Ever wondered what the deal is with those leather backpacks worn by just about every elementary school student in Japan? Called “randoseru” in Japanese, they also appear in anime all the time and are an extremely recognizable image in Japanese culture.
With Mar. 21 having marked Japan’s “Randoseru Day”, naturally it’s time to think about which anime student best suits those iconic backpacks. Ready to see anime website Anime!Anime!’s top 10?
10. Kinomoto Sakura, Cardcaptor Sakura
8. Nobi Nobita, Doraemon
8. Isono Katsuo, Sazae-san
7. Kanna Kamui (Kobayashi Kanna), Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
6. Yuuki Mikan, To LOVE-ru
5. Hinatsuru Ai, The Ryuo’s Work is Never Done!
4. Hachikuji Mayoi, Bakemonogatari
Bakemonogatari‘s Arararagi-san – sorry, Araragi, would probably have something to say about Mayoi almost making it into the top 3, but there’s definitely some serious competition on this list!
3. Sakura Momoko, Chibi Maruko-chan
Coming in 3rd place is Sakura Momoko, fondly known as Maruko-chan of Chibi Maruko-chan! She received around 10% of the vote and has been an iconic part of Japanese anime culture since she first appeared in shoujo manga magazine Ribon in 1986. She also happens to always wear a red skirt with suspenders, which goes perfectly with her red randoseru!
2. Edogawa Conan, Detective Conan
Next up in 2nd place with 15% of the vote is Edogawa Conan of Detective Conan. He’s in elementary school for the second time due to being turned back into a young boy, so in that way he’s been spending more time with a randoseru than any other character in this list!
1. Miyauchi Renge, Non Non Biyori
Beating Conan for 1st place with a solid 17% of the votes is Miyauchi Renge of Non Non Biyori! This first grade cutie is one of the main characters of the series, and her sweet and childish nature perfectly captures the youth associated with the ransel.
With so much cute packed into this top 10 list, doesn’t it make you want a randoseru of your own? If you have any suggestions for characters who didn’t make the cut, let us know!
Adapted with permission from Anime!Anime!