This week I want to look at characters who are just completely inappropriate occupations. I’m going to be honest, keeping the list to 5 was challenging given how many anime characters are just ill suited for their job, so I really look forward to seeing who you guys would have added to the list.
Please Note – There are spoilers below. You have been warned.
Honourable mentions this week go to Kuroko Shirai as a Judgement Officer in A Certain Magical Index, Naoya Touhara as a Toy is Astarotte No Omocha and Mephisto as a Principal in Ao No Exorcist. But as I said before, I had a really long list to start with, so there are plenty of other characters that probably should have been mentioned.
Which characters did I think have completely inappropriate occupations?
How did I make my selection? I really thought about which character’s job bugged me the whole time I watched their show. If it was intruding into my thoughts regularly and I was questioning why they were doing what they were doing, they probably ended up on my final list.
Number 5: Ayako Matsuzaki as a Shrine Maiden in Ghost Hunt
Even the other characters in Ghost Hunt laugh when Ayako introduces herself as a Shrine Maiden and it becomes obvious throughout the series that even though she knows a lot about being a Shrine Maiden she isn’t one.
Even the monk (the rock band member monk who also should be mentioned in this list for inappropriate occupations) explains to Mai (and the audience) that Ayako just doesn’t operate the way Shrine Maiden’s should. That and her attitude toward anything that seems like work earned her a place on the list as she seems to be in a completely inappropriate occupation.
Number 4: Kisuke Urahara as a Shopkeeper in Bleach
This one is more just because it seems like there is no reason why Urahara’s shop in Bleach hasn’t just gone bankrupt. He is a lousy shop keeper and his pretense that that is all he is is blatantly ridiculous, particularly when you see what is underneath the shop. Now, admittedly, he is kind of in retirement after a fairly eventful life so he can do whatever he wants, but if he wanted to run a shop surely he should show just a little more interest in doing it well.
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Number 3: Sanae Furukawa as a Baker in Clannad
I’ll admit that this was probably a cheap shot but if you can’t bake, don’t be a baker. That kind of makes sense to the rest of us but Sanae Furukawa is persistent if nothing else. As much as there are moments in Clannad I really enjoyed, seeing Sanae’s reactions to honest responses to her bread was not one of them. What bugs me is that she still bursts into tears at the slightest criticism when you would think she would either get over it or learn to bake. And how does she manage to not get any better if she is doing it every single day?
Number 2: Teletha Testarossa as a Captain in Full Metal Panic
While there is nothing wrong with Tessa’s intelligence and her dedication to her crew, temperamentally she is not suited to command and there are a myriad of other characters in Full Metal Panic who could. This comes across so often in the series. She struggles making the tough calls when her crew are in danger, she is a teenage girl and at times feels the need to act that way, and she is also unreasonably stubborn on certain issues. None of these would make her a very effective captain and assuming that an entire crew would just loyally fall behind her because she’s cute is just a little insane.
Number 1: Sadao Maou as a MgRonalds Employee in The Devil is a Part Timer
Kind of an obvious choice given the occupation is the entire joke but The Devil is a Part-Timer was made for this list. It isn’t right that Satan would be flipping hamburgers in a fast food shop and yet here he is, planning his world conquest as he works his way up the managerial ranks. I love that he’s ambitious and hard working but it is still a totally inappropriate profession for his character (even if he is apparently amazing at it).
What are your thoughts? Which other characters are completing jobs they probably shouldn’t be?
Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James
Maybe MgRonalds is a kind of hell and Sadao has to climb the career ladder?
If Sanae could cook, we’d have less to laugh at about her, lol
True, she’s a pretty serious character other than her cooking.
Hahaha such a funny list and it’s so true.
Great list as usual.
Hmm I think being a teacher didn’t suit Yamada from Kiznaiver. I get that it’s a cover job, but he is very uninterested in acting as an instructor. Same thing with Mey-Rin, Bard, and Finny from Kuroshitsuji as a maid, cook, and gardener, respectively. Clumsiness, being unable to cook, and super strength kind of gets in the way. However, like Yamada, these are also cover jobs, so there’s that…
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Great additions to the list. True , I didn’t consider characters with cover jobs, but they could have done a better job at pretending. Thanks.
Urahara!!! xDD. Hayato from combat butler…perhaps?? xDD. Good post!!!.
I don’t know, Hayato is kind of good at his job. Though how combat butler is a job is questionable.
Thanks for the comment.
xDD true.
Totally agree about Tessa. Sadao working up the ranks of fast food made me laugh for sure but I definitely agree that it doesn’t really suit his character.
Tee hee, Urahara. Sweet list ^^