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August, which is the hottest month throughout the year, is about to end.

Number 8 is written “八” in kanji, meaning improving luck, and is known as a good-luck number.

There are many characters in anime and games, who are named after number “8”. Some are the leaders of the team made up of 8 members, while others are born on August 8, or are given number 8, or has “八” (kanji for 8) in their names, etc.

Here at Anime! Anime!, we conducted the reader’s survey titled, “Which character appears into your mind with number ‘8’?”. The survey was conducted from August 8 to August 15, and a total of 393 people answered the survey.
The male-female ratio was 25% for males and 75% for females. For the age group, the young readers made up the majority; the minors made up approximately 55%, while 20’s made up approximately 25%.

■ Characters born on August 8 assembled!

1st Place
The 1st place went to Shimura Shinpachi from “Gintama”. The support rating was approximately 30%.

Shinpachi is a character with a strong relationship to number “8” for some reason, and the readers mentioned that through their comments: “He continued to rank in the 8th place at the popularity ranking, and he was teased for ‘wearing a pair of glasses that look like 8’” and “He is so haunted with number 8 that he has the famous line, ‘Shinpachi’s pachi stands for the 8th place’. He always ranked in the 8th place for multiple popularity rankings, and that number exists specially for him”. The professional in reaction ranked in the top with the strong support from the fans-“The number appears clearly in his name! I will keep supporting him, who has the wonderful name meaning improvement in luck”.

2nd Place
The 2nd place was Yaotome Raku from “Idolish Seven”. The support rating was approximately 20%.

Yaotome Raku is the leader of TRIGGER. The idols from “Idolish Seven” have numbers in their names, and he is popular for “He is born in August, his name starts with kanji of number 8, his personal song is ‘Associate’ (Associ-eight), and he is surrounded with 8” and “He is so passionate and cares about his friends so much as a man born in August. I like how he takes things simple”.

Another reason for him ranking high is because the 3rd season of the TV anime is currently ongoing.

3rd Place
The 3rd place is Hikigaya Hachiman from “My Romantic Comedy is Wrong As I Expected”. The support rating was approximately 5%.

The protagonist Hikigaya Hachiman has a strong connection with number 8, as the comment mentions “Having number ‘8’ in his name and is memorable for born on August 8”. Some readers mentioned his personality by saying, “Although number 8 means improving luck in Japanese, he often gets involved in trouble on the contrary. He is cool because he takes responsibility for others’ actions”.

■ Introducing other comments!

Toudou Jinpachi from “Yowamushi Pedal”: “He has kanji for number 8 in his name and was born on August 8. He is filled with 8, including the fact that he is wearing outfit with 8 being printed somewhere.”
Matsukaze Tenma from “Inazuma Eleven GO”: “He is the protagonist with the player number 8. He became the team captain from the middle of the story and did a wonderful job throughout the story.”

Eightman from “Eightman”: “I was watching the show when I was a child with black-and-white TV and became a fan of Hirai Kazumasa, who is the original author for the show, when I was in high school. He has a different type of justice compared to the one that is common today.”
Kyan Reki from “SK8 the Infinity”: “He is the protagonist born on August 8. Number ‘Eight’ is in the title of the anime, and even has infinity mark, which is the tilted 8”. The character from the title, the new project of which has just begun, received some votes.

The characters born on August 8 assembled for this ranking. In the top 10, Hikigaya Hachiman from “My Romantic Comedy is Wrong As I Expected”, Tokitou Muichirou from “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”, Toudou Jinpach from “Yowamushi Pedal”, Kyan Reki from “SK8 the Infinity”, and Hacchan from “ONE PIECE” ranked in.

■ Ranking Top 20
[Who appears into you mind with number 8?”
1st: Shimura Shinpachi from “Gintama”
2nd: Yaotome Raku from “Idolish Seven”
3rd: Hikigaya Hahciman from “My Romantic Comedy is Wrong As I Expected”
4th: Tokitou Muichirou from “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”
5th: Toudou Jinpachi from “Yowamushi Pedal”
6th: Kyan Reki from “SK8 the Infinity”
7th: Yagami Ibuki from “Maison Ikkoku”
8th: Kyouraku Shunsui from “BLEACH”
9th: Hazuki You from “Tsukiuta”
9th: Hacchan from “ONE PIECE”
9th: Yaoyorozu Momo from “My Hero Academia”
12th: All Might/Yagi Toshinori from “My Hero Academia”
12th: Goshiki Tsutomu from “Haikyu!!”
12th: Android 8 from “Dragon Ball”
12th: Suzumiya Haruhi from “Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi”
12th: Haibara Ai from “Detective Conan”
12th: Hachi from “Phantom Thief Joker”
12th: Hachikuji Mayoi from “Bakemonogatari”
19th: Eightman/Higashi Hachirou from “Eightman”
19th: Eightron from “DT Eightron”
19th: Kise Ryouta from “Kuroko’s Basketball”
19th: Sakata Ginpachi from “Gintama”
19th: Shiba Hakkai from “Tokyo Revengers”
19th: Shinra Kusakabe from “Fire Force”
19th: Takeya Hachizaemon from “Nintama Rantarou”
19th: Duck from “Thomas and Friends”
19th: Zhu Bajie from “Journey to the West”
19th: Tsurumaki Kokoro from BanG Dream!”
19th: Touhou Jousuke from “Jojorion”
19th: Matsukaze Tenma from “Inazuma Eleven GO”
19th: Yashiro Nene from “Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun”

(Survey conducted: August 8 to August 15, 2021)

※This survey is taken as a part of research on “Current anime and character’s intertest”. The result does not determine superiority nor inferiority among the characters or anime. Please learn about new characters and anime and use this as a source to expand your knowledge.