Some anime heroes would feel a lot more at home in another series. Even if a character is the star of a show, that doesn’t mean they’re living in the fictional world that best suits their personalities, as their skill sets and idiosyncrasies often clash violently with their material realities.
There are a tonof anime characters that belong in other anime, and in most cases, their lives would be a lot easier if they could make the switch. Mob Kageyama of Mob Psycho 100 might have a more fulfilling life if he had someone beyond his non-psychic mentor Reigen to show him the ropes. If he went to the school from My Hero Academia, he could easily get all the supernatural info he needs.
Certain characters are doing alright in their their home franchises, but have infinitely more to offer other anime. Tohru Honda learned how to deal with sad, complicated families in Fruits Basket, so it’s exciting to think about how she could help the Zoldyck family in Hunter x Hunter. In the best case scenario, both the character and the foreign series benefit from the crossover.
1. Mob Kageyama Of ‘Mob Psycho 100’ Should Go To School In ‘My Hero Academia’
It’s hard to be a powerful psychic attending a regular middle school, especially when you want your classmates to think of you as normal. Unfortunately, this is the burden Mob Kageyama is forced to carry throughout Mob Psycho 100.
The only person helping the poor kid manage his powers is a con artist, so he’s in desperate need of real guidance from similarly gifted individuals who can relate to his struggles.
Mob would undoubtedly flourish in the world of My Hero Academia. The classes at UA High School could help him hone is psychic talents, and since the institution is specifically for children with powers, his abilities wouldn’t alienate him from his peers.
2. Light Yagami Of ‘Death Note’ Could Be A Major Asset To Lelouch In ‘Code Geass’
Fans often compare Death Note and Code Geass, mostly because both series feature protagonists who grapple with morality and are willing to kill to achieve their goals. Light Yagami would fit right in with the Code Geass universe, as he’d be an invaluable member of the Black Knights.
Light would probably want to help free Japan from Brittania’s imperial rule, and his killer notebook would prove useful to the cause. The Brittainian army is a more interesting opponent than a single eccentric detective, and the power struggle that would inevitably occur between Light and Lelouch would be epic.
3. Saitama Of ‘One Punch Man’ Would Make A Hilarious Addition To ‘Gintama’
Saitama can defeat any opponent with a single punch, so he’d be useful in pretty much any anime centered on fighting. However, his goofy personality makes him best suited to live in the world of Gintama.
The hero of One Punch Man isn’t just powerful, he’s also completely ridiculous, just like everyone in Gintama. He doesn’t particularly care about being a hero, as long as he garners enough recognition to get paid since his extreme couponing hobby can’t cover his grocery bill.
In both series, the outcomes of fights take a backseat to mundane absurdity and poking fun at anime tropes. With his affably apathetic personality, Saitama would get along just fine with the ever-lazy Gintoki Sakata.
4. Gene Starwind Of ‘Outlaw Star’ Would Fit In Seamlessly With The Crew From ‘Cowboy Bebop’
If Gene Starwind gets sick of hurtling through space with his pals from Outlaw Star, he could always hitch a ride with the cast of Cowboy Bebop. He’s a hard drinker, a flirt, and a trauma victim who doesn’t talk about his feelings, so he’d fit in beautifully with Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Spike Spiegel, and everyone else he’s likely to meet in that universe.
They’ll have a great time collecting bounties and accidentally eating psychedelic mushrooms, and they won’t talk about their problems unless they’re sauced up. If Gene were drawn in the appropriate art style, you’d never guess he’s from a totally different series.
5. Moriko Morioka Of ‘Recovery Of An MMO Junkie’ Should Have Been Playing ‘Sword Art Online’
In Recovery Of An MMO Junkie, Moriko Morioka quits her job to play video games full-time. The reasoning behind her decision is something of a mystery, but seems to boil down to her lack of interest in adulting.
If Moriko lived in the world of Sword Art Online, she’d fit in perfectly, as all of the characters exist in a video game. Instead of sitting at her computer, she could enjoy an immersive virtual reality experience, and she wouldn’t need to worry about things like rent or health insurance.
When Moriko realizes she’s trapped in a virtual world where she can actually die, she’ll probably freak out a little, but by the second half of the series that’s no longer an issue.
6. Yukina Of ‘Yu Yu Hakusho’ Could Make Full Use Of Her Powers In ‘Naruto’
Despite its overall quality, Yu Yu Hakusho doesn’t always live up to its full potential. While all the male characters are richly complex, the female heroes leave much to be desired, as they’re rarely given a moment in the spotlight.
Yukina is a powerful ice demon who cries diamonds. She’s strong-willed enough to resist bursting into tears while being tortured, and her compelling logic dissuades her brother from slaughtering people. Unfortunately, she’s sidelined for most of the series, oscillating between serving as a damsel in distress, and the love interest for Kazuma Kuwabara.
Yukina’s talents would blossom in the world of Naruto. Between her ice powers, healing abilities, emotional maturity, and diplomacy, she’d excel at being a ninja. A natural pacifist, Yukina could become a medical ninja rather than an assailant, or use her social skills to broker peace between warring nations.
7. Benten Of ‘The Eccentric Family’ Would Make A Marvelous Monster In ‘Tokyo Ghoul’
Benten may not be a ghoul, but she definitely eats like one. While she doesn’t consume humans, she has a taste for tanuki, or sentient raccoon dogs who freely walk about the rural parts of the The Eccentric Family’s version of Earth.
One particular tanuki is named Yasaburo, and Benten constantly flirts with him. Unfortunately, she also ate his father.
Most characters in Tokyo Ghoul are members of the titular species, which means they’re compelled to eat people. Since Benten actively elects to devour tanuki, she’d fit in perfectly with ghouls like Tsukiyama, who consider chowing down on human flesh an art form and spectator sport.
Benten will have to make sure the ghouls don’t notice she’s a human, or she’ll discover what it’s like to be lower down on the food chain.
8. Akira Fudo Of ‘Devilman Crybaby’ Would Fit Right In With The ‘One Piece’ Crew
Akira Fudo is a nice boy who just wants to help others and hang with his friends. Unfortunately, he’s a character in Devilman Crybaby, so he’s transformed into a wretched demon, and his terrible pal Ryo often manipulates him into hurting others.
Akira would be much better off in a shonen anime that emphasizes the importance of friendship and love. While tons of series exhibit these values, One Piece is the perfect place for the whiny fiend to call home.
As the Straw Hat Pirate crew hunts for legendary treasure, things can get pretty violent, but moments of intensity are usually bookended by periods of calm stability. No matter what happens, everyone in Luffy’s crew loves and cares for each other.
Akira could easily use his superhuman powers to help the Straw Hats out, and he’d be free from the misery he endures in his own series. He’s meant to have a group of loyal friends, so he’s not cut out to be a monster.
9. Akira Midousuji Of ‘Yowamushi Pedal’ Is Creepy Enough For ‘The Junji Ito Collection’
Akira Midousuji doesn’t belong in a sports anime like Yowamushi Pedal. Based on his appearance alone, he’s the kind of eldritch abomination who’d be more at home in a macabre anthology like The Junji Ito Collection.
From Akira’s lurching movements to his unsettling expression that alternates between leering and bug-eyed, it almost seems like he was originally meant to appear in The Junji Ito Collection, but ended up getting lost and joining a bike team instead.