YumDeku: *Insert animal noise here* It’s time to explore the amazing world of anime manga animals in our Top 15 Cutest Anime Manga Animals You Desperately Want To Pet collaboration post!
nabe-chan: This post is a collaboration post with Yumdeku at myanime2go.com! I’ve been wanting to do a collab post with a fellow blogger for a long time now, I’m glad the idea finally went through. Lately, I’ve been going on a frenzy just retweeting cute hamster photos. There’s this endearing feeling to it… Just looking at these balls of fluff. Not only are they small, but they are also so inexplicably round like mochi that you can easily scoop up with one hand. Urgh, MOE. So thus, the idea for this post was born. I’ll be picking 7 cute animals from manga while Yum will pick another 7 from anime. We’ll then vote for the last one! We’ll both put in our own thoughts on each other’s pick as well as our own. I hope you enjoy it!
For one night only!!
Nabe-chan is one of the nicest bloggers I have meet, whose ways of expressing herself is always funny and refreshing to read Mari-chan also does one of the best fanfics: https://geeknabe.com/
B-b-baka! Its not like I want to get complimented or anything. Follow Yumdeku at myanime2go.com! He writes a ton of interesting anime content with Gloria! I think he watches anime more than me…
YumDeku: There is no denying the cuteness of animals in anime and manga, with their human characteristics providing emotional support, comic relief or one of the strongest adorable things on four or two legs.
nabe-chan: Cute things just hnnng straight to my soul. The effects are amplified when they are in 2D art or animation format! I struggled to pick these 7 choices since I wanted to give Yum more breadth of choices. It wouldn’t do if I picked those that are already made into an anime.
YumDeku: Don’t bother about me. I have a ton to add to my list, 7 actually is not enough to show all these cute pets. Here are our top picks for the cutest anime manga pets we all know and love.
15.
Potemaru from One Room, Dog
nabe-chan: What you are seeing here is the very reason I wish to start a blog post talking about cute animals I found in the manga I’ve read. One Room, Dog is an underrated manga and understandably so. It talks about the Samoyed dog named Potemaru and his daily life with his owner, Rokujou Hitomi. Rokujou is an office lady living alone in her apartment so Potemaru is her partner in everything she does! Is there an end-goal to this manga? Nope, all you read about in this manga about Potemaru being the adorable little fluff he is <3 The art isn’t stunning per se, but each dog (Yes, other dogs appear too!) are drawn to the UTMOST PERFECTION. The mangaka has demonstrated PERFECT UNDERSTANDING of what makes every breed the cutest thing in the world. For example, the cutest thing about a Corgi is his fluffy butt and short legs. No, you can’t change my mind. Each dog is so fluffy in this manga and it just so happens I love fluffy dogs, so there’s that!
nabe-chan: Are Samoyed your favourite breed too, Yumdeku?
YumDeku: He’s so fluffy… Yes, I do. Maybe it’s because dogs are man’s best friend or maybe it’s because I love Samoyed. They kind of look like wolves to me and I love that! I want to give Potemaru a belly rub and scratch being his ears. One Room, Dog is definitely a unique type of manga though showing the wonderful relation between a dog and their owner.
nabe-chan: Come to think of it, you told me once you love Siberian Huskies. Was it because they are guard dogs, or because… they are super fluffy??
YumDeku: it’s all that fluffy fur…
nabe-chan: You have good taste, mm hm.
14.
Madara from Natsume’s Book of Friends
YumDeku: Natsume’s Book of Friends follows Natsume, an orphaned teenager who can see youkai, whose life changes when he inherits his grandmother notebook filled with youkai she controlled. He meets Madara, his pet and bodyguard on the condition that he will get the notebook when Natsume dies. Together they help youkai and humans find peace.
YumDeku: It’s an anime with an unlikely pair that slowly learns to care and respect each other as the story goes on. Natsume’s Book of Friends is a really great anime that really looks at things like emotions and human nature. Plus they have the cute Madara I just want to rub my cheeks against his fluffy round cheeks…
YumDeku: Madara is also known as Nyanko-sensei is a youkai that usually takes the form of the cutest maneki-neko that I have ever seen, round and so so fluffy. He can be mischievous and drink sake a lot but Madara makes up for his many many shortcomings with his many cute cat-like habits like when he plays with cat toys or he’s eating. What do you think Nabe? Isn’t he a lovable rogue?
nabe-chan: I actually never thought of Nyanko-sensei as cute. He gives me the feeling of seniority… A cat you’ll find for life advice. Sure, who finds a cat when asking for girlfriend advice but this cat is a professional. Ok so maybe I do think his plushie merch(s) are adorable… Wait, his name is Madara? I call him Nyanko-sensei in my head. I’ve only watched the first season and maybe the first arc from the manga. It’s disrespectful to call him cute! Quick! Kowtow now! You’re in the presence of NYANKO-SENSEI, THE ALL-KNOWING CAT! Quickly now! Do the nyan nyan speak and offer him your food!!
13.
Ao from Akatsuki no Yona
nabe-chan: Ao is an adorable squirrel from Akatsuki no Yona/Yona of the Dawn that eats everything and anything you fed it. (Please consider reading this manga, it’s really good!) Without going into specific details, the manga is about a red-haired girl collecting four dragons to fulfill a prophecy. The design of this squirrel is super cute. See how big and round the eyes are? Look at its ever round cheeks <3 But I believe the readers wouldn’t appreciate Ao if not for how the mangaka kept putting her into every panel during an important conversation. I took the liberty of adding some of the panels in a collage to give a sense of what I mean. Her appearance is very varied across the chapters but she’s usually on top of Yona’s head or shoulder.
YumDeku: That’s because she’s the mascot of Akatsuki no Yona/Yona of the Dawn, the cuteness is too much it hurts.
nabe-chan: While the characters are talking serious business, you’ll find Ao on someone’s shoulder or just nibbling Yona’s hair nonchalantly. I often took my sweet time reading through the chapter just to notice if Ao is in the panel. Plus, Ao has this adorable voice. She loves yelling Pukyuu! whenever she can. Urgh, adorable. I added a video below just so you can hear this squirrel go Pukyuu! Then there’s the backstory on how this cute squirrel got her name, as well as how she got Yona out of many dangerous situations just by chewing on ropes, etc. Adorable and useful, she’s perfect.
YumDeku: I think Ao has an eating problem by the way. Her cheeks are so round from all the things she tucks away in there.
nabe-chan: ALL CUTE THINGS ARE ROUND!
nabe-chan: Do you have squirrels wandering around in the neighbourhood at your place?
YumDeku: Sadly No I do see the occasional cows, goats and pigeons does that count for my daily dose of nature?
nabe-chan: You gotta go catch a pigeon and put them on your shoulder… Call it Pukyuu… And feed it nuts. Yes you’re a shoujo protagonist now Yumdeku!
YumDeku: Do I get to have a harem then?
12.
Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro
YumDeku: Totoro the King of the Forest from Studio Ghibli iconic animated movie My Neighbor Totoro loves napping and playing his acorn flute. Following the story of two little girls and our adorable giant bear-owl spirit. It’s definitely an anime I recommend anyone to watch who has not. It has the ability to transport you back to a simpler time and express a thousand emotions.
YumDeku: Totoro is just so cute with his grey fur, big ol belly, pointy ears, long whiskers and large paws. He looks like a cat, an owl and the cutest bear had a baby and that baby was Totoro. I mean just imagine getting a bear hug from the King of the Forest, and even a little snooze on his belly!
nabe-chan: I personally think Totoro’s design as a whole can be pretty terrifying. If you think about it, he’s really big and towers over you. He has this large grin plastered on his face which gives him this uncanny smiling expression. He didn’t rub off me in the movie until he started moving. He just… boings. They animated his fur that gives a sense of thickness to it. Honestly, I would never find him cute if I never watched his movie. I enjoyed how Studio Ghibli animated how he bounced and danced along with the two children. My favourite scene is the one where the two kids found Totoro sleeping and they just bounced off his stomach.
YumDeku: how dare you talk to the king of the Forest that way, he’s just a big log of cuteness and a magical spinning top that allows you to fly, and he’s even the logo for Studio Ghibli.
YumDeku: But *Thinking* he is a bit creepy now that I think of it, with a creepy grin. Noooo you ruined my vision of Totoro.
11.
Forehead Devils from Maou-Jou de Oyasumi
nabe-chan: There’s an upcoming anime for this manga, so I thought this is the perfect opportunity to talk about this manga! What makes this story a good one? Well, obviously IT’S THE FOREHEAD DEVILS! The plot is bloody simple and it goes something like this – the human princess (Suyaris) got kidnapped by the demon king but she’s really bored in her cell. It just so happened that she loves to sleep so she often jailbreaks to find materials for the perfect bed. Along the way, everyone gets bullied by this princess in a comedic way. One of these characters that really piqued my soff heart is this teddy bear-looking devil.
nabe-chan: Those round, beady eyes just scream innocence to me! Hnnnng. The first chapter literally had the princess bullying the bears but she stopped her knife when they did the puppy eyes (It’s the center panel in the collage image I did!). She ended up giving them a good brush and they became fast friends. Most folks would opt to dig a way out of their jail but no, not Suyaris. She just needed to ask these bears for the key and they’ll gladly give it to her. There are other chapters involving these bears just causing havoc in the demon king’s castle just because the princess asked them! It’s honestly really hilarious because all in all, the mess happened thanks to those puppy eyes. Can you really say no to mugugu, pretty pweaseee? ʕ´• ᴥ •`ʔ
YumDeku: Sshhh! Not so loud Princess Syalis is trying to get a good night’s sleep. Maou-Jou de Oyasumi and the Forehead Devils definitely have a unique plot and are unusual bodyguards, it had me at cute teddy devil bears, I have to check it out after this.
nabe-chan: mugugu, can I please have your credit card number Yumdeku?
ʕ ⊃･ ◡ ･ ʔ⊃
YumDeku: Here they are. Along with my social security number, passwords, all my private data and even the shirt on my back have it all cute devil bears.
10.
Ryo-Ohki from Tenchi series
YumDeku: Nabe what do you get when you mix a cat and a rabbit together? A shapeshifting and carrots loving Ryo-Ohki. Isn’t she the cutest thing you have seen?
nabe-chan: The catrabbit shapeshifts to a sexy lady right. I know your type Yum! You can’t lie to me!
YumDeku: With Lore, rivals, likable characters and adventure, the Tenchi series is an anime that receives a lot of attention and has an enduring fanbase. Tenchi series is a sci-fi anime about a high-schooler that accidentally releases demons trapped by his grandfather and how his life is never the same again.
nabe-chan: Don’t avoid the topic Yum!
YumDeku: Wouldn’t you want a cute Ryo-Ohki you can play with? Cute fuzzy long ears and those big adorable eyes. I want to feed her carrots so bad!
nabe-chan: Well, the designer definitely knew what makes cute things tick. I love how floppy Ryo-Ohki is.
9.
Meatbun from ½ Prince
nabe-chan: So I understand that the title of this blog post is cute animals but here I am, trying to push a meat bun agenda. ALL HAIL MEATBUN! Thanks for saying yes to having Meatbun in this list, Yum!
YumDeku: ahhhhh anything that cute and delicious deserves to be on any cuteness list. I could literally eat Meatbun up. Speaking hypothetical would anyone miss Meatbun, like friends or family *drooling*.
nabe-chan: Alright, so I realized that many don’t know about ½ Prince. (I previously wrote about ½ Prince here, along with The Legend of the Sun Knight.) It first started off as a Taiwanese web novel and soon got popular enough for a manhwa! The story is set in a distant future where MMOs can be played in virtual reality. So we have our protagonist jump right into this game called Second Life and somehow, got herself a meat bun as a pet. Yes, a meat bun as in the pork bun you eat for a meal. I’ve added a photo of the meat bun in question in the collage above! Since he’s a meat bun pet, his name is literally Meatbun! Adorable isn’t it <3 This little pet design is really cute, but the best part about Meatbun isn’t his roundness! Let me list them all down:
- He’s a cannibal. If you play MMO, then you’ll know that to raise your pet’s affection, you will need to feed it. Meatbun’s primary source of food are meat buns.
- He eats his own kind!He has a ton of capabilities. He can fly, he can swim, he can shoot pork pellets as an attack. You can even bat him using a baseball bat! The cast usually use Meatbun to aggro and pull monsters from afar.
- He’s squishy. Like, really squishy.
- He’s sooo loving too. He calls his parents (the cast) papa and mama. Hnng.
Best baby boy in ½ Prince is Meatbun, obviously. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
YumDeku: Am I the only one thinking eating him will make me stronger or at least add to my cuteness level?
nabe-chan: Yes.
YumDeku: More Meatbun for me then…
8.
Inko from Toradora
YumDeku: Why is Inko on the list? Well it’s not just because I like Toradora, it is on my list of Top 25 Best Romance Anime of All Time for Romance Lovers. Toradora is an anime about a boy, a girl, the lives of them and their friends, unrequited and unexpected love that blossoms amongst them and I just love the characters and plot.
YumDeku: Cute might not be the first thing you think of for Inko, the sickly parakeet. Inko’s weird quirky personality and sometimes appearance allows her to steal a spot on my list, just because of those two things. She might be an acquired taste but she definitely grew on me watching Ryuuji who considers her a part of the family and, for some reason, still has hope she will be able to say her own name one day.
nabe-chan: That parakeet is not sickly, it’s legit crazy. Look at himmmm! … Okay maybe that is cute in folks’ books.
YumDeku: I just think it’s cute and adorable how she struggles to say her name even though she has a good understanding of human speech and can carry a conversation with someone. She’s a funny parakeet that has a lot of character and made Toradora more interesting and hilarious.
nabe-chan: I remember watching Toradora and I loved it. I… do not remember this parakeet though. Okay you guys can rip off my aniblogger badge now.
7.
Bond from Spy x Family
nabe-chan: Bond is adorable. Bond is adorable. Bond is ADORABLE. They say three times the charm! I think by now you’d notice my kind of cute is anything fluffy. There’s this super moe feeling in me whenever I see a dog drawn in their fluffiest form. Not only is Bond super fluffy, he’s a THICC BOI. Urgh, thicc and fluff is the PERFECT COMBO. I mean, look at him!
YumDeku: Noooo why didn’t you get the picture with Bond in his bow tie collar, it makes him look distinguished. He has this gentleman butler thing about him that I like. Maybe it’s Alfred under all that fluffy fur. Fun fact I think Bond is a mix between a Tibetan Mastiff and Great Pyrenees.
nabe-chan: I picked panels from the earlier chapters! Ok, anyway…
nabe-chan: Spy x Family talks about a professional spy (Loid) dedicating his life to the protection of his country. As a spy, he snuffs out anyone in the background so his work goes largely unappreciated. One day, his boss told him to take a mission that requires him to build a “family”. So he picked a wife (Yor) and a young girl (Anya) as his kid. Little did he know that his wife is a super assassin and the kid, an esper. Then came along Bond, the adorable dog in the collage I made. He’s a ditzy doggo but he can see the future! The manga is an absolute blast to read, I suggest reading it in MangaPlus!
YumDeku: I did. Bond has a really sad backstory he’s gone through a lot but he still remains a friend to man and their cute little ones. Bond has one of the biggest kindest hearts of pets on this list, whether it’s helping Anya to retrieve her favorite pair of gloves from a fierce dog by intimidating him or changing the future to prevent the death of Anya’s father. Bond is a pet anyone would be lucky to have.
nabe-chan: I know right… I’m not too sure what breed Bond is, but I think he’s a Samoyed mix. There’s a ton of things to love about Bond. He’s really fluffy and loving to his new family. I added some scenes where he jumps right between his new family and the baddies to protect them. Good boy! There was a chapter that had Bond fight with Anya, the Esper girl. It was over something minor and they made up at the end of the chapter. It’s honestly these small little snippets that make me go moeeee. Bond is such a sweet dog. Not only is he fluffy, I appreciate that the mangaka took the time to fledge him out as a proper member of the Spy x Family’s main cast.
nabe-chan: Ok so… Bond is the type of dog I would love to hug.
YumDeku: I don’t know he’s a big dog plus all that fur, I am pretty sure you could get lost in him if you hugged him.
nabe-chan: You mean getting lost in the doggo fur like this meme gif?
6.
Hamtaro from Hamtaro
YumDeku: Nabe I know you like hamsters so what do you think of Hamtaro, isn’t he just so cute? He is from the anime Hamtaro, a children’s anime about a pet hamster going on adventures with his other little hamster friends that are also so adorable. Hamtaro is one of the bravest, energetic hamsters with a heart of gold. He always wants to go on adventures and always eager to help his friends. Plus He makes some of the cutest and hilarious faces.
YumDeku: I mean just look at those big black eyes… What do you think Nabe?
nabe-chan: I loved the show when I was a kid! I prefer the fat, tubby Hamtaro version. I saw recent episodes just bloated up his head and made his body smaller. I personally find that icky. Yes thank you Yum for including Hamtaro!
5.
Magu from Magu-chan: God of Destruction
nabe-chan: I cannot believe a God made it into the list. You see, Magu-chan is a recent addition to MangaPlus. The manga just popped up one day on the app, I clicked on it and voila, I am HOOKED. Magu-chan starts off with a creepy tone. Cults worshipped gods and through offerings, these gods could easily gain power that could blow off a city! It just so happened that our God of Destruction, Magu, was sealed away by heroes in ancient times but was found by Ruru, a modern second year middle school student (who’s conveniently an orphan living by herself). So the whole kick in this manga is honestly just Magu being all demanding because he lost his powers and Ruru just agreeing to his whims nonchalantly. There’s a ton of sweet scenes where Magu would act to make Ruru happy. I think the English translation did it for me! Magu’s dialogues are super intimidating but if you were to associate it with his smol form, it’s just… so cute. You can think of Magu as a puppy or a kitten trying to go all scary on you but you just go awwww instead.
YumDeku: Nabe did your love of cute things make you join this cult? *stares suspiciously* Magu looks like a squid or octopus. And am I do only one that see the resemblance to Mitty from Made in Abyss *crying* don’t hit me with your destruction beam Magu senpai accept my offering of food.
nabe-chan: If it means getting a powerful god as a pet then yes!! … Wait, Mitty is adorable but I just can’t do this… The elevator scene, god…
YumDeku: I know right… *crying*
4.
Blair from Soul Eater
nabe-chan: Yum! This lady does not suit the post title! >:(
YumDeku: We already have a Meatbun in our list besides, look at how cute she looks in her little witch hat. But then again who wouldn’t want a cat that transforms into a sexy witch? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) *clears throat* plus she’s a stray, she needs a home in our hearts. Soul Eater revolves around three students and their weapons that can transform into a humanoid. They attend a school run by Death and go on world saving adventures.
nabe-chan: Hmmmm… *judging quietly* Okay fine, I suppose it’s ok. You know, Blair took such a strong role at the beginning of the series. The later chapters just have her do a cat fight. I wish she was treated better by the mangaka…
YumDeku: Yes more cat fights and more character development for her would have been good.
3.
Sui from Tondemo Skill: Sui no Daibouken
nabe-chan: This cute little slime, Sui is from a manga isekai series, Tondemo Skill. I pulled these panels from her spin-off series! The MC was transported to a fantasy world, tamed a Fenrir and a slime. All they do is travel and eat. It’s super wholesome but what gets me is this lovable slime Sui. If not shooting out deadly magic, Sui is just being super loving to her owner. Such an adorable slime! Who’s a good slime! It’s you! You’re a good slime! <3
YumDeku: I’m starting to think you think anything is cute if it’s round and squishy. Sui is definitely a pet you want if you are ever teleported to another world. She would make a comfortable pillow, she can craft and heal you too. Triple threat!
nabe-chan: Of course. My taste in cute things is impeccable <3
YumDeku: Sui reminds me of the anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. We should introduce the two of them, they both have a lot in common like eating food and are both talking slime.
nabe-chan: I know right… But Sui should steer clear of Tensura, else she’ll get a sexy humanoid form (LOL).
2.
Molly from The Ancient Magus Bride
YumDeku: The last King of Cats, Molly is one of the most beautiful anime cats that I have ever seen. With her long white and yellow coat. And, her different colored eyes! Her right eye is yellow and her left eye is blue. She’s majestic and her personality is just the best.
YumDeku: She was beautifully drawn in the manga but they really brought her to life in the anime The Ancient Magus Bride following the story of Hatori Chise who as had a rough life but all this changes when she meets a sorcerer of great power who has the head of a beast! And, she becomes his apprentice and bride. It’s an amazing anime that covers a lot of mental and emotional issues. We even did a post about PTSD in Anime: What, Why and How to Overcome.
nabe-chan: Awww. I remember cross-referencing the scene in both the manga and anime while I was watching the episode. I think that the anime did this particular episode really good! Molly simply wants to protect her current owner but the circumstances just made it super bittersweet for me.
1.
Kirara from Inuyasha
nabe-chan: Everyday I think of how blessed we are to see so many cuties in our favourite entertainment media… And how for once, both I and Yum agreed on which cutie to take the first spot. It’s Kirara from Inuyasha! <3 <3 <3 Purrrrrrr, purrrrrr. Who’s a good demon slayer sidekick! It’s you! <3
YumDeku: I know right, look at how cute she looks when she’s sleeping. Why settle for a regular cat when you can have a cute fire demon that can go from compact and cute to big and vicious. Especially when she’s rideable, taking Kirara for walks will always be enjoyable.
nabe-chan: I know right. Gosh, you get me sometimes.
nabe-chan: Annddd that’s it! Phew. Talking about the things I love just makes me go all warm and fuzzy inside. Thanks Yum. We’ll do one about waifu one day, okay? So you can slap in as many Blairs as you want!
YumDeku: Yes we finally finished our list, it was really hard picking just these fifteen but we finally got it done. Yeah we have to do that you can add all the Esdeath you want too! Also let us see your cutest anime manga animals you desperately want to pet in our comment section. Till our next collab post go read more of our individual posts.
Thanks for reading!
