The Best Anime & Manga for Fans of Animals

Out of the 7 animal partners in Isekai anime, 4 are like wolves. This shows how much wolf-like creatures are loved in Japanese shows and comics.

Anime and manga have always had interesting animal characters. These characters bring different views and relationships to the stories. There are shows with robotic cats that make us laugh, and stories about herbivores and carnivores that keep us on the edge.

This article will show you the best series that focus on animals. You’ll find stories about wolves, cats, and a lot more. Let’s dive into the world of furry, feathered, and eight-legged friends in anime and manga.

Key Takeaways

Animal characters are a prevalent and beloved feature in the world of anime and manga.
Isekai anime in particular showcase a preference for wolf-like animal companions, with 4 out of 7 featured companions falling into this category.
Animal characters in anime and manga often exhibit traits and abilities that subvert expectations, adding depth and intrigue to the narratives.
Loyalty is a highly valued trait among animal companions, with 5 out of 7 companions described as loyal to their masters.
Demon-like animal characters with the ability to transform into formidable creatures are a growing trend in anime, suggesting a fascination with powerful or dual-natured animal characters.

Introduction to Animal-Centric Anime and Manga

In Japan, animations and comics have always featured animals. Since the days of Osamu Tezuka to the latest shows, animal characters stand out. They show unique traits, special powers, and form deep bonds with humans. These stories let us see the world from a different angle, thanks to these animal characters.

Animals like hawks, snakes, and even pigs are everywhere in anime and manga. For example, in “Attack on Titan,” humans are linked to animals as a symbol. This shows their different traits and helps tell their stories better.

Different animals symbolize traits like loyalty or smartness for characters. This makes the stories richer and more interesting. It adds a layer of meaning to anime and manga, making them more than just cartoons.

Add to this the idea of mixing humans with animal features, like cat ears. This mixing, called kemonomimi, is often seen with characters that are part human, part animal. Popular choices include catgirls and bunnygirls. This mix is also applied to various other things in stories, like historical periods or food, for fun.

BNA: Brand New Animal

An Accidental Transformation

In the BNA anime world, humans and Beastmen often clash. Beastmen have their own city to avoid human troubles. Michiru turns into a tanuki by accident and heads to Anima City seeking answers. She narrowly avoids an explosion, starting her adventure. A wolf, Shirou Ogami, joins her investigation into the attack.

Exploring the World of Beastmen

Michiru finds out she’s not an ordinary Beastman. Did her change link humans and Beastmen? Her search deepens, blurring the lines between species in this new BNA brand new animal setting. This journey tackles themes like identity, tensions, and the hope for peace.

BNA anime characters

Beastars: A Murder Mystery with Anthropomorphic Characters

The Beastars series, by Paru Itagaki, takes us to a place where animal people live. It explores the relationships and tensions between meat-eaters and plant-eaters. This setting mixes a unique idea with deep storylines.

Tensions Between Herbivores and Carnivores

At Cherryton Academy, a wolf named Legoshi is not what you’d expect. He looks fierce but is actually gentle and thoughtful. When a student is killed, he steps up to solve the mystery.

This murder causes big problems between plant-eaters and meat-eaters. Legoshi must untangle the mystery against growing chaos.

The Unlikely Friendship of Legoshi and Haru

After the murder, Legoshi meets Haru, a dwarf rabbit. They become friends, facing society’s misconceptions about them. Their friendship highlights the tensions and challenges they face.

The Beastars series mixes mystery with deep characters and relationships. Legoshi, Haru, and Louis all show us themes like identity, social issues, and the battle between nature and choice.

Aggretsuko: A Red Panda’s Office Adventures

Aggretsuko is a unique comedy show about work for grown-ups. It’s from Sanrio, the makers of Hello Kitty. The main character is Retsuko, a young red panda who is an accountant. She faces work issues and struggles with friends. Sometimes, she sings death metal at karaoke to let out her anger. The show also has her fennec fox friend, Fenneko, and a hyena co-worker named Haida, who has a big crush on her.

Dealing with Workplace Stress Through Death Metal

In the show, Retsuko shares her everyday battles in a funny yet touching way. She looks calm, but inside, she’s full of anger. To deal with this, she belts out death metal songs loud and proud. This is how she finds peace and shows a different side of herself.

Aggretsuko red panda

Doraemon: The Robotic Cat from the Future

When you first see Doraemon, you might not know what he is. He’s not just any cat; he’s a robotic cat. Unlike a normal cat, Doraemon lost his ears to robotic mice and turned blue. This made him scared of real mice. Doraemon comes from the future to help Nobita, a young boy. Using special gadgets, he helps Nobita avoid a sad future.

Statistic	Value
Total episodes of the US English adaptation of Doraemon	52+
Original run of Doraemon: Gadget Cat from the Future in the US	July 7, 2014 – September 1, 2015
Production fee + copyright fee for the US adaptation	100 million yen
Premiere of the first season of the US English dub	July 7, 2014
Premiere of the second season of the US English dub	June 15, 2015
Cessation of reruns of the Bang Zoom! dub of Doraemon on Disney XD USA	2017
Plans for a third season of the US adaptation as of 2017	None
DVD and Blu-ray releases for the US adaptation	Not announced
Upload of two seasons of Doraemon’s US dub on Viz Media’s YouTube channel	March 2020
Termination of Viz Media’s YouTube account	June 2020 due to TV Asahi copyright claims
Redirection of the official Doraemon America website	To TV Asahi’s Japanese website in 2021
High-quality episodes of the US dub uploaded by Komanyan	October 8, 2021 on Archive.org

Kimba the White Lion: A Classic Animal Protagonist

Kimba the White Lion is a well-loved series by Osamu Tezuka. Created in 1965, it was the first colored anime. It tells the tale of Kimba, a lion cub who becomes king after his father’s death. Kimba works to achieve his father’s dream of peace among animals.

Fostering Harmony Between Animals and Humans

Kimba faces many challenges, including bringing peace between animals and humans. This show had a big impact on how animals are portrayed in anime and manga. Kimba the White Lion is a groundbreaking series that changed how animal characters are viewed.

The Legacy of Osamu Tezuka

Osamu Tezuka is the brilliant mind behind Kimba the White Lion. His work greatly influenced how animal characters are shown in Japanese animation and comics. Kimba’s story is about working together and finding peace, no matter who or what you are.

Kimba the White Lion

Animals in Anime and Manga

Western animation might have Mickey Mouse and Daffy Duck, but anime and manga are rich with animal characters too. These stories, often for kids, show animals leading the action. You’ll find tales that are funny, while others are full of heart-pounding adventures.

From Comedic Relief to Epic Adventures

Animal characters aren’t just for laughs in anime and manga. They help us think about the world in new ways. Shows like BNA and Beastars dive into complex human-animal relationships. And let’s not forget the fun in Aggretsuko and the adorable Hamtaro. There’s a story for everyone in this vast world.

Exploring Human-Animal Relationships

Shows focused on animals do more than just entertain. They look at who we are and how we relate to each other. The bond, or divide, between humans and animals is a big topic. These stories are a key part of anime and manga, offering fresh views and keeping fans engaged around the globe.

Princess Tutu: A Duck-Turned-Magical Girl

In the captivating anime series Princess Tutu, Ahiru, also known as Duck, is a special duck. She gets turned into a human by the mysterious Drosselmeyer. Ahiru can then transform into the magical girl called Princess Tutu. She takes on this role to help the prince, Mytho. Her goal is to find the pieces of his shattered heart.

Although Princess Tutu appears as a stylish and strong magical girl to the show’s viewers, the characters in the series don’t see her in this light. They see her as a huge swan. This reflection hints at Ahiru’s true self, a duck. The story happens at Gold Crown Academy, a place full of anthropomorphic animal characters. These characters include teachers and students and range from cats to goats.

In the end, Princess Tutu shows that the animal characters used to be people. Drosselmeyer turned them into animals. But, when the town is freed from his control, they go back to being human. Yet, one exception is Mr. Cat, who always stays a cat. This mix of human and animal characters in Princess Tutu makes the story special. It talks about who we are, change, and the magic of stories.

Princess Tutu anime

Wolf’s Rain: Wolves with Human Projections

In a distant, enigmatic world, the Wolf’s Rain anime unfolds. Here, wolves can take on human shapes to coexist with mankind. They do this to survive, hiding their true nature. The story tells of a secret paradise known only to wolves.

The Legend of Paradise

The core mystery of Wolf’s Rain is an unseen paradise. It supposedly appears with the Lunar Flower, attracting many wolves to Freeze City. Each wolf has its own reasons for being there. They are helped on their journey by the Flower Maiden, born from the Lunar Flower.

These wolves with human forms are on a mission in a tough, futuristic setting. Their goal: find paradise in anime. It’s not just a physical place, though – it stands for their hope and resilience. Even when life is really hard, they hold onto their dreams.

The Wolf’s Rain saga asks us to think about what paradise truly is. It’s a deep, thought-provoking anime that looks at hope and working towards a brighter future. The unique plot and characters make it a special part of the anime featuring wolves world.

So I’m a Spider, So What?: An Isekai with a Spider Protagonist

The Nameless Spider’s Journey

In the series So I’m a Spider, So What?, a class of high school kids die from a spell. They’re reborn in a new world. One girl becomes a spider protagonist in anime. This spider doesn’t just live; she gets stronger. Soon, it’s clear this spider was always a spider. But she can now look human, named Shiraori. It’s a cool twist on the usual isekai with spider protagonist story.

spider protagonist in anime

Shiraori is really mysterious and strong. She can even beat the main hero, Julius, and his friends. Shiraori leads the Tenth Demon Army and is interesting to Administrator D. She looks different, with white skin, long hair, and red eyes like a spider. So, Shiraori seems like a demon, but she’s important in their army.

Later, we learn Shiraori is the friend they knew, Wakaba Hiiro. This means Kumoko and Shiraori are the same person. Kumoko first looks like a small spider, then changes into a big spider woman. Her personality changes during her journey. At first, she’s hopeful but then becomes more sarcastic.

Fruits Basket: The Zodiac Curse

Transforming into the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac

In the Fruits Basket anime and manga series, the Sohma family experiences a unique curse. Members of the family turn into the animals of the Chinese zodiac. After a chance meeting, Tohru Honda, an orphan, learns their secret.

By touching someone of the opposite sex, the Sohma clan transforms. They change into animals like the rat or the cat from the zodiac.

Kyo, a key character, changes into the cat. This is special because the cat is not part of the zodiac. This story twist adds layers to the Chinese zodiac myth. It makes the Sohma family’s journey even more intriguing.

Unlike the others, some Sohma family members don’t transform. That’s because the clan’s leader is the zodiac’s “god.” They decide the animal order, affecting who transforms and who doesn’t.

The Fruits Basket series is interesting because it explores the Sohma’s struggle with their curse. It also highlights the strong ties and emotions between its members over the years. The story’s mix of hidden secrets, close relationships, and personal change has made Fruits Basket a loved anime and manga.

Shirokuma Café: A Slice-of-Life with Anthropomorphic Animals

Shirokuma Café is all about a café run by Polar Bear, known as Shirokuma. In this world, every character is an animal with human-like qualities. You’ll meet Lazy Panda, who doesn’t enjoy his zoo job but loves the café. And there’s the Penguin, who’s always unlucky and loves to hang out there.

Humans coexist with these animals, and the story includes a girl named Sasako working at the café. This mix creates a fun and interesting atmosphere in the Shirokuma Café universe.

The Shirokuma Cafe anime showcases anthropomorphic animal characters. The focus is on the lives of these animals, led by the polar bear in his café. But it’s not just animals; there are also humans like Sasako, adding a unique touch to the series.

Shirokuma Café mixes gentle comedy with deadpan humor. It’s an all-time anthropomorphic classic, known for being light-hearted. The show’s simple yet charming art style appeals to children, but its humor is for everyone.

Shirokuma Cafe anime

The show aired in spring 2012 and has 50 episodes. It features Panda, Shirokuma, and Penguin in their daily lives. Thanks to services like Crunchyroll, fans worldwide can watch this series that mixed joy and relaxation.

Episode Highlights	Character Dynamics	Thematic Elements
Episode 27 focused on a friendly baseball game between Polar Bear Café and Bar The Grizzly.	The character Penguin accidentally makes a dramatic love confession to Panda while under the influence of alcohol.	A variety of animal stereotypes are discussed in one episode, highlighting discomfort with human associations.
The series finale featured a cherry blossom viewing party, recalling the first activity in the series.	Polar Bear Café has a diverse set of characters, including animals from the nearby zoo and a human girl named Sasako.	The genre of the manga can be classified as Slice of Life, showcasing the mundane yet endearing lives of the anthropomorphic animal characters.

Hamtaro: The Secret Lives of Hamsters

Hamtaro is a small hamster living with Laura, or Hiroko Haruna, his human owner. Despite not being like people, Hamtaro and his buddies do some surprising things. When Laura is not home, these little guys, known as “Ham-Hams,” have all sorts of fun. They explore, have adventures, and own a secret clubhouse. Here, they’re led by Boss and become part of amazing human adventures, showing their hidden world.

Adventures in the Ham-Ham Clubhouse

The Hamtaro anime started on July 7th, 2000, giving life to 296 episodes, but only 105 made it to English. The show also had four films and four OVA specials. As new hamsters joined, the gang, the adventures just got better. And in episode 193, a big deal happened: Laura’s move was canceled, showing how important she is to them.

Tottoko Hamutaro: Hamu Hamu Paradaichu! picked right up on April 2nd, 2004, after the first series ended. This series added new friends like Lapis, Lazuli, and Otome’s Crew. It focused more on magic and fantasy, adding a new exciting twist not as seen in the first show.

In the 2000 anime series, Hamtaro made his first TV appearance. But his story began in 1999 with a special and in 1997 with a manga. Hamtaro, a male hamster, was born on August 6th in the anime and July 24th (pre-anime). He has grey eyes and is about 8.6 cm tall.

African Office Worker: Animals in the Workplace

African Office Worker feels like Aggretsuko. It shows animal characters in an office setting. This show mixes adult humor with office life. But it doesn’t go as far as South Park. It can be a bit daring for a workplace comedy. The anime is also unique in its format. Episodes are filled with different story parts, like in sketch shows. It’s different and catches the eye of anime fans who want a fresh take.

The manga started online on the pixiv Comic website in 2014. Since then, four books have been released. There’s also an animated version available on the Tate Anime app. The animated show had a full season in 2019. It got licensed by Funimation for translation into English. Some people didn’t love the first episode. They found some of the animation and jokes a bit off.

Key Facts	Details
Manga Serialization	Ongoing since December 2014 on pixiv Comic
Manga Volumes	4 tankōbon volumes published by Media Factory
Original Net Animation	Streamed on Production I.G’s Tate Anime app from June 5 to June 30, 2017
Anime TV Series	Aired from October 6 to December 22, 2019, with 12 episodes
Anime Licensee	Funimation (simuldub)
Initial Reception	Mixed reviews, with some critiques on animation and humor quality

The African Office Worker show is full of interesting details. It shows funny versions of real brands, like “Haagen-Duck” ice cream. It has jokes about big animals scaring little ones. And funny scenes where a lizard eats bugs, but it’s censored to look secret. The show also has wild stories. For example, it talks about making fake accidents to get insurance money. And there’s a hamster who looks sweet but carries knives. The show also mentions or jokes about famous anime or manga. Plus, a character called the Honey Badger dies and comes back many times.

animals in the workplace anime

Odd Taxi: A Mystery Featuring Animal Characters

Odd Taxi is a unique anime that has caught many eyes with its mystery. It starts with a cab driver and his interesting passengers. But it quickly becomes a deep story about a missing girl.

This show is special because it uses animal characters to tell its tale. They live in a mix of animal and human worlds. This makes for a story that’s not just intriguing but also deep.

Odd Taxi uses a cool way to tell its story. It shows everyone as animals to share the main character’s view. Unlike shows that change a character’s look to hide who they are, Odd Taxi does it to show how much the main character grows. He’s Odokawa, a taxi-driving walrus in Tokyo who solves mysteries by talking to his passengers.

The story wraps up by showing us what these animal characters really look like as humans. It’s a different way to tell a story, blending mystery, comedy, and drama. This mix, along with its animal world, has got fans ready for a movie. It proves it’s a top-notch anime with its approach.

Statistic	Value
Odd Taxi Manga Serialization	Published by Shogakukan, began in January 2021, ran until July 2022, 5 volumes
Odd Taxi Anime Series	13 episodes that aired from April to June 2021 on TV Tokyo and AT-X
Odd Taxi Anime Film	Odd Taxi: In the Woods, released in Japan in April 2022 as a spin-off
Odd Taxi Blu-Ray Box Set	Minimum 300 pre-orders required, at least 500 pre-orders made at 27,500 Yen ($USD246)
Crunchyroll Streaming	Streamed the Odd Taxi anime series in North American territories, announced an English dub to be released on February 14, 2022

Conclusion

From worlds like BNA and Beastars to fun tales like Aggretsuko and Hamtaro, animal anime and manga are full of interesting stories. These stories are not just fun. They also explore big ideas like who we are, our friendships, and how we get along with animals.

The best animal anime and manga wrap up with a look at what makes these stories stay popular. They discuss the adventures of beastmen, and how different animals work together. They also show us funny stories about animal friends.

Animal anime and manga show us how deep and wide Japanese animation and comics are. They’ve been doing this for a while, from well-known works to new stories. And they keep surprising us with new adventures. The future looks bright for these animal tales in anime and manga.

FAQ

What are some of the best and most beloved anime and manga series that feature animal characters?

Some top anime and manga with animals are BNA: Brand New Animal, Beastars, and Aggretsuko. Others include Doraemon, Kimba the White Lion, and Princess Tutu. Wolf’s Rain, So I’m a Spider, So What?, and Fruits Basket are also popular. Shirokuma Café, Hamtaro, African Office Worker, and Odd Taxi make the list too.

How have animal characters been used in the world of anime and manga?

Animal characters in these shows and books often bring laughs or deep stories. They help explore human-animal bonds. Sometimes, they are the main characters. They show us new ways to think about issues like peace and misunderstandings.

What are some of the key animal-centric series that have left a lasting impact on the medium?

Works like Kimba the White Lion and Doraemon are very important in this genre. They have shaped how animal characters are shown in anime. Recent hits such as Beastars and BNA also stand out. They get praise for their new, creative stories.

How do animal characters in anime and manga often differ from their Western counterparts?

Anime and manga use animal characters in unique ways. They mix human-like with realistic animal traits. This creates a different, deeper view of animals in stories. They are more than just for fun.

What are some of the unique ways that animal characters have been incorporated into anime and manga plots?

Creators come up with many new ideas for animal characters. For example, BNA and So I’m a Spider have unique stories. Fruits Basket uses a special zodiac curse. And Odd Taxi mixes mystery and realism with its animal cast.