Anime is defined by its characters. When fans think of their favorite shows and the stories that stick with them through the decades, they think of the characters they've come to love and have inspired them. Without great characters, anime would be nothing.
But when it comes to creating great characters, writers need to understand them at a fundamental level. Understanding who the character is leads to the creation of a catchphrase. Good catchphrases can bring a character to life in a more concise way.
10 "Believe it!" Inspired A Generation (Naruto)
When it comes to recognizable catchphrases, look no further than shonen anime. Shonen anime have mastered the ability to distill an entire character down to a single phrase. No one represents that better than Naruto with "Believe it!"
This phrase encapsulates Naruto's struggle and the attitude he takes to overcome it. Naruto fights against all odds but is relentless in his pursuit to be the best. With this one phrase, he dares the viewer to bet against him, knowing they'll lose.
9 "El Psy Congroo" Encapsulates Okabe Perfectly (Steins;Gate)
A good catchphrase should tell viewers a lot about a character. "El Psy Congroo" is the iconic motto of Steins;Gate's protagonist, Okabe. Okabe is a character that vastly overestimates his intelligence and showboats more than he conducts actual science.
His catchphrase perfectly encapsulates the facade of intelligence he presents. An almost meaningless phrase that makes Okabe sound smarter and more important than he actually is. Okabe desperately attempts to put forward an illusion of his genius and his catchphrase is the epitome of that effort.
8 "Who Are You Calling Short?" Endeared Fans To Edward (Fullmetal Alchemist)
One useful element of a good catchphrase is its ability to make the audience laugh. A great catchphrase can punctuate a joke. It can provide the necessary levity to an uncomfortable moment or be the final gag that segues to the next scene.
When Edward says his catchphrase and swipes at anyone calling him short, he endears himself to the viewer through laughter. The character would not work nearly as well if viewers didn't find him charming, which is why that catchphrase is so necessary.
7 "Yare Yare Daze" Is A Blessing To The Ears (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Many great catchphrases can be accurately translated to English for the common Western audience. But sometimes the magic of a catchphrase is in a particular way the string of words sounds. This can be difficult to convey when translated outside the original language.
"Yare Yare Daze" not only provides great characterization to Jotaro but also just sounds pleasant to hear and is extremely fun to say. This phrase in English doesn't work nearly as well but is one of the best catchphrases of all time in Japanese.
6 "I Am Here!" Feels Like A Safety Blanket (My Hero Academia)
It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume the popularity of catchphrases could be sourced back to Western comic books. Superheroes are iconic for their catchphrases, particularly back in the Golden Age.
As an anime that aims to celebrate those comic books and borrow the iconography of popular superheroes, it makes sense that My Hero Academia characters would have their own catchphrases. All Might's "I am here!" is the perfect catchphrase for a superhero. It was a warm embrace that protects the victim and comforts them in troubling times.
5 "Omae Wa Mou Shinderu" Is More Iconic Than The Anime (Fist Of The North Star)
While many catchphrases exist to help enforce a character's personality, some catchphrases become iconic even without context. When a phrase is just so pleasing to the ear and fun to say, it can transcend its original source and become a being of its own.
"Omae Wa Mou Shinderu" is one of the most recognizable phrases in the anime fandom, and yet most have never even heard of the anime it came from. While Fist of the North Star is massively influential, most modern fans know it only for producing that iconic catchphrase.
4 "I'm Gonna Become The Pirate King" Proves How Determined Luffy Is (One Piece)
One of the things that makes One Piece so magical is how it sustained itself for over 20 years without significant character growth on behalf of its protagonist. Monkey D. Luffy is one of the most beloved and treasured characters in anime culture, and yet very rarely goes through anything resembling a character arc.
He has been singularly driven by his one ambition to become the Pirate King. This has been distilled into his catchphrase for One Piece's entire existence and is a key part of why the anime is so successful.
3 "Tuturuu" Makes Steins;Gate Work (Steins;Gate)
An amazing catchphrase needs to do more than one thing. The best catchphrases can accomplish something for the character while also pushing the story forward to higher heights. "Tuturuu" is the sound Mayuri makes in Steins;Gate and is crucial in pushing the audience to love the character.
She instantly charms the viewer with her cute catchphrase, which makes it all the more devastating when her death becomes the focal point of Steins;Gate's entire plot. Without this catchphrase, this beloved anime would not work nearly as well.
2 "Just A Guy Who's A Hero For Fun" Represents The Playfulness Of The Story (One Punch Man)
One Punch Man is one of the most beloved, new anime to come from the past decade. The anime has reached critical acclaim among a wide demographic across the world for presenting a story that can be both lighthearted and absolutely heart-wrenching.
The dichotomy of the anime is represented in Saitama's catchphrase. On one hand, it represents the playfulness of the story's setting. Saitama's goals are so simple it's hilarious. And yet it also hints at his deep depression, apparent in the first episode. Saitama is a hero who is having no fun.
1 "What A Drag" Is The Most Memorable Catchphrase Of All Time (Naruto)
A great catchphrase tends to belong to an anime's main character. It's the type of thing a writer wants people to associate with a protagonist and leverage for them to engage deeper with the story right away.
But sometimes a great catchphrase lands in the lap of a side character, quickly launching them into icon status in the fandom. "What a drag" did this for Shikamaru. Representing his lazy attitude, "What a drag" turned Shikamaru into the fan-favorite character he is today.