The best anime characters to draw, from from Pikachu to Totoro

The best anime characters to draw can inspire you to master character design. Whether you've been scribbling anime-style faces since you were a young'un like me, or you're only picking up a pencil or stylus now, drawing some of the most popular anime characters can inspire. Below, I've put together a list of ten of the most iconic anime characters and go on to explain why they're worth trying your hand at sketching.

For the uninitiated, there's a lot more to anime than just wide-eyed, blue haired heroes and heroines – as I cover in my list of the best anime movies and shows. Whether you're a comic book artist or an animator, anime characters feature impactful, stylised designs offering plenty to learn from.

If you're after a few more pointers, we've got you covered. You can check out our list of some of the best character design books here, and we even have a guide for how to add pop to your character art. If you're a digital artist, who want to get into working digitally, then read our guide to the best drawing tablets and our list of the best digital art software – for example, Procreate and Clip Paint Studios are great for anime-style art.

Now, before we go onwards below, roll up your sleeves for a spot of anime fanart - or even perhaps a portfolio piece. If you have an anime character suggestion, let me know in the Comments section.

Anime characters to draw

10. Miku Hatsune

A future idol inspiring future artists.

Arguably, this diva is a bit of a cheeky inclusion; Miku Hatsune doesn't originate from her own anime series. Rather, she's the anime-style mascot for voice synthesizing software. Becoming a sensation due to numerous peppy tunes, she's a pop culture force that's cameoed in plenty of shows, her own rhythm games, and even Fortnite.

As such, there's very little canon characterisation for her. As a result, musical artists have been only too happy to tell their own stories across hundreds of thousands of songs, and this adaptability is reflected in Miku's design. She's a perfect mascot for almost any occasion – literally all singing, all dancing. While her classic outfit is clearly fashioned after Idol singer costumes, the secret sauce of Miku's design are her two teal twintails.

Miku's iconic hairstyle makes her character design extremely durable, meaning you can almost always tell it's her no matter what costume she's sporting - as the various anime figures on my desk will attest.

9. Metabee

Get ready to robo-battle with your creative block!

Moving on from everyone's favourite voice synthesizing android, this chunky little robot is way more of a deep cut. Still, as far as drawing anime robots go, this striking, Hercules beetle inspired design feels like a slightly kinder inclusion than, say, Neon Genesis Evangelion's big purple Unit-01 mech.

Though Metabee is high-tech hardware sporting hard angles and impactful straight lines, this design demonstrates just how much inspiration can be drawn from the natural world.

Combining chibi-style aesthetics with sleek hardware, Metabee can be what you make him – whether you want to use him for comical situations or to revel in explosive Robattle action. In-universe, Medabots can switch out parts too, making Metabee's design perfect for customisation.

8. Lupin III

Heists and hijinks.

Take my word for it - folks love horny idiots, and this long-running series boasts a heisting polycule of them. Joking aside, we're going to focus on the titular gangly fool for this entry - after all, every girl is crazy about a sharp dressed man.

Regardless of whether Lupin is sporting his head-turning red jacket, more mellow green blazer, or a plain black dress shirt and snazzy tie, the gentleman thief has been a timeless style icon for decades. Nothing ages better than a smart jacket and trousers combo, and all that formality is balanced here by gangly limbs alongside a massive round noggin', all combining to fashion a strongly identifiable, bow-legged silhouette.

7. Pikachu

This little mouse has got that spark.

Perhaps you're like me and remember when Pikachu was a chunky little guy. According to Pikachu's original designer Atsuko Nishida, the series mascot's more spherical design was inspired by daifuku, a pleasingly squishy traditional Japanese sweet. Indeed, basing your own critter creations off of confectionery can ensure that cute factor.

Pikachu's design has since been refined for the purposes of animation, allowing the character to win over even more audiences with expressive movement. There's a reason why the series mascot was never allowed to evolve into Raichu in the show; Pikachu may be a weaker, earlier form – but nothing can go toe-to-toe with his simple, pleasing design.

6. Major Motoko Kusanagi

The rule of cool and its reigning monarch.

The '95 movie gives her a more muscular build, while the 2013 Ghost in the Shell: Arise anime instead makes her a youthful looking small fry, that iconic asymmetrical bob anchors Motoko Kusanagi's character design across all of her incarnations (even the live action movie, which I won't dwell on that here). Besides that durable design aspect, Motoko - known to backflip off skyscrapers and hack people's minds - simply oozes cyberpunk cool.

The Major's often form-fitting wardrobe doesn't just visually communicate her physical strength, but also exudes an air of confidence that compelled my younger self to fill many a sketchbook with her image. And now, it's your turn.

5. Monkey D. Luffy

Set sail for dynamic sketches.

Wardrobe reveals a lot about a character, and Luffy's straw hat, shorts, and sandals perfectly encapsulates his bottomless appetite for adventure. Sure, this is arguably too relaxed a get-up for a seafaring pirate who can't swim, but that contrast is both compelling and further communicates Luffy's carefree attitude.

This airy fit also allows freedom of movement, with Luffy's incredible stretching abilities lending themselves well to practicing those dynamic character poses. With such recognisable features, it doesn't take much to bring this straw hat pirate's image to life – vital for most enduring shonen manga heroes – meaning cute chibi versions can be just as effective as when he blows himself up into a more muscular mode.

4. Jotaro Kujo

Making an impact.

Jotaro Kujo's seemingly perpetual scowl is intended to distinguish him from the cheerier protagonists that came before in this long-running series, but the contrasting choices don't end there. In addition to being ridiculously tall canonically, the long flowing coat of Jotaro's heavily customised gakuran high school uniform makes him look even more imposing while also being a surprisingly mundane element in itself.

Jotaro cuts a striking silhouette, going to show that even something as every day as a school uniform can be reimagined into something that says much about a character. Besides that, what's better than one pose? Two, of course. Thanks to his ability to summon the 'punch ghost' stand Star Platinum, artwork of Jotaro always has the option of a partner.

3. Sailor Moon / Usagi Tsukino

Phasing into fanart mode.

As an anime-fan of a certain age, I couldn't allow this list to go by without giving the meatballs of yore their due. Usagi's odango-style hair buns are both another reference to classic Japanese sweets, but also give her an instantly recognisable silhouette.

That's just as well because, with a transformative wardrobe befitting a magical girl superheroine, her hairstyle makes her easily identifiable no matter what guise she wears.

As an interesting follow-on from the last entry, a number of Usagi's magical girl outfits are just variations on the theme of 'super powered school uniforms,' which just makes me wonder what sort of graceless superhero would be inspired by my ratty old school jumper and polo neck…

2. Son Goku

Monkey magic.

People joke about Dragon Ball's worldwide popularity being something akin to a universal language; no matter how far you venture, wearing a t-shirt featuring the long-running series' almost irrepressibly cheerful protagonist is bound to strike up conversation.

Part of Goku's enduring appeal is his never-ending quest to get stronger, represented visually by the contrasting orange and blue Gi he's seldom seen without. Over the course of the series, we see Goku grow from a young, monkey-tailed boy into a totally clueless, grown ass man.

Strong, durable character design not only makes him instantly recognisable throughout that journey, but also ensures we never lose sight of him amid both the manga's action-packed panels, or the later anime's overwrought fights.

1. Totoro

Your friendly neighbourhood forest spirit.

You can't get much more iconic than the mascot of beloved animation house Studio Ghibli. Totoro's design combines elements reminiscent of all the creatures of the forest he protects, from cats to owls.

Both furry and comforting, but also wise and occasionally mischievous, it's not hard to see how Totoro has won over audiences for decades. The best part? He's surprisingly easy to draw thanks to his design's use of fairly straightforward shape language. So, what better way to break in your new sketchbook or drawing tablet than by warming up with a quick sketch of this friendly guardian spirit?