40 Greatest Anime Poses of All Time Ranked

30 Greatest Anime Poses of All Time, Ranked (2021 Update)

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People around the world love anime for very different reasons. Some of them like the animation, some the characters, while others prefer the plots and the dialogues. Anime has a lot to offer, whichever way you look at it, and it is absolutely not strange that so many people around the world like it.

Now, aside from the primary aspects of an anime, there are always some quirky elements that draw people to the genre and one of those are the different trademark poses that appear in different series.

Here is a list of the greatest anime poses of all time. Some of them have specific names, while others are just described, but all in all, all these poses have, in a way, become a part of anime history, and that is why they are on our list. Enjoy!

40 Greatest Anime Poses of All Time

40. Jackie Chung’s Drunken Fighting Style

Anime: Dragon Ball
Character(s): Jackie Chung (real identity – Master Roshi)
Description:

Our list starts off with one of the most memorable fighting techniques from one of the best anime series in history – Dragon Ball. When Master Roshi faced Goku disguised as Jackie Chung, he showed him his Drunken Fighting Style, using which he managed to kick Goku’s ass for a while. It is exceptionally hard to mimic since it relies a lot on improvisation, but it is still one of the more memorable moments in anime history.

39. Pilaf’s Tantrums

Anime: Dragon Ball
Character(s): Emperor Pilaf
Description:

Emperor Pilaf was one of the most iconic Dragon Ball villains. Small and visually insignificant, what he lacked in power, he made up with elaborate and hilarious technology. His tantrums are also well-known and documented, which is why Pilaf is so beloved among the fans. Just throw a fit or two and you’re good to go, although probably won’t be able to mimic him completely, as that is, practically impossible; he is simply too unique.

38. Inosuke’s Beast Breathing, 7th Fang

Anime: Demon Slayer
Character(s): Inosuke Hashibara
Description:

Inosuke was a special character in the Demon Slayer. He was a quirky and eccentric guy whose skills and determination proved crucial for the Demon Slayers in their endeavors to defeat the demons. Now, he used a special Breathing Style of his own invention, the seventh form of which was one of the most famous ones. It is rather simple to mimic… you just need to be hopeful that it’ll also work.

37. Zenitsu’s Thunder Breathing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_PDjHF_jWo

Anime: Demon Slayer
Character(s): Zenitsu Agatsuma
Description:

And while we all know Zenitsu as your resident coward, the guy is actually very powerful and he has proven that over and over. This technique has a great stance and while you won’t be able to achieve such speeds, you’ll certainly look cool if you manage to mimic the stance itself. Just, don’t try to do it while sleeping, it’ll be very weird.

36. Korin’s Training

Anime: Dragon Ball
Character(s): Korin
Description:

Not sure how to sum this one up, but Korin’s training with Goku was one of the greatest moments from the original Dragon Ball anime and is certainly memorable. Korin didn’t give us just one, but rather numerous interesting poses, although most of them are simply for enjoying and nothing more. Korin’s just too advanced with his skills for us to mimic most of his poses.

35. Totoro in the Rain

Anime: My Neighbour Totoro
Character(s): Totoro
Description:

Well, this famous scene from Miyazai’s movie has been adapted and reimagined so much that we know it all to well. It’s also very easy to do, especially if you’re a big, adorable furball like Totoro. Now, the fact is that you probably won’t stop the rain, nor are you going to summon the cat bus, but you can look cool, that much we know.

34. Water Breathing, 11th Form

Anime: Demon Slayer
Character(s): Giyu Tomioka
Description:

Although Water Breathing has been used by several characters from the series, we picked Giyu Tomioka because his entrance was simply great. He entered swiftly and with style, and the way he eliminated the Spider Demon (Father) was simply great. It was a truly epic demonstration of power, but we wouldn’t really recommend you tried this at home, since it can be dangerous for both you and the people around you. But do enjoy it!

33. Gojō’s Infinite Void

Anime: Jujutsu Kaisen
Character(s): Satoru Gojō
Description:

We’re aware that everyone wants to be Gojō because Gojō’s so friggin’ cool. And he really is. And, luckily for you, his Infinity Void pose, which activates his Domain Expansion, is quite easy to mimic. It’s very easy if you have flexible fingers, just – don’t expect the same results. You probably won’t activate your Domain Expansion like Gojō does; it does, really, require a lot of training. Trust us, we’ve tried it.

32. Hinokami Kagura

Anime: Demon Slayer
Character(s): Tanjuro Kamado, Tanjiro Kamado
Description:

The Hinokami Kagura is not only one of the most emblematic Demon Slayer techniques, it is also one of the most powerful ones. Presented in the form of a very complex dance, the Hinokami Kagura is actually the Sun Breathing Technique, the strongest Breathing Style in the world of Demon Slayer and, seemingly, the only technique that could kill Muzan.

Don’t get your hopes up about producing the flames, but you can definitely look stylish.

31. Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s Laugh

Anime: Bleach
Character(s): Mayuri Kurotsuchi
Description:

Bleach has several entries on this list, so we absolutely had to include Mayuri Kurotsuchi, one of the most eccentric characters in the whole series. Mayuri is known for being a weird, but he is also one of the most interesting characters in the series. Although we should’ve talked about his hairdos in this article, we decided to go with his trademark smile. It’s hard to imitate since he has a very specific set of teeth, but you can definitely try.

30. Toei Animation Intro

Anime: Various
Character(s): Puss in Boots (Toei’s mascot)
Description: Puss in Boots appears on the screen, makes several rounds across the globe using film tape, before eventually standing in front of the Earth, spreading his arms and smiling. This is technically not an anime pose, but Toei Animation is such a large anime player that we had to include this as a small hommage to the studio’s enormous legacy.

29. Muhammad Avdol’s Pose

Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Character(s): Muhammad Avdol
Description:

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a show we could say much about, but yours truly wouldn’t really have much good to say. It’s not that the show is bad, it’s just that I personally think it’s bad, but I can understand why people love it. The poses are one of the trademarks of the show and we could do a whole list on just them and nothing else. (Luckily, we won’t).

Muhammad Avdol is an important character from the series and we decided to show you his overly flamboyant pose and beg you to not try and imitate it.

28. Joseph Joestar’s Pose

Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Character(s): Joseph Joestar
Description:

Yeah, this was actually a filler pose as we didn’t have many ideas left, honestly. But, luckily for us, if you need a pose, JoJo’s there to save the day. The video offers two of them actually, but we decided to focus on Joseph Joestar’s although this was really a random pick honestly.

27. Snorlax Stretching

Anime: Pokémon
Character(s): Snorlax
Description:

Okay, you’re never going to be Snorlax and you’re never going to be cute as Snorlax. But Snorlax stretching after waking up from one of his famous naps is so amazing that we absolutely had to put it here on our list. But, it’s quite easy to do, really, just follow him like you would Jane Fonda.

26. Alex Louis Armstrong Flexing

Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist / Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Character(s): Alex Louis Armstrong
Description:

This one will go down in history as one of the more bizarre moments of Fullmetal Alchemist, but unlike the guys from JoJo, Alex Louis Armstrong knew how to present himself in a proper way. He was an artist and he was such a loveable guy that we can’t really consider him to be on the same level of strange as those guys. If you’re well-built, this one’s going to be a piece of cake for you – just flex.

25. Jean-Pierre Polnareff’s Pose

Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Character(s): Jean-Pierre Polnareff
Description:

Yeah, JoJo again. Right. Yours truly is, as you can see, not a big fan of the show, although I do respect its cultural value and influence. Jean-Pierre Polnareff’s pose is like all others – unique, special, and overly bizarre. That’s pretty much all I have, really.

24. Roy Mustang’s Snap

Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist / Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Character(s): Roy Mustang
Description:

Snaps are snaps. Thanos had a snap. Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist has a snap. Now, while Thanos’ snap was far-reaching, Roy Mustang’s is equally dangerous and he was able to use it to destroy his enemies. Sure, you could label the guy as a war criminal, but that takes away the magic of the whole show and Roy’s development as a character.

23. The Kienzan Technique

Anime: Dragon Ball
Character(s): Krillin
Description:

Krilin’s Kienzan technique is one of the better-known techniques from Dragon Ball, although not as famous as the other two on this list (see below). This is, in a way, Krilin’s trademark technique and although it is rather easy to replicate, you’ll probably have trouble achieving the same effects.

22. Momantai

Anime: Digimon Tamers
Character(s): Terriermon
Description:

Momantai is an expression used by Terriermon in Digimon Tamers, usually followed by a cute pose or something similar. That is why we decided to include it on our list. It became a catchphrase of his and marked the show in a very positive way. It actually means “nothing to worry about”, or something like that, and is comparable to “hakuna matata”.

It’s quite easy to imitate but don’t bet on being as cute as Terriermon.

21. Rukia Kicking Kon

Anime: Bleach
Character(s): Rukia Kuchiki, Kon
Description:

Another classic scene from Bleach is Kon trying to hug Rukia, only to end up being kicked by her. Or punched. Or grabbed and thrown. There’s really a lot of variations. Anywho – Kon gets his butt kicked by Rukia (sometimes even Ichigo and other characters).

This one is really easy to imitate, especially if you’re athletic and can lift your leg high. The only issue is that you don’t have Kon around and kicking a “dead” plushie just doesn’t feel the same.

20. Saitama’s Confounded Pose

Anime: One-Punch Man
Character(s): Saitama
Description:

Saitama always looks like he doesn’t know what’s going on or he does know what’s going on and it gets on his nerves. His confused pose, better depicted in the manga than the anime – we have to be honest – is his most famous pose and since it’s so stylized, it has become a trademark of his.

Because of that stylization, this pose is rather complex to imitate but you can certainly try.

19. Dattebayo

Anime: Naruto
Character(s): Naruto Uzumaki
Description:

This one, like “momantai”, is more of an expression than a pose and its manifestation actually varies. But, “dattebayo” is always followed by some pose at least and it became a catchphrase of Naruto’s throughout the show.

It’s quite easy to imitate – just say the expression and improvise a prose based on the situation.

18. Kyōraku Resting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p_akJQpLxU

Anime: Bleach
Character(s): Shunsui Kyōraku
Description:

Shunsui Kyōraku is one of the 13 captains from Soul Society. He looks like a drunk fool and he is a drunk fool but he is also extremely powerful and is one of the best and most skilled among the captains. He is very relaxed, he likes to rest and he certainly enjoys his sake, and that pose, with him half-sleeping, is what made him famous.

This one is really easy to mimic, but if you want to do it properly, get a straw hat and a kimono to look the role.

17. Ash Winning a Gym Badge

Anime: Pokémon
Character(s): Ash Ketchum (and any Gym Badge ever in the history of the show)
Description:

This, like another of Ash’s poses, varies from gym to gym, from badge to badge. It’s always something interesting and it involves a dance-like move, sometimes even with the assistance of Pikachu. It’s short and sweet, and it became a trademark of the show.

If you go on a path to collect all the gym badges, be sure to copy some of these poses.

16. The Kikōhō Technique

Anime: Dragon Ball
Character(s): Tien Shinhan
Description:

Yours truly remembers the first time he actually saw the Kikōhō technique on the show. Tien Shinhan was scary enough as it is and although the show later redeemed him, he was initially the scariest guy yours truly had seen on Dragon Ball (he was later replaced by Piccolo). The technique itself is rather powerful and quite scary.

The pose itself isn’t overly complex, but you do have to fly and be able to destroy a whole fighting arena to be successful. Be sure to mail us if you do it.

15. Spirit Digivolution

Anime: Digimon Frontier
Character(s): Various
Description:

Digimon Frontier further evolved the franchise by introducing proper human Digivolutions through the use of Spirits. Now, this was a radically different concept from the original one but it worked in the world of Frontier and these Digivolution poses were quite effective and epic.

Now, you need a D-Tector to perform a Spirit Evolution and a Spirit of course, but the poses themselves aren’t that difficult. Just please, if you manage to find a Spirit somewhere, please tell us!

14. Tsubasa’s Shooting Pose

Anime: Captain Tsubasa
Character(s): Tsubasa Ozora
Description:

To anyone who’s a fan of football (the real football), Captain Tsubasa was a very important anime, as it was broadcast around the world. The titular character was a flamboyant and talented footballer whose shooting poses are now a part of sports anime history.

Now, we all imagine ourselves kicking like this but it’s really just animation so as much as we’d like to, we should go and imitate real-life footballers instead of Tsubasa Ozora.

13. Josuke’s Flamboyant Pose

Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Character(s): Josuke Higashikata
Description:

This is our last JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure pose, we promise. Umm, as with the others, we don’t have much to say, really. JoJo’s is a show that speaks for itself, and the poses… they… well, they can’t be properly described, really. It’s all too bizarre if you ask us, and Josuke’s pose is just another example of it.

Josuke was asked not to do it because it was too dangerous. We ask you not to do it because it’s better for your reputation.

12. Yachiru on Kenpachi’s Shoulder

Anime: Bleach
Character(s): Yachiru Kusajishi
Description:

Yachiru riding Zenpaki’s back is somewhat of an iconic Bleach moment, not just because of the pose and the relationship between the two, but also because of the disastrous sense of direction that Yachiru has, which is why she constantly sends Zenpaki on the wrong path. He follows her instructions masterfully, the main issue is that they’re completely arbitrary.

This one isn’t really possible to imitate unless you’re very small and your buddy is very tall, but it’s certainly humorous and a piece of memorable Bleach nostalgia.

11. Near and His Toys

Anime: Death Note
Character(s): Near
Description:

This one, like some others on this list, isn’t a unique pose and is actually a mix of different poses and situations. Some of them are very reminiscent of L’s thinking pose from the same show, but Near, seeing how he was a child, also had some original moves up his sleeve.

They aren’t really that difficult to imitate, but they are unique and somewhat inconsistent, which is why we wouldn’t actually recommend doing it, but if you feel up for it, you won’t have much trouble, really.

10. Team Rocket Pose

Anime: Pokémon
Character(s): Team Rocket (Jessie, James, and Meowth)
Description:

Prepare for trouble!
And make it double!
To protect the world from devastation!
To unite all peoples within our nation!
To denounce the evils of truth and love!
To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie!
James!
Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
Surrender now, or prepare to fight!

We just had to include the lines that go with this pose. If you’re a Pokémon fan, and if you’re here, you probably are, this is going to be a blast. It’s fairly easy to replicate and if you can get a couple of friends to help you with the pose, you’ll be one of the coolest kids in the block.

9. Digimon Card Slash

Anime: Digimon Tamers
Character(s): Various
Description:

Digimon Tamers is today considered to be among the best Digimon season, on par with the original Adventure. Now, this series featured, for the first time, a larger involvement of the Tamers through them using actual Digimon cards to amplify the powers of their partner Digimon. Each so-called “card slash” was unique to a specific character and they look pretty awesome.

Now, you need a D-Power to properly imitate this pose and you can either copy one of the above ones or just come up with a slash of your own, based on the above-shown ones. It’s going to look epic however you do it, just don’t expect the visual effects to follow suit.

8. Shadow Clone Jutsu

Anime: Naruto franchise
Character(s): Naruto Uzumaki
Description:

This is probably the most famous pose from the whole Naruto series. It is quite a powerful technique that allows Naruto to create shadow clones of himself and Naruto has done his best to master it, use it properly, and to make it stronger as the show progressed. In a way, this became his trademark move and certainly his trademark pose.

The pose itself is pretty easy to imitate and it doesn’t require much skill but the effects… well, let’s just say that you shouldn’t be hopeful of sending your clone to school tomorrow.

7. Gendo Ikari’s Finger-Tenting

Anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Character(s): Gendo Ikari
Description:

This is also a very common pose in terms of real-life situations, but it made Gendo famous. Neon Genesis Evangelion isn’t the type of show that would include some memorable poses and this one isn’t really original or majestic in any way, but it’s a character trademark that certainly marked the whole Evangelion series.

Replicating is very easy as you only have to connect your fingers like in the video above. If you remember correctly, Sherlock Holmes was also known to do a similar thinking pose from time to time.

6. Dueling Poses

Anime: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Character(s): Various
Description:

This is actually a series of different poses combined into one – you have a pose when you challenge someone, a pose when you draw a card, summon a monster, order an attack, and whatnot. Yu-Gi-Oh! really offered a lot to a whole generation of fans and the fact that the game is still evolving shows that it’s still quite popular.

Now, the poses themselves aren’t that hard to imitate, but since we don’t have holographic representations of the cards and we actually play the game sitting down, it’s really difficult to find a proper moment to use them. But heck, you can always try!

5. Ken Kaneki Cracking His Fingers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC8zT6W4mpM

Anime:Tokyo Ghoul
Character(s): Ken Kaneki
Description:

Kaneki was a pretty laid-back guy until he was almost killed by a female ghoul and then turned into a ghoul himself. It was a pretty big change for him, but he managed to cope… until Jason got his hands on him. Jason traumatized Kaneki so much that he developed a tic of sorts – cracking his fingers (and knuckles) whenever he felt extremely anxious and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

It’s fairly easy to reproduce, really, as it does not require any specific skills but not everyone is going to be able to make the same sound and be equally effective each time.

4. Alchemy Without Circles

Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist / Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Character(s): Edward Erlic
Description:

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands… *clap clap* Okay, it’s not really this song, but using alchemy without Transmutation Circles in Fullmetal Alchemist seems a bit like the song, if you take it out of context. But don’t kid yourselves, it is a very advanced technique, and only the best and most skilled alchemist have been able to use it.

Sure, the pose itself seems easy enough but we assume that the end result will be something to the result Edward got when he sacrificed his alchemy to return Al’s body during the final moments of the series.

3. L’s Thinking Stance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EXopqjz6-o

Anime: Death Note
Character(s): L
Description:

As far as Death Note is concerned, L’s thinking pose is definitely the most famous one. It’s not something truly unique, it’s actually an imitation of Rodin’s famous Thinker sculpture, but seeing L use it that frequently, almost in any situation made it quite famous. Whether he’s alone, in a room, or in public, L will almost always take up this thinking pose, which became his trademark thing.

Now, it’s quite easy to imitate, if you want to give it a go, really, but we assume it’s somewhat hard to maintain since our bodies aren’t really used to being so long in such a position. But hey, give it a go – absolutely!

2. Ash’s Pokémon-Catching Pose

Anime: Pokémon
Character(s): Ash Ketchum
Description:

This pose has varied over the years but its core – a somewhat elegant, dance-like move – has remained the same. Pokémon fans know this pose quite well, since Ash is the anime’s protagonist and since most people have seen at least some Pokémon at one point in their lives, it is understandable why this pose actually ended up so high on this list.

So, if you ever decide to embark on your own Pokémon adventure, be sure to memorize this pose as it’ll make you look very cool.

1. The Kamehameha Technique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKqKPh8rMsI

Anime: Dragon Ball
Character(s): Son Goku, others
Description:

Kamehameha is actually a powerful fighting technique from Toriyama’s manga and is one of the most popular gimmicks from the whole franchise. Taught to him by Master Roshi, it became popular thanks to Son Goku, who used it as his trump card during the first part of the saga.

The Kamehameha pose has been extensively referenced in popular culture and is well known even among non-fans. It is made by connecting your palms (with clenched fingers) to form a ball, putting them on one side of your body and then shooting them out, thus creating a burst of energy.

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