The founder of the Buddhist religion. The manga and movie adaptations tell a fictionalized version of his life as a monk and his road to enlightenment. After his enlightenment he became known as 'The Buddha'.

Osamu Tezuka's Buddha

A parody figure of The Buddha, who is spending time in Japan with his buddy Jesus. He is kind hearted and pure of mind, developing a glowing halo when he says something extremely virtuous.

Saint Young Men

Another fictionalized version of the historical Buddha. In this unusual anime he is portrayed as the reincarnation of the mythical Hermes, who was himself a reincarnation of a god-like alien named El Cantare.

The Laws of the Sun and The Golden Laws

Former Gon-Sojo of the Kōgon Sect who betrayed his own comrades. Following his betrayal, he allied with the Shichisei and the Unclean Bunch Organization in order to seek vengeance against the Kōgon Sect.

Shikabane Hime

One of Buddha's major disciples. After Buddha saves his life, Ananda becomes Buddha's personal attendant and companion. Due to his troubled history, visions of hell and death continue to haunt him.

Osamu Tezuka's Buddha

A fallen Buddhist priest, endowed with phoenomenal strength. He usually fights unarmed, though he carries around a shortsword resembling a buddhist prayer tool.

Rurouni Kenshin

A monk blessed with great patience and compassion who wanted to reach out and change the world and provide succor for all those in need He is dragged against his will to Edo Castle and forced to break his Buddhist vows and become a concubine of the female Shogun when the Senior Chamberlain of the Inner Chambers violently slays one of Arikoto’s attendants and forces him to lie with a woman or have the deaths continue. Not wanting anyone else to die for him, Arikoto painfully consents and beds a woman, thus revoking his vows.

Ooku: The Inner Chambers

A wandering Shingon priest with questionable morals and a cursed tattoo who is seaching for the man he loves.

Hari no Hana

Benkei was a Japanese warrior monk (sōhei).

Kurozuka

A monk who lived on a mountain with a group of his peers until he became envious of a Pure Land monk and threatened to kill him. He was unable to carry out his threat and was befriended by the man instead.

Shinran-sama: Negai, Soshite Hikari

Norimichi decided at a young age to become a Buddhist priest. He fell in love with a woman training to become a Catholic nun. They both decided to put aside their respective religions and get married, but they both died young, leaving their daughter Shimako in the hands of relatives. Norimichi requesed that they pass on to Shimako his love for the outdoors.

Maria-sama ga Miteru ~Haru~

A kind monk living in a Korean monestary who finds and takes in a blind orphan girl named Gami and her younger brother Gilson. He hopes to help allieviate their suffering by instilling in them the teachings of the Buddha.

Oseam

A follower of the Buddha who has been his disciple in multiple reincarnations. In his past lives he was an architect on the lost contenent of Mu and also an Incan astronomer whose young daughter was saved from becoming a human sacrifice. His daughter was also reincarnated and became a Buddhist lay disciple.

The Laws of the Sun

A follower of the Buddha who has been his disciple in multiple reincarnations. In her past lives she was also an Incan woman and a citizan of the legendary city of Atlantis.

The Laws of the Sun

Charming and kind towards potential customers, but his true personality is shown to be arrogant controlling.

Brothers Conflict

The T'ien-t'ai patriarch Chih-i was a Chinese Buddhist monk who lived from 538 to 597 of the common era.

The Golden Laws

A young Buddhist monk-in-training who lives on Mt. Amabiki in the Rakuhouji temple, which is dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. When the temple is destroyed in a fire a group of oni help to rebuild it.

Folktales from Japan 2nd Season

A nun-in-training who is a stereotypical tsundere. She enjoys horror films and there is a running gag to the question of where she used to live. Apparently all of the town's businesses are located in one two-story building.

Amaenaideyo!!

An extremely short young man who bacame a Buddhist priest to inherit his family's temple. He insists on shaving his head like a proper monastic even though his particular sect doesn't require it.

Bouzu Kawai ya Kesa Made Itoshi

A shady government spy who is also sent to investigate and stop the Eight Demons of Kimon and their employer, the Shogun of the Dark, who wishes to overthrow the government. The character is a homage to the famed Japanese monk Takuan Sōhō.

Ninja Scroll

In this version, Devadatta spent his childhood living in the wild. After returning to civilization he is determined to become strong. He eventually becomes a monk, but his lust for power leads to his own self-destruction.

Osamu Tezuka's Buddha

A corrupt monk who joined Buddha's order for political power and repeatedly attempts to assassinate him.

The Golden Laws

Originally an extremist samanna who burned out one of his own eyes. He initially rejects Buddha's teachings, but he later joins his order of monks as a disciple.

Osamu Tezuka's Buddha

A priest who loves to eat fish in spite of his Buddhist vows to obstain from it. When he is caught red-handed he tells a lie that leads to a chain of karmic retribution brought down on him by his honest and extremely obedient young apprentice.

Folktales from Japan

Head priest of a Buddhist temple in Kyoto. He does not approve of his sons' bisexual nature, as he hopes they will one day marry and inherit the temple after he retires.

Gravitation

An elderly follower of the Buddha. In his past life he lived in the kingdom of Mu, where he befriended a young boy and the two reincarnated together as ancient Incans. They reincarnated together again in ancient India, where they both joined Buddha's order and became monks.

The Laws of the Sun

The head of the Korean monestary that takes in orphans Gami and Gilson. He is kind and patient with the children.

Oseam

A disturbed monk guilty of committing a terrible crime several years earlier. He appears to suffer from delusions in which he hears the sound of azuki beans being washed.

Requiem from the Darkness

A warrior monk vying for a young woman's attentions.

Dream Hunter Rem

An independent woman who was both a nun and wife of a famous historical Pure Land monastic. Eshinni clearly followed her husband’s view that marriage was not an impediment to being a nun and to following her religious beliefs.

Shinran-sama: Negai, Soshite Hikari

A Buddhist monk who renounced vegetarianism.

Samurai Champloo

Three Monks

A 17 year-old nun-in-training who is a powerful exorcist.

Amaenaideyo!!

A Korean monk who lives in a monestary that takes in two orphans. His patience is often tested by Gilson, a mischievious five year-old whose antics often cause him inconvenience.

Oseam

A 14 year-old nun-in-training who has a little fire-spitting-demon pet that can convert into a full sized demon. Her hobby is collecting and studying haniwa.

Amaenaideyo!!

A monk from the Kōgon Sect. His job is to put Ouri under surveillance in order to keep him from getting involved in Shikabane cases. Throughout the series, he usually acts as Tokihana's assistant during administrative duties.

Shikabane Hime

A monk who taught the historical Shinran Shounin, until the two men were exiled by the government and sent seperate ways. Although Hounen died of old age before they could meet again, Shinran held his teachings in high esteem all the days of his long life.

Shinran-sama: Negai, Soshite Hikari

A powerful Buddhist exorcist with a passion for music who bacame a monk because his family owned the temple. He left when he found out that monks aren't allowed to bring CDs to the temple. He now works as both an exorcist and a studio musician.

Ghost Hunt

A 16 year-old able to release a powerful but uncontrollable power when confronted with intense lust. He is not well educated on Buddhist doctrine and seems not to have chosen the monastic life. He resents the work given to him, often complaining that he is missing out on his youth.

Amaenaideyo!!

A little Buddhist monk who is smart and playful like other children. He often outsmarts adults. Based on the historical Zen Buddhist monk Ikkyu, following his mischievous adventures as a child during his stay at Ankoku-ji Temple.

Ikkyuu-san

A famous Buddhist monk in 15th century Japan. Ikkyu must learn to live and excel as a monk, despite the fact that his father is the emperor. His intelligence and purity help him succeed, even as he continues to get the short end of the stick in life.

Akkanbe Ikkyuu