Famitsu's top 50 favorite video game characters: #1 Snake; 2# Mario

Famitsu's top 50 favorite video game characters

Note: I have provided the full names of the characters and provided their original Japanese names with localized names in brackets.

01. Snake (Metal Gear Solid series)
02. Mario (Super Mario Bros. series)
03. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII)
04. Slime (Dragon Quest series)
05. Sora (Kingdom Hearts series)
06. Link (Legend of Zelda series)
07. Yuri Lowell (Tales of Vespersia)
08. Amaterasu (Okami)
09. Pikachu (Pocket Monsters [Pokemon] series)
10. Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog series)

Characters #32 to #11

11. Kazuma Kiryu (Ryu ga Gotoku [Yakuza] series)
12. Kirby (Hoshi no Kirby series)
13. Airuu (Monster Hunter series)
14. Toro (Doko de Moishho series)
15. Professor Hershel Layton (Professor Layton series)
16. Yuna (Final Fantasy X)
17. Sakura Shinguji (Sakura Wars series)
18. Luigi (Super Mario Bros. series)
19. Tifa Lockheart (Final Fantasy VII)
20. Tidus (Final Fantasy X)
21. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)
22. Rockman (Rockman [Megaman] series)
23. Dante (Devil May Cry)
24. Aerith (Final Fantasy VII)
25. Shiren (Mystery Dungeon)
26. Chocobo (Final Fantasy series)
27. Zidane Tribal (Final Fantasy IX)
28. Roxas (Kingdom Hearts II)
29. Squall Leonhart (Final Fantasy VIII)
30. Ryu (Street Fighter series)
31. Leon S. Kennedy (Biohazard [Resident Evil] series)
32. Vivi Orunitia (Final Fantasy IX)

Characters #50 to #33

33. Auron (Final Fantasy X)
34. Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII)
35. Bayonetta (Bayonetta)
36. Kuro (Doko de Moissho series)
37. Zack Fair (Final Fantasy VII)
38. Adol Christian (Ys series)
39. Chihaya Kisaragi (The Idolmaster)
40. Chris Redfield (Biohazard [Resident Evil] series)
41. Shantotto (Final Fantasy XI)
42. Raiden (Metal Gear Solid series)
43. Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden)
44. Locke Cole (Final Fantasy VI)
45. Miku Hatsune (Hatsune Miku series)
46. Nene Anegasaki (LovePlus)
47. Alena (Dragon Quest IV)
48. Yuffie Kisaragi (Final Fantasy VII)
49. Luke (Tales of the Abyss)
50. Rikku (Final Fantasy X)

Source

Some comments: I personally did not expect Mario to top Cloud Strife, but then be topped by Solid Snake. I was surprised to see Luigi, Tidus, and Alena (I thought that Bianca from Dragon Quest V is more popular) on the list. There is a large representation of Final Fantasy characters from Locke Cole to Lightning in the list which shows that the Japanese find the characters appealing unlike some people on System Wars, epecially those who hate JRPGs.

God awful list

Sonic,link and amaterasu are in the top 10, yay!

SLIME? WTF?

a low level enemy made the top 10?

Kinda Typical no Xbox or PC characters aren't on thel list. *sigh*

SLIME? WTF?

a low level enemy made the top 10?

CDUB316

Perhaps you are unaware that Slime is the official mascot of the Dragon Quest series and has spin-off games under his name. He is a popular character.

nintendo-loses

[QUOTE="CDUB316"]

SLIME? WTF?

a low level enemy made the top 10?

nintendo-wins

Perhaps you are unaware that Slime is the official mascot of the Dragon Quest series and has spin-off games under his name. He is a popular character.

i know, but i dont' get it either

why is it so popular?

I only know about 10 from that list, but it's japans top 50 not NAs top 50 though

SLIME? WTF?

a low level enemy made the top 10?

CDUB316

Slime is incredibly iconic, i imagine. I don't know enough about the gaming culture of japan to know the extent of it, but the DQ games are huge there and slime is basicaly the mascot. He's even got his own game on the ds. Of course, in the top 10, that's interesting!

I'd rather point out Yuri lowell in the top 10. What the heck? really? I'd really love for someone to explain this.. is vesperia really popular in japan? To be honest, i was disapointed with it and found yuri to be a weak, generic character. Anyone have a greater familiarty? Is famitsu big fans of vesperia?

EDIT: Mario > Snake :D I love seeing link as high up on that list as he is. I thought zelda had lost a good amount of steam in japan so it's nice to see him high up there! of course, with ammy in that top 10 it's obviously not just a popularity contest.

4 Final Fantasy X characters and a felyne from Monster Hunter. This list wins.

[QUOTE="CDUB316"]

SLIME? WTF?

a low level enemy made the top 10?

blahzor

Slime is incredibly iconic, i imagine. I don't know enough about the gaming culture of japan to know the extent of it, but the DQ games are huge there and slime is basicaly the mascot. He's even got his own game on the ds. Of course, in the top 10, that's interesting!

I'd rather point out Yuri lowell in the top 10. What the heck? really? I'd really love for someone to explain this.. is vesperia really popular in japan? To be honest, i was disapointed with it and found yuri to be a weak, generic character. Anyone have a greater familiarty? Is famitsu big fans of vesperia?

yea...i love DQ games...but playing them, i never got the feel for slime as being a mascot

just never got the hype around it that the japenese give it...to me it was just a thing to kill

top 50? sure...but top 10? that's just kind of pushing it...but hey, it's their opinion

Ya, i just noticed the good professor is high in that list! Layton FTW!

SLIME? WTF?

a low level enemy made the top 10?

CDUB316

I agree with Snake getting the top spot, oh and Im glad Sonic made it in the top 10. Despite a decade of crappy games the blue hedgehog still is one of the most awesome characters of gaming.Swift_Boss_A

100% Agreed.

I agree with Snake getting the top spot, oh and Im glad Sonic made it in the top 10. Despite a decade of crappy games the blue hedgehog still is one of the most awesome characters of gaming.Swift_Boss_A

100% Agreed.

Shiren is cool, but everything else sucks.

Bad list

Damn, I never knew Sora was so big in Japan. That's cool with me, I like Kingdom Hearts. :)

SLIME? WTF?

a low level enemy made the top 10?

CDUB316

How does Atermatsu get in the top 10 with one game.

So why do they need western characters when western games aren't even that popular?

So why do they need western characters when western games aren't even that popular?

phatkav

Because the idea of culture preferences are just silly and the Japanese should think exactly like Westerners do.

God awful list

UserBane

i agree

Sonic,link and amaterasu are in the top 10, yay!

JuarN18

im suprised, and glad at the same time

People get a grip its what the Japaneese like not what we like. I love this list becuase it shows the difference between us.

Bad list is...you know.

I usually don't really like main protagonists, because they're often too nice and bland. Bowser is a much better character than Mario, imo.

Tidus above Zidane...seriously? Zidane is so much more awesome than some whiny daddy problemed child.... and at least Zidane isn't afraid of women... :P Still.. cool list... Kirby should be higher... :D

LOL Shantotto is ranked 41 that Taru with sucky jokes :P,

LOL Shantotto is ranked 41 that Taru with sucky jokes :P,

Kashiwaba

Adol made the list?

Wow.

Your alright Japan.

Good to see Lightning on the list (can't wait wait to play as her) as wellseeingTidus on that list.

Also Sonic >> Mario. Just throwing it out there. :P

Some good choices in there, but I have no idea who most of the characters on that list are.

I agree with Snake getting the top spot, oh and Im glad Sonic made it in the top 10. Despite a decade of crappy games the blue hedgehog still is one of the most awesome characters of gaming.Swift_Boss_A

I generally agree with the list, but no Phoenix Wright characters (especially Gumshoe) is sad.

Where the hell is Jann Walker? Bogus list...

Good to see Lightning on the list (can't wait wait to play as her) as wellseeingTidus on that list.

Also Sonic >> Mario. Just throwing it out there. :P

hayato_

so famitsu did a gamefaqs..

Every character on that list looks identical! Jrpg's....

Yuri from ToV is liked that much that he was in the top 10? But, I thought Japanese gamers hated MSFT. What the heck is happening here?mythrol

Does that mean microsoft? Im not trying to be a smart ass just want to make sure since im use to seeing it as MS. Also TOV is on PS3 over there so that doesint even matter.

Is it just me or do Japanese gamers only play Japanese games? I mean like Western Gamers play both Western and Japanese....