Most anime characters simply have to live up to their own expectations. However, many others have a lasting family legacy to uphold. Even if they only have one extraordinary parent or family member who has done incredible things, it can be difficult for these anime characters not to have to bear the weight of high expectations. No matter how they accept or reject their family, some individuals cannot escape their family legacy.

The legacies in question usually have something to do with a family business. However, this is not always the case. Other examples may include specific skill levels or superpowers that characters must possess. Whether it’s business or heroism, these anime characters can’t escape the obligation to defend what their family is known for.

12 Tamaki Suoh wants to be himself

Ouran High School Welcome Club

Tamaki Suoh is a princely high school student and the president of the Ouran Host Club in Ouran High School Welcome Club. Tamaki is a dandy young man who believes in beauty above all else. Although he seems a bit silly and eccentric, it is mostly because he avoids the boring fate that awaits him once he graduates.

Tamaki’s grandmother, Shizue Suoh, wants Tamaki to marry and keep the family name alive. However, Tamaki’s passions lie more in music and the Host Club. However, Shizue convinces Tamaki at one point to leave Ouran and marry a young Thunderbolt. A promise is made to let him see his mother again, which finally persuades him in episode 26, “This is Our Ouran Fair!”. Thankfully, Tamaki manages to choose love by the end of the anime, but there is much more story left untold in the manga.

11 Mitsuha Miyamizu continues traditions

Your name

Life is hard for Mitsuha Miyamizu in Your nameNot only does she swap bodies with a city boy named Taki Tachibana, but she is also the daughter of a mayor on a campaign trail. Wherever she goes, Mitsuha is scrutinized by the citizens of Itomori. She is also ridiculed due to the ritualistic way she and her family have been making homemade sake for years, as it involves chewing rice and spitting it into a container to ferment it.

Mitsuha is bothered by her father’s constant vigilance and the family tradition of sake. However, she loves her family and does what she can to preserve the family legacy. Mitsuha understands the significance of the sake ritual and agrees to continue giving demonstrations. She also sees how her village thrives thanks to the work of people like her father in the civil service. She may not like it at first, but Mitsuha eventually comes to accept her origins.

10 Damian Desmond craves attention

Spy x Family

Damian Desmond is only six years old, but he already knows the importance of his last name in Spy x Family. His father is not only a prominent businessman, but he also has connections to the Ostania government. So it’s up to Damian (and his older brother Dominic**) to show the world how exemplary their family is through their academic achievements.

Damian often gets sad when his father seems too busy to see him. The audience sees this when he asks his brother, Demetrius, to deliver a message to their father in episode 25, “First Contact.” Damian is desperate to prove himself, but he always ends up feeling shy about making his mark. Luckily, he has someone like Anya Forger to shake up his world and help him realize that there’s more to life than trying to please people who don’t care.

9 Education is important to Kaguya Shinomiya’s family.

Kaguya-Sama: Love is War

Kaguya Shinomiya is the daughter of a very powerful businessman. Kaguya-Sama: Love is WarThe Shinomiya have so much money that they almost consider it an unlimited resource. However, since they hold a prominent place in the community through technology and finance, Kaguya has a lot on her plate.

She is expected to be the top of her class while also being a prominent member of the student council. Some claim that Kaguya is not the student council president and is only second in her class, as revealed in episode 8, “Miyuki Shirogane Can’t Lose.” But Kaguya is still a bright and polite young woman who knows how to get what she wants. Hopefully, she can continue to carry on Shinomiya’s legacy, while following her heart.

8 Maka Albarn wants to become a grandmaster

Soul Eater

Maka Albarn is a talented Meister of Soul Eater. Her father, Spirit, is the current Death Scythe of Lord Death himself. While she is not a weapon like her father, she hopes to help train her weapon partner, Soul Evans, to become one of the weapons in Lord Death’s arsenal. She also plans to help Soul become even stronger than his father, as she dislikes his unfaithful ways.

Like her mother once did, Maka dedicates herself to resonating with Soul and ridding the world of Kishin eggs. Maka can be controlling and short-tempered. Yet, it is this attitude that helps her do her job and keeps Soul focused on his task. Maka hopes to prove to everyone that she is a great Meister, even though everyone already knows of her immense talent.

7 Satsuki Kiryuin and Ryuko Matoi face their mother together

Kill her kill her

Ryuko Matoi was not raised by her mother, but she is just as much in Ragyo Kiryuin’s shadow as her sister, Satsuki Kiryuin in Kill her kill herRagyo is the head of the fashion company REVOCS. However, this is actually a front for her ultimate plan to take over the world for life fibers. Ryuko and Satsuki’s father knew about this plan, so Ragyo had him assassinated.

This leads Ryuko on her ultimate quest for revenge. She also reunites with Satsuki and they both gain Kamuis to help them fight. Almost everything goes according to Ragyo’s plan. The girls eventually defeat Ragyo, but, for most of the series, Ragyo is the one literally pulling the strings.

6 Joseph Joestar just wanted a quiet life

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Joseph Joestar has a lot of growing up to do to live up to his grandfather, Jonathan Joestar, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Jonathan was a man of honor who mastered the art of Hamon and bravely faced the evil DIO Brando. Joseph, on the other hand, would have preferred to live his days as carefree as possible.

Unfortunately, Joseph is thrown into chaos when he encounters even more vampires. This eventually leads him to the ancient Pillar Men and the origin of the Stone Masks that turn people into vampires. Although it has been two generations, Joseph must also face DIO, just as his grandfather did. Despite what he may dream, Joseph is thrown into a strange world of vampires and mysterious beings, all because of his grandfather’s feud with his best friend.

5 Hashira runs in Rengoku’s family

Demon Slayer

Kyojuro Rengoku is the Flame Hashira of Demon Slayer. Rengoku is one of the most respected Hashira, not only for his accomplishments, but also for his ever-optimistic attitude. Rengoku never lets anything get him down, which can be quite an accomplishment when surrounded by demons. However, not everything in his life is joyful.

Rengoku’s father, Shinjuro, was also a Flame Pillar, but he resigned. Shinjuro is bitter about his past in the Demon Slayer Corps and the death of his wife. As a result, he constantly berates Rengoku. Unfortunately, Rengoku continues his work as a Pillar (despite his father’s criticism) and loses his life in the line of duty. Rengoku fought tirelessly to make his father proud of him. It is only after his death that Rengoku’s father finally gives him the praise that Rengoku always wanted to have while he was alive.

4 Shoto Todoroki was born to be great

My Hero Academy

Shoto Todoroki was born to be a legacy in My Hero AcademyHis parents, Enji and Rei Todoroki, had entered into an arranged marriage with the goal (on Enji’s part) of making him an extremely powerful Quirk user. However, each child was a disappointment in Enji’s eyes until their fourth child, Shoto.

Shoto grew up under Enji’s strict orders and abuse. Enji was determined to make Shoto a great hero at all costs. Because of this, Shoto grew up rejecting his father and the fire side of his Quirk. Yet, even once he accepted all parts of himself and began to forgive Enji, Shoto was still expected to become the next greatest hero after All Might. Thankfully, Enji finally sees the error of his ways, but Shoto still puts a lot of pressure on himself to be the best he can be.

3 Kikoru Shinomiya wants to honor his parents

Kaiju #8

Kikoru Shinomiya has not only one parent, but two parents who are military heroes in Kaiju #8. Isao and Hikari Shinomiya were both captains in the defense forces, with Isao eventually being promoted to general manager. Isao and Hikari were also wielders of the number one weapon, which is an honor not bestowed upon many people.

Now that they are both seemingly gone, Kikoru not only has to live up to what they were when they were alive, but she also feels like she has to make them proud, so that their deaths aren’t meaningless. Despite being only sixteen, Kikoru feels immense pressure to be perfect at everything – especially when she’s constantly being saved by Kafka Hibino. Kikoru has proven herself countless times already. But she still feels the need to be exceptional, so she knows she’s honoring her parents’ memory.

2 Erina Nakiri comes from a gastronomic world

Food Wars

Since birth, Erina Nakiri has been special. Erina has what is called the divine tongue. Food Wars. The Divine Tongue allows her to taste every imperfection (or rarely perfection) in every dish she eats. Since her father, Azami, was so devoted to gourmet cooking, he used his daughter to prove that gourmet cooking was the only way people should prepare food. In doing so, he excluded Erina from many dishes that would have been just as delicious.

During her years at Totsuki Academy (a school originally run by her grandfather), Erina easily rises through the ranks to become one of the youngest members of Totsuki’s elite ten. Her father continues to push her to make the best food possible using only the finest ingredients. However, a new student named Souma Yukihira helps her see the value in all kinds of food. Erina eventually escapes her father’s controlling gaze, but she still stays to lead Totsuki instead of pursuing her career as a chef.

1 Satoru Gojo is a once-in-a-lifetime anomaly

Jujutsu Kaisen

Satoru Gojo, from Jujutsu Kaisenhas been under immense pressure since birth. He is the first person in the Gojo family in 400 years to be born with the Limitless and Six Eyes abilities that have been passed down through generations within the Gojo clan. As such, he was taken from his parents at a young age to be trained as one of the most powerful Jujutsu sorcerers in the world.

Gojo certainly lives up to his clan’s expectations. However, his powers have made him more than a little selfish. Sure, he can control space at will. However, his brash attitude can sometimes get him into trouble, such as when he takes on several cursed spirits alone, only to end up trapped in a prison realm in episode 34, “Pandemonium.” Gojo is such a powerful Jujutsu sorcerer that he’s never had to keep his guard up. He’s been praised since birth, and his legacy catches up with him when he sees the body of Suguru Geto again. Gojo is an extremely important person in his clan, but his ego ultimately leaves him vulnerable.