Anime Anime Global

Jul. 7 is Ponytail Day.

Jul. 7 is also “Yukata Day” (Yukata = Japanese traditional bathing clothesworn after you leave the bath) , and since a ponytail matches nicely with Yukata, the Japanese Ponytail Association created this day in 1995.

Ponytail is a hairstyle where you tie all your hair back in one place, and is so name because of its shape imitating the tail of a pony. This hairstyle is popular among both male and female due to its ease of arrangement.
There are many anime characters with a ponytail. Their characteristic varies from being energetic and active, while others are cute and calm. Who is the most popular ponytail character among fans?

Following the previous year, here at Anime!Anime!, we conducted a survey asking “Who do you think of when you are asked about an anime character with a ponytail??” . The survey was conducted from Jun. 25 to Jul. 2, and a total of 170 people answered the survey. Female readers made up the majority with approximately 70%, and male readers made up approximately 30%. For the age group, the young readers made up the majority, which 19-year old or under made up approximately 60%, while 20's made up approximately 25%.

■Ayase Eri from “Love Live!” ranked in the top! Her blond ponytail was super popular!
1st place
The 1st place went to Ayase Eri from “Love Live!”. The support rating was approximately 10% and ranked higher than the previous year, which she ranked in 4th place.

Ayase Eri is a girl with a blond ponytail who belongs to the school idol group called μ's. She was popular for her hairstyle, and the comments mentioned that, “her wavy blond hair is awesome” and “because she is a nice-looking girl with blonde hair and blue eyes!”. She is also popular for different hairstyle and the comment mentioned that , “I loved her ponytail style because it is filled with dignity, but I also love how appealing she is when she does not tie her hair behind her”.

2nd place
The 2nd place was Tooyama Kazusa from “Detective Conan”. Her support rating was approximately 8% and she ranked in the same place as last year.

The comments about her said, “Her hairstyle matches nicely with her energetic and active characteristics!” and “I think ponytail expresses her characteristic well”.
She was also supported because of her fluent Kansai dialect with her childhood friend Hattori Heiji and for wearing kimono in the movie.

3rd place
The 3rd place was Kino Makoto from “Sailor Moon”. The support rating was approximately 6%.
Kino Makoto is a member of Sailor fighters who turns into Sailor Jupiter. She ties her brown hair both before and after transformation. The readers commented, “I love her gap between boyish behaviors and her girly appearances” and “She is the first character I knew with a ponytail”.
Her appearances could not be missed in the upcoming movie in 2021 titled “Sailor Moon the Movie: Eternal”.

■Introducing other comments
To Shimizu Kiyoko from “Haikyu!”: “I love how she ties her hair behind her during the game, although she doesn't during the practices. Kiyoko-san is always beautiful”.

To Yada Momoka: “Assassination Classroom”: “I remember that her code name was 'ponytail'”.

To Minami Mirei from “Pri Para”: “I love how she wears a pair of glasses together with a ponytail and how it matches with her title of discipline committee”

To Life from “Sword Art Online”: “I love her avatar in the game with a blond ponytail! I look forward to her appealing scenes in the last arc.”

The female characters ranked high in this ranking of 2020, but male characters, including Saotome Alto from “Macros F, Kazemaru Ichrouta from “Inazuma Eleven”, and Yamatonokami Yasusada from “Touken Ranbu-Hanamaru-“. There are many characters with charming long hair.

■Ranking top 20
{Who do you think of when asked about a ponytail? 2020 ver.]
1st: Ayase Eri from “Love Live!”
2nd: Tooyama Kazuha from “Detective Conan”
3rd: Kino Makoto/Sailor Jupiter from “Sailor Moon”
4th: Koishikawa Mitsuki from “Marmalade Boy”
4th: Shimura Tae from “Gintama”
4th: Tsuyuri Kanawo
4th: Matsuura Kanan from “Love Live! Sunshine!!”
4th: Yaorozu Momo from “My Hero Academia”
4th: Yada Momoka from “Assassination Classroom”
4th: Lifa (Kirigaya Suguha) from “Sword Art Online”
11th: Kirisaki Hiyori “Sekaiichi Hatsukoi”
12th: Kazemaru Ichirouta from”Inazuma Eleven”
12th: Katou Megumi from “Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend”
12th: Kawakami Mai “Myriad Colors Phantom World”
12th: Saotome Alto from “Macros F”
12th: Sasha Brows “Attack on Titan”
12th: Sakura Kyouko from “Puella Magi Madoka Magica”
12th: Shinguuji Sakura from “Sakura Wars”
12th: Suzumiya Haruhi from “Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi”
12th: Darkness from “KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World!”
12th: Taneshima Popura from “WORKING!!”
12th: Hijikata Saizou from “Hakuouki”
12th: Makioze from “Fire Force”
12th: Matsuoka Gou from “Free!”
12th: Yamatonokami Yasusada from “Toukenranbu-Hanamaru-”
12th: Yamabuki Saaya from “BanG Dream!”

(Survey conducted from Jun. 25, 2020 to Jul. 2)