There are few better masters over the art of 'kawaii' than the anime industry. An industry already filled with incredible art that ranges from hyper realistic to expressive, the anime world is filled with all manner of cute and adorable creatures. Taking a page from the commercials of old, Japan has utilized memorable and accessible mascot characters well. While a catchy slogan can certainly stick, nothing can get eyes on a product or series the same way a cute, talking animal can.
And, within the larger zoo that is the anime realm, mangaka and animators have developed all manner of sensational cuties for every viewer, old and new, to gawk at. And, much like shonen protagonists, they too must compete for kawaii supremacy. Who truly is the cutest in the anthropomorphic division of anime?
Gamakichi (Naruto)
It's difficult to really sell slime and warts to anime fans, but the Naruto franchise has done a great job of portraying toads, frogs, and anything that hops ponds in a good light. One of the best examples of this is Gamakichi, the eldest son and heir to Naruto's chief toad, Gamabunta.
Perfectly countering his father's larger, intimidating demeanor with his much smaller frame and brighter design, Gamakichi obviously isn't a character designed to break faces but to break tension with just the look of his face. Gamakichi's own cute, near sniveling voice better serves his overall cuteness level.
Kon (Bleach)
Though technically a talking, stuffed toy, Bleach's Kon shows the kind of adorable ferocity that only a tiny lion can. He's even cuter given the fact that he has the loud personality and ambition befitting of a lion, just trapped inside some string and fluff. Juxtaposed against that tiny frame is a brash voice and mischievous personality that just makes Kon's overall demeanor hilarious and cuter.
Only over time has Kon's personality warmed up to Bleach's characters and the community as a whole, making the old enemy to Ichigo a welcome member of the Bleach family.
Hawk (The Seven Deadly Sins)
The Seven Deadly Sins is one of the most fundamental shonen series out there. It has characters filled with personality, a large world just waiting to be explored, and plenty of hype and action to give decades worth of AMV material. It also helps that the franchise has one of the best mascot characters today, Hawk.
At one level, Hawk is the perfect comedic relief whose personality and dialogue can help cut tension better than Meliodas can cut through demons. At another, Hawk is a talking pig that loves eating. That's it. What else do people need? He even becomes tiny later on, making any food item an entire buffet for him. How could anyone not feel overjoyed seeing Hawk chow down?
Luna (Sailor Moon)
It's hard to talk about talking animals and cute mascot characters without bringing up the illustrious, magical girl franchise Sailor Moon. A genre meant to be as expressive and marketable as possible, magical girls are equipped with everything that could make their characters as cute as possible, including some cute, animal sidekicks.
Sailor Moon is the absolute epitome of the genre, and it houses one of the cutest mascots around, Luna. Filling her role well, Luna is a trusted advisor and close friend to the titular heroine and is almost as synonymous with Sailor Moon's identity as the Moon Stick.
Doraemon (Doraemon)
There's no talking about anime mascots without going past the historic landmark that is Doraemon. A key part of Japanese media since the 1970s, Doraemon's iconic blue, round, brimming face, cartoonish personality, and menagerie of wacky gadgets have grown up with Japanese children and anime fans for decades.
Hailing from the 22nd Century to help Nobita and every viewer with the trials and tribulations of everyday life, Doraemon was the kind of toy/pet/friend that everyone needs.
Retsuko (Aggretsuko)
Sanrio is the world leader in creating cute, animal mascot characters. Their most beloved franchise player to date is obviously Hello Kitty, a staple for anyone who has ever bought a stuffed toy. Yet if there's one Sanrio creation who has the personality to add to the character design, there are few who can compete with Retsuko from Aggrestuko.
A red panda with plenty of heart, Retsuko can already melt hearts with just the sight of her cute face in a tiny business suit. She only ever stays in people's hearts when people get to connect with her overarching trials and tribulations with work and social life. Even when she's rocking out in a karaoke bar, Retsuko's face never loses its touch for the fans.
Happy (Fairy Tail)
Living up to his name, Fairy Tail's trusted, talking, flying cat can bring a smile to anyone's face, a magic power that surely must be passed along. He loves fish. He loves Carla. He loves saying "Aye, sir." He's certainly the reason why a lot of people got into Fairy Tail in the first place.
Though he's not much of a help in a fight, Happy is a spunky soul who can always be trusted to stick with his friends, whether that means flying them out of trouble or flying them right into the mouth of the beast.
Tony Tony Chopper (One Piece)
It makes sense that the best-selling manga of all time would also have one of the cutest, talking animal characters of all time. Though berated by humans as a monster and even as an outcast by other reindeer, Tony Tony Chopper hasn't become anything less than a friendly, welcome face for all the fans. It also helps that there's just a lot of One Piece merch centered around him.
To give function beyond the cuteness, Chopper is also the trusted doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates and is also one of their strongest fighters.
Chi (Chi's Sweet Home)
Everything about Chi Yamada is meant to pull at people's heartstrings. She's a small, adorable kitten who got lost from here mom and must now navigate life in her new home in the Yamada apartment. Though her apartment complex doesn't allow for pets, Chi is the kind of curious and mischievous kitten that good manga and television should be based on.
It's really exciting just watching Chi's expressive face experience new things in the world, and she definitely has the great voice acting to back up that personality.
Hamtaro (Hamtaro)
It's hard for many anime fans to imagine Hamtaro as anything but a household name when it comes to the anime industry. Many grew up watching the cute hamster's various misadventures alongside his friends and have come to love his impassioned, albeit often misguided, sense of bravery.
Whether he's exploring a world much too large for him, spending time with Laura, or just enjoying some good, ol' fashioned sunflower seeds, Hamtaro has never had a hard time stealing people's hearts.