May 19 is celebrated as “Boxing Day” in Japan, a day to honor Yoshio Shirai, the first Japanese boxer to win a world championship back in 1952. To mark the occasion, the anime news site Anime! Anime! conducted a reader poll asking: “Which anime character comes to mind when you think about fighting with their fists?” Responses were collected between May 9–14, 2026, with a total of 660 participants — approximately 55% male and 45% female. The largest age group was teens under 19 (about 35%), followed by those in their 20s (about 20%).
Rank 1 — Saitama, from One Punch Man
Holding the throne for two consecutive years with roughly 9% of the vote, Saitama is the hero who started out as a hobbyist and can end any enemy with a single punch — to the point where he himself feels bored from the lack of challenge.
Fans commented: “He finishes everything in one punch — instantly and devastatingly — it’s so satisfying” and “The name literally has the word ‘punch’ in it; sounds simple enough but it really conveys the weight of that fist perfectly.” One Punch Man Season 3, Part 1 is currently airing, with the next cour scheduled for 2027.
Rank 2 — Kenshiro, from Fist of the North Star (北斗の拳)
Just a few votes behind and up from 4th place last year, Kenshiro is the 64th successor of the Hokuto Shinken martial arts school, who wanders a post-apocalyptic world searching for his abducted beloved.
Voters said: “The line ‘You’re already dead’ has been stuck in my head forever, and I loved it even as a kid” and “The scream — ATATATATA!! — along with the pose, Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken, the impact is unforgettable, and the title even has the word ‘fist’ in it.” There are also new fans who came to know the work through their parents, speaking to its cross-generational appeal. The new anime 北斗の拳 -FIST OF THE NORTH STAR- began airing in April 2026.
Rank 3 — Itadori Yuji, from Jujutsu Kaisen (呪術廻戦)
Earning around 6% of the vote and climbing from 4th place to the top 3, Itadori is a jujutsu high school student whose primary combat style is physical, blending cursed energy with raw fighting power.
Fans praised him: “While others use techniques or weapons, Itadori fights with his fists as the main weapon — his Divergent Fist and Black Flash stand out because they’re purely direct strikes.” Season 3 aired this year and received tremendous attention.
Other Notable Characters
- Scarlet El Vandimion from Saigo ni Hitotsu dake Onegai Shite mo Yoroshii Deshou ka — “A noble lady who uses her fists to defeat lowlifes — so satisfying!”
- Kujo Jotaro from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders — “Ora ora ora! Star Platinum is the defining image of the JoJo series.”
- Denken from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (葬送のフリーレン) — “Even a rank-2 mage who proves himself through his fists.”
- Baki Hanma from the Baki series — “Fights with muscles and guts — not some special power — so real, and there’s the new series Baki-Dou to look forward to.”
Full Top 10 Results for 2026
- Rank 1 Saitama — One Punch Man
- Rank 2 Kenshiro — Fist of the North Star
- Rank 3 Itadori Yuji — Jujutsu Kaisen
- Rank 4 Monkey D. Luffy — ONE PIECE
- Rank 5 Mori Ran — Detective Conan
- Rank 6 Agatsuma (Zenitsu) — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Rank 7 Anpanman — Sore Ike! Anpanman
- Rank 8 Edogawa Conan — Detective Conan
- Rank 9 Mash Burnedead — Mashle: Magic and Muscles
- Rank 10 (tie) Gon Freecss — HUNTER×HUNTER
- Rank 10 (tie) Sakura Haruki — WIND BREAKER
This poll’s results covered characters from the 1980s all the way through the 2020s, reflecting how the appeal of fist-fighting in anime has never faded from the world of anime.
Source: aniani
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