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March 27 is “Sakura Day,” which was established in honor of the Japanese word “sakura” (cherry blossom), 3 x 9 = 27.

The cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan and is loved by many people. For this reason, many parents name their children “Sakura” and it is a regular name in the ranking of children’s names.
I can think of many characters in anime and games that have “Sakura” in their names, but who is the most popular among them?

So, Anime! Anime! conducted its annual readers’ survey titled “Who is your favorite character with “Sakura” in their name? During the survey period from March 10 to March 17, we received 263 responses.
The ratio of males to females was about the same, about 45% male and 55% female. About 45% of the respondents were under the age of 19, and about 30% were in their 20s, mostly in the younger age group.

■CardCaptor Sakura tops the list for the third year in a row!
1st place
The 1stt place went to Kinomoto Sakura from “CardCaptor Sakura”. With an approval rating of about 19%, she topped the list for the third year in a row.

Readers said, “When I hear the word ‘Sakura’, this is the first girl I think of! I think it’s the perfect name for her, as she has the cuteness and beauty of a cherry blossom”, and “I get energy and courage from the way she thinks about what she can do and works hard no matter what”, and “‘It’s definitely safe’ is the magic that will always inspire me. She is popular for her gentle personality and never-give-up attitude.”
There was also a comment that mentioned the cast, “The character’s name is Sakura, the title is Sakura, and the voice actress is Tange Sakura.”

2nd place
2nd place went to Adachi Sakura from “Adachi and Shimamura”. The difference from the top was very small.

Adachi Sakura is the protagonist of this story. The story progresses when she skips class and meets Shimamura at the gymnasium. “Adachi, who is falling more and more in love with Shimamura, is clumsy and lovable, and before she knew it, she was falling in love with her too” and “She behaves like an adolescent in junior high school, so watching her makes me feel nostalgic for my youth.”, as well as “I was impressed by the fact that they didn’t mention their first names until halfway through the story.”

3rd place
3rd place went to Matou Sakura from “Fate/stay night”. With an approval rating of about 10%, she moved up from last year’s 5th place.

The heroine of the “Heaven’s Feel” route is gaining popularity”, with fans saying “In the movie version of “Heaven's Feel”, I had a strong image of Hanami, and I can only say that the last scene was wonderful. The fact that she’s good at housework also makes me think, “She’s a good girl…! I think”, and “She is also the most memorable character in “Fate”. I want to believe that she’s happy!”, as well as “I was amazed at the quality of the theatrical version.”

Currently, special screenings of the video master version of “Fate/stay night the movie [Heaven’s Feel] III. spring song” are being held at movie theaters nationwide.

■Here are some of the other comments!

For Kono Sakura from “Hori-san and Miyamura-kun” and “Horimiya,” I was able to empathize with her as she tried her best to get the person she loves to pay attention to her even though she was confused by her first crush.
As for Sakura Kagamihara from “Laid-Back Camp△,” they say, “I think she’s a kind older sister who watches over her younger sister Nadeshiko-chan, helps her find a part-time job, and even comes to the campsite to see if she’s worried.”

For Sakura Momoko from “Chibi Maruko-chan”, “I think it’s a very cute name, even though it’s so common to call her Maruko that I almost forget her real name!”
For “SLAM DUNK’s” Sakuragi Hanamichi, they said, “I think it’s a wonderful spring-like name. I think it would be fun to join the Sakuragi Group every day. I’m looking forward to the movie so much!” and there were also votes for works that have been decided to be produced anew.

This year’s survey featured characters from a wide range of titles from the 1990s to the 2020s. The results reconfirmed that the name “Sakura” has been popular for many years.

■Top 10 Ranking
“Who is your favorite character with “Sakura” in their name? 2021 edition”
1st Kinomoto Sakura “CardCaptor Sakura”
2nd Adachi Sakura “Adachi and Shimamura
3rd Matou Sakura “Fate/stay night
4th Mamiya Sakura ” Kyoukai no Rinne”
5th Sakuragi Hanamichi “SLAM DUNK
6th Haruno Sakura “NARUTO
7th Kono Sakura “Hori-san to Miyamura-kun” and “Horimiya
7th Sakura Momoko “Chibi Maruko-chan
9th Kitaooji Sakura “Aikatsu!
9th Sakura Chiyo ” Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun”
9th Sakurajima Mai ” Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai”

(Answer period: March 10, 2021 – March 17, 2021)

■Top 20 Ranking
“Who is your favorite character with “Sakura” in their name? 2021 edition”
1st Kinomoto Sakura “CardCaptor Sakura”
2nd Adachi Sakura “Adachi and Shimamura”
3rd Matou Sakura “Fate/stay night”
4th Mamiya Sakura ” Kyoukai no Rinne”
5th Sakuragi Hanamichi “SLAM DUNK”
6th Haruno Sakura “NARUTO”
7th Kono Sakura “Hori-san to Miyamura-kun” and “Horimiya”
7th Sakura Momoko “Chibi Maruko-chan”
9th Kitaooji Sakura “Aikatsu!”
9th Sakura Chiyo “Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun”
9th Sakurajima Mai “Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai”
12th Sakurauchi Riko “Love Live! Sunshine!”
12th Kaoru Sakura “SK Eight”
12th Shinguuji Sakura “Sakura Wars”
12th Minamoto Sakura “Zombieland Saga”
16th Kawasaki Sakura “IDOLY PRIDE”
16th Sakura Akari “Jewelpet Twinkle”
18th Sakura Ino “Dropout Idol Fruit Tart”
18th Sakura Kyoko “Puella Magi Madoka Magica”
18th Sakura Mutsuko “Major Second”
18th Chiyoda Sakura “The Demon Girl Next Door”

(Response period: March 10, 2021 – March 17, 2021)

※This questionnaire is part of a survey of our readers’ attitudes toward current anime works and characters. The results are not intended to determine the superiority or inferiority of any character or work. We hope that this article will provide you with an opportunity to learn about new works and characters and deepen your understanding and interest in them.