10 Best Bishounen Anime Heroes

With dozens of examples to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down the best bishounen anime heroes. In a typical anime ensemble cast, chances are there is at least one bishounen, though anyone unfamiliar with the term may not even realize it. This is a well-known Eastern character type that quite literally translates to “beautiful youth.” The Western equivalent is a prettyboy, though a noteworthy distinction is that a bishounen’s beauty is more androgynous and often otherworldly. This type makes for a fun way to analyze gender-nonconforming characters, and besides which, are just plain nice to look at.