When asked to name famous characters raised by animals, most Western audiences think first of Mowgli or Tarzan. However, this is a trope that has existed worldwide for centuries. Pecos Bill was raised by coyotes, Remus and Romulus remain in the public psyche, and Atalanta of mythology was brought up by a she-bear.

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It's not surprising that this theme has made its mark in anime as well. Inosuke of Demon Slayer is an immensely popular character who was brought up by animals, but he's far from the only anime character with a distinctive wild side to his upbringing.

10 Inosuke Was Raised By Boars (Demon Slayer)

demon slayer inosuke

Inosuke Hashibara was raised by literal boars, and it's fair to say it shows. Strong, short-tempered, and stubborn, Inosuke fights while wearing a mask carved from the head of his adoptive boar-mother.

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Because his birth-father was abusive, Inosuke's mother fled with her infant son into the forest, only to fall in with a deadly cult. She cast her son into a river before her own demise, where he was discovered and taken in by a herd of wild boars. Inosuke doesn't always fare well when it comes to socializing with human beings, and he's suspicious of kindness, but over time, he becomes a loyal friend.

9 San Was Raised By Wolves (Princess Mononoke)

san of princess mononoke with her wolf

Perhaps the most famous anime protagonist raised by wild creatures is none other than San, the eponymous lead of Princess Mononoke. San's parents dared damage the forest, so they were killed by the wolf-goddess Moro, who took in San as her own. San has certainly inherited personality traits from the wolf-goddess who raised her. Fierce and protective, San serves as the bridge between humanity and the environment and a reminder that these two worlds shouldn't be seen as separate.

8 Natsu Was Raised By A Dragon (Fairy Tail)

Igneel and young Natsu Bonding in Fairy Tail

Because he's so simple-minded, it's easy to forget that Natsu has centuries of history behind him by the time he appears in Fairy Tail. Natsu was born more than 400 years ago. After his own demise, Natsu was brought back to life and later brought up by the Dragon Igneel, who later sent Natsu into the future.

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For the most part, being raised by a Dragon has made Natsu stubborn, loyal, and tenacious, not unlike most other shonen protagonists. As a result of his upbringing, Natsu is a Dragon Slayer and uses elemental fire magic.

7 Yamato Was Raised By Stray Cats (Battle B-Daman)

b daman anime protagonist and mecha

Few modern otaku know or care about Battle B-Daman, one of several forgotten shows that served as tie-in marketing for B-Daman marble action toys. But as far as characters raised by animals go, the show has a unique protagonist. Until the age of five, Yamato was raised by actual stray cats out on the street. Later taken in by a human foster mother, the experience doesn't seem to have impacted his characterization too much. Bizarrely enough, this is used as an explanation for why he has whiskers.

6 Mana Was Raised By Cannibalistic Mermaids (Mermaid Saga)

Mermaid saga cover

Mermaid Saga is a cult classic for good reason. The series is an incredibly dark take on mythology: the mermaids featured in the series are cannibalistic and eat human beings. A human girl raised by old mermaids in a seaside hut, Mana's upbring is beyond abusive. When she turns fifteen, the mermaids grant her immortality, hoping to devour her flesh and regain their lost youth. Fortunately, the story doesn't let Mana meet that fate. Saved by the protagonist, she accompanies him on his quest to end his own immortality.

5 Hareta Was Raised By Pokemon (Pokemon Diamond And Pearl Adventure)

Hareta of pokemon diamond book cover

In all fairness, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! never received a direct anime adaptation. The series is instead a manga tie-in published in conjunction with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The series protagonist, Hareta, was more or less raised by Pokémon.

In a case of questionable childrearing, his adoptive father, Professor Rowan, left Hareta in the wilds of Route 201 to live among the Pokémon there. While this gave Hareta the ability to communicate with and translate for Pokémon, Hareta is less accustomed to human society. Experimenting on children is never a great idea, but anything goes when it comes to manga.

4 Kouya Was Raised By A Youma (Twelve Kingdoms)

kouya of twelve kingdoms with a yokai

Orphaned by his mother when she could no longer care for him, Kouya of The Twelve Kingdoms was instead brought up by a youma called Ōkii-no. In the Twelve Kingdoms universe, youma are magical creatures that are usually seen as evil or heartless. Initially a kind-hearted individual despite his circumstances, Kouya becomes crueler as he grows up, lacking in humanity and empathy, using his pet demon-bird to kill his enemies and servants.

3 Tar-Chan Was Raised By a Chimpanzee (Jungle King Tar-Chan)

jungle king tar chan anime

A popular manga that spawned an anime in the 1990s, Jungle-King Tar-Chan is unabashedly a parody of Tarzan. The protagonist, Tar-Chan, was raised on the African Savannah by a chimpanzee known as Ekechi.

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Tar-Chan has a wife named Jane and lots of animal friends. In the beginning, the show can best be described as a gag anime. While the series eventually begins to incorporate higher stakes and battle sequences, at its heart, it remains a comedy throughout its run.

2 Umi and Sora Were Raised By Dugongs (Children of the Sea)

Children swim with marine life in Children of the Sea

Children of the Sea is a unique viewing and reading experience for many reasons, not least of which is its central characters. Two children, Umi and Sora, were mysteriously raised by dugongs in the depths of the ocean. The subject of research at a city aquarium, both Umi and Sora demonstrate strange aquatic abilities that border on the supernatural. The movie, like the characters themselves, is an introspective homage to the oceans of the world.

1 Ren Is Raised By A Beast (The Boy and the Beast)

the boy and the beast movie

While Wolf Children, Summer Wars, or The Girl Who Leapt Through Time may be better known in the States, Mamoru Hosoda directed several other critically-acclaimed anime films, including 2015's The Boy and the Beast. The story centers on Ren, who flees home after the death of his mother, only to be taken in by Kumatetsu of the Beast Kingdom. Stubborn and reluctant, Ren nonetheless follows Kumatetsu home and becomes his disciple. Torn between two worlds, the movie presents a stirring story about found family and identity.

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