Anime has not always been about characters, but there have always been many side characters, their pets, and various other elements. The best example for this will be Filo from Sheild Hero or Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro. Some mangaka focus on the pets’ strength while others rely on their cuteness to grab the attention of the audience. Either way, they became a great source of attracting attention in the story. Pets in anime have always been projected as a positive and honest element in the story bringing out the goodness in the characters owning it. It’s a generalization and not a specific piece. The nature of the pet’s circumstances differs from story to story. Together, it adds up to the storyline without tampering with the essence of the story.
Other than that, we have always known animals to be the most trustworthy companion of human beings. Here, we will focus on some of the cutest pets in anime that deserve to be remembered for their role in the character development of the anime protagonist. Without further ado, let’s jump to the list.
Filo
Anime: The Rising Of The Sheild Hero
Filo is a typical animal, eating a lot and loving Naofumi Iwatani and even persuading him to sleep in a stable with her because she was lonely. Filo strives hard to obtain Naofumi’s favor so she won’t be forgotten if she dies. Though it is unlikely, Naofumi will ever do that and instead uses it as a threat to discipline her. Filo has an insatiable appetite and bad dining manners, which contrasts her beauty.
Filo is much too chatty, and most of her interactions are meaningless. Melty is the only one who is capable of comprehending Filo’s words. Filo has an uncanny ability to detect and express precisely what others are attempting to conceal. Her honesty is mainly owing to her naive disposition, which sometimes aggravates the other person’s wounds or reveals their true intentions in public.
Tetsuya 2
Anime: Kuroko no Basket
Tetsuya 2 is the pet dog of Tetsuya Kuroko. Kuroko and the Seirin squad look after him, and he has become something of a mascot for the club. Kuroko also refers to him as 2. Tetsuya 2 usually behaves. He pees and barks incessantly. Tetsuya 2 also seems to be a very clever canine, capable of reading the Seirin team’s moods and barking appropriately (i.e., when they score a basket).
He develops an instantaneous attachment to Kuroko and is frequently around him. Tetsuya 2 once pooped on Kagami’s footwear, whether intentionally or not. Later, Kagami sees a cut in his footwear and realizes that he would have been injured if he had continued training with them. As a consequence, he accepts Tetsuya 2.
Akamaru
Anime: Naruto
Akamaru is a ninja-dog from the Inuzuka clan of Konohagakure. He is both Kiba Inuzuka’s partner and best buddy and his constant companion. Additionally, he is a part of Team Kurenai. Akamaru has been defined as a dog who is both energetic and devout. This is evident in his dealings with others, particularly with his closest friend and companion Kiba, with whom he has been inseparable since the two met.
They often spend their time walking, or more precisely, sprinting through forests chasing one other. Akamaru’s loyalty is especially evident when Kiba is injured during the fight. He would quickly rush to his side. Akamaru demonstrates his amusing mind process by expressing things incorrectly and promptly correcting himself. Rather than looking for a “partner,” he believes that people enter estrous too late in life, detracting from their time spent learning to be shinobi.
Ein
Anime: Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop’s Ein is one of the show’s key characters. An unnamed research center artificially increased the intellect of this Pembroke Welsh Corgi, making him a “data dog.” How this was accomplished remains a mystery throughout the series. Yet, despite Ein’s improved intellect, the dog cannot communicate other than barking. Because of this, his intellect is sometimes overlooked. Even though Ed seems to comprehend Ein’s body language and barking, it is never explicitly stated that he does so. For yes, he barks once and twice for no.
Jiji
Anime: Kiki’s Delivery Service
In Kiki’s Delivery Service, Jiji is Kiki’s best friend. Jiji is a snarky and talkative cat in the American version, a cautious and modest one in the Japanese version, willing to assist Kiki whenever necessary. The American dub displays Jiji as a very different character. Jiji is voiced by female actress Rei Sakuma in the Japanese version.
Phil Hartman plays Jiji in the American version, with a more wisecracking personality. Feminine voices are more common in Japanese cat art than in American cat art, where male voices are more common. In a few of Hartman’s sentences, Jiji does not speak a word (such as in the scene where Jiji approaches Lily along the top of the wall). In the 1998 English version, Jiji’s demeanor is more cynical and sarcastic than the original Japanese version, which was more cautious and conscience-like.
Moro
Anime: Princess Mononoke
Moro is one of the famous Ghibli pets you can imagine. Wolves worship an ancient deity of three hundred years’ standing who wields unfathomable wolfish wisdom and power and the ability to comprehend and communicate in human languages. Moro has a good sense of humor and is well-versed in human follies. She is a stern and tenacious heroine who is well-aware of the human race’s darker tendencies. As the head of the wolf pack, she is also a very devoted mother. However, Moro knows Ashitaka’s love for San and seems dangerous to him.
Moro is a fierce wolf that would stop at nothing to defend the Forest Spirit and her home in the woods. Moro’s hate for humanity will finally be satisfied when Lady Eboshi’s skull is crunched. However, Moro’s most incredible quality is that she is a nurturing mother figure. Although she has a deep disdain for humanity, she has taken San in after her parents abandoned her and love for her tremendously. Despite a particularly heated exchange with Ashitaka, she acknowledged his courage and devotion to San upon returning to the forest after being warned not to do so again.
Tobimaru
Anime: Sword of the Stranger
In the anime film Sword of the Stranger, a heroic dog named Tobimaru appears. Being pursued by a group of Ming soldiers, Kotaro, an orphan child, has him as a faithful friend. For some reason, Tobimaru begins to warm to the ronin and even gives him one of the fish that Kotaro had cooked for himself and Tobimaru.
He’s very protective of both Kotaro and Nanashi, murdering one of the soldiers threatening Kotaro and catching one of the knives thrown at Nanashi, resulting in his being poisoned by the blade. Tobimaru senses Shouan’s dishonesty as he’s chained to the ground when he leads Kotaro to the Ming. To prevent Kotaro from offering himself as a sacrifice, he cuts himself free of the rope. He takes Nanashi to the Ming castle, where the giant Ming warrior is distracted long enough for Nanashi to kill him.
Totoro
Anime: My Neighbor Totoro
Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro and its sequel, Mei and the Kittenbus include Totoro. Furthermore, he is the mascot of Studio Ghibli. Totoro is a giant, grey-furred creature with a beige tummy and a chest covered with grey arrows. He has huge paws with sharp claws, pointed ears, and lengthy whiskers. In the air, his mouth widens significantly. His profile has the appearance of an owl.
Totoro’s character was that of a friend, and as the saying goes, everyone seeks a Totoro in their life. He was there when the sisters wanted him the most. He made sure to be there to give them comfort. Altogether, his character in the film has made us remember the movie till today.
Hamtaro
Anime: Hamtaro
In the Hamtaro series, Hamtaro is a male hamster who is the protagonist. Hamtaro is a kind and helpful hamster who lives each day in the spirit of friendship and enjoyment. Previously, Hamtaro lived with his mother and brothers until moving in with a little girl called Yukari, who was given to her by her father for her birthday.
You know he’s more like the real deal than the cartoon character if you’ve ever seen him on TV. He is a self-confident individual who enjoys showcasing his abilities. Yukari often has to intervene when he gets into trouble. In addition to being pleasant, he is also eager to assist Yukari when she is feeling down. Chiro, a fellow hamster, joins him in his friendship. A hamster called Momo subsequently becomes his wife, and the two go on to have children together.
Panda
Anime: Shirokuma Cafe
One of the Zoo’s primary characters, Panda, works there. In the beginning, we see Panda as a “lazy” guy who lacks a strong work ethic. Overall, pandas are seen as living the high life. Eating and lounging around are common pastimes. He is a sluggish, mercurial guy fond of eating bamboo and other grass forms known as bamboo shoots. In addition to his apparent illiteracy, Panda has a reputation for being brutally honest. Because he is self-assured and aware of how adorable pandas are, he has become fixated with everything panda-related.
Panda is also prone to following the crowd, if you remember the scene where he begged his mother for a smartphone after seeing the other kids using one. He shows that he has an excellent heart when he mistakenly damages his mother’s garden or takes up full-time employment at the Zoo after the death of his mother. When he breaks the slide in Episode 6 and wants to go on a diet to become a “dream panda,” a tall and powerful bear, he gets self-conscious. Other than Shirokuma Cafe, Panda also exists in Jujutsu Kaisen. It’s funny how pandas are depicted in both the anime.
Sadaharu
Anime: Gintama
Sadaharu is both a Yorozuya member and a pet, serving as the group’s mascot. In most cases, Kagura is the one to look after him, although Sakata Gintoki has to walk him on occasion, much to his chagrin. Episode 29 saw him save the world from an invasion of cockroach-like aliens. As an Inugami of devastation and assault, Sadaharu’s Priestess Sister sisters, Ané and Moné, were in charge of keeping an eye on him. Amanto erected the Space Terminal above the Dragon’s Pulse that Sadaharu and Komako had been assigned to monitor, leaving the sisters without a task to defend.
As time passed, the Yorozuya were obliged to send Sadaharu away due to mounting expenditures, and he has remained in their care ever since. He is a huge white-furred dog with a red collar in appearance. Black or Dark Gray eyes, the height of 170 cm (5′ 7″), and weight of around 300 kg describe him. While he has appeared in various disguises, he has also been featured in various comedy styles.
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Divine Dogs
Anime: Jujutsu Kaisen
Divine Dogs are twin wolf shikigami that may be summoned via the Zenin Family’s Ten Shadows Technique. The Divine Dogs are a pair of wolves who are identical twins. One hound is white, the other is black, and both have three spots of the opposing color on their foreheads. When a person inherits the Ten Shadows method, they obtain the Divine Dogs as their first group of shikigami.
They are called by imagining a dog’s head like a shadow puppet. The user clasps their hands together to call the twin wolves with the appropriate shadow puppet. Additionally, they may call a single dog rather than both. Megumi utilizes Divine Dogs’ attacking talents to fight lesser curses. They’re also effective for scent tracking, alerting Megumi about impending curses, or directing him to particular targets. Although the white hound was murdered by a cursed spirit of a higher degree, the black hound gained its abilities and may be called in a more powerful form.
Iggy
Anime: Jojo’s Adventure
In the second part of Stardust Crusaders, Iggy is a crucial ally. Iggy, a street dog from New York City, reluctantly helps the characters on their last journey to Cairo, Egypt, where they hope to beat DIO in the ultimate battle. The Fool is a Stand used by Iggy. Iggy has been regarded as having a poor disposition and being very antisocial. It’s hard to like Iggy since he’s such an unruly and disrespectful dog.
At the beginning of his storyline, Jean Pierre Polnareff was enraged by his habit of chewing on human hair and farting in people’s faces. Jotaro’s “revenge” for tossing him into N’Doul is also played out by him pulling a filthy trick on the hero. The group’s free-spirited and irreverent member, Iggy, often wreaks havoc, primarily by stealing food.
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