Withanimeand video games being a common fixation for youth in Japan and abroad, it’s unsurprising that popular brands and services survey peoples' favorite franchises, with Joysound, one of the biggest Japanese karaoke providers, attaining interesting results. As reported byprtimes.jp, Joysound gathered survey results from its users between September 20 and July 01, 2025, releasing its findings on August 09, 2025, showcasing a mix of anime and video game characters among its user base’s top favorites of the year. Some results were typical shōnen mainstays, while others are signs of particularly strong recent anime series.
Founded in 1992 by XING Inc., Joysound is Japan’s first online karaoke brand, providing its services over the decades, including on video game consoles and mobile apps. It was a formidable appeal to Japanese users. It made for an interesting survey source that tapped into the tastes of the average consumer rather than through surveys in anime and manga publications. As a result,Joysound’sranking of favorite anime characters and video games is unique. Whilesome rankings are wholly unsurprising, they offer valuable insight into what the fans are into in the present.
Satoru Gojo Wins Second Consecutive Year for Joysound’s Top 10 Anime & Game Characters
Kana Arima Breaks Into the Leaderboard
While it’s unsurprising that thebreakout hit character from the current top mangaJujutsu Kaisen,Satoru Gojo, takes the top spot as the series finishes its run in 2024, others, such as fromOshi no Ko,make for pleasant additions to the ranking. Withrecognizable franchises likeProject SEKAI Colorful Stage! feat.Hatsune Miku,among other franchises, in the results, it’s unsurprising that karaoke and/or rhythm games feature prominently among the surveyed users. But Joysound quickly shows a fascinating variety of characters and series represented below:
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Hypnosis Mic
Samatoki Aohitsugi
With an even split of anime/manga franchises and series originating from video games, Joysound’s ranking is a fascinating blend of beloved characters for this “Oshikatsu” activity or the act of supporting or “stanning” one’s favorite star/character.With the case of Kana Arima, who once stunned viewers with her hidden vocal talents ina memorable karaoke episode ofOshi no Ko, her ranking on this list is surprisingly perfect. There’s also an impressive presence of male characters, from action stars like Bakugo Katsuki to imposing yakuza rappers like Samatoki Aohitsugi.
Joysound’s Anime Rankings Show Prominent Love for Ikemen Characters
Hatsune Miku Dominates Favorite Franchises
Of the 2,920 surveyed users, people showed vast preference for male characters across multiple franchises, many falling inikemen (good-looking guys in anime)or biseinen territory like Satoru Gojo or Kashu Kiyomitsu. The survey also gathered top franchise picks for a separate listing, with the top four spots occupied by games rather than strictly anime franchises.Shown below, there’s an even greater saturation of game franchises represented, which makes sense given the nature of Joysound’s user base:
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WithDemon Slayerand Shogakukan’sCase Closedbreaking into this ranking, the survey is an interesting glimpse into howanime’sinfluence appears across different and prominent Japanese entertainment platforms.
