17. Soyon

Anime: Kemono no Souja Erin (The Beast Player Erin)

It’s still kinda funny (and alarming) to realize how long ago 2009 was… but that’s when this slice-of-life fantasy drama debuted.

Kemono No Souja Erin never took off in terms of popularity. But most viewers thought it was great, and they weren’t wrong.

Erin is the main star of the show. But her mother Soyon deserves recognition too.

She raised her kid on her own when Asson died, and helped Erin be the smart (particularly when it comes to animal breeding) and defiant kid she is, learning to cope with change no matter what.