Coined by Alfred Hitchcock, the term ‘MacGuffin’ refers to an item that drives the plot forward. It could be the titular Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the shiny briefcase in Pulp Fiction, or even a person like Toby the baby in Labyrinth or John Connor in The Terminator series.
Anime has its own famous MacGuffins, be they mystical items that provide power, curses that cause disaster, or items that tip the balance in one side’s favor or another, etc. But some stand out more than others. Here are anime’s most iconic MacGuffins.
7 Dragonball: The Dragon Balls
Speaking of obvious entries with their names in the show, where would the Dragonball franchise be without the Dragon Balls themselves? They’re mystical orange orbs with 1-7 stars on each to differentiate one from the other. When someone gathers them all together, they’ll summon Shenron, the Divine Dragon, who’ll grant that person any wish they desire. Fame, fortune, immortality, even underwear!
While the original Dragonball series started off about the adventure to find them all, their significance has varied over the years. Sometimes they’re the focus of an arc, other times they’re off to the side, or its deus ex machina to help save everyone or bring people back from the dead. While the shouting, fighting, and power levels stick out more nowadays, Dragonball just wouldn’t be Dragonball with the Dragon Balls.
6 Death Note: The Death Note
One more easy choice. Without the Death Note itself, the manga and anime would’ve been about how Light Yagami became Japan’s equivalent of a Republican. With it, he becomes something more than a disaffected high schooler. With the right names and planning, he becomes the world’s judge, jury, and executioner. Under his ‘Kira’ alias, he becomes a god to his fans, and a concern to everyone else.
Originally belong to the Shinigami (death god) Ryuk, the Death Note is a notebook that will kill whoever’s name is written in it. The writer can even specify a form of death, or just leave its default heart attack to finish them off. Its power is so tempting that, a decade later, its next holder put it up for an online auction. Its final sale price was enough to fix Japan’s economic problems and then some. Who bought it? Well, let’s just say that political comment wasn’t out of the blue.
5 Sailor Moon: The Rainbow Jewels
Seven colorful crystals? These look familiar. Maybe Dragonball wasn’t the only anime Sonic Team were watching in the early 1990s. Still, Sailor Moon’s Rainbow Jewels are a little different to Sonic the Hedgehog’s Chaos Emeralds. In the past, Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom used the source of her power, the Silver Crystal, to imprison the Dark Kingdom’s strongest warriors, the Seven Great Youma.
It caused the crystal to break apart into seven pieces, which were then sealed within the bodies of 6 humans and a cat. Thus, the premise for Sailor Moon’s first season was set. Usagi and co have to stop the Dark Kingdom from getting the crystals, bringing back the Seven Great Youma, and reforming the Silver Crystal to revive their great leader Queen Metalia.
4 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: The Stand Arrow
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure has had a different MacGuffin for each of its parts. Phantom Blood had the Stone Mask. Battle Tendency had the Red Stone of Aja. Stardust Crusaders had Jotaro’s mom Holly on the verge of death until Dio was finished off. But the most recurrent MacGuffin in the series was the Stand Arrow. They’re a series of arrows fashioned from a strange metal found only in the Arctic.
When they strike someone, they’ll either kill the person outright, or give them new powers that culminate in their own Stand. Usually someone else shoots them at people, but other times they’re attracted to particular people on their own. Enya Geil used them off-screen to form Dio’s followers in Stardust Crusaders. Jotaro and Josuke hunted them down in Diamond is Unbreakable. While in Vento Aureo, Giorno and his gang tried to keep Diavolo, the boss of the Passione organized crime group, from getting one to increase his Stand’s power.
3 Pokemon: The GS Ball
Not every MacGuffin is famous for how they’re used. In the case of Pokemon’s GS Ball, it’s more well-known for its lack of use. First appearing in the ‘Pallet Party Panic’ episode, Ash & his friends were supposed to grab this gold and silver Poke Ball from Professor Ivy’s lab and examine it. Its design was said to be sturdier than the average Poke Ball, and with an unknown function.
But it never got followed up on. The ball got handed off to Kurt, then it disappeared from the series soon afterwards. According to director Masamitsu Hidaka, the GS Ball was being built up to introduce Celebi and lead into some adventures with them as the centerpiece. But that went out the window when the Pokemon 4Ever film did that instead. Thus, the GS Ball got dumped hard, its contents forever a mystery.
2 Princess Mononoke: Ashitaka’s Cursed Arm & the Forest Spirit’s Head
Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke is often said to be his best film, which is quite the accolade given it came out well before his Oscar-winning opus Spirited Away. Though despite San being the poster girl, it could be argued that Prince Ashitaka is more the main protagonist than her. He gets pulled into the story when he gets bitten on the arm by a demon boar called Nago. The bite comes with a curse that will eventually kill him. To save himself and protect the village, Ashitaka must travel to the boar’s homeland in the West to find a cure.
It’s there that he finds Iron Town, a human commune, at war with samurai and the forest creatures. The town believes they can get protection if they offer the head of the Forest Spirit to the Emperor, which the samurai also want for their own favor. While San and her wolf guardian Moro, along with the boars and others, want to protect it. Their mutual hatred produced the curse that threatens Ashitaka’s life. He’ll be done for if he doesn’t bring peace to all sides, but with such strong feelings and one big irreconcilable difference, it’s an uphill struggle for him.
1 One Piece: The One Piece
It’s hard to think of a more obvious entry for this list than this one. The clue’s in the name after all. According to the show’s legend, the Pirate King Gol D.Roger achieved what no other seafaring swashbuckler could do: conquer the Grand Line, build a large fortune, and start the Golden Age of Pirates in the process. Opting to give himself to the law than die of a terminal illness, the World Government sentenced him to a public execution.
They thought it would end piracy for good, but instead he revealed that anyone could claim his treasure for themselves if they could find it. It’s all out there…in one piece. That’s been the driving goal behind Luffy and his Strawhats, and every other sea dog in One Piece for the past 20 years. With the manga beginning to wind down, it may be revealed soon enough.