Matt Schley
August 13, 2015 
Okay, this is one of the best polls in a while.
As certified fans of facial hair, we were delighted here at OUSA HQ this week to see the subject of anime polling site Charapedia’s latest top 20: anime’s best beards.
But it gets even better: number 20 isn’t even a man: it’s a robot.
Read on to learn what mustachioed mech (not to mention majestically bearded dudes) made the cut.
20. Turn A Gundam (Turn A Gundam)
19. Isaac Netero (Hunter x Hunter)
18. Meme Oshino (Monogatari series)
17. Maes Hughes (Fullmetal Alchemist)
16. Kouen Ren (Magi)
15. Master Roshi (Dragon Ball)
14. Shanks (One Piece)
13. Kotetsu T. Kaburagi (Tiger & Bunny)
12. Asahi Azumane (Haikyu!!)
11. Klein (Sword Art Online)
10. Trafalgar Law (One Piece)
9. Ramba Ral (Gundam)
8. Gendo Ikari (Evangelion)
7. Kondo Isao (Gintama)
6. Joseph Joestar (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)
And the top 5 beards of anime…
5. Hasegawa Taizo (Gintama)
4. Sanji (One Piece)
3. Kogoro Mori (Detective Conan)
2. Edward Newgate (One Piece)
1. Jigen Daisuke (Lupin III)
Wait just a darn moment, you say, half of these are mustaches, not beards!
Ah, yep. This is one of the things I find strangest about Japanese – the word hige is often translated as beard, but it can also refer to a mustache. In fact, it might be better translated as “facial hair.”
Anyway, to our analysis: One Piece is definitely well-represented with a total of three characters. It makes sense a show about pirates would have some fine whiskers, though I personally don’t find Sanji’s pencily goatee all that impressive.
Notable on the list is Evangelion‘s Gendo Ikari, whose facial hair is so distinct he’s recently been the subject of a Schick ad campaign about shaving it off. The beardless Gendo looks pretty darn weird, if you ask me.
Finally, it is absolutely no surprise that Lupin sidekick and ultimate badass Jigen Daisuke shows up here at number one. I mean, duh.
Who are your favorite bearded anime men (or women?).
Source: Charapedia
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