When it comes to anime, there are many highlights, such as the story, various plot twists, animation, and voice actors, but what's most important is the appeal of the characters! Even the most carefully crafted anime will struggle to gain popularity if the characters aren't compelling. Of course, "Ascendance of a Bookworm" features many compelling characters. So, today, I'll be ranking my favorite characters from the first season!
Tenth Place: High Priest Ferdinand
Our tenth choice is Ferdinand, the high priest of the temple. In the first season, he mainly appeared in previews for the next episode, and briefly at the beginning of the first episode and towards the end of the story. This time, he only appears a few times, so we've put him in tenth place, but he's got loads of charm! He looks like a handsome young man, and he's voiced by Hayami Sho, who is well known for his deep voice (he voices Aizen in BLEACH and Chino's father in GochiUsa), so he has an outstanding presence. He's expected to play a major role in the second season of the anime, and although we've placed him in tenth place this time, if we were to rank the charms of the second season of the anime, there's no doubt he would be ranked even higher.
9th Place: Otto's Beloved Wife, Corinna
In ninth place is Otto's beloved wife, Corinna. Although she only had a few scenes and didn't have many notable achievements, I chose her because she's simply beautiful! (lol) In the "beautiful" category, she's definitely the number one in this series. When she first appeared, her hair was dull because she hadn't used the simple shampoo, but her shine and new hairstyle have made her even more beautiful! Although she appears to be a modest and quiet character, she wears a sexy outfit with a plunging neckline and has an outstanding figure, making her beautiful not only in appearance but also in overall appearance.
Eighth Place: Myne's Slightly Strict Mother, Eva
In eighth place is Myne's mother, Eva, who is kind but also strict. She's a commoner and lives a poor life, but she's still a mother of two and is still active as a woman, taking care of her hair with a simple shampoo. Like Gunther, he cares deeply for children and even lashes out at Myne when she makes a mess...but even so, he's always there for her, even carrying her on his back when they go shopping, always concerned about her health. Working at a dyeing workshop, he's skilled with his hands and is a master at making clothes and hair accessories.
Seventh Place: Myne's Friend, Frida
In seventh place is Myne's precious female friend of the same age, Frida. He suffers from the same "Flesh-eating" disease as Myne, so he is just as small in stature, but his charm lies in his strong business acumen, as if he is "a child on the outside, but an adult on the inside." He is said to have inherited a lot of the blood of his grandfather, the Guild Master, and his words, actions, and thoughts are just like those of the Guild Master. He is a fine merchant, bringing up business deals at every point in his conversations with Myne. He likes Myne very much, and they often invite each other to his mansion for tea parties. However, if he finds something that could be commercialized in the sweets he makes at the tea party, he immediately enters into business negotiations (lol).
Sixth Place: Otto, Myne's Letters Teacher
Sixth place goes to Otto, Myne's father's colleague who works as a guard. From his first appearance, he seems like a low-key, unremarkable character, but he plays an important role midway through the story. Myne, seeing this, is intrigued by Otto's ability to read, write, and do math. Otto also hires Myne, who has a good memory, as his assistant. Otto's charm extends beyond his hard work! When Myne takes a liking to him and tells him she loves him, his father, Gunther, takes out his anger on him in a fit of jealousy. And when his beloved wife, Corinna, shows up dressed up, he's shocked and immediately wants to be alone with her. His pitiful and devoted nature makes him a charming character.
Fifth Place: Gunther, Myne's Reliable Father
In fifth place is Gunther, a hot-blooded and somewhat overbearing character. He absolutely loves his daughter and is a fine father, serving as a squad leader in the gate guards, but when it comes to Myne and Tuuli, he becomes a completely different person, showing his doting side. Because of this, he will scold Myne harshly when she does something reckless. But it's in the final episode that Gunther's charm really explodes! His fighting style to protect his daughter and family against a large number of enemies was truly what you'd expect from a soldier, as he was at the general meeting. He has a very strong personality, and will even sulk with a child, but he also shows a fatherly side, as in a scene where he pretends to be calm after learning that Myne's death is imminent, and responds in a way that doesn't upset those around him.
Fourth Place: Tuuli, Myne's Kind-Hearted Older Sister
Our fourth place pick is Tuuli, Myne's sister, a flawless beauty so beautiful that Myne even calls her "Tuuli my angel!" In the "beautiful" category, Corinna would take first place, but if we were to rank Tuuli in the "beautiful girls" category, I would definitely choose her. She's cute, kind, considerate, and so on... there's so much to praise about her, but her greatest charm is her "innocent spirit." Despite being young, she helps out around the house without a single complaint. When her parents and Myne go out to negotiate a life-threatening situation, she waits outside for them to return, eager to embrace them. She also bursts into tears when she learns that Myne has a short life expectancy, making her a charmingly overbearing younger sister.
Third Place: Lutz, Myne's Best Friend
In third place is Lutz, Myne's precious companion. He begins working as an apprentice at the Gilberta Trading Company alongside Myne, with Myne coming up with new products and Lutz making the products that Myne has come up with, and the two support each other. It is Lutz who grows the most as a person throughout the story, and he is the only one who knows that Myne and Lutz have had their bodies swapped. He mistakenly believes that Myne's words and actions have taken over his body, and at one point becomes enraged and demands that Myne be returned, but after learning how Myne ended up in her current state, he accepts her as she is now, knowing everything, and promises to continue to support her. This mature side has led viewers to call him handsome despite his young appearance.
Second Place: Main Heroine - Myne
Our second place pick is the main heroine of this work, the reincarnated girl Myne. As this is a familiar reincarnation-in-another-world story, I'm sure you can understand without further explanation. Despite her young appearance, she is actually a college graduate. Using the skills and knowledge she's acquired in the modern world, she creates all sorts of things, causing a stir in the market every time. Her obsession with books is incredible, and her goal is to read and create books. To achieve this, she pushes herself too hard and collapses every time. But Myne's charm lies in her desperation! Myne's charm lies in her dedication to everything she does, and her intense emotions, just like her father's, make her a never-ending source of entertainment.
Number 1: Benno, Owner of the Gilberta Trading Company
Even ahead of the main heroine, Myne, we chose Benno of the Gilberta Trading Company to take the top spot on our character ranking! He's an important character who appears midway through the story, but he's incredibly charming in every way, from his appearance to his personality and voice. He acts as Myne's guardian, and at first glance, they seem like a mother and daughter. While he gives Myne a workshop and lets her work, he also pays close attention to her health. Benno's job is to protect Myne from business rivals, and when meeting with the guild leader, he keeps a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't get poached. Although he may seem harsh and strict, he's also a tsundere character, always doing things for Myne and Lutz's benefit.
Character Ranking Summary
So far, what do you think of the character rankings? While the heroines Myne and Tuuli were hard to beat, Benno's character is the best! Personally, I ranked Benno first, but which character do you think is number one?
