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The List
7 Most Elegant Princes

by Lynzee Loveridge,


If one is going to earn the title of "elegant anime prince," there are a few major prerequisites to be met first. An elegant anime prince must have long, flowing hair accentuated by equally flowing robes or a cape. An elegant anime prince is always adept in combat, either with a sword or magic. He possesses a good heart and a skill for wooing ladies, either intentionally or unintentionally. He's also a little full of himself.

It's only with this set of skills that an elegant anime prince can successfully win over the viewer hapless heroine so she can ascend the throne as princess.






7. Dios (Revolutionary Girl Utena) Dios was a perfect prince and his angel-like demeanor brought him to Utena in her time of need. He held off threats to protect his people regardless of his own health. Unfortunately, Dios didn't have the fortitude to maintain his role as an inspiring prince and what's left of it is seen in as an apparition that possesses Utena during her duels.




6. Arslan (The Heroic Legend of Arslan) Based on the Persian epic, The Heroic Legend of Arslan follows the very pretty prince after his father is murdered in a coup by a neighboring kingdom. Emboldened to reclaim his home, he enlists the help of a ragtag party. Arslan's good looks can be credited to novel series' character designer, Yoshitaka Amano, known for his works on the Final Fantasy game series and Vampire Hunter D. Unfortunately, Hiromu Arakawa's manga adaptation of the novels replaces Amano's elegant designs with a square-jawed Arslan.




5. Prince Endymion (Sailor Moon) The chivalrous Prince of Earth is the quintessential sparkly prince. He did his best to valiantly save his secret lover's kingdom but ultimately failed, but had more success the second time around in Crystal Tokyo. He's also got a gorgeous entourage of generals that follow him around. Overall, Endymion is the strong, dedicated type but he loses rank for his high susceptibility to being brainwashed and attacking his significant other or making out with his daughter.





4. Sinbad (Magi) The rough and tumble King of Sindria is easy on the eyes with long purple hair and an expression between mischievous and wise. He's always up for a good time and ends most of his nights in the buff. He's very adept with a sword and has special magic abilities and powerful Djinn under his control. Sinbad is the most playful king on this list, but his giving nature and handsome features earn him a spot.





3. Lumati Ivan Dai Laginay (Hanasakeru Seishōnen) Lumati is a displaced prince and one of the suitors to the naive (but filthy rich) Kajika. Young and brash, Lumati is pretty stealthy, and seems to take no issue coming and going by rooftop and windows. He later becomes involved in the all-too-real and bloody politics after his father dies. Even in his young age, he shows a determination to right the wrongs done on his land. After he ascends to his rightful place, he dons one of anime's glitziest prince outfits.




2. Ryuuki Shi (The Story of Saiunkoku) Ryuuki's most attractive point is his intelligence. He claims to have no knowledge or interest in government affairs when Shuurei begins working for him, but it's mostly a ruse. He grows more devoted to his country after studying with her, going so far as to pass laws allowing women to take exams to become government officials. Outside of work, he can be cunning in hopes of winning over his love interest, using his fear of the dark to sleep in the same room as her.




1. Hotohori (Fushigi Yuugi) Hotohori is the reigning emperor of Kounan and the other man vying for Miaka's affections. Usually soft-spoken, Hotohori can be a formidable warrior when the situation calls for it. If you're like me, Hotohori was arguably the better choice for Miaka than Tamahome. There's something undeniable about his bishonen looks and ruling an entire kingdom.




The new poll: Calling Joan Crawford! Which of these anime moms are more witch than parent?

The old poll: There was no poll last time!


When she isn't compiling lists of tropes, topics, and characters, Lynzee works as Associate Editor for Anime News Network, blogs about women and LBGT topics in anime and manga on her blog Engendered Dilemma, and posts pictures of her son on Twitter @ANN_Lynzee.

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