Björn Andrésen was a Swedish actor who became a lasting influence on manga and anime.
He was dubbed “the world’s most beautiful boy,” and his image became a blueprint for the bishōnen (beautiful boy) archetype that came to define many shōjo and fantasy anime characters.
This influence can be seen in figures such as Oscar and André from The Rose of Versailles, Griffith from Berserk, Ash Lynx from Banana Fish, and even Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle.
Andrésen’s fragile and androgynous charm reshaped how male beauty was portrayed in Japanese media, replacing rugged masculinity with a more emotional, melancholic elegance that continues to inspire anime aesthetics today.
