History NoCelebritiesWereHarmed / AnimeAndManga

** Not just ''minor'' characters. [[http://daeva-neesan.dreamwidth.org/464424.html According to some people]] Antonio is based on his namesake Creator/AntonioBanderas and Nathan on [[RupaulsDragRace [=RuPaul=]]].

* This happens occasionally in ''Anime/CowboyBebop''--for instance, in "Heavy Metal Queen", the fugitive, [[Film/BladeRunner Deckard]], bears a suspicious resemblance to Creator/WoodyAllen, or nearly explicit reference to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uri_Geller Uri Geller, the (in-)famous Hungarian-Israeli illusionist/con-artist]] (In the anime, the character is called "Uri Gellersan", most likely alluding the [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseHonorifics Japanese honorific "-san"]], depicted as a slightly crazed expert on paranormal phenomena, aliens and stuff like that).

* ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'' is an absolute field day for those who are interested in Medieval and Renaissance history.
** For starters there's Guts, who may be inspired by the 16th century German Knight Götz Von Berlichingen, known as "Götz of the Iron Hand". Like Guts, he wore an Iron Hand after he lost his real one. Unlike Guts though, he didn't get his hand chomped off by a demon but lost it when cannon fire forced his sword against it.
** Then there's the Band of the Hawk itself. In 14th century Italy there was a Mercenary band known in English as "The White Company" and in Italian as the "Compagnia Bianca del Falco" meaning literally "The White Hawk Company". Coincidence? We think not.
** Some have seen a similarity between Griffith and Albrecht Von Wallenstein, a 17th century Imperial Commander in the ThirtyYearsWar. Much like Griffith, Wallenstein was noted for his good looks, being [[spoiler: betrayed]] by the very powers he served and being rumored to have sold his soul to the devil.

** Bishop Mozgus is based on Ivan The Terrible, who is said to have practiced a similar Mortification ritual as do Mozgus.

** For the first half of the series, only a few characters had explicit celebrity resemblance (The Toki-impostor, Amiba, was very clearly [[Franchise/{{Highlander}} Christopher Lambert]], while Toki himself was equally obviously {{Jesus}} except with face-melting martial arts skills), though there were more than a handful of characters who were spiritual composites of several famous figures, similar to Ken.

* ''[[Anime/KirbyOfTheStars Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'' gives King Dedede (a fat blue penguin) a slightly off voice and mannerisms that obviously intends to evoke WesternAnimation/FoghornLeghorn, with occasional lines made to sound like things UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush might say. His minion Escargoon is basically Paul Lynde, which is even funnier when you realize that Escargoon is in fact gay.

* In the ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'', The Big Cheese's dub voice is obviously Paul Lynde (again). Like Escargoon in Kirby, it's made funnier by Big Cheese's more than questionable lifestyle.

** Japanese Yuri's career history is a massive reference to Tastuki Machida. In terms of appearance, without his glasses on, he looks like Yuzuru Hanyu.
** Russian Yuri is a GenderFlip of Yulia Lipnitskaya, their most notable similarity being their intimidating looks.

* Mercenary Tao in ''Manga/DragonBall'' is a dead ringer for Sean Connery in [[Film/Zardoz]]... sans the red panties.

** Yoshikage Kira looks and dresses like Music/DavidBowie.

* Many of the characters in ''Manga/{{BECK}}'' are based on actual musicians. Chiba, the punk/rap vocalist for BECK, is based in attitude, style, and appearance on Zach de la Roca. While Taira, the bassist, possesses much of the style and mannerisms of Flea from Music/RedHotChiliPeppers (who just happen to be [[WriteWhoYouKnow the creator's favorite band]].)

* Mercenary Tao in ''Manga/DragonBall'' is a dead ringer for Sean Connery in Film/Zardoz... sans the red panties.

* The manga ''Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President'', set in a fictionalized version of the 2000 U.S. Presidential race, prominently features incumbent Vice President Al ''Noah'', along with the ambitious First Lady "''Ellery''", along with her unnamed-yet-familiar-looking husband.

** It goes on. WordOfGod says that Franky is based off Creator/JimCarrey. Each of the Three Admirals is based off a famous Japanese actor known for playing gangsters. [[EnsembleDarkhorse Trafalgar Law]] looks like ''The Pickup Artist'' of all people. It's practically a RunningGag at this point.

*** Pretty much all of the Crystal Beasts were based on famous movie celebrities (Sapphire Pegasus seems to be channelling MisterEd, Cobalt Eagle says at one point "[[Series/GetSmart Missed it by that much]]" and Amethyst Cat is [[Series/{{Batman}} Julie Newmar]]).

* In ''Manga/ShamanKing'', Anna is shown to be a fan of a female rocker named "[[ShiinaRingo Awaya Ringo]]."

* In ''Manga/ShamanKing'', Anna is shown to be a fan of a female rocker named "[[Creator/ShiinaRingo Awaya Ringo]]."

* One minor character in ''Manga/{{Monster}}'' is a serial killer named Peter Jurgens with a severe FreudianExcuse, whom Johan manipulated into killing one set of his foster parents. Jurgens is a dead ringer for real-life serial killer Edmund Kemper, who also had rather grievous parental issues (his mother was one of his last victims).

* ''Manga/ChoujinSensen'' have two characters based on real life political figures: Kabe Seizou (Abe Shinzo) and Hillary Easton (Hillary Clinton).

* {{Berserk}} is an absolute field day for those who are interested in Medieval and Renaissance history.

** On the subject of Crystal Beasts, does anyone else think that the Topaz Tiger is a feeble Creator/SeanConnery?
*** Pretty much all of the Crystal Beasts were based on famous movie celebrities (Cobalt Eagle says at one point "[[Series/GetSmart Missed it by that much]]" and Amethyst Cat is [[Series/{{Batman}} Julie Newmar]]).