4. Jiro Horikoshi

Anime: The Wind Rises

Jiro is the myopic plane-obsessed protagonist of The Wind Rises, who overcomes his vision issues to become an accomplished airplane designer.

He’s a good natured man with great, though complex, ambition.

He becomes embroiled in something far greater than himself, and is stricken by a moral conflict… but never lets anything overrule his true love for Naoko.

Jiro is a realistic, lovable protagonist, with adult wants and needs – and he quickly became a Ghibli fan favorite.

10/10