Best Dads in Anime: The G.T.F Edition
Presenting the very first G.T.F list of Best Dads in Anime and Manga. Read on to find out why these amazing dads made the list!
Since its June (well it was June when I started writing this oops) and Fathers’ Day usually comes to mind when we think of June … what better time than now to celebrate some of the best fathers and dads in Anime and Manga?
Happy (belated) Fathers’ Day to all the wonderful and amazing Dads out there!
**SPOILERS AHEAD! Especially if you are anime only. There are many references to manga events that are scattered across the paragraphs. Please read with caution.
Page Contents
Byakuya Ishigami (石神百夜)
Anime: Dr. STONE [ドクターストーン ]
First up on the G.T.F list of “Best Dads in Anime” is Byakuya Ishigami from [ Dr. STONE ]
There’s a reason why Byakuya Ishigami has been consistently appearing in all the lists of “best father and/or best dads” in anime and manga in recent years –
Simply because he holds the gold standard of how a positive parental figure should be.
Byakuya Ishigami really is the epitome of an amazing father, in all the ways that it truly matters. The love, support, care and faith that Byakuya has in his son, Senku, is truly out of this world.
Byakuya’s love and support for Senku literally crosses time and space. This is a father that continues to bestow gifts after gifts, long after he’s gone, to help Senku’s mission in saving humanity and rebuilding human civilization.
Everything that Byakuya did, from the moment he realised the world was petrified and that he was one of the only survivors, was to help Senku’s transition and journey in the Stone World easier.
It didn’t matter that it might be thousands of years into the future before Senku would awaken.
It didn’t matter that he had to do everything by scratch and that he would likely never see his son again in his lifetime.
Not once did Byakuya wavered in his belief that Senku is alive and would break free of the petrification. He had absolute faith in the ability of his son to save humanity and succeed in rebuilding human civilization.
And so, Byakuya spent the rest of his life in preparation of the greatest gift a father could give to a son in a post-apocalyptic world —
Friends and Hope
Realizing early that Senku would need allies and friends when he awakens in the post-petrification world, Byakuya resolved to lay the foundations and provide whatever assistance his son might need to survive and thrive in the future.
To do so, he founded a village (Ishigami Village) so that Senku would not be alone and have allies and the ‘borrowed’ skills to help him navigate the stone world and save humanity.
He then created the Hundred Tales, a collection of stories passed down from generations to generations, to ensure that important information and the knowledge amassed by humans could be retained.
More importantly, the Hundred Tales will also serve as a connection with the “friends” Senku would surely befriend in the far future.
He even prepared a CD recording of Lilian’s song to help Senku win over the hearts of the villagers, if needed. This was also Byakuya’s way of encouraging Senku not to give up, no matter how bleak or challenging the situation might be.
Even up to his final moments, Byakuya’s thoughts were still of his son — Byakuya died as he was panning for precious metals, important resources that he knew Senku would need in the future.
It is not a stretch to say that Byakuya and Senku Ishigami has one of the most loving, positive and functional father-son relationships there is in anime and manga.
I don’t know about you, but every-time I think about how much Byakuya has done for his son and just how proud he is of Senku always tugged at my heartstrings. [cue the song: Yume no Youna『夢のような』]
It is all the more amazing and precious when you realize that Senku is actually adopted.
Byakuya was a great role model for Senku. His love, support and constant affirmation and encouragements of his son is really beautiful to watch, and honestly a rarity in anime, less save in real life.
This was a father who never shied away from expressing just how proud he is of his son, and when words might get “cheesy”, he opts to show it through actions instead. More importantly, he truly “gets” how Senku is wired and understands the way Senku expresses gratitude and processes emotions.
Right from the beginning, Byakuya had always believed in Senku’s potential for greatness and does his best in helping to pave the way for that potential to become greatness.
Byakuya actively encourages Senku’s passion and curiosity in science despite the shenanigans and at times dangerous experiments a young Senku often gets up to in the name of Science. He even sold his car, just so that he would be able to afford the scientific apparatus and equipment that Senku needed!
And everything else Byakuya did in between Senku’s petrification and awakening is just mind-blowing.
Just like how Senku’s never give up (trial and error) attitude inspired Byakuya to live on in a petrified world, Byakuya’s unwavering belief, positivity and faith in Senku ability to rebuild civilization and save all of humanity definitely was a strong encouragement and further harden Senku’s resolve to do so.
Byakuya and Senku Ishigami reminds us that a that a parent’s love for their child is eternal. It is also a perfect example on how family is found and not inherited by blood relations. They also show us just how positive a father-son relationship can be.
Byakuya Ishigami is definitely, 10 billion percent hands-down, a best dad, if not THE “Best Dad” in anime and manga.
Golem (ゴーレム)
Anime: Somali and the Forest Spirit [ ソマリと森の神様 ]
Next up on the G.T.F list of amazing and best dads in anime is Golem from “Somali and the Forest Spirit”.
Yes, Golem is a forest guardian (Golem species) and Somali is a human. So what?
Golem and Somali’s father-daughter relationship is the perfect example of how love transcends species.
And I’ll be the first to say that Golem is a far better father than many of the human dads we see in anime and manga.
It is a testament of Golem’s care, love and companionship that Somali emerged from a scared, chained up, abandoned little girl to one that is now curious, free-spirited, honest with her emotions and a super cheerful kid. (Probably a little too overly-cheerful at times but Somali is so sweet and adorable that no one is really bothered by it.)
Plus, when your kid outwardly expresses to others that she wants to work hard for her Dad because she knows he always does things for her too, you know that is parenting and love done right.
Somali knows her Dad will always come for her.
In her own words:
When she’s in danger, Golem will protect her. When they might get separated, Golem holds her hands. When she can’t sleep at night, Golem counts the stars for her. He’s always there for her when she needs him and that’s why Golem’s her Dad.
Awwwww… and if after reading all that and you are still wondering why Golem is on the GTF’s list of Best Dads in anime/manga… I think you need a hug from Somali.
If you are still not convinced (who are you?!), what further cemented Golem’s spot on the G.T.F’S “Best Dads in Anime” list is the amount of personal sacrifice that he is willing to endure for the happiness and safety of Somali.
Despite nearing the end of his 1000 years lifespan, Golem leaves behind everything that he knows and goes on a long journey with Somali just to search for her biological parents.
This is a huge sacrifice for Golem because this decision goes against the very nature of their species. For a Golem, whose sole duty is to be his forest’s guardian and to never interfere with the natural order of things, he chose to break every single rule for Somali when he took her in.
Moreover, with only less than 2 years to live, it is almost a certainty that this guardian of the forest would die on this journey and never again return to his home. And yet, for Somali’s happiness, Golem tries to hold on as long as possible, even when he’s in significant physical pain, determined to at least find some humans so that Somali can be among her own kind and finally be safe.
Love doesn't lie and the love that Golem has for his daughter Somali, and vice-versa, is real and everlasting.
Golems are supposed to be devoid of emotions but there can be no doubts that Golem cares and loves for Somali very much.
As a Golem who has no needs for physical sustenance, he takes on odd jobs in different cities to earn money for travelling and food for Somali. He even willing gives up a piece of his body to exchange for medical lessons just so he can learn to make medicine in case Somali needs it during the journey!
Everything Golem does now to the end of his life is for Somali’s safety and happiness.
Somali’s smiles are all the proof you need that Golem is an amazing father and definitely deserving of the title as one of the “Best Dads” in anime and manga!
Shirou Fujimoto (藤本獅郎)
Anime: Blue Exorcist [ 青の祓魔師 ]
Being a single parent to twin boys is challenging enough.
Being a single father to twin babies that happens to be the children of “Satan”, the enemy of all mankind AND the entity responsible for the death of the love of his life and friends?
That is simply insane.
And yet, Shirou Fujimoto took it all in his stride and did a hell of a job (pun intended) in raising the Okumura twins.
As with many of the amazing Dads on this list, Shirou Fujimoto isn’t the biological father of Rin and Yukio Okumura. However, to the Okumura twins and to some extent, Shura, Shirou is the only father that truly matters.
Considering who Shirou was and his philosophy towards life before becoming a full-time father, this is one father that definitely deserves to be called one of the “best dads” in anime and manga.
You really have to respect Shirou Fujimoto. This was a guy who gave up everything, and I meant everything, for his kids.
As a clone borne from Section 13’s experiments to be a vessel for Satan, freedom and free will was extremely important to Shirou. Having grown up seeing his “brothers” being used and thrown away like rag dolls, he was determined not to end up like them.
To avoid this fate, he worked hard and sought to become the very best among the clones. He rapidly rose up the ranks of the ‘Exorcists’ and qualified as a Knight, Dragoon, Doctor, Aria and Tamer, eventually achieving the ultimate Paladin title. That’s impressive, no matter how you look at it.
As the Paladin of the True Cross Order, Shirou was considered the strongest exorcist in the world and that gave him considerable freedom and power to live the life he wanted, which was not to die as a vessel for a demon.
So here was a guy at the prime of his life, as well as his career, finally living the life that he wanted … and he gave that all up in an instance once he saw the smile on baby Rin’s face.
Shirou’s sword wavered on the kill orders and he chose to embrace a new path: Fatherhood.
For the next 15 years, Shirou traded his hard-sought freedom and the respect of his peers for the lives of Rin and Yukio. He defied the kill order, took responsibility for the twins and lost his hard-earned Paladin status as a result. He also gave up smoking and settled into the life of a normal Catholic Priest running a monastery.
As if that wasn’t enough, Shirou also ended up making the ultimate sacrifice — his life – to protect his kids. And he did so by managing to fight off Satan’s possession of his body for a moment just so he could kill himself to prevent Rin from being dragged off by Satan.
The amount of willpower and strength to be able to do that shows just how much he really loves and wants to protect Rin.
Shirou Fujimoto would be the first to admit that he has no idea on how to be a Dad.
However, as Rin would come to understand, it doesn’t matter if he wasn’t the perfect father or that they get into petty squabbles and/or exchanged harsh words at times.
Because Shirou gave them the greatest gift a father could give: his love, his guidance and the strength to become stronger.
What was so great about Shirou was that he never once saw them as just the children of Satan. He never saw the twins as a burden. They were his kids and he would do all that he can to help them be happy.
For Yukio, upon learning that his happiness is the ability to protect his brother, he started training Yukio to become an Exorcist so that he could overcome his fear of seeing demons and be strong enough to protect his brother. He even became a teacher at the Exorcist Academy for Yukio. Most importantly, he never belittled Yukio’s fear nor his desire to become strong so that he could protect his brother.
For Rin, Shirou decided that a normal childhood would be the best path for him. He taught him cooking so that Rin would learn how to be careful and patient with his emotions. Likewise, he never treated Rin with kid gloves or someone to be feared.
As a result, Rin grew up to be like any teenager with a rebellious streak but with innate goodness and kindness. In other words, just like any normal human kid.
Shirou may think that he doesn’t not know how to be a Dad, but we, along with the Okumura Twins, all know better —
By giving his children everything that he could give, Shirou Fujimoto is hands down a “best dad” in anime and manga.
Fujitaka Kinomoto (木之本 藤隆)
Anime: Card Captor Sakura [ カードキャプターさくら ]
Rounding up the list of amazing and Dads in anime on the GTF list is Fujitaka Kinomoto from Card Captor Sakura.
Not only is he a working single parent raising two children, he does so in such a cheerful and positive manner that there’s always so much love and respect in the Kinomoto house. (We all know the friendly teasing that Touya does to Sakura comes from a place of love and he’s actually always looking out for Sakura.)
Fujitaka cooks, he cleans (that apron!) and he tries his best to be there for his children, no matter how busy he might be. He also never shies away from speaking about Nadeshiko so that their children never feel sad, only love, when remembering their mother.
Is it any surprise that Touya and Sakura turned out to be the wonderfully responsible, independent kind-hearted and sweet kids that they are?
The fact that both Touya and Sakura willingly share the chores and cooking in the house shows just how great Fujitaka’s parenting skills are.
Great parenting by itself would have been enough for his “best dads” in anime status but as with all the other amazing Dads on this list, Fujitaka goes another step further.
What elevates Fujitaka from a great father to a “Best Dad” in anime and manga is his absolute trust, support and faith in his children.
He trusts Sakura to be able to handle things on her own. He respects Touya’s decisions. Fujitaka never interferes unless his children ask him to. (I’m pretty sure he is aware of Touya and Yukito’s relationship, as well as Syaoran and Sakura budding romance but he chooses not to interfere. How many parents can actually do that? ^ ^)
The events of CCS Clear Card had also revealed that Fujitaka was actually aware of what was happening with Sakura throughout CCS but he trusted Sakura knew what she was doing and chose to support her quietly and often at the side-lines.
Fujitaka shows us that sometimes all that we really need is just a supportive, patient and loving Dad.
Knowing how to give his children space and believing in them to do the right thing is definitely “Best Dad” material in my book.
Thank you for Reading!
And that’s it for the very first “Best Dads in Anime” GTF edition! ^ ^
Did your favorite Dad make the list? Do you agree with the list? Who else should be on the list? Should I do more of such lists? So many questions LOL.
In “Somali and the Forest Spirit”, Kikila’s father (another wonderful dad!) said it the best:
There (are) no perfect parents, we are bound to make mistakes and let anger or worry get the best of us. We might (even) make our child cry but at the end of the day, we (need to) always let them know that we really care for them.
And these amazing Dads in Anime and Manga have certainly shown through their actions and words that they really love and care for their children.
Do let me know your thoughts in the comments. ^ ^
P.S: I’ve always enjoyed reading these “best” and “top 10” lists, so why not do up some of my own? ^ ^
I had a blast revisiting all the anime series mentioned with the occasional sniffles (okay, who am I kidding, I ran out of tissues) writing this.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this as well. Do remember to join the G.T.F mailing list to get first dibs on updates, new posts and random ramblings ^ ^
Check out my Reviews, Guides and Other Posts!
Geeky Good Guides
I’ve also done up a few guides on purchasing anime goods/figurines and the list will continue to expand. Do check them out as they might be useful for your own fan- collection journeys!
- Geeky Goods Spotlight: Forwarder, Buying Service & Proxy Bidding (Anime Goods)
- Nendoroids – A Guide on Buying Nendoroids
- A Kuji Guide: All You need to know and more!
