Many people, from scientists to the Emperor have raised awareness of sea slugs in Japan so it’s no surprise that they pop up regularly in popular culture, including anime and manga.
Sea slugs in anime & manga
Here is a list of anime and manga where sea slugs make an appearance.
In episode 15, ‘The Great Sea Slug Debate’, the main character, Kukuru, works to create a sea slug exhibit and goes searching for nudibranchs.
Sea slugs only make a very brief appearance when Koro-sensei is transformed into a ball and finds a sea slug is crawling over him, much to his consternation.
Belle is set in a virtual world where users take on a different appearance and one happens to be a Clione sea slug.
Cliones once again make a brief appearance in another anime, this time in the comedy The Vampire Dies in No Time as a type of vampire.
Nanami, a homeless high school girl, takes up the role as a minor land god and finds herself visiting the dragon king who lives under the sea where his attendants are sea slugs.
Sea slugs make appearnces in this anime and one particular character, Manaka Mukaido, is said to be particularly fond of nudibranchs.
In this mafia themed show nudibranchs take on the form of Spettro Nudibranchi, a special style of attack weapon.
In episode 205 of this anime, an enormous nudibranch attacks and while the characters attempt to fight it off, one is swallowed by the giant sea slug.
Territorial Sea Slugs (ナワバリウミウシ) feature in this anime and manga, living in the waters around Totto Land.
Pokémon features sea slug creatures called Shellos. There are two types of Shellos, the West Sea Shellos are pink and white while the East Sea Shellos are blue and green.