By definition, a cyborg combines cybernetic and organic parts, and they have appeared in quite a few anime and manga. Usually human or some organic being to begin with, an anime cyborg can range from having a few artificial limbs to being an organic brain placed inside a robotic body. Despite this, characters often manage to maintain their "humanity," or at least, their moral character, despite the changes to their physical body.
While cyborgs are normally thought of as a fixture in science-fiction stories, it isn't unheard of for fantasy anime to finds ways of having cyborg characters, usually preserved with what magic is available to them.
10 Cyborg 009: The Title Character Is Just One Of Nine Superhero Cyborgs
In Cyborg 009, nine people are transformed into cyborgs by the villainous Black Ghost organization, escape, and seek to protect the world from the machinations of their former captors. The titular Cyborg 009, also known as Joe Shimamura, is capable of super speed and is also known for his heroic, all-loving personality.
9 Dragon Ball: Exactly What #17 & #18 Are Is Complicated
In the Dragon Ball franchise, #17 and #18 are often referred to as "androids," but both were originally humans - a twin brother and sister pair who was kidnapped and made into cyborgs by Dr. Gero, who wanted to use them to kill Goku. Eventually, the two show a softer side and become more heroic. This is especially showcased with #18, who marries Krillin and has a child, Marron, allowing her to occasionally show a kinder side.
8 Sailor Moon: Sailor Saturn Used To Be A Cyborg In The Manga (& Sailor Mercury Was Almost One, Too)
Life isn't easy for Hotaru Tomoe of Sailor Moon. She's the incarnation of Sailor Saturn, the Sailor Scout of Death, Uranus and Neptune want to kill her, her father's evil, and she's the host of the evil Mistress Nine. And if that weren't enough, in the manga, she turns out to be a heavily scarred cyborg, thanks to the same accident that killed her mother.
Fortunately, after the events of the third story arc, she was restored to life with a human body. Despite all the issues in her life, the real Hotaru was a good person and allied with the Sailor Scouts, even helping them as a spirit. Had it not been considered too dark at the time, the rather tech-savvy Sailor Mercury was originally going to be a cyborg as well, with her eventually dying because of her artificial body parts.
7 Fullmetal Alchemist: The Elric Brothers Are Two Different Takes On This
Edward Elric of Fullmetal Alchemist is a more fantastic take on the cyborg, thanks to the pseudoscience of alchemy. An attempt to revive his dead mother cost him an arm and a leg, which have now been replaced with artificial "automail" limbs. The same incident also cost his brother, Alphonse, his physical body, with his soul now being confined to a suit of armor, arguably making him something of a cyborg in his own right, too.
6 Cutie Honey: Honey Can Be A Cyborg, An Android, Or Even An Artificial Human Depending On The Series
In most incarnations of Cutie Honey, Honey is simply a robot designed as a replacement for her creator Dr. Kisaragi's dead daughter, although he ultimately wanted her to become her own person after she learned the truth. Considering Honey is a character with various incarnations, her exact backstory and nature occasionally change.
In some versions, she actually is Dr. Kisaragi's daughter, with her mind implanted in an android body, making her more of a cyborg than a traditional robot. In Cutie Honey Flash, she's an artificial human, complete with reproductive capabilities, with Honey even having a daughter at the end of the series.
5 All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku: Nuku Nuku Is A Cat's Brain In A Robot Body
At its heart, All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku is the story of a boy and his cat, except the cat gets shot and its brain is placed inside an android, turning it into a mechanical cat girl. Although aware of her origins, the cat, Nuku Nuku, views her owner, Ryunosuke, as a brother of sorts and serves as sort of his bodyguard.
A later version of the story, All Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku Nuku DASH!, changed Nuku Nuku's origin slightly and, infamously, rewrote Ryunosuke to be more of her love interest than her surrogate brother.
4 Naruto: Chiyo Uses Puppet Jutsu To Control Her Mechanical Arm
Chiyo of Naruto is a more fantastic take on a cyborg, having an artificial arm controlled through her puppet jutsu. She can also replace it with another puppet arm in the event something happens to it. Her grandson Sasori took this a step further and practically transformed himself into a puppet, although he would prove far more antagonistic.
Chiyo is a wise, kindhearted woman, showing herself to be a doting grandmother to Sasori and even respected Sakura, a disciple of her rival. She could be mischievous and detached at times, but ultimately gives her life to help others.
3 Yu Yu Hakusho: Mukuro Is Okay With People Getting Eaten, But Prefers Leaving The Human World Alone
Inspired by the Nordic goddess Hel, who was said to look half dead and half alive, Mukuro of Yu Yu Hakusho disfigured her body with acid so that half of it is scarred. Her damaged right eye is covered with a cybernetic lens, although she doesn't exactly need it, and she has mechanical limbs replacing her right arm and leg. When she first appears, she also electronically hides her voice to pose as a man.
A bit of an isolationist, she is known for wanting to leave the Human and Spirit worlds alone, so long as they don't interfere with Makai. Granted, she condones yokai eating humans, but feels it should be limited to only when necessary. Generally, Hiei brings out the more empathetic side of her.
2 One Piece: Franky Is Also Known As "Iron Man" For A Reason
Franky of One Piece is a self-made cyborg, having built body parts from a scrapped warship after surviving getting hit by a sea train. When Franky is initially introduced, audiences are actually meant to suspect he's going to be a villain, but he turns out to be an unexpected ally for the Straw Hats. While somewhat of a free spirit, he eventually proves himself to be a reliable and compassionate member of the team.
1 Ghost In The Shell: Exactly How Emotive Major Motoko Kusanagi Can Be Varies From Version To Version
Major Motoko Kusanagi of Ghost in the Shell lives in a world where cybernetics have become a way of life. She herself lives within a full-body prosthesis and her only organic body parts are her brain and spinal cord.
The field commander of Public Security Section 9, she is known for being a skilled hacker, but her exact personality varies from version to version. In the original manga, for example, she would really only save lives if her job required it. Other versions show that she has a heart, viewing her partners as friends and having a soft spot for children. At the very least, she's shown to have an active social life.