10 athletic anime characters who'd be perfect for an NFL Playoff team

Athletic anime characters come in many shapes and sizes because a lot of franchises focus on sports and combat. Therefore, it would be interesting to see how some of these characters would do in other environments, with many of them perhaps thriving in the NFL.

It is also worth pointing out that there are athletic anime characters involved in American football series, such as the Eyeshield 21 manga, but those won't be taken into account. These are characters taken from different contexts and whose natural abilities and physical strength make them quite useful for the NFL.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

10 Athletic anime characters who would shine in the NFL

1. Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen)

One of the most athletic anime characters in recent years (Image via MAPPA).

It was established in the first chapter and episode of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga and anime, respectively, that Yuji Itadori is one of the most athletic anime characters in recent years. When considering that the character easily broke world records during his introduction in the series, there is no denying that he would be a massive hit in the NFL.

His massive strength, great speed, and resistance have been shown time and time again throughout Jujutsu Kaisen, to the point he was able to keep up with high-level threats such as Mahito with basically just hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, it's quite clear that he would overpower most NFL playoff teams without any major pushback.

2. Ranma Saotome (Ranma 1/2)

Historically one of the most athletic anime characters (Image via MAPPA).

There is no denying that Ranma Saotome might not look like one of the most athletic anime characters, but those who have watched or read his series know that his appearance can be deceitful. The protagonist has shown time and time again that he is a master martial artist in almost every discipline and is also extremely mobile and agile, which could make him a major NFL asset.

While Ranma has been able to deal with physical powerhouses in the series, such as Ryoga Hibiki, his strength in the NFL would be his pace and mobility, to the point that he could dodge the opposition time and time again. Moreover, he also has a lot of physical strength in his own right, which could make a difference in a game.

3. Jonathan Joestar (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

One of the most heroic and athletic anime characters (Image via David Production).

When considering athletic anime characters to play this sport, the case of Jonathan Joestar is quite fitting, considering that the first Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Phantom Blood, depicts him playing rugby at the college level. Therefore, there is some evidence of Jonathan being good at a sport that holds some similarities to the one played in the NFL.

While Jonathan would eventually learn Hamon, he was already depicted as capable of defeating a version of Dio Brando who recently became a vampire. So, it wouldn't be surprising to see him thrive in the NFL, considering the circumstances and his experience with the sport.

4. Guts (Berserk)

Another prominent choice among the most athletic anime characters (Image via Gemba).

Guts' case might be one of the most interesting regarding athletic anime characters who would thrive in the NFL because of his context. While is obvious that Berserk doesn't focus on realism when it comes to action sequences, Guts is still capable of being human and dealing with supernatural creatures such as the Apostles and winning in the process.

Therefore, the Black Swordsman has proven to have a formidable mentality and great strength, which would have him succeed in this sport, especially considering his bulky figure. The Berserk manga even emphasizes that human fighters are no longer a challenge for him after years of fighting demonic creatures.

5. Gon Freecss (Hunter X Hunter)

Gon would absolutely thrive in the NFL (Image via Madhouse).

There is no denying that Gon Freecss might be one of the most obvious examples of naturally athletic anime characters in recent decades, which has been a running theme throughout Hunter X Hunter. Even without Nen, Gon managed to stand out as a Hunter in the series, which could reflect quite well in the NFL.

When taking into account arcs such as the Hunter Exam, we saw Gon carries a lot of people on his back without any major issues, he could walk over normal NFL players because of his athletic qualities.

6. Goku (Dragon Ball)

The most iconic among athletic anime characters (Image via Toei Animation).

It's very clear that Goku is the most popular among athletic anime characters and his entire motivation is centered around becoming better at what he does, which is martial arts. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense that his superhuman strength and natural athletic abilities would make him a major success in this sport.

Goku wouldn't have to rely on his techniques or Super Saiyan transformations when considering that his introduction in the franchise made him capable of lifting Bulma's car and resisting a bullet she shot at him. So, it is easy to imagine the Saiyan overpowering the NFL playoff teams, which could probably be depicted in quite a hilarious fashion.

7. Might Guy (Naruto)

Another one of the most prominent athletic anime characters (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Might Guy is not only one of the most athletic anime characters in the last few decades in the industry but is also a prime example of how to use these characteristics. The entirety of his fighting style is centered around hand-to-hand combat, which could play a role in his success in the NFL.

His agility and mobility would make him quite notorious when dealing with the opposition, which is impressive even within the Naruto world. It is also worth pointing out that a regular version of Might Guy without the Eight Gates would still overpower any professional athlete in real life.

8. Chad (Bleach)

One of the most naturally athletic anime characters (Image via Studio Pierrot).

There are a lot of naturally athletic anime characters in Bleach, with the protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, standing out in the series as a prime example of that. However, no human in the story represents natural strength and athletic qualities other than Yasutora Sado, commonly known as Chad.

It is clear from seeing Chad's strong physique that he is quite powerful, evidenced during his introduction in the Substitute Shinigami arc as he managed to withstand iron falling on his back and simply shaking it off. He is naturally built for the NFL and would walk all over most players in the league without resorting to his Fullbringer abilities.

9. Thorkell (Vinland Saga)

Another one of the most prominent athletic anime characters (Image via Wit Studio).

There are few naturally gifted athletic anime characters, in recent years, like Thorkell in Vinland Saga. While the powerful Danish warrior already has a massive reputation in the series because of the things he has accomplished, his feats make him borderline superhuman, which is impressive when considering that the series tries to be realistic.

This character killed bears with his bare hands and was also seen in the series throwing trunks to his enemies which highlights his superhuman strength. Therefore, considering his physical prowess and massive size, he would easily overpower his opponents in the NFL, becoming a great asset for any team.

10. Yukyuzan Anji (Rurouni Kenshin)

One more of the most underrated athletic anime characters (Image via Liden Films).

The fallen Buddhist monk might not be most people's first thought when it comes to athletic anime characters, but his sheer strength needs to be taken into account. That is shown during his introduction in the build-up of the Kyoto Disturbance arc when he met Sagara Sanosuke, with the former capable of destroying rocks with just his sheer fists.

Even without using his Futae no Kiwami, the technique that allows him to destroy a target's resistance, Anji's massive size and natural strength would make him a standout performer in the NFL. He has the resistance, discipline, and state of mind to thrive as an athlete, which is why he made it out on this list.

Final thoughts

There are other athletic anime characters who would thrive in the NFL because the medium is filled with individuals with phenomenal physical qualities. However, some of the characters mentioned here belong to the most notorious franchises in the medium and have natural athletic abilities that would make them quite successful in that sport.

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Edited by Bharath S