These Are The Creator's Favorite Characters From Soul Eater
With a staggering 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Soul Eater" is an exceptionally well-crafted anime, inspired by the manga of the same name. The 2008 series — which is often referenced as one of the great anime shows deserving of a reboot, along with the likes of "Akira" and "Bleach" — was created by Atsushi Okubo, and follows a group of students at the Death Weapon Meister Academy (or DWMA) as they attempt to collect 99 evil souls and one witch, in that particular order. The DWMA's students wield powerful magic, frantic combat styles, and shape-changing weapons. Once they have collected their ephemeral bounty, their weapons will change and be wielded by the head master of the school — the personification of death itself.
The unique macabre style of "Soul Eater" is heavily influenced by a Halloween aesthetic, with witch hats, scythes, skulls, and patchwork stitching aplenty. When asked if Tim Burton was an inspiration, series creator Okubo said (via Manga-News.com), "Yes! I really like this director, who manages to create exciting gothic and humorous universes. In fact, it can be said that I grew up with two authors: Akira Toriyama and Tim Burton. David Lynch is a filmmaker that I also really like."
The style of "Soul Eater" certainly brings such filmmakers to mind. However, amid all the spookiness, which characters are Atsushi Okubo's favorites?
Atsushi Okubo has named his favorite characters
Atsushi Okubo, when asked in a separate interview who his favorite characters were, laughed, and gave a surprising reason for his answer. "Shinigami-sama, Excalibur, and Mosquito are my favorites because they are rather easy to draw," he said.
Shinigami is the name given to the personification of death, and the leader of the Death Weapon Meister Academy. His appearance often carries a cartoon like design in order to be more approachable. Excalibur, meanwhile, is a metamorphizing holy blade whose embodiment is that of a bizarre, long-nosed creature in a white suit and top hat, which belies his status as the most powerful weapon in the series. Okubo's final favorite character, Mosquito, is one of the villains, and he has changed stature and character design several times over the course of flashbacks. His normal form is that of a diminutive old man in a black suit and top hat with a long, pointed nose that he uses to drain the life force of victims.
Ultimately, it looks like Atsushi Okubo definitely has a favorite design style — and that it involves high-contrast three-piece suits, as well as fancy hats!