by May 7th was the death anniversary of Otto I, the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Many characters called “emperors” or “kings” appear in anime. There are wise rulers loved by the people, tyrants who commit cruel acts, and even characters who are not actually on the throne but are nicknamed “kings” because of their dominant personality and overwhelming presence. So Anime! Anime! Conducted a reader survey titled “Who comes to mind when you think of a king or emperor character?” Two hundred eight people responded from May 2nd to May 5th.
The gender ratio was almost equal, with about 45 percent men and 55 percent women. Regarding age, the majority were young, with about 55 percent under 19 years old. Popular sports characters dominate the top spots! Coming in at number one is Kageyama Tobio from “Haikyu!!” with a support rate of about 17 percent. Kageyama Tobio is a first-year member of the Karasuno High School volleyball team. Readers commented, “In middle school, Kageyama was called the ‘King of the Court’ and was mocked for his selfish playing style.
However, in high school, he met trustworthy friends and was moved by the way he learned teamwork,” and “At first, he hated being called ‘King,’ but it was amazing to see him accept his past, work harder than anyone else, and grow into a true king. I want to continue to support Kageyama as he strives for even greater heights.”
The film’s production, “Haikyu!! VS the Little Giants,” has already been confirmed. The ranking is from a popular series whose latest work is also of interest. Second place: Michael Kaiser from “Blue Lock.” His approval rating was about 13 percent. Michael Kaiser is a striker who plays for a prestigious German club team.
Although she only just appeared in the final episode of the second season of the TV anime, she has garnered support from readers of the original manga, with comments such as “Kaiser means emperor in German. As her name suggests, she is an arrogant character who acts like an emperor towards everyone, which is irresistible” and “Her special move, the Kaiser Impact, is just so powerful!” Teruhide Barou is also tied for 10th place. “His famous line, ‘On the pitch, I’m the king,’ is memorable. Seeing him admit defeat, reexamine himself, and become even stronger is exciting!” The Emperor and the King had the same title and made it into the top 10.
3rd place is Symboli Rudolf from Uma Musume: Pretty Derby. Her support rate was about 5%. Symboli Rudolf is the student council president of Tresen Academy. “She’s an undefeated classic triple crown Uma Musume, known as Emperor! Her competition uniform is designed like a green military uniform, and her red cape makes her look like an emperor,” she is a character admired by other Uma Musume. He also appears in the latest work, “Uma Musume Cinderella Gray,” which is currently being broadcast. “He has the dignity of an emperor, for example, when he tells Oguri Cap, who came to the training center, “Don’t underestimate the center. But he also has a playful side, like when he likes puns and demotivates Tokai Teio,” and the contrast is also attractive.
Here are some other comments! Gilgamesh from “Fate/Stay Night” said, “He is an arrogant hero king who calls people ‘ore’ even though he writes ‘wa.” But I like how he shows a childlike, friendly smile to those he trusts.” King Dedede from “Kirby of the Stars” said, “The fact that he is a selfish King Dedede is just a self-proclaimed name. He does bad things, but sometimes he fights for the world, so you can’t hate him for that.” For Lelouch Lamperouge from “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion,” voters said, “He was initially the heir to the throne of the Holy Britannian Empire.
Even after losing his position, he is a powerful man who has built an organization and even a country with his innate intelligence and drive.” For Rimuru from “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime,” voters said, “He is working hard as the leader of the Jura Tempest Federation, supported by many friends.
In season 3, diplomacy with neighboring countries is depicted earnestly, and he has become even more dignified as a king. There were also votes for the protagonists of titles set to have a fourth season. In this survey, several characters with charisma and abilities were worthy of the titles of king or Emperor. In particular, the protagonists or rival characters stood out in the results.
Top 10 rankings [What do you think of as king or emperor characters? ] 1st place: Kageyama Tobio, “Haikyu!!” 2nd place: Michael Kaiser, “Blue Lock” 3rd place: Symboli Rudolf, “Uma Musume: Pretty Derby” 4th place: Lelouch Lamperouge, “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion” 5th place: Gilgamesh, “Fate/stay night” 5th place: Tenshouin Eichi, “Ensemble Stars!” 5th place: Rimuru, “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” 8th place: Atobe Keigo, “The Prince of Tennis” 8th place: Bojji, “Ranking of Kings” 10th place: Ei Sei, “Kingdom” 10th place: Barou Teruhide, “Blue Lock” (Response period: May 2nd – May 5th, 2025)
Top 20 Ranking [When you think of king/emperor characters? ] 1st place: Kageyama Tobio, “Haikyu!!” 2nd place: Michael Kaiser, “Blue Lock” 3rd place: Symboli Rudolf, “Uma Musume: Pretty Derby” 4th place: Lelouch Lamperouge, “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion” 5th place: Gilgamesh, “Fate/stay night” 5th place: Tenshouin Eichi, “Ensemble Stars!” 5th place Rimuru, “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” 8th place Atobe Keigo, “The Prince of Tennis” 8th place Bojji, “Ranking of Kings” 10th place Ei Masa, “Kingdom” 10th place Barou Teruhide, “Blue Lock” 12th place Yoshida Yuko, “The Mazoku: The City Kado” 13th place Akashi Seijuro, “Kuroko’s Basketball” 13th place Zatch Bell, “Zatch Bell!!” 13th place King Dedede, “Kirby of the Stars” 13th place Reinhard von Lohengramm, “Legend of the Galactic Heroes” 17th place Kurokawa Izana, “Tokyo Revengers” 17th place Charles zi Britannia, “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion” 17th place Simba, “The Lion King” 17th place Tsukinaga Leo, “Ensemble Stars!” 17th Prince John “Robin Hood” 17th Vegeta “Dragon Ball” 17th Hanashiro “Tianguan Shifu” 17th Mizushino Shun “Only I Level Up” 17th Meruem “HUNTER×HUNTER” 17th Leona Kingscholar “Disney Twisted Wonderland” (Response period: May 2nd to May 5th, 2025) *This survey is part of a survey of readers’ “interest and attention to current anime works and characters.” The results are not intended to determine the superiority or inferiority of any character or work. We hope this article will help you learn about new works and characters and deepen your understanding and interest.
