History UsefulNotes / JapanesePronouns

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Darth Vader, old Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda use ''washi'' in Japanese, keeping with their age. Though it may seem unusual for the imposing Darth Vader, his original Japanese voice, Creator/ToruOhira, was quite old himself. When Tōru Ōhira passed away in 2016 and was succeeded by the younger Creator/TaitenKusunoki, Darth Vader switched to using ''watashi''.

* It could be a dialectal thing, but a couple of female characters from ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musashi_no_Ken Musashi no Ken]]'', namely Musashi and Shura's mothers and Musashi's first [[LoveInterests love interest]] Monami, always sound like super duper extra proper ladies with their incessant ''watakushi''.

* Ignis in ''VideoGame/AgarestSenki2'' would usually refer to anybody by this language. Even his ''LoveInterest'' (at least before he calls her by name).

** Susie in ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' refers to herself as ''watakushi'' in katakana (ワタクシ), reflecting her detached business-like persona as the executive assistant of the [[MegaCorp Haltmann Works Company]] (in particular, it corresponds with her use of [[FormalCharactersUseKeigo formal speech patterns]], which humorously contrasts with the callous things she says). When she isn't in "professional" mode, she uses the much more casual ''atashi'', still in katakana (アタシ).

* Masako Natsume from ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}''. She has ''very'' unusually polite and formal speech patterns compared to girls her age, contrasting with Kanba's much rougher "Ore" and Shouma's non-threatening "boku".

* Susie in ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' refers to herself as ''watakushi'' in katakana (ワタクシ), reflecting her detached business-like persona as the executive assistant of the Haltmann Works Company (in particular, it corresponds with her use of [[FormalCharactersUseKeigo formal speech patterns]]). When she isn't in "professional" mode, she uses the much more casual ''atashi'', still in katakana (アタシ).
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Although Ino and Yamato typically use ''atashi'' and ''boku'' as personal pronouns, they use "watakushi" in one omake in which they appear as hosts for a quiz show.
* The Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi from ''Manga/OnePiece'', who is extremely polite even to people trying to kill her.
* ''Anime/PrettyCure'':
** Madoka Aguri / Cure Ace from ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'' uses ''watakushi'' due to being the daughter of nobility.
** Kaguya Madoka / Cure Selene from ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'' also uses ''watakushi'', befitting her wealthy upbringing and YamatoNadeshiko archetype.
* Diving Beetle Beastman, one of MonsterOfTheWeek in ''Series/KamenRiderAmazon'' use this pronoun while averting YouHaveFailedMe moment by [[BigBad Great Emperor Zero]].

* Escargoon in ''Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa''. He always speaks with (almost exaggerated) politeness, no matter the tone he's speaking with.

* Susie in ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' refers to herself as ''watakushi'' in katakana (ワタクシ), reflecting her detached business-like persona as the executive assistant of the Haltmann Works Company (in particular, it corresponds with her use of [[FormalCharacterUseKeigo formal speech patterns]]). When she isn't in "professional" mode, she uses the much more casual ''atashi'', still in katakana (アタシ).

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Darth Vader, old Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda use ''washi'' in Japanese, keeping with their age. Though it may seem unusual for the imposing Darth Vader, his original Japanese voice, Creator/ToruOhira, was quite old himself. When Toru Ohira passed away in 2016 and was succeeded by the younger Creator/TaitenKusunoki, Darth Vader switched to using ''watashi''.

** Tails "Miles" Prower, indicating his youth compared to his older, cockier friend Sonic. The same goes for the slightly younger Charmy.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Darth Vader, old Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda use this in Japanese. Sorta justified, since many of their respective Japanese [=VAs=] who dubbed them are old men themselves, through Darth Vader now uses "Watashi" instead since 2016, since his previous voice actor, Creator/ToruOhira, passed away, and his new official voice actor, Creator/TaitenKusunoki, is much younger.

** Oddly enough, Shadow the Hedgehog. This actually caused a bit of internal drama at Sonic Team, since many of the people on the ''Sonic Adventure 2'' staff thought he should use "ore" instead. In this case, it's to contrast Sonic, reflecting how he's a more conflicted and less self-confident character. Even after his character development, he still uses it to show how he is more soft spoken than his outgoing counterpart.

* [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen Sectonia]], the BigBad of ''VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe''. She is a vain, tyrannical, [[spoiler:{{Body Surf}}ing parasitic wasp who has possessed other species for thousands of years to give herself a [[VainSorceress beautiful]], [[GodhoodSeeker all-powerful]] body and eventually take over Planet Popstar]]. This pronoun definitely emphasizes how egotistical she is.

:''Wagahai'': 吾輩 / 我が輩 "my class, one of my standing". Every bit as arrogant and presumptuous as ''ore-sama'', with the added benefit of being quite archaic (it incorporates the possessive form of ''ware''). Note that 50% of the time you see this, it's an allusion to ''Literature/IAmACat'' (the original Japanese title being ''Wagahai wa Neko de aru''), a well-known Japanese satirical novel.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'': Team Skull leader Guzma uses this one to introduce himself. [[{{Woolseyism}} Woolsey'd]] into English into introducing himself as "It's ya boy Guzma".

* Yoimiya from ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact''. Fitting due to her working-class background, as well as courtesy of her seiyuu, the Kansai-born Creator/KanaUeda.

* Yae Miko in ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact''. Fitting for a [[AsianFoxSpirit kitsune]] who's [[LongLived lived for something close to 500 years]].

* Ruri Hadou, the head of the Hadou Financial Group, in ''VisualNovel/{{Demonbane}}''.

* ''Kimi'' is the default for [[MoeAnthropomorphism America and Canada]] from ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' (America uses it with everyone while Canada uses more polite language with his elders). The difference is that [[{{Eagleland}} loud and self-assertive America]] uses it together with "ore" while [[CanadaEh shy and mellow Canada]] uses "boku."

** Tails "Miles" Prower, indicating his youth compared to his older, cockier friend Sonic.
** Oddly enough, Shadow the Hedgehog. This actually caused a bit of internal drama at Sonic Team, since many of the people on the ''Sonic Adventure 2'' staff thought he should use "ore" instead. In this case, it's to contrast Sonic, reflecting how he's a more conflicted and less self-confident character.

* Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog typically uses ''ore'' in katakana (オレ) to highlight his breezy, rebellious personality, although interestingly, very early Japanese-language promotional materials had him use the less assertive ''boku'' instead. Knuckles also uses ''ore'', but written in kanji (俺) to emphasize how he's more serious and rigid in personality.

* [[SmallNameBigEgo Vector the Crocodile]] in the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series.

* Vash the Stampede of the 1998 anime version of ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' normally uses ''boku'' or even ''atashi'' as part of his ObfuscatingStupidity persona, but will switch to ''ore'' when he means business. In the manga he changes pronouns throughout the story as part of his character development. He starts out using "boku", switches to "ore" after [[spoiler:Wolfwood's Death]], and uses "watashi" in the final chapter.