… in Briar’s book.

This picture is here for no better reason than that Fushigi Yugi is one of the best known animes filled with bishounens in the 90s.

A couple months back, when I first joined THAT, Impz asked me if I wanted to do an editorial on bishounens. I was interested, seeing as how bishounens is probably one of my main attractions to animes.

But then after I thought about it for some time, I realized that I couldn’t really identify a particular element. Well, other than the fact that I like eye candy and that I’m shallow.

So. No serious editorial on why bishounens are so popular. Instead, I will go an utterly biased and subjective route and list out my Top Ten Bishounens (in my opinion), and see if there’s some kind of pattern in the stuff that I like. And hopefully, from those patterns I would be able to see what makes bishounens so popular.

So that’s the jumping board of this post. But my main purpose isn’t to do some serious analysis on bishounens. My main purpose is simply to add some neon pink feministic elements (figuratively speaking… to be honest, I dislike pink as a color) to this lamentably male blog… in fact, the lamentably male blogger world.

Even if it’s probably just a single drop of tiny pink.

Hopefully there would be other spots of pink. Who knows, we may take over the world in an overwhelming pink tsunami.

Preliminaries

Like any pseudo essay, I need to first define my topic title. “Top” and “Ten” are fairly self-explanatory. But what on earth are “Old” and “Bishounens”?

Before reading on, one important issue to keep in mind is that all definitions are my definitions. They are not meant to be universal, so intellectual debates on what constitutes old and bishounens are rather irrelevant.

So ok. Here goes:

Old: This does not refer to the age of the bishounen, but rather the period of the anime in which the bishounen stars in. And no, I am not a fan of old school animes, so what is considered “old” here is far from “old” in most people’s view. I define “old” as anything produced before I first start to avidly watch anime; that is, anything produced and finished before fall 2005.

Bishounen: Another debatable definition. I take it literally and generally to refer to good looking men. I do not use it as it was originally meant (beautiful boys under a certain age), nor as it was occasionally meant (homosexual and/or feministic men).

A rule that I have in choosing the Top Ten is that only 1 character per anime will appear on this list. This is to prevent me from dominating the list with bishounens of the same anime.

All Japanese names are arranged in the original version; ie, the family name comes before the given name. Western sounding name(s) excluded, of course.

Ok then. On to the fun.

10) Sagara Sousuke from Full Metal Panic!
(Voiced by Seki Tomokazu)

I don’t think he needs any description… Any fan of mecha, romance and action would have at least heard of this anime. The male hero of a franchise that spawned three seasons, including an entire season made of fillers, this military man is one of the better known names in the anime industry.

Briaric point of view:
Buff, athletic, and weird, with some of the quirkiest deadpan humor I’ve ever seen. I totally dig that. Unfortunately, he has those ugly lines on his cheeks, remnants of a dated way of drawing. It’s weird that I like that crossed scar more than those irritating lines, even though all of them are just lines. Some points are also deducted because of his tendency to get beaten up by Chidori. Hey, I find that so unmanly, and it kind of offends my sense of equality, not to mention the degradation of the female gender into something prone to unreasonable violence and shrewish behavior.

9 ) Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist
(Voiced by Ohkawa Toru)

Yet another character that warrants little introduction. Sure, Roy isn’t the main character of the anime… but I daresay no one who say that he is unimportant, or even unmemorable.

Colonel Roy Mustang is the man who brought Edward Elric into the life of State Alchemists, and is a surrogate big brother and rival and irritating boss to the vertically challenged hero of FMA. He is the Flame Alchemist, and can produce fire with a snap of his fingers through the intricacies of alchemy and special gloves.

Briaric point of view:
Strictly speaking, Roy Mustang isn’t really a bishounen. His eyes are too slanted and small, his face too long at times and too squarish at (even more) times. But! He is more often than not seen in uniform (man in uniform!), and he has a charisma that quite simply overwhelms his less than perfect looks. And to be honest, he isn’t bad looking. Maybe it’s even the small, slanted eyes and square face that makes him what he is… and what he is, is quite simply a man with talent, leadership qualities, and most of all an aura of attractiveness.

8 ) Sohma Kyo from Fruits Basket
(Voiced by Seki Tomokazu)

Fruits Basket is a shoujo anime about the Sohmas who are possessed by the spirits of the Twelve Zodiac Animals, and the normal girl who interacts with them. One of the main characters in Fruits Basket, Kyo has a special (and unspecific in the anime) relationship with the heroine Tohru, as well as an intense rivalry with Sohma Yuki, the other main character. Kyo is possessed by the vengeful Cat, and is hence cursed.

Briaric point of view:
Kyo looks like Ichigo from Bleach… only he is better looking and with a better hair style. With that bright orange hair, he’s guaranteed to be bad tempered, impulsive, and stubborn. And boy, he has all those qualities in spades. But the thing is, he has more layers to him than that, and that is what makes him so fascinating. Points deducted, though, for the simple lines of his character design; not ugly, by any means. Just not as aesthetically pleasing to my eyes.

7 ) Tasuki from Fushigi Yūgi
(Voiced by Canna Nobutoshi)

Fushigi Yūgi is one of the biggest shoujo animes in the 90s. So much so I actually watched it on TV long before I was really into animes. Tasuki is not the main character of the anime (52 episodes, plus 13 OVAs), but I daresay he may be one of the most popular. With the (original?) bright orange hair, fangs, and a metal fan that emits flames, he is one of the Seven Celestial Warriors of the Suzaku, and one who has importance and screen time second only to Hotohori among all the non-Miaka-and-Tamahome characters.

Briaric point of view:
Tasuki has always been my favorite character in Fushigi Yūgi, because he is funny, good looking, and crazily sincere. And because he is a good foil to the irritating Tamahome and Miaka. Most of the time, he is the comic relief of the show. Yet at the moments when he isn’t the comic relief, his serious face is more than a little beautiful. He is impulsive and loud on the outside; but he is loyal and a softie in the inside, and what woman wouldn’t like this kind of man?

Not to mention the fangs. The fangs are sexy.

Points are deducted because… well, it has been a long, long time since I watched FY, and I’ve lost touch with my inner Tasuki-loving fervor.

6 ) Chrno from Chrno Crusade
(Voiced by Ishida Akira)

Chrno is the main character and namesake of the anime Chrno Crusade. He’s a demon, with Rosette Christopher, the heroine of the story, as his contractor. Because his powers are derived from Rosette’s life, he limits himself in his 12 year old looking self. Only at moments of duress does he change into his original demon form. And it is this original demon form who is labeled number 6, not the chibi 12 years old form.

Briaric point of view:
I never really like kids… so I almost didn’t pick up Chrno Crusade because the hero is short and young. But then I picked it up, and that’s it. I’m hooked. I love the anime, even though the ending sucks big time. I love Chrno in his chibi form, and I love him even more in his demon form. Hey, he has fangs, horns, and a tail, and yet looks as appealing as Johnny Depp. Nothing can beat that.

He’s number 6 because chibi Chrno is just not a bishounen to me (because he’s too young and short to be called my definition of a bishounen), and demon Chrno appears too infrequently to make more than a strong (as opposed to unforgettably strong) impression.

5 ) Isumi Shinichiro from Hikaru no Go
(Voiced by Suzumura Kenichi)

Hikaru no Go is one of those really, really popular animes in the late 90s, early 2000s. The anime, after all, sparked an interest in Go (a board game) in Japan and probably elsewhere in the world as well, in smaller scales.

Isumi is a rather minor character, being one of the Insei-s (Go professional students) who befriended the main character, Hikaru. He is the oldest Insei among Hikaru’s clique of friends, and is a strong Go player when he is able to control his emotions and anxiety. After going through training in China, though, he has the emotional control to complement his skills, and so became a professional Go player a year after Hikaru.

Isumi is also the person who made Hikaru picked up Go again, after the latter has lost his mentor and best friend.

Briaric point of view:
I was entranced in him when I watched that anime, mostly because of that look in his eyes when he plays Go. (Notice the percentage of screenshots with that particular angle?) I might have chosen 14 year old Hikaru, but for his 10 year old self with that baby fat that dominated half of the anime. Isumi, on the other hand, started out as good looking and grew up to be even more good looking. His training in China not only sharpened his Go skills, but also his personality, and it shows in his appearance.

The fact that he is voiced by my absolute favorite seiyuu, Suzumura Kenichi, doesn’t hurt either.

4 ) Kamui Shirou from X: TV
(Voiced by Suzumura Kenichi)

Kamui is the protagonist of X, and is a broody youngster with Issues. On one hand, he has to deal with his destiny; on the other hand, he has to save the world, or alternatively, destroy it. That should be more than any 15 year old to bear… but when you add to the mixture a dead potential love interest and an arch enemy who is also his childhood friend… that’s the angst that makes up X.

Briaric point of view:
What is a bishounen list without a CLAMP character? After all, CLAMP is known for their portrayal of bishounens with long limbs and anorexic bodies. In my opinion, Kamui is one of the better looking guys created under CLAMP’s pen. Sure, he still has those long limbs and thin body, but… at least his side profile is amazingly elegant and he has perfect facial features.

He doesn’t rate higher despite that perfection because of the sheer emo-ness that oozes from his pores.

3 ) Larva from Vampire Princess Miyu
(Voiced by Miki Shinichiro)

One of the less well known animes on this list. In fact, the top three bishounens all come from less “well known” animes.

Vampire Princess Miyu is the anime that got me started on animes in fall 2005. And because of that, it has a sentimental value that beats all logical analysis hands down. The anime is about Miyu, the Guardian who banishes demons back to the dark, and occasionally about her silent companion, Larva, the man with the eeky name but beautiful face.

VPM has two very good episodes that made up for the boredom that constitutes most of the first half of the anime. The two-episode arc “The Light of the Sea” (episode 13 and 14) talks about Larva and his past, and sheds a lot of light on the relationship of between Larva and Miyu.

Briaric point of view:
Larva is the personification of the big, silent protector. He always arrives at the nick of the moment to save Miyu (yes, it smacks of the damsel-in-distress syndrome, but hey, a girl can’t help wanting a strong protector), and yet at the same time he is not the “yes” man foil for Miyu, nor the beating bag. While he rarely disagree with Miyu, and behaves a lot like a servant/slave, the two episodes mentioned above reveals a lot of his character that was previously unseen. He is with Miyu because he understands her, and is a part of her, out of a sense of loyalty and even love. They need each other. And that is just so romantic that I can’t help loving him for that.

And that’s not mentioning the perfection of his face. The light blue hair (I like light/white hair), red eyes, and pale skin also create an otherworldly vibe. If Kamui has perfect features, it’s a perfection in the traditional anime-big-eyes CLAMP style. I find Larva’s perfect features a perfection that is more “real”, features that while unlikely to appear in real life, is still more likely.

Points deducted for the un-proportional body reminiscent of traditional American superhero style, which I totally do not like. Points then added for the incalculable sentimental value. The result is number 3.

2 ) Narumi Ayumu from Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna
(Voiced by Suzumura Kenichi)

Spiral is a detective anime with very real detective elements; the story is often convoluted and layered with twists and ambushes… sometimes too much so, causing a type of logical fallacy. And that’s not mentioning the less than complete ending. But that doesn’t detract from the fact that Spiral is pure entertainment, even for a non-mystery buff like me.

Ayumu is the main character of Spiral, who first solves various perplexing cases before tangling fully with the Blade Children, who are the main antagonists for most of the first half of the anime, and the co-protagonists for the later half. All of them are so smart they can all go to Harvard and come out as top of the class.

Briaric point of view:
Ayumu has those wonderful big eyes and tousled hair, and is a smart dresser. He is voiced by Suzumura Kenichi (yes, I really, really, really like him). He cooks wonderfully, and does housework. He has a tragic past and a tragic future. He has a “heck-care” attitude and complexities layered over very real sense of inferiority. And most of all, he is smart. There’s nothing sexier than a man with a brain and one who knows how to use it. Simply by virtue of his intelligence, he would probably be listed here. But add that to the entire package, you would get Narumi Ayumu, number 2 on my top ten old bishounen list.

He’s only number 2 because… unfortunately there is still someone who is more compelling than him.

1 ) Orphen from Sorcerous Stabber Orphen
(Voiced by Morikubo Shoutarou)

And Briar’s number 1 is out! Raise your hand if you know who this person is! -_+

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, also known simply as Orphen, is a typical shounen anime made in by J C Staff in the late 90s. Not a very popular anime, though I think it’s a cult favorite.

The story is not exactly complex, where Orphen is the main character and a wizard who is trying to save his childhood friend and surrogate big sister and crush, Azalie, from her existence as a monster dragon. He is accompanied by his disciple Majic, his resident damsel-in-distress Cleo, and two irritating comic reliefs who pop in and out of the anime.

The sypnosis doesn’t do the anime justice, though, because while the anime isn’t the best anime by any calculations other than emotional, it does have more to it than just a straightforward tale. And in my opinion, one of those resounding factors that make the anime a success is the presence of Orphen, the number 1 “old” bishounen in Briar’s book.

Briaric point of view:
The number 1 “old” bishounen is so named because Orphen is the impossible personification of the man of my dreams.

Well, not really. In real life I probably wouldn’t be able to stand him. But as a fantasy, he has all the qualities I like.

He is a lot like Ayumu, in that he is strong intellectually; probably the smartest character in the anime. He is not as impulsive as most shounen heroes, and yet retains a lot of that purity of one-mindedness. Unlike Ayumu, he has no inferior complex, and instead is very capable and confident in himself. He is strong not only in terms of wizardly skills (he is one of the best wizards in the anime, even though most of it is hard work and practical knowledge), but also strong physically in an athletic way.

If anyone’s been following my posts on THAT, you would know my fascination with Kazuma of the Kaze no Stigma fame. Orphen is a lot like Kazuma, with that bad ass quality mingled in sheer capability, except that he is less callous and uncaring. Orphen, quite simply, is a bad ass with a heart of gold. Not to mention, he is funny in a way that doesn’t resort to slapstick humor.

Also, his single-minded pursuit of Azalie is a manifestation of his constant personality, yet another quality I look up to.

And purely aesthetically, wouldn’t you say that he has one of the best designed costumes (I think only second to Cloud of FF7: Advent Children) in animes? That red bandanna is cool, not to mention that dragon pendant. In terms of features, he has the same perfect alignment, except he is undeniably masculine in design, with strong lines to complement the prettiness.

I really don’t think there’s anything to pick on, in terms of his physical beauty.

Afterword

I wasn’t absent from Blogsphere just because of work… I was planning on this post, and it’s sister post Top Ten “New” Bishounens. So stay tuned for more! I’m not going to state a date, though, because I really do have a schedule that kills ruthlessly and indiscriminatingly.

Disclaimer: The pictures are all screenshots and taken from various sources, so don’t ask me where I got them. And because of my less than stellar knowledge of technology and my rather wacky computer, these screenies may not be as good as they could be. I humbly apologize.

Browse Timeline

• « That Fall Review: 1st episode of Dragonaut and Shana II
• » Saiunkoku Monogatari II Episode 21 - “蛙の子は蛙”

Comments (24)

Add a Comment