Our Top 10 Anime Cats
Cute and fierce cats have been a fixture in anime for decades, helping or sometimes causing mischief for our heroes. When we think of anime, these are our ten favorites who immediately spring to mind!
Luna
Although there are a few other memorable kitties in Sailor Moon (Bishoujo Senshi), our favorite sidekick is Luna. One of the most recognizable characters in anime, Luna is Sailor Moon’s companion and mentor. She helps Usagi (Sailor Moon) learn about her past, and supports her on her many adventures.
The Baron
The Baron, who originally appeared in Whisper of the Heart, was so wildly popular that he was given his own anime movie entitled The Cat Returns. Baron Humbert von Gikkingen is a cat statue from an antique shop that comes to life. If you’ve never seen these movies, we highly recommend them!
JiJi
JiJi is a sassy cat who accompanies Kiki throughout her growth in Kiki’s Delivery Service. Fan theories suggest that JiJi never spoke but that Kiki was actually talking to her meowing cat during the duration of the film!
Doraemon
At first glance, this adorable creature doesn’t look like a kitty – but he is! Doraemon is a time-traveling blue robotic kitty, but without ears. An instant classic from the early 70’s, this kitty has three different anime series as well as a massive amount of other manga media.
Korin
In the warrior world of Dragon Ball Z, Korin is a legendary immortal known as a Senbyō, a god of martial arts. He skillfully trains Goku and other members of the dragon team. The cute Korin was based on the cat Koge owned by Akira Toriyama, creator of the manga series.
Happy
The adorable winged character Happy from the anime Fairy Tail is technically a cyborg creature called an Exceed, but we think of this loyal sidekick as an adorable blue kitty with magical powers who can fly and talk!
Nekomamushi
In One Piece, former pirate Nekomamushi is a tall and heavy-set feline mink that lost one of his arms while being tortured; but it was shortly replaced with a double-barreled gun. Although he sounds intimidating, don’t be alarmed – this cat is one of the good guys!
Meowth
Meowth is one of our favorite villains from Pokémon. Accompanying Jesse and James, this cat and the dynamic duo from Team Rocket constantly find themselves intertwined with Ash and his fan favorite Pokémon Pikachu.
Fun fact: in the Pokédex, he is number 52 while Pikachu is 25. A coincidence for these rivals? We think not!
Chi
We could not be more in love with this sweet-striped gray tabby cat from Chi’s Sweet Home! An inquisitive rambunctious little feline, Chi is an orphan that ends up being loved by the Yamada family. Originally starring in a manga that debuted in 2004, she grew in popularity and went on to star in Chi’s Sweet Adventure, a popular anime that was released in 2014.
Nekobasu
Another amazing feline friend from Studio Ghibli, Nekobasu is one of the most popular figures in the film My Neighbor Totoro. Nekobasu or Catbus, is quite literally a living cat that transports spirits wherever they need to go in his bus body. Believed to be based on the urban legend that when cats get older they learn how to shape-shift, Nekobasu is one of the most recognizable kitty characters in anime cinematic history.
Kitty Correspondent Rhapsody Artajo is an anime fan, an artist, and mom to furball Catleesi.
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