is Kobayashi, an office-worker who spends her free time drinking. One day, while extremely drunk, Kobayashi ran into a dragon. Instead of fearing it, she had a conversation with it and told it to come visit her home sometime. Kobayashi blacked out and forgot about this experience, only to find a girl with a dragon tail on her doorstep a few days later. Tohru the dragon then moved in with Kobayashi as her maid.
Kobayashi and I have a lot in common. We are both unmarried AFAB people who love alcohol. Kobayashi is generally perceived as a lesbian character due to her close relationship with Tohru and her lack of interest in men or marriage. Thus, we’re both part of the LGBT+ community. In addition, Kobayashi is generally a homebody with a low-energy attitude. She livens up with booze, but aside from that, she prefers to do as little as possible. I also have low energy and motivation, so I understand.
Arguably, the best thing about Kobayashi is the way she accepts others who are different. I mean, she’s living with a dragon. Most of her friends are a bit weird, even the ones that are not dragons. I hope that I’m also an accepting person who doesn’t judge others just for being unusual or hard to understand.
Lain Iwakura
From: Serial Experiments Lain
Personality: INTP/ INFP
Lain is an extremely introverted young girl who has few friends. She finds out that she can be socially happy and comfortable after she begins exploring the Wired. This is an alternate dimension much like the internet, which requires a personal device to access. But unfortunately for Lain, there are also many dangers and horrors in the Wired, especially as it continues to encroach on the real world. Throughout the anime, Lain discovers the distressing secrets of the Wired as well as her own origins and mysterious powers.
There are many key traits that Lain and I share. For starters, we’re both quiet and socially awkward in person, but comfortable and confident online. We both like learning and are highly curious, sometimes becoming obsessed with new fixations. Lain has a complex and multi-faceted identity that’s hard to grasp – something I can easily relate to. She struggles to control her outrage when something is unfair, and will occasionally use her power to lash out at others. I also deal with severe anger and distress over injustice.
Over the course of Serial Experiments Lain, we see our protagonist having a number of strange, trippy experiences. This is important to me because I experienced similar things due to a dissociative disorder. I think Lain is often severely dissociated, too. The last trait I’ll mention is Lain’s deep attachment to her best friend, Arisu. For Lain, nothing in the world is worse than thinking she hurt her friend. (This is important near the ending of the anime, after Arisu becomes traumatized.) I’m not much different. I will never forgive myself for seriously hurting a friend.
Miwa Kasumi
From: Jujutsu Kaisen
Personality Type: ISFJ
Despite being a relatively minor supporting character, Miwa has a lot of admirers in the Jujutsu Kaisen fanbase. She is a Jujutsu sorcerer who uses cursed energy to fight curses in the form of monsters. Miwa is often seen as very cute, and I seriously doubt that I am cute in any similar ways. I also think Miwa is a much kinder person than me. However, a close friend of mine told me that Miwa reminded them of me, so I decided to add her to this list. When I tried to think objectively and with less self-criticism, I did start to see some commonalities.
Miwa is a kind-hearted and supportive person. She’s also a little bit socially anxious and/or awkward. I think I come across this way to many of my friends. Miwa places a high value on family. She became a Jujutsu sorcerer because the family was poor. She sends them her wages so her siblings and parents can have an easier life. I’ve had a rocky road with my family relationships, but I can definitely say that I love them very much. I want to do what I can for them – although I don’t feel like there’s anything useful I can do.
This is a good Segway into one of Miwa’s other main traits: her feelings of uselessness. She sometimes introduces herself in her head by saying, “Hello, useless Miwa here!” I, too, feel useless most of the time. But the amazing thing about Miwa is that even though she’s weak, she still puts herself out there and fights. She will always try her best, even knowing full well it won’t be good enough. I sometimes give up on small things too easily, but looking at my life as a whole, I think I can call myself resilient. I will always try. In the end, all anyone can do is try their best.
Saki Watanabe
From: Shinsekai Yori (From the New World)
Personality Type: INFJ
Saki is a girl from a thousand years in the future, when humans all use magical power (called Cantus) that evolved from telekinesis. The world has changed immensely, giving rise to new flora, fauna, and supposedly, demons. Shinsekai Yori is the story of Saki and her friends living in a small town dystopia. The adults rule over them, withholding important truths, manipulating their memories, using religion and hypnosis to brainwash them, and sometimes killing off problematic children. In this environment, Saki tries to survive.
In terms of personality, Saki is a classic INFJ: introverted, intuitive, feeling, and judging. She’s quiet, thoughtful, wise beyond her years in unexpected ways, and deeply empathetic. That also describes me and most others with the INFJ type. Compared to some of the other INFJs on this list, Saki is intensely emotional, often reacting strongly at first when upset. Saki’s powerful emotional reactions are usually directly related to her close friends. Nothing matters more to Saki than the people she loves. Try as I might to distance myself at times, I’m ultimately the same way.
The best and most interesting thing about Saki is her individualistic, skeptical mind. It balances out her emotional nature with a unique kind of harmony. Compared to most of her friends and peers, Saki is more resistant to brainwashing. She is always questioning things and taking independent action, even when it’s upsetting or scary to defy the system. I think I have these traits in common with Saki. In real life, I escaped a cult-like environment and learned to think with my own mind outside of indoctrination. I will never stop questioning.
Note: Saki is bisexual and spends much of the series in love with her female friend Maria. I fall under the same LGBT+ umbrella – though technically I’m pansexual.
Runner Up: Yuki Sohma
Personality Type: INFJ
From: Fruits Basket (2019 and onward)
Cursed by the Zodiac, Yuki is possessed of the spirit of the Rat. This means he transforms into a rat when stressed, sick, or when hugged by the opposite sex. He can also communicate with rats. The Twelve Zodiac Spirits and the Cursed Cat are all controlled by an entity they call God. The one who inherited the spirit of God was Akito, Yuki’s cruel and insane cousin. Yuki’s mother left her son in the care of Akito’s family. Then Akito fiercely abused and bullied Yuki for many years. Since the Rat spirit always obeys God, Yuki could never defy Akito.
Most people perceive Yuki as kind, charming, and cute. Only a select few know that he’s actually extremely anxious and melancholy. He struggles with a lot of dark emotions like bitterness, in addition to horrific memories of trauma and moderate social anxiety. This is all true of me, too. Even our emotional trauma is similar. For example, we both dealt with “mommy issues,” after our mothers abused us psychologically. We were also both bullied by a relative for most of our childhood. Clearly, Yuki and I have a lot in common.
Over the course of Fruits Basket, Yuki and many other characters slowly escape from Akito’s control and begin to heal. Likewise, it’s been a key part of my life to heal from trauma. Though Yuki is often fearful and conflicted, he gradually learns to accept that the world is not all dark and hopeless. He wouldn’t have gotten far on this journey were he not a naturally loving and adaptable person. Hopefully, these are also traits we share.
Other runners-up include:
– Armin from Attack on Titan
– Crona from Soul Eater
– Kate from Shadows House
– Legoshi from Beastars
– Moeka Kiryuu from Steins;Gate
– Norman from The Promised Neverland
– Nozomu Itoshiki from Goodbye, Mr Despair!
– Rakka from Haibane Renmei
– Seishin Muroi from Shiki
– Shion Sonozaki from Higurashi (When They Cry)
– Sumireko Ogawa from Mysterious Disappearances
– Yuko Aioi from Nichijou (My Ordinary Life)
~Thanks for reading~
Anime Rants 
Nice list, though, I must confess, I only know a handful of these characters myself. (so much anime, so little time!)
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