These boys were selected based partly upon their looks (to which the word "adorable" generally applies, rather than "gorgeous"), but mainly upon their personalities. They're the ones who make us just want to go "awwwwww" and give them a big hug--and no matter how much we'd *like* to lust after some of them, they tend to make us feel like dirty old women for even considering it.

Top Ten Sweetest Anime Boys in the Universe

(Limited, of course, to shows that we have seen, and as always, Your Spelling May Vary.)

9) Ikari Shinji (Neon Genesis Evangelion)--Ogata Megumi
He has a horrible family life--his mother died, and his father treats him like a tool--and he tends to retreat into solitude and music. One of three children (so far) who pilot the mecha that are Earth's best defense against alien attacks, he bears a heavy burden of life and death responsibility. If *anyone* is a candidate for a big hug, he's it.

8) Masaki Tenchi (Tenchi Muyo)--Kikuchi Masami
What a horrible position for an unsuspecting teen--to discover that he is a descendant of a powerful royal house, and then to have scads of beautiful (and rather kooky) alien women fall in love with him. What is the poor boy to do? Luckily, he's a perfect gentleman to all of them, despite their clinging and teasing and occasional attempts to acquire a <blush> sample.

7) Morisato Keiichi (Oh My Goddess!)--Kikuchi Masami
He wanted take-out, he got his very own goddess for a girlfriend. And her two sisters. But he handles the situation well, for her sake; he would do *anything* for her. Just wait till he finally gives her that ring...

6) Prince Hotohori (Fushigi Yuugi)--(only in flashbacks)
What he needed most was to be loved by someone--not because he would soon become emperor, not because he bore the mark of the legendary Seishi, but because he was a precious, lonely little boy. He dreamed that perhaps the Suzaku No Miko, a girl from another world, untouched by his country's political circles, would be that person. He grew up to be a strong, confident leader for his people, but he always carried that boy and his hopes inside him.

5) Shido-ouji (Vision of Escaflowne)--?
[What kind of name for a prince is "Sid," anyway?] His mother raised him on stories of the invincible hero, Asturian knight Allen Schezar. He never knew that Allen was his real father, who loved his mother greatly and yet lost her because, as a princess, it was her duty to marry the man her father chose. Even so, a bond exists between the blue-eyed prince and the golden knight, a bond that goes far deeper than the words that must remain forever unspoken.

4) So Chuei (Fushigi Yuugi)--?
The younger brother of the Seishi warrior, Tamahome, he takes care of his family when his brother is off earning money to support them. He tries so hard to be the man of the house, he even puts up with being tackled by the Suzaku No Miko when she mistakes him for Tamahome, her true love. His bravery and dedication to protecting his younger siblings from an enemy's vicious attack are utterly heartbreaking.

3) Kasama Haruhiko (Please Save My Earth)--Yamaguchi Kappei
Saddled with a debilitating heart condition--not to mention the soul of an alien from an ill-fated moon mission--he is soft-spoken and kind to everyone he meets. With such a gentle personality, he deserves so much more than fate has dealt him.

2) Lushe Lenlen (Bastard!)--Fuchizaki Yuriko
Little would one suspect that the body of this innocent, trusting child actually contains a powerful, vain, demonic, ancient sorcerer locked inside, to be released only by a virgin's kiss. Little did the sorcerer suspect how much the boy's pure feelings--especially of love--would affect his own.

And, of course, tied for first place:
Sumeragi Subaru (Tokyo Babylon)--Yamaguchi Kappei
The head of a powerful, respected family of spiritual mediums, Subaru is nevertheless unfailingly compassionate and polite--often to his twin sister's disgust, especially when he bows to the telephone. He feels strongly for everyone, usually to the point that he can't bring himself to employ his powers ruthlessly enough to punish those who truly deserve it. The white doves he uses are a perfect match for his shining spirit.

Prince Arslaan (The Heroic Legend of Arislan)--Yamaguchi Kappei
Responsibility is thrust upon him at the tender age of fourteen when his father, the king, is captured and his country conquered, but he is strong enough to bear the weight of his heavy golden crown. His instinctive empathy allows him to find just the right words to inspire profound loyalty in those who serve him--though it makes him a lousy hunter!

[Short Scenes]
© 1997 Amparo Bertram