There are few jobs more difficult and exhausting than that of being a parent. Mothers, fathers, and parental figures make sacrifices for their children every day, and the teaching that parents give to their kids is invaluable. This is especially true in the world of anime, where literally anything can happen, illustrating the more heroic qualities of parenthood. Raising a child is an invaluable skill, whether the world children live in are full of illnesses, danger, or man-eating giants. Classic anime, as well as new additions, portray parents as some of the most selfless and patient people.
Raising a child is easy to get wrong, but these nine parents and parental figures go above and beyond their duties as mothers and fathers, all for the good of their little ones.
RELATED: 'The Deer King' Review: Reminiscent of Ghibli's Greatest Hits, But Far From Its Equal
Inko Midoriya in My Hero Academia (2016-Present)
When 80% of the population is blessed with superpowers and her little boy Izuku (Daiki Yamashita) winds up with none, the world becomes a far more terrifying place for Inko (Aya Kawakami). Though My Hero Academia is a fun, colorful, and adventurous story, there are moments of true fear, and poor Inko often gets the brunt of it.
Following her guilt for not supporting her son’s dream of becoming a superhero even when he has no powers, Inko supports him wholeheartedly when he miraculously acquires a quirk and gets into the most prestigious hero school in the country. Even when she has to put her foot down for Izuku’s safety, she does so while explaining clearly why. Every step of the way, she shares his anticipation, victories, and tears. This begs the question: who’s the real superhero?
Trisha Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010)
With seemingly no limit to her understanding and patience, Trisha (Yoshino Takamori) manages to raise two incredibly intelligent sons, Edward (Romi Park) and Alphonse (Rie Kugimiya), and lovingly awaits the return of her absent husband, Hohenheim (Unshō Ishizuka).
She takes the extra responsibility in stride and even maintains authority over two alchemists with no powers of her own. In fact, she encourages her sons’ interests and dreams every step of the way; that sort of love is the kind that can only be accepted and returned. While she isn’t present in the lives of Edward and Alphonse as they grow up, she set their hearts and minds on the right path, and her memory continues to show them tremendous support and love.
Ryoji “Ranka” Fujioka in Ouron High School Host Club (2006)
The Fujioka family has gone through their fair share of hardship, especially when Ryoji (Takehito Koyasu) became a single father to his little girl Haruhi (Maaya Sakamoto) when his wife passed away. Having to work long hours is a particularly heavy burden when all he wants to do is go to Parent’s Day at Haruhi’s school.
But even though Haruhi becomes aggressively independent due to being home alone and learning how to take care of herself, she learned a lot from Ryoji just by watching his example. Ryoji never fit into the traditional gender norms of society and doesn’t mind standing out; as a result, Haruhi isn’t confined to dressing or behaving stereotypically girlish and tends to be more laid back about gender. Despite their hardships, Ryoji’s determination to raise his child and his open personality allowed Haruhi to grow up caring about what’s most important.
Akio and Sanae Furukawa in Clannad and Clannad: After Story (2007-2009)
Widely considered to be the best parents in anime history, Akio (Ryōtarō Okiayu) and Sanae (Kikuko Inoue) not only have a healthy and fun relationship with their daughter Nagisa (Mai Nakahara), they also have adorable chemistry with each other. Both are known to act like excited children so they can be friends with their daughter as well as be her parents (taking baseball and creative bread making too personally sometimes), but they are mature when the situation calls for it.
While Akio and Sanae both had different plans for what to do with their careers, they changed their dreams for Nagisa, who had medical issues from very early on. Their love for Nagisa, and by extension her friends, is a whole-hearted, ecstatic love that’s impossible to miss. Their strength and enduring love in difficult times are part of the reason those around them can keep moving forward.
Artur and Lisa Braus in Attack on Titan (2013-Present)
Though their roles within Attack on Titan's wider story are very small, Artur (Hiroshi Naka) and Lisa (Junko Iwao) represent an important strength in a world where humanity teeters on the brink of war and death. Sasha (Yū Kobayashi), a soldier in the Scouts regiment, can be selfish sometimes (especially with her food) and slow to understand those who have wronged her. Artur manages to get through her stubbornness to explain that, if humanity is ever going to make it, they all need to rely on each other. This is a lesson that Sasha takes with her, and it makes her a stronger person.
Artur and Lisa are both dedicated parents, even to those who aren’t their children. Though they are simple hunters, they are also extremely generous, kind people who are quick to forgive and always ready to dole out life lessons even through their own tragedy. Even without words, their actions speak to their strongly-held belief that children “need to be kept out of the forest.”
Sachiko Fujinuma in Erased (2016)
Being a mother in a town where children go missing is a horrifying reality for Sachiko (Minami Takayama), who never really stops thinking about the trail of victims left by a cold-hearted killer. Dedicated to finding out the truth, Sachiko is willing to risk even her own safety to ensure the well-being of her son Satoru (Shinnosuke Mitsushima) and his classmates.
Sachiko has a strong-willed but empathic heart and can always tell what her son is thinking. She may not look like it, but she can also be ridiculously patient when it comes to Saturo, and she is willing to dedicate enormous amounts of time to him, even when he doesn’t know it.
Thors Snorresson in Vinland Saga (2019-Present)
Encouraging strength and endurance is important in Viking times, but so is the establishment of wisdom, patience, and courage, all of which are qualities that Thors (Kenichiro Matsuda) possesses in droves and attempts to teach his son, Thorfinn (Yuto Uemura).
Being an absolute beast of a man doesn’t mean he has no place for kindness, and his dedication to making sure his son is not just strong but wise is a priority. And when it comes to the protection of his people and of Thorfinn, his almost superhuman strength and endurance proves that he’s earned the title “Troll of Jom.” His influence remains with Thorfinn, and his memory impacts every action his son takes.
Jukai in Dororo (2019)
You don’t have to be related by blood to be a good parent – and you don’t have to be perfect either. Jukai (Akio Ōtsuka) is a man with many regrets, having used his craftsmanship talents for the purpose of causing suffering during the war. Now using his skills to make prosthetics for fallen warriors, Jukai’s guilt and attempts at atonement lead him to find Hyakkimaru (Hiroki Suzuki) as a baby.
Coming from a family that cast him out, Hyakkimaru was brutally torn apart by his biological father’s deal with demons, and his biological mother was unable to save him. Luckily, Jukai found Hyakkimaru and was able to give him not just a rebuilt body but his first friend and loving parental figure.
Maes and Gracia Hughes in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010)
Maes (Keiji Fujiwara) is never forgotten as one of (if not the) best fathers in anime, as well as the most doting of husbands. At any and every opportunity, he shows his friends, coworkers, and anyone who will listen, a picture of his wife Gracia (Tomoe Hanba) and daughter Elicia (Misato Fukuen). His excitement when interacting with his daughter, as well as his fierce protection of her, make him in equal parts annoying and endearing to those who never stop hearing about his family.
Though not as vocal as her husband, Gracia is the steadfast and quiet parent, and she balances Maes’ overwhelming excitement nicely. Even when faced with an unimaginable situation, she offers quiet strength and always thinks of her daughter first. This father-mother duo creates a loving environment for Gracia and gives her the tools she needs to become just as positive and kind as they are.
