Top 10 Anime Characters to Invite to Thanksgiving Dinner

Yulia Gapeenko

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s a time of familial togetherness, expressing gratitude for the blessings in our lives, and, of course, all the delicious food you can stomach! It doesn’t matter how you celebrate it—you could be having a feast with dozens of loved ones or you could be making something nice for only yourself. I prefer my Thanksgiving gatherings to be on a smaller scale, with only direct family members and maybe one or two friends. If I was given the opportunity to invite some anime characters for the big feast, however, there’s no way I would pass it up.

But who would I invite? As someone who grew up in a household that took hosting very seriously, there are a few standards to which I hold any potential guests. These include (but are not limited to) punctuality, politeness, conversation skills, and helpfulness. Also, I will be considering a character’s personality, rather than their deeds in their respective shows.

Now, with all of this in mind, let’s see who made the cut!

10. Choromatsu Matsuno (Mr. Osomatsu)

Pierrot

Given everything we know about the infamous Matsuno sextuplets, Choromatsu was the only logical choice to invite. Being the straight man of the group, he would want to make a good first impression (probably because he knows there will be plenty of cute girls there), so he’ll probably show up early. I can also count on him to help out before and after the meal for the same reason. My only real concern is that Choromatsu is just as bad a drunk as the rest of his brothers, but I think he cares enough about not making a fool of himself to rein himself in.

9. Haruhi Fujioka (Ouran High School Host Club)

Bones

It was surprisingly difficult picking out just one member of the Host Club to invite. Ultimately, though, it was the heroine Haruhi that won me over. Being labeled the “Natural” type of the bunch, she’s a born conversationalist who is down to earth, friendly, and honest, if somewhat blunt. Not only will she be a wonderful person to talk to at the dinner table, but because she’s such a hard worker as well, she would also be willing to help clean up afterward.

8. Katarina Claes (My Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!)

Silver Link

I normally dislike people like Lady Katarina Claes, but I think I can make an exception because of her upbeat and charming nature. We can expect proper table manners and spirited conversation from someone of her social standing, yes, but she’s not some pampered princess who has never worked a day in her life. She’s a kindhearted friend who gets along with virtually everyone. Plus, her appreciation of food means endless praise for the cook!

7. Lord Draluc (The Vampire Dies in No Time!)

Madhouse

This may seem like a bit of an odd choice, but again, personality matters more than deeds. Lord Draluc might be a bloodsucking creature of the night, but that doesn’t mean he’s a total monster. Coming from a high-ranking family, Draluc is a polite and good-natured vampire who is less likely to cause trouble than the rest of his brethren. Plus, even if he decided to ruffle some feathers by acting condescending, it’s trivially easy to kill him, so he’ll be put in his place very quickly.

6. Celestia Ludenberg (Danganronpa: The Animation)

Lerche

As far as the students of Hope’s Peak Academy go, Celeste is the perfect balance of high class and amiability. She might take pride in her status as the Ultimate Gambler, but she’s nowhere near as arrogant or standoffish as someone like Byakuya Togami. She’ll have an easy time entertaining the other guests with tales of her gambling days as well as playing card games (even though she’ll always win). Of course, Celeste also feels like she’s above menial labor, so she’ll be no help in the cleaning department.

5. Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)

TMS/8PAN

Tohru Honda, on the other hand, knows exactly what it’s like to have to work for everything she has, which makes her the most reliable person on this guest list. But more importantly, she is an absolute sweetheart whose knowledge of the Eastern zodiac makes her one of the most interesting people to talk to. It takes a big person to keep a warm heart even after being put through the ringer, and I respect Tohru a lot for that strength. It’s a given that she would have a place reserved at the dinner table.

4. Brock (Pokémon)

OLM Team

Speaking of strong sweethearts, Brock is the glue that held the group together in the original Pokémon anime. Being a gym leader who specializes in Rock-type Pokémon, he’s every bit tough as you would expect, but that’s just his day job. Brock is a kind, compassionate big-brother figure who is also one heck of a cook! So you bet he’s getting an invite—as long as he doesn’t have his Onix in tow!

3. Chiyo Mihama (Azumanga Daioh)

JC Staff

Normally, I wouldn’t invite children to a dinner party, but Chiyo-chan is a beautiful exception: a child prodigy with a knack for cooking, studying, and brightening up people’s days. She’ll be another exceptionally well-mannered guest, since she comes from a wealthy family in which that is expected. Chiyo-chan might not have as many interesting stories to tell as many of the other guests on this list, but I couldn’t not invite my favorite child character in all of fiction!

2. Ciel Phantomhive (Black Butler)

A-1 Pictures

Being both the CEO of the Funtom Corporation and the head of his noble family, Ciel Phantomhive would make a highly respectable addition to any guest list. Being a nobleman, he would have the best table manners out of anyone on this list, although he might not be too eager to make conversation with the others. If someone can get him talking, however, he can cover a wide array of topics, including chess strategies, business advice, and tales of his many death-defying adventures with his faithful demon butler, Sebastian. Like Celeste, however, he won’t be pitching in to clean anytime soon, but given his actual noble upbringing, he has more of an excuse than she does.

1. Kyojuro Rengoku (Demon Slayer)

Ufotable

There was never any doubt in my mind that Rengoku would be snagging the number-one spot (and not just because I may or may not have a crush on him). While he takes his duties as a high-ranking Hashira seriously, he’s a cheerful, fun-loving, and friendly guy who lights up the room with his booming voice! Hearing him shout “Umai!” after every bite of dinner would make me blush and giggle like a fool, because he’s being completely sincere. Plus, if any conflict arises between the other guests, Rengoku can keep the peace like no one else can.

Who would you invite to your Thanksgiving table?