Pac-Man is the most iconic character. Not video game character. Just character in general.
Whenever someone refers to any circle with a wedge taken out of it, they describe it as "Pac-Man shaped". Pac-Man has completely hijacked "circle with wedge taken out of it" in the public conscious. That common shape is Pac-Man. He's miles ahead of second place (Mickey Mouse).
I dunno man. I learned how the water molecule is oriented because my chemistry teacher compared it to Mickey Mouse. And if you can hijack literal WATER, that has to put it in at least the same category as Pacman.