Which “Older Brother” Character Comes to Mind? Survey Deadline: May 31

Celebrating Brother’s Day! Who is Your Favorite Anime Big Brother?

June 6th is recognized as “Brother’s Day” in Japan. This special day finds its roots in the Gemini constellation, which is said to represent the twin brothers, the Diosukuroi, from Greek mythology, with the day falling right in the middle of the sign’s period. It was proposed by manga artist and author Hatada Kunio, who also established “Younger Brother’s Day” on March 6th, “Younger Sister’s Day” on September 6th, and “Older Sister’s Day” on December 6th.

In the vast world of anime, characters holding the position of “big brother” are incredibly numerous. Their portrayals span a wide spectrum: some are deeply relied upon by their younger siblings, while others might be seen as rather slovenly and exasperating. Then there are those who, despite perhaps having no blood relation, are affectionately called “aniki” and deeply respected. The ways these brotherly bonds are depicted offer endless fascinating dynamics.

To celebrate this and delve into the cherished spot big brother characters hold in fans’ hearts, Anime! Anime! is holding its annual reader survey titled “Who comes to mind as a ‘big brother’ character?” We invite you to share your thoughts in a free-response format. Simply tell us the character you think of and the name of the work they appear in.

Click here for the Survey

Please note: Eligible characters are those appearing in 2D content such as anime (TV broadcasts, movies, streaming, OVA, etc.), games, CD series, and manga.
Also: We kindly ask for one response per person.

Providing basic information like gender and age is completely optional, and you are welcome to participate without answering these fields. We encourage everyone to join in!

The deadline for responses is May 31st. We will publish the survey results as soon as they are compiled, so look forward to seeing them!

Looking Back: 2024 Survey Results

Curious about who topped the list last year? In our 2024 “Who comes to mind as a ‘big brother’ character?” survey, the results saw Tanizaki Junichirou from Bungou Stray Dogs take 3rd place, Ace from One Piece at 2nd place, and the top spot was claimed by…

Check out the full 2024 results here!