Anime Anime Global

A variety of titles are lined up for the anime of winter 2020, and you can't look over the unique characters that belong to them.

Various characters have been gathered this time, from the protagonists who represents the work itself to the supporting characters that sometimes gives off a presence even more than the main character. There must be many of you who fell in love at first sight with your favorite character.

Here at Anime!Anime! we conducted a reader survey asking “Which Winter 2020 anime character did you fall in love at first sight with?”, targeting the anime titles that started its broadcast in the period between Jan. and Feb. 2020.
During the survey period from Feb. 13 to Feb. 20, a total of 131 responses were received. There were more female respondents with the gender ratio being 35% male and 65% female. The age group was about 50% for those under the age of 19, and about 30% for those in their 20s, mainly focusing on youngsters.

Here are the results of the female characters’ edition.

■ Iwanaga Kotoko from “In/Spectre” is at the top! A great close contest has been shown, more than the male characters’ edition.
The 1st place goes to Iwanaga Kotoko from “In/Spectre” with 6% of the votes.

Iwanaga Kotoko, the protagonist of “In/Spectre”, is a young lady who made a contract with the yokai to become their “God of Wisdom”, a fact that will bring her to start solving various problems. There were many comments from the readers, such as “I like her simple-minded personality and her uniqueness. Her love towards Sakuragawa Kurou is also cute”, and “I like her gestures ,behavior, and also her personality. The character design is wonderful. With Kitou Akari as her voice, she is perfection itself”. The beret, considered as her trademark, was praised as well, “It suits her so well!”.

The 2nd place goes to Yashiro Nene from “Toilet-bound Hanako-kun” with 5% of the votes.

Yashiro Nene is a first-year high school student who summoned Hanako-kun from the school's seventh mystery in order to get her crush to like her back. There were comments received in particular from girls, “I fell in love with him at first sight for her fragile beauty!”.
In addition, as the top-ranked Iwanaga Kotoko, she is voiced by the same actress Kitou Akari. The characters with the same voice actor got a one-two finish.

The 3rd place goes to Hanadera Nodoka from “Healin' Good PreCure”.

Nodoka, a second-year middle school student, is a gentle girl that was hospitalized when she was a child as being prone to sicknesses. She is not very good when it comes to physical training, but she has a cheerful and positive personality.
Some comments were received such as, “She is the PreCure I was longing for since the beginning of Reiwa era”, and “I love her heroic figure”. Many fans praised her alter ego Cure Grace as the heroine who puts great efforts to saving the world when necessary.

■ Let’s introduce other comments!!
Eripiyo from “If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die”, “I instantly feel her great energy she puts as a fan of her idols”, and “She is the perfect otaku! Her passion as an idol otaku fan is very strong…”.

Kanamori Sayaka from “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!”, “I like her sarcasm. I also admired her way of being helpful towards Asakusa and Mizusaki”.

Manaka Ao from “Asteroid in Love”, “She is very cute and straightforward”, and “She is cute when she gets timid, and I like her passion for astronomy”.

Fujito Chiyuki from “Smile Down the Runway” received a comment saying, “Despite being short, she aims to become a Paris Collection Model showing a great willingness without never giving up her dream”.

In the female characters’ edition, characters who work straightforward towards their crush or their favorite things stood out.

■ Overall ranking
“Which Winter 2020 anime character did you fall in love at first sight with?”
1. Iwanaga Kotoko “In/Spectre”
2. Yashiro Nene “Toilet-bound Hanako-kun”
3.Hanadera Nodoka / Cure Grace “Healin' Good PreCure”
4. Ichii Maina “If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die”
4. Eripiyo “If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die”
4. Somali “Somali and the Forest Spirit”
4. Tamaki Iroha “Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story”
4. Maple “BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense.”
9. Oni “Hentatsu”
9. Hanasaki Momo “Uchi Tama!? ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasen ka?~”
9. Himuro Ayame “Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It”
9. Fujito Chiyuki “Smile Down the Runway”
9. Howan “SHOW BY ROCK!!”
9. Manaka Ao “Asteroid in Love”
9. Yachi Hitoka “Haikyuu!! TO THE TOP”
16. Takigawa Miu “22/7”
16. Matsuyama Sorane “If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die”

(Survey period: Feb. 13 to Feb. 12, 2020)