Anime! Anime! has opened a reader survey asking a question that can spark endless debate: Which character comes to mind when you think of a “last boss”? The poll is being held ahead of Boss’s Day on October 16, and the submission deadline is October 9.
Boss’s Day was proposed in the United States on October 16, 1958, with the aim of improving relationships between managers and their subordinates. In anime and games, the word “boss” often brings to mind a formidable enemy standing in the protagonist’s way. A last boss in particular can carry the climax of a story with overwhelming strength and presence, and sometimes becomes even more popular than the hero.
What the Survey Asks
For the survey, readers are asked to give a free-form answer naming the character they consider the definitive last boss, along with the title they appear in.
Eligible characters come from anime works—including TV broadcasts, films, streaming, and OVAs—as well as games, CD series, manga, and other 2D content.
Each person may submit one response. Basic information such as gender and age is optional, so participants can answer without providing it.
The deadline is October 9. Once the responses are compiled, the results will be published by Anime! Anime!
2025 Results
This is not the first time Anime! Anime! has run the poll. In the 2025 edition, Koopa from Super Mario placed third, while DIO from JoJo placed second.
Anime! Anime! previously conducted the same reader survey and announced its results.
The survey is part of an ongoing effort to gauge readers’ current interest in and attention to anime works and characters. The results are not intended to decide superiority or inferiority among any characters or works. The hope is that the poll can help readers discover new titles and characters and deepen their understanding and interest.
