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Like Capcom, Konami is one of the most legendary game developers of all time. Today, it’s mostly focused on the tabletop scene with theYu-Gi-Oh!TCG and OCG, but back in the day, it had some of the best talent in video games.
You could argue Konami was the best developer in 2001, releasingMetal Gear Solid 2andSilent Hill 2the same year. While Konami has a great cast of characters, the company also absorbed Hudson Soft, adding more fuel to the fire. Unlike Capcom, Konami’s characters are diverse and lack a distinct style.
For a character to count on this list, it has to be from a property Konami owns or co-owns.
10Atem
The Legendary Pharaoh
This entry’s going to be a bit odd because Konami isn’t the sole owner of Yu-Gi-Oh!, but a co-owner along with Studio Dice and TV Tokyo; however, a co-owner still counts, and Atem is one of the most iconic anime and manga characters of all time. What made Atem so effective back in the day is that it played up the legendary ancestor phenomenon.
In the early 2000s, it was common for kids to look through their ancestry in hopes they’d discover a legendary figure to inspire them, and the dynamic between Atem and Yugi was essentially that. A true king of games, Atem was the person inside you all this time that you just couldn’t bring out before, and his design was so great that it remains one of the first anime characters many people think of.
9Simon Belmont
The Quintessential Gaming Vampire Killer
Castlevaniais a big Konami IP, and the main protagonists are unique; there’s a whole family of Belmonts known for dishing out the pain, but one outshines the rest, and his name is Simon Belmont. Appearing as the protagonist in the first two games, he’s been in many more due to the original title being remade countless times.
The story of him single-handedly going into Dracula’s castle and killing him is iconic in the gaming sphere. Castlevania 1 and 4 aresome of the best gameson their respective platforms, and Simon deserved his spot inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, which is a sign right there of just how iconic he is in gaming.
8Bomberman
Hudson Soft’s Best Character
Of all the series from Hudson Soft, Bomberman is easily the best. The franchise is still getting new entries due to the infamously stellar multiplayer; however, the series just wouldn’t be the same without the lead, as Bomberman has an iconic, timeless design that fits the series so well.
The main aspect of the titles is throwing bombs, so virtually everything on the character is oval or circular-shaped; the head, antenna, hands, and feet are all circular, reinforcing the core dynamic. It’s so perfect that his design has virtually remained the same besides the poor Act Zero reboot.
7Goemon
The Mystical Ninja
One criminally underrated gaming franchise has to be Ganbare Goemon. While most of the titles are Japanese-exclusive and pretty hard to play for English speakers, some did make it over to the West, so playing them back in the day was akin to something likeYakuza, with learning all these things about Japanese culture.
The series has many awesome characters, but the lead man, Goemon, is a cute but badass individual. He’s essentially the feudal Japan Duke Nukem and his personality fits exceptionally well with themore humorous nature of these titles.
6Sparkster
Gaming’s Greatest Opossum
Another underrated series, the Sparkster titles have stellar action-platforming gameplay complete with an amazing protagonist. Sparkster’s one of the few characters to pull off the effect that Sonic delivered so well, as he’s cute and cool at the same time.
A character that’s a knight with a jetpack is just pure awesomeness, especially at the time with The Rocketeer being released a few years prior. It’s so fun to control him, and while he’s not iconic, hardcore fans will know that Sparkster deserves to be among the all-time great Konami characters.
5Raiden
The Ultimate Cyborg Ninja
Metal Gear Rising completely transformed the character in a way that made him a hero facing off against impossible odds, just like Snake was in MGS4. Even people jaded by hype over-the-top boss fights can’t deny howawesome the final battle iswith Armstrong.
4Revolver Ocelot
The Wild Card
Revolver Ocelot is a Metal Gear character you can never take your eyes off. While Ocelot’s only the primary antagonist in MGS4, he appears in most entries as someone who knows more than he’s letting on, as he appears in multiple ending credit scenes and is known for revealing shocking plot revelations.
This makes for a solid build-up to a primary antagonist akin toResident Evil’sAlbert Wesker, as his personality also plays a big part in why he’s such a great villain because the actions and wild stuff he does just make him a figure you’re able to’t help but watch. Ocelot’s more grounded in MGS5, oddly enough, but in every other title, he’s a joy every time he’s on-screen.
3Solid Snake
One Of Gaming’s Most Legendary Heroes
There’s no question that Solid Snake is one of the most iconic gaming characters of all time; inspired by Snake Plissken of Escape From New York, Solid Snake grew into his own away from the inspiration. A toughened heroic veteran willing to risk it all for the greater good, Snake was already legendary before his ultimate test in MGS4.
That game made Solid Snake anall-time great heroby raising the stakes, and due to his origin, Snake has gotten very old and is not in the best physical shape. This makes his turmoil way more tense, especially in the microwave corridor sequence, ultimately leading to more satisfaction when he finally wins the day.
2Pyramid Head
Silent Hill’s Scariest Monster
Pyramid Head is not only the most iconic Silent Hill monster but also the first image many will think of when the franchise comes to mind, showing a design that is timeless in its abstract and unreal nature. The monster’s original debut in Silent Hill 2 was so well executed, showing up at the most random of times to give James a wake-up call, and you truly dreaded seeing it.
Lore-wise, Pyramid Head only makes sense to appear in Silent Hill 2, a decision the creators likely regret because, considering the money the character makes through merch sales, it would have been more lucrative to make Pyramid Head a recurring villain. However, with the franchise being so lore-focused, that’ll result in backlash, and it did happen when Pyramid Head appeared in Homecoming.
1Heather Mason
One Of The Best Females In All Of Horror Gaming
It’s quite shocking looking back that until Silent Hill: The Short Message, Silent Hill 3 was the only instalment with a female protagonist. Women are a big portion of the Silent Hill fanbase, but to be fair, Heather Mason’s hard to top, and as a sassy 17-year-old teenager, she can be annoying to some but very relatable to people who are like her.
The amount of stuff she comments on is way more than the prior two protagonists, and you’ll have a blast inspecting everything. She also ties in perfectly to the first game and is a large reason why SH3 is such an amazing sequel, where everything truly comes together in a satisfactory way that could have been the series finale.
