Many works of fiction have iconic items, personal accessories or even vehicles or weapons to their name, and anime is no different. A hit anime series can be remembered by any number of things, from a classic line of dialogue to a certain action scene or superpowers or even flashy costumes. How about accessories and objects?
An accessory or item doesn’t have to be a MacGuffin to be memorable and symbolic in the eyes of a viewer, and indeed, some iconic anime accessories are really nothing more than something to wear or carry around, though they might have sentimental value. Which are some of the most memorable and iconic accessories and items found in the world of anime?
10 Naruto Uzumaki’s Headband Is Easy To Recognize (Naruto)
At first, Naruto Uzumaki appeared wearing some goggles on his forehead like a steampunk adventurer, but that didn’t last long. Author Masashi Kishimoto thought those goggles were a hassle to keep drawing, so he invented the concept of ninja headbands to replace them.
In-universe, ninja headbands not only protect the forehead with a metal plate, but also bear a symbol marking the wearer’s village of origin. Naruto’s Leaf Village headband is a staple accessory of the series, and it makes for good cosplay, too.
9 Ichigo Kurosaki’s Soul Reaper Badge Looks Stylish (Bleach)
Bleach‘s protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, is technically a substitute Soul Reaper, and after a point, the Gotei 13 recognized him formally as an ally, so Captain Jushiro Ukitake granted Ichigo a substitute Soul Reaper badge. Very few people ever receive one, though Ginjo once had one, too.
This badge is mostly just symbolic, marking Ichigo’s friendship to the Gotei 13, but it’s a nice gesture, and the badge’s neat shape and cool skull design perfectly match Bleach‘s themes of the afterlife and spirits. Ichigo has been carrying it around ever since, and it also helped him learn to use Fullbring.
8 Monkey D. Luffy Treasures His Straw Hat (One Piece)
There’s a good reason why Monkey D. Luffy’s pirate gang is known as the Straw Hat Pirates. As a kid, Luffy received this hat from Shanks the pirate, who considered it his greatest treasure. He asked Luffy to keep it safe for him, and Luffy took that request seriously.
Luffy won’t let anyone mock or toy around with his hat, and he doesn’t usually take it off without good reason; in fact, this accessory inspired some characters to nickname him Straw Hat or Straw-Boy. And while Luffy’s crewmates don’t have hats to match, they still proudly call themselves Straw Hat pirates.
7 Edward Elric Cherishes His Silver Pocketwatch (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
All state alchemists carry around a silver pocketwatch as a badge of office, and Edward Elric’s own watch has some extra meaning to it. He obtained his pocketwatch and rank at age 12, just one year after he and Alphonse tried to bring their mother back to life. At the time, the memories of their alchemy crime were still fresh.
So, Edward carved “Don’t forget 3.Oct.11” into his watch, then sealed it shut with alchemy. Losing this watch means Ed can’t operate as easily as an Amestris officer, and he would also lose the sentimental meaning of this item. He was absolutely distraught when Paninya swiped it in Rush Valley.
6 Mikasa Ackerman Loves That Red Scarf (Attack On Titan)
Mikasa Ackerman suffered horribly when criminals killed her mother, and she was about to be dragged off when a young Eren Yeager arrived to save her in bloody fashion. This was the start of their friendship, and Eren decided to use his red scarf to mark the occasion.
Eren wrapped that red scarf around Mikasa’s neck and head, making a strong impression on her. She’s been wearing it ever since, including her days as a Scout. Even during fierce combat against Titans, she still has that scarf on, and won’t give it up without good reason.
5 Megumin’s Staff Is Taller Than She Is (Konosuba)
Megumin is a member of the Crimson Demon Clan, and she is highly talented in magic for her age. In particular, Megumin loves to set off explosions, and she needs her staff to wield this magic correctly. She’s almost never seen without it.
Megumin might use this staff as a melee weapon once in awhile, but for the most part, she’s known for pointing it downrange right before setting off an explosion, and it’s an impressive staff indeed. It even comes with a floating red orb and a curvy design at the top.
4 Everyone Loves Ken Kaneki’s Mask (Tokyo Ghoul)
Ken Kaneki became the famed one-eyed ghoul, and he needed a mask from Uta the mask-maker to hide his face during battle. He was granted a black leather mask that exposed only his ghoul eye, and he first wore it during his initial battle with Kotaro Amon.
Ken’s mask even comes with a display of bared teeth to look extra scary, plus a zipper that can be opened if Ken wants to talk through this mask. Few ghoul masks are as iconic or stylish as this one, making it Uta’s crowning achievement.
3 Tanjiro Has Hanafuda Earrings (Demon Slayer)
Tanjiro Kamado the demon slayer has rather unique taste in jewelry and accessories. During Season 1 of Demon Slayer, he has nearly always worn a pair of hanafuda earrings, though it’s not entirely clear why, or whether those earrings have sentimental value or special abilities. However, it’s known that his father, Tanjuro, once wore them, too.
Tanjiro is even known by a few other characters as the demon slayer with hanafuda earrings, proving that they are already his trademark. Hanafuda cards may have a variety of patterns on them; in Tanjiro’s case, they have a solid red circle near the top, radiating thin black lines against a white background.
2 Kyo Sohma’s Bracelet Marks His Shame (Fruits Basket)
Kyo Sohma wears a bracelet made of alternating white and red beads throughout Fruits Basket, but this wasn’t done out of personal taste. He bears the tragic housecat spirit, meaning he is horribly cursed even among the other Sohmas. He is required to wear that bead bracelet at all times.
If Kyo ever removes that bead bracelet, his monstrous true form will manifest, and that is not desirable for anyone. The bracelet became a symbol of his tragic life and his imprisonment, but it was finally broken along with the curse near the end of Fruits Basket.
1 Gaara’s Gourd Carries Sand Everywhere (Naruto)
Headbands aren’t the only classic accessories from the world of Naruto. There’s also the matter of Gaara of the Sand and his iconic gourd, which allows him to carry around sand even if he leaves the deserts of the Land of Wind far behind. He can also generate more sand in the middle of battle.
Gaara’s gourd was an object of speculation early in the chunin exam arc, then everyone learned to their horror that it contains sand used for murderous jutsu such as Sand Burial. Gaara still had this gourd later in Shippuden, too.
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