15 Best Anime Poses That You Should Know Update 04/2024

Best Anime Poses

When it comes to anime, the everyday is always elevated to a new level. It’s hard to think of a more iconic anime pose than this.

Manga and anime have a lot of things in common that everyone loves. One characteristic of anime that has remained constant from its inception is the tendency of anime characters to assume a truly over-the-top pose that appears incredibly unrealistic while still being enormously pleasant to watch.

It’s possible that even folks who’ve never seen an anime before may know these poses from memes and easter eggs in other media.

Ritwik Mitra made the following update on 10/07/2021: In the anime universe, the characters are stylish and the animation is over-the-top. Character stances are a given in anime because of the style and exuberance of the medium. Whatsoever the genre of a show may be, most characters will not pass up the opportunity to strike a memorable stance that will be remembered long after the show has ended. In the anime world, these are some of the most memorable and iconic stances.

1. Shaft Head Tilt (Multiple Shaft Anime)

Shaft Head Tilt (Multiple Shaft Anime)

In the world of anime, even the smallest of movements can become legendary. The Shaft head tilt has appeared in a number of programs produced by the Shaft animation studio.

These anime characters are always entertaining to see snap their necks to glance behind them with some swagger. There are several reasons why Shaft has become a cult classic.

2. Drive Shot (Captain Tsubasa)

Drive Shot (Captain Tsubasa)

Captain Tsubasa is a well-known face in the world of anime soccer. He’s a household name thanks to his stories and the many anime shows he’s been a part of.

Captain Tsubasa’s Drive Shot position is instantly recognizable by anyone, regardless of their familiarity with the character. Preparation for an enthralling strike that nearly always lands in the upper right-hand corner.

3. Saitama’s Confounded Pose (One-Punch Man)

ONE and Yusuke Murata deserve credit for creating one of the most recognizable manga panels ever. The image of a befuddled Saitama casually replying “ok” has taken on a life of its own as a renowned stance.

It was only a matter of time until one of One-Punch Man’s many hilarious moments would go down in pop cultural history. A fitting honor for this hysterically funny panel.

4. Ken Kaneki Cracking His Knuckles (Tokyo Ghoul)

Ken Kaneki Cracking His Knuckles (Tokyo Ghoul)

The spontaneous knuckle cracking of Kaneki and Tokyo Ghoul in general can be counted as an iconic feature of Kaneki’s character. It’s not funny how he came up with this strategy.

Kaneki ultimately succumbed to his ghoul powers after 10 days of physical and mental abuse from Yamori. This resulted in him mimicking Yamori’s actions during the torture, which formed an important element of his personality.

5. Alchemy Without Circles (Fullmetal Alchemist)

It was one of the best moments in Fullmetal Alchemist to see Edward execute alchemy without forming a circle with his hands. Edward used this unique alchemy technique several times in battle after discovering it.

Fans of Fullmetal Alchemist would agree that the action in the series’ battles was significantly improved as a result of this alteration. At the time of its introduction, our hero hadn’t done much to establish his abilities, and this helped to do so.

6. Gendo Ikari’s Finger-Tenting (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Gendo Ikari's Finger-Tenting (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

NGE is one of the most revered anime series of all time. The series’ ‘anti-hero’ has cemented his place in anime lore with a legendary pose.

Finger-tents are one of Gendo Ikari’s most iconic and adored postures in anime history. Showing the evil side of this character is a wonderful approach to convey that this figure isn’t as great as one might imagine. The fact that even contemporary anime like Attack on Titan pays homage to this finger-tenting gesture shows how widespread its use has become.

7. Spirit Gun (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Yoshihiro Togashi tried his hand at another iconic anime series before working on Hunter x Hunter. The opening episode of Yu Yu Hakusho was an immediate classic, setting the groundwork for a fun adventure through a demon-infested realm.

It’s impossible to get tired of watching Yusuke point his finger and fire the terrifyingly potent Spirit Gun. Despite the fact that the quality of the anime dipped toward the end, the classic Spirit Gun pose will always be fantastic.

8. L’s Thinking Stance (Death Note)

L's Thinking Stance (Death Note)

Death Note is a must-see in the annals of legendary anime. The show’s most adored character has a signature posture that is a visual pleasure.

For some strange reason, it’s thrilling to see L sit in his chair and consider the show’s secrets and complexities. That a simple posture to be so hilarious is a testament to L’s skill as a character.

9. Gainax Pose (Multiple Gainax Productions)

The Gainax posture is well-known among serious anime fans. When it comes to Gainax productions, this stance is nearly universally employed.

Gurren Lagann is the best known show to use this stance. Standing with one’s arms crossed in an unabashedly cool manner is always impressive, regardless matter how impractical the process of striking that position might be.

10. The Team Rocket Pose (Pokemon)

The Team Rocket Pose (Pokemon)

Since its debut in 1996, Pokemon has been one of the most popular IPs of all time. Numerous other products and media have been produced since, all of which have been commercially successful. There is a well-known pair that has been a part of the show since the beginning.

Team Rocket members Jessie and James have been a consistent source of hilarity throughout the entire Pokemon series. The over-the-top and funny pose they strike when they announce themselves has become legendary.

11. The Spirit Bomb (Dragon Ball)

The Spirit Bomb (Dragon Ball)

For many individuals, the best and most memorable moments in the Dragon Ball series will linger long after they’ve finished binge-watching this venerable shonen series. The trademark Spirit Bomb is one such technique that is favorably remembered by the majority of people to this day.

During his training with King Kai, Goku perfects this devastating attack, which he uses again and time again to great effect. For the most part, this tactic works, and even if it doesn’t, the consequences is still stunning.

12. Shadow Clone Jutsu (Naruto)

This technique is used extensively by the Number One Knucklehead Ninja and is one of Naruto’s most often employed jutsu. In the course of Naruto’s development, we’ve seen him go from relying on this technique to utilizing it as a foundation for his other skills.

It’s hard to discuss about legendary anime postures and stances without including the hand gestures required for the Shadow Clone jutsu, even if this particular “position” doesn’t last very long. In Naruto, it’s the most recognizable hand gesture by a long shot.

13. Josuke’s Flamboyant Pose (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

Josuke's Flamboyant Pose (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

If the number of entries in this list were not limited to one per series, one might argue that JoJo poses would span the entire list. JoJo’s trademark poses come to life in the most beautiful way thanks to Araki’s incredible artwork.

Diamond is Unbreakable’s Josuke Higashikata’s backbreaking posture deserves special praise. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been elevated to a new level of cult status because to this breathtaking scene.

14. The Super Saiyan Power-up Pose (Dragon Ball)

Anyone who grew up watching Dragon Ball Z would be lying if they said they never wanted to become Super Saiyan. Even as a toddler, scream your lungs out in order to get a massive amount of power sounded like a dream come true!

It’s simple to see why this position has persisted throughout the whole Dragon Ball series. It’s never boring to see your favorite Saiyans undergo transformations in order to gain greater power!

15. The Kamehameha Technique (Dragon Ball)

The Kamehameha Technique (Dragon Ball)

Anime positions would be incomplete without discussing one of the most common childhood poses: the frog pose. The Kamehameha is Dragon Ball’s most famous move, and the position that breaks as the beam is released has become legend.

Since its inception, the Dragon Ball series has undergone a significant transformation. It is a testament to the Kamehameha technique’s success that it has stayed virtually intact for nearly a century.