While made in Japan, anime has a global appeal and audience. There are anime fans everywhere and from every possible cultural and ethnic background. So, it is always greatly welcomed when the medium has a positive representation for fans of all races and cultures. It is always important to not just write good Black, Asian, or Latino characters but rather write great characters who happen to be a part of these cultures.
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There are several anime worlds that look compelling to viewers, but these are surely some of the best ones the industry has given us.
Because of Japan’s mostly homogenous society, ethnic representation in anime is not as common as in Western media, so when it is done with taste and positivity, it becomes something very special. It takes great creators to incorporate racially diverse characters in their works, especially when they’re the protagonists. Keeping that in mind, these are some of the best anime with better ethnic diversity and representation.
The original Captain Tsubasa anime took its main character to the Korea and Japan FIFA World Cup, resulting in the inclusion of characters from many different countries, as is the norm in such sports events. Tsubasa meets and goes against talented players from all around the globe.
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Combining the excitement of sports anime with the multicultural beauty of the World Cup. Tsubasa, the main character, was mentored by Roberto Hongo, a former Brazilian star player – immediately shining a light on Brazil’s legendary status in Soccer.
9Yuri On Ice
Yuri’s journey through the Figure Skating Grand Prix lets him meet talented ice skaters from across the globe. Yuri’s mentor, Viktor Nikiforov, is Russian himself, so there’s immediately a wholesome foreign presence in the story. Other prominent figures are the Italian-American Celestino, Otabek from Kazakhstan, Chris from Switzerland, and, of course, the lovable Phichit from Thailand.
The show portrays this very international cast in a positive and wholesome light, showing the skating talents found in different countries, all competing in friendly yet determined rivalries.
8Black Lagoon
This anime classic of the mid-2000s also boasts a very diverse cast befitting a gang of mercenaries in such a high-octane action series. Lagoon’s protagonist, Revy, is of Chinese descent, and the awesome Dutch is an African-American Vietnam War veteran.
Two of the most beloved characters in the show, Balalaika and Roberta, are Russian and Colombian, respectively. All of these characters are portrayed respectfully and as absolute badasses. Black Lagoon combines awesome and cool action heroes with fantastic representations of very diverse ethnicities.
7Fire Force
Black representation can be tricky to do in anime, and for a long time, anime didn’t have the best track record. That being said, Atsushi Okubo’s Fire Force nails this. Princess Hibana, Ogun Montgomery, and Charon are all beloved characters among black anime fans.
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All of them nailed the principle of making awesome characters who happen to be black instead of just making good black characters. These characters are a natural part of the world and well incorporated, as it is in real life, which is how you do representation.
When fans think of thePokémonanime, they usually think of the originalfirst-generation showwith Ash, Brock, and Misty. But as the games have progressed in real life, so has the anime’s adaptation of its characters, and it has a plethora of iconic black characters such as Gym Leaders like Lenora and Nessa and powerful champions like Leon and Iris.
In Sun and Moon, Ash also befriends the awesome Kiawe, a Hawaiian fire dancer. Black representation in Pokémon is done with taste and coolness.
Ethnic representation inBleachhas been an ongoing topic for years. Yoruichi Shihouin is one of the most iconic female characters in anime, and she’s a badass black woman and one of the strongest shinigami in the show.
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Ichigo’s best friend, Yasutora “Chad” Sado, is of Mexican descent, and he has spoken about the discrimination he has faced in Japan due to the color of his skin while taking great pride in his Latino heritage. Also, let’s not forget to mention the powerful black characters like Kaname Tosen and the feisty Franceska Mila Rose.
4Megalo Box
Megalo Box is an underrated gem that’s initially about boxing in a sci-fi setting, but as soon as season 2 hits, the focus is shifted to a story about grief and guilt. A massive part of the journey deals with the Latino immigration struggle, an ever-growing issue in today’s world.
The protagonist, Joe, meets a group of Latino migrants struggling to survive, and one of the key characters, Chief, is a heartfelt characterization of what many immigrants go through every day. Even the ending theme, El Canto del Colibri, is entirely in Spanish.
3Michiko and Hatchin
This very underrated show has one of the biggest Latino representations in anime. The main character, Michiko Malandro, is a black Brazilian woman, a pardo, as she is called in her country. Almost the entire cast is Brazilian, black, or both. It tells the story of a brave woman saving an abused child, Hatchin, from an awful life – an ongoing issue in Latin American countries.
The show doesn’t shy away from dealing with harsh subjects while having a strong Latina female lead. Michiko and Hatchin is a must-watch for Latino anime fans.
2Mobile Suit Gundam
TheMobile Suit Gundamfranchise takes place in a very distant future; among all the advancements humanity has achieved, complete ethnic integration is one of them. In a series where the plot covers Planet Earth and space colonies, it’s common to see people from all possible backgrounds.
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There’s a massive cast filled with black characters in shows like Victory Gundam. In Turn A and Gundam 00, the protagonists are Loran Cehack, a black boy, and Setsuna F Seiei, of Middle Eastern origin.
1JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Possibly the most international anime out there, almost eachJoJo’s Bizarre Adventurepart takes place in a different country, or in the case of Part Three, Stardust Crusaders, several countries at once. JoJo’s cast is incredibly diverse, starting from England to America, Japan, Egypt, and Italy.
The series features wonderful black characters like the wise Muhammad Avdol and the cunningEnrico Puccior the Latina queenErmes Costello. Then it comes to Steel Ball Run, where we see a badass indigenous man like Sandman or the charming African-American Pocoloco. In short, JoJo has everything.
