Anime characters have a lot to deal with.
Protagonists usually have a hard time growing up. And sure, it’s what makes them them, but who is there for them behind the scenes? Who is nurturing them to be the courageous main characters they are? Their parents, of course!
Sure, I’ve spoken about anime parents in the past, but this Sunday is Father’s Day, so we’re going to be dedicating an entire post to just the Dads this time around. Sure, it’s not a present of socks or whiskey, but a little recognition goes a long way, right? (I think that’s a phrase?)
These fathers aren’t ranked, and there are lots of amazing anime dads out there, so this is just a list of the five anime fathers that I think should be recognised for their familial devotion.
NOTE: This post may contain spoilers for Death Note.
KAZUMA Sohma (Fruits Basket)
Kazuma Sohma may not be Kyo’s biological father (a guy who certainly wouldn’t make this list), but the fact that he took Kyo in after the death of his mother already makes him a great character on this list. Not only that, but Kazuma actively sought for the two of them to have a happier life where there is no suffering for either of them. He defends Kyo against his father and the entire Sohma family and will protect Kyo no matter what, regardless of who he has to defend him against. Kazuma even trained Kyo in martial arts in hopes that it will make Kyo strong and open his eyes to what is truly important.
Maes Hughes (Fullmetal Alchemist)
You cannot deny Maes is a family man. Obsessed with both his wife and his daughter, Elicia, he is very happy to talk about them as much as possible, showing pictures of them to everyone he meets. In an episode of the original series of Fullmetal Alchemist, he even displays a 12ft picture of Elicia to the crowd gathered to see Edward Elric and Roy Mustang duel. Despite often being berated for talking about his family so much, there’s no denying that this devoted dad deserves a place on this list!
Soichiro Yagami (Death Note)
This may be an odd choice, considering Soichiro seemingly doesn’t spend much time with his family, even adopting the phrase “justice first, family later”, but Soichiro deserves a place here in my eyes. It’s obvious he cares for his family. Throughout the Kira investigation, he defends his son, Light, going so far as to kidnap him and his girlfriend and putting them in a situation where Kira would have no choice but to kill him. His duty to justice is also challenged further on in the series when his daughter, Sayu, is kidnapped. Ultimately, Soichiro cares greatly for his family. It’s simply his career that is stopping him from spending more time with them and showing his love more.
Kuniharu Saiki (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.)
Okay, this may be another odd choice, but Kuniharu appeared in someone else’s list that I read the other day and, after thinking about it, I had to include him on mine as well. Kuniharu, similar to Maes, is a family man. He dotes on his wife and children, even if Kusuo himself finds it somewhat annoying and berates him. Kuniharu is always polite to those around him, despite any potential not-so-nice attitudes towards him, and I feel like his optimism just makes him a loveable anime father character for me.
Kouhei Inuzuka (Sweetness and Lightning)
Kouhei Inuzuka: arguably the one man I’ve spoken about the most on this blog. Appearing on both my aforementioned Parent’s Day special, as well as a previous Top 5 Male Characters post, Kouhei is making yet another appearance here. I have a lot of respect for Kouhei. A single parent, he works super hard to ensure his five-year-old daughter has the best start to life possible, and his dedication to learning new skills (such as cooking) is just one way he showcases his love for her.
There are so many more father figures in anime that I could have chosen to talk about here, but these were the first five that came to mind for me. I’m sure I’ve missed a few other great dads, so who are your favourite anime dads? Give them some recognition this Father’s Day by letting me know who in the comment section below!
I completely forgot about father’s day, but your post really warmed my heart. There’s a lot of great anime dad’s out there, but it’s a shame they don’t get their time to shine as much as the moms. I especially agree about Kazuma Sohma, and Mae Hughes. Hughs especially was just such a proud dad and I haven’t seen too many characters like him in anime.
Soichiro Yagami was a surprise. It’s been ages since I read/watched Death Note but looking at your thoughts and from what little I remember, I totally agree! He was doing his best, even if he never realized that his son was kinda a monster.
We could add Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to that list. Possibly even Miroku!