Image Gallery
Here are some key visuals from the anime series mentioned in the survey.
The Allure of the “Thread-Like Eye”
January 10th is “Thread-Pulling Natto Day (Thread Day)”. It was established by the National Natto Cooperative Federation based on the pun “i (1) to (10)”. In anime and manga fandom, the artistic style of drawing a character’s eyes as thin, single lines is often called “itome” or “thread-like eyes”. This style can give a character a calm, gentle surface while hinting at an unreadable, mysterious depth beneath—and the specific vibe varies wildly from character to character.
With that in mind, Anime! Anime! once again conducted a reader survey titled: “Which character comes to mind when you think of ‘thread-like eyes’?” The survey ran from December 12th to December 17th, gathering 123 responses. The gender ratio was approximately 30% male and 70% female, with a slightly higher participation from women. The age demographic was led by under-19-year-olds at about 50%, followed by people in their 20s and 30s, each constituting roughly 15%.
Table of Contents
The Sharpness and Kindness Hidden Behind Closed Lids
First Place
First place goes to Edogawa Ranpo from Bungou Stray Dogs. He secured about 13% of the votes, claiming the top spot for the fifth consecutive year.
Edogawa Ranpo is a member of the Armed Detective Agency, serving as the organization’s genius detective among a team of ability users. Voters praised him with comments like, “The moment he opens his eyes to activate his ability, ‘Super Deduction,’ is just incredibly cool,” and “He usually seems so carefree, but the all-seeing gaze he has when his eyes are open is overwhelming. It feels like he could illuminate every mystery hidden in this world.” He truly shines during mystery-solving scenes. While he’s undeniably sharp, his charm also lies in the gap with his daily life—like not knowing how to ride a train or constantly snacking on sweets. Many comments expressed being drawn to this contrast between his ‘on’ and ‘off’ modes.
Second Place
Second place is Hoshina Soushiro from Kaijuu 8-gou (also known as Kaiju No. 8). With approximately 11% support, he climbed up from third place last year.
Hoshina Soushiro is the vice-captain of the Japan Defense Force’s 3rd Unit, wielding dual swords to exterminate kaiju. Fans love his duality, saying, “He’s a strong, kind, reliable, and funny vice-captain. But when he gets serious and opens his eyes, the atmosphere changes completely and it gives you chills!” and “I’m totally in love with the gap between his soft, fluffy Kansai dialect demeanor and the cool voice he switches to when facing a kaiju!” With a final season and an original short anime in production, we can expect more of his captivating presence.
Third Place
Third place is Takeshi from Pocket Monsters (the franchise commonly known as Pokémon). He garnered about 9% of the vote, entering the top three after placing fifth last year.
First appearing as a Gym Leader, Takeshi became a long-term travel companion for the protagonist, Satoshi. Voters noted, “Takeshi was the first ‘thread-like eye’ character I ever met. Other characters have moments where they open their eyes, but Takeshi always keeps those gentle eyes. In that sense, I think he’s the representative of this character type,” and “As the eldest of ten siblings, they all have the same eyes. Satoshi traveled with many companions, but Takeshi, in the reliable senior role with his nurturing personality, was someone you could count on.” His dependable big-brother vibe has won him lasting popularity.
Other Notable Comments!
For Okiya Subaru from Detective Conan, one fan said: “When topics about the Black Organization come up, his eyes open, revealing Akai Shuichi’s deep green pupils! That sharp gaze can’t be hidden.“
About Ramen Man from Kinnikuman: “‘Thread-like eye’ characters often have a shady, traitor-like image, but Ramen Man is the complete opposite. He’s a righteous Choujin who is loyal and reliable.“
For Toba Minami from Yuru Camp△: “I love Toba-sensei’s kind eyes seen through her glasses. I also adore her half-open eyes when she transforms into ‘Gubinee’.“
Regarding Rahan from Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries): “He’s the adopted son of the strategist Rakan and a step-brother to the protagonist Maomao. He’s a shrewd guy who can figure out things like Jin’s true identity from body measurements or get a discount on the repair fee for a gate Rakan broke.” This title also received votes following the announcement of a third season and a movie.
This year’s survey highlighted characters whose gap when they open their eyes is particularly striking. Additionally, several characters who speak in Kansai dialect ranked highly, including Hoshina Soushiro from Kaijuu 8-gou, Shiratobi Sasara from Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle, and Ichimaru Gin from BLEACH.
Top 10 Ranking
[“Thread-Like Eye” Characters – 2026 Edition]
- Edogawa Ranpo – Bungou Stray Dogs
- Hoshina Soushiro – Kaijuu 8-gou
- Takeshi – Pocket Monsters
- Shiratobi Sasara – Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle
- Ichimaru Gin – BLEACH
- Okiya Subaru – Detective Conan
- Miyauchi Ichiho – Non Non Biyori
- Kou Shouka – Saiunkoku Monogatari
- Hyoga – Dr.STONE
- Yozakura Kyuuichirou – Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen
(Survey Period: December 12 – December 17, 2025)
Check out our other ongoing surveys! We’d love to hear your thoughts.
>> https://animeanime.jp/special/1898/recent/
Disclaimer: This survey is part of our ongoing research into readers’ current interests and attention regarding anime works and characters. The results are not intended to rank characters or works in any definitive order of superiority. We hope this article serves as a fun way to discover new series or characters and deepen your understanding and interest.
Writer: 《Takahashi Katsunori》
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