The 30 Best Anime Main Characters of All Time (Ranked) - FandomSpot (2023)

The art of creating a good protagonist is quite difficult.

Even the smallest mistake can really spoil the show. Like when the entire anime community collectively hated Black Clover just because Asta was so annoying in the beginning.

But what about all the anime MCs who deserve praise?

Well, that's what we're looking for in this list: golden examples of main character development throughout the anime world.

30.Hitagi Senjougahara

Anime:Bakemonogatari

Senjougahara is one of my favorite female characters because the writers finally found a balance between a character who is so in love that it's their main characteristic and a complete kuudere who doesn't care about anyone.

She's cool and composed and knows when to be nice and sane or when to put a stapler in your mouth and tell you to shut up.

She never seemed to get too worked up over Araragi, and her dry wit was definitely one of the highlights of the series.

Take notes, anime creators. No more Sakura, please.

29.Izaya Orihara

Anime:Durarara!!

Although this series is devoted most of the time to the conflict between the different gangs (and the emotional constipation of Masaomi and Mikado), I watched Izaya the most.

Even though he is technically the antagonist, I found it very hard to hate him.

He had a very persuasive gift. And his designs were always larger than life.

He was also a total badass who could take down most people one on one.

And to really put the nail in the love coffin, she had the most aggressive marriage with Shizu. sending.

28.Koro-Sensei

Anime:Homicide class

I was torn because all the main characters are S-tier, with Karma being the coolest, Nagisa the most interesting, and Koro-Sensei the most likable.

I strictly chose Koro-Sensei because his story made him even better.

The guy is just a big bully trying to prepare his students for life and murder, I guess.

He always has a smile on his face and has created some of the most wholesome and/or saddest moments in anime history - so I just had to include him.

27.Kazuma Satou

Anime:KonoSuba

Kazuma has one of the highest relatability scores in all of anime. Not a single part of his personality is idealized in the slightest.

And that's what honestly gives it its charm, because you can feel like you're watching yourself in the anime world.

I can't identify with someone willing to die to save a wounded demon. But I can definitely identify him with his punch when someone is in his face, so he responds with a fake punch.

It's Kazumafarfrom the ideal.

And ironically, that makes him a bit of a disgruntled main character in my eyes.

26.Osamu Dazai

Anime:Bungo Stray Dogs

If you watched Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei and thought "hmm, that Zetsubou guy should really be the main character in a shounen series..."

Pa evo ga.

Dazai is a dude who is constantly looking for a way to die and is extremely nonchalant about the whole thing. Which immediately alarms me that the guy must have a good story.

And I personally was not disappointed.

His design is sick, his power is really cool (and kind of broken), and whenever he confronts his past, I really get a kick out of it.

25.Sinbad

Anime:Magi: Sinbad's Adventure

There are a million power fantasy protagonists out there, all so weak you feel like you're watching a literal god.

However, they tend to have rather bland personalities.

Ali ne i Sinbad.

Although he is undoubtedly underpowered, his personality has always been his most important attribute, as he knows how to charm (or terrify) those who oppose him.

He had a devoted following and genuinely aspired to greatness.

Besides, he blew up a mountain to prove his point. Which gives him all the downsides.

24.Izuku Midoriya

Anime:My hero academy

I'll be honest: Deku is far from the best written character ever.

In fact, I think conceptually Todoroki, Uraraka, and even Bakugou beat him.

However, I've never been as motivated to root for a character as I am for Deku.

Not only is he one of the few crazy protagonists, but he also has a heart of gold. Arc Overhaul especially showed me that Deku is an amazing protagonist because his interactions with Eri were always so genuine and touching.

23.Hyakkimaru

Anime:Dororo

Hyakkimaru's story is arguably one of the greatest loser stories of all time, as it's hard for me to imagine anyone in the anime universe having a worse starting hand than this guy.

Because his father valued his own position and the welfare of the land above his son, Hyakkimaru was born without any of the physical attributes that would make a man - except for conscious thought.

He couldn't see, speak, feel or move, yet he managed to overcome it.

Sometimes it gets lost. But looking at this man's journey was never at all boring.

22.Shigeo Kageyama

Anime:Mob Psycho 100

Although this series initially seemed like a rip-off of One Punch Man, it isleaps and boundsahead when it comes to writing characters.

Mob was particularly enjoyable to follow because his narrative was nothing short of a coming-of-age.

Between all the chaotic battles and epic music, we saw Mob trying to be a normal kid and have normal problems like the rest of us.

He didn't know how to defend himself and carried a lot of guilt on his shoulders because of his powers.

And that's why he's on this list and Saitama isn't, because I really think there needs to be some substance between all the big bangs and gags.

21.Rudeus Greyrat

Anime:Mushoku Tensei: Reinkarnacija bez posla

Rudeus resonates with me very similarly to Kazuma, but on a deeper level.

Just like Kazuma, Rudeus received the old isekai treatment after his death.

However, instead of just appearing there, he was reincarnated. And the thing is, Rudeus is complete garbage.

Like really, really scary.

However, he slowly begins to learn what it means to be good in the new world and actually becomes quite likeable.

There are still some scenes that are questionable at best. But for some reason I can't help but like this type of story. It's like the TLC of anime.

20.Legoshi

Anime:beasts

Legoshi was simply masterfully written and his personal mental battles were some of the most realistic I've seen in years.

He was born as a predator: a big bad wolf with sharp claws and teeth. And yet his nature is quite the opposite.

He is ashamed of who he is and constantly fights against his own instincts to make the people around him feel safe.

He gets fantastic character development in this series and his personality is that of an evil saint. So there was no way I was going to skip it on this list.

19.Shadow

Anime:Dr. Stone

If you've ever been a smart kid in high school or only occasionally visited Reddit, then Senku might be a close role model.

The guy puts on his best Ben Shapiro suit and spits straight facts while using science to restore society as we know it.

He does not like to be emotional and always looks to the future, and he thanks God that workers' rights do not exist in the stone age.

All kidding aside, he's an inspiring enough guy to get even someone like me, a dirty English teacher, interested in science and math.

So it must be doing something right.

18.Kakashi Hatake

Anime:Naruto Shippuden

Although the spotlight is usually on Naruto and Sasuke, I always care more about Kakashi.

The guy has one of the most tragic backstories in the series (if you don't believe mecheck it out), and yet he never fell into darkness like Sasuke.

He also never talked about walking out of a fight like Naruto. He probably remains an example of a truly skilled ninja.

Plus, whenever she's with Guy, I get overwhelmed by his sanitary filth.

17.ashtray

Anime:Vinland Saga

Both Askeladd and Thorfinn did what Sasuke couldn't: they were bad good guys consistently and convincingly.

Askeladd in particular surprised me because it got a lot more depth than the first few episodes suggested.

I won't spoil anything, but his story was a truly brilliant twist. And his performance at the end of the series was legendary in every way.

So while Thorfinn brought us more good fights, Askeladd's complexity was the real highlight of the show.

16.Norman

Anime:Promised land

Writing a 300 IQ character is always a success. But headline trio The Promised Neverland struck a chord with everyone in their own way.

However, Norman was the most interesting to me because he always seemed to be the big puppeteer pulling the strings of the story.

He wasn't blindingly optimistic like Emma, ​​nor a pragmatic master like Ray.

He was just reasonable and persuasive.

However, this only applies to the first season. As I mentally erased the second season from my memory forever.

15.Subaru Natsuki

Anime:Answer: zero

This guy is one of the nicest characters anime has to offer, based solely on the fact that he's not in a lunatic asylum yet.

The amount of mental blows he took during the series is nothing short of terrifying. So the fact that he still has a twinkle in his eye and a willingness to keep trying is extremely inspiring and a little worrying.

He never gave up on his best girl and even proved to be quite a regular, so many sides to this seemingly forgotten guy.

14.Joutarou Kuujo

Anime:JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders

If the concept of evil ever needed a representative, Juutarou would be the most obvious candidate.

This includes how it was designed due to the fact that this man only has two emotions (both of which are kind of flattering). At some point it becomes very hard to take your eyes off this guy.

He dominates every scene just by being in it. And his takedown skills make every match a joy to watch.

Especially since it usually results in the most famous shows.

13.Ivan's day

Anime:JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind

I wantedkeep JoJos closeon this list, because I love them for very similar reasons.

Giorno is a completely different type of villain. He usually just looks friendly and elegant, but he can still do things that even Juutarou couldn't.

An example is the cold-blooded murder of a banana, and yes, it really happens.

Every time his subject comes up, you just know you're going to run away while some guy gets beaten to death.

And I can't imagine the franchise having a better JoJo than Giorn.

12.Morgiana

Anime:Wizards: Labyrinth of Magic

I'm honestly fascinated that Morgiana isn'tshe even got her own spin-off. I think he could bring as many people as the big bad wolf Sinbad himself.

That's because it walks that fine line of having a lovable rogue you'd want to protect and a villain who could probably save you.

Given that her thighs help both categories somewhat and her personality is irresistible, I just had to include my girl Morgiana.

11.Akane Tsunemori

Anime:Psycho passage

Honestly, if it was just the first season, I would have chosen Shougo or Shinya because they seemed much more interesting and complex.

However, the second season really made me love Akane on a fundamental level.

She just became evil.

Not because he could kill twenty gunmen or find someone like a dog. But probably because her views on law and order were so compelling.

Again, I love me some strong independent female characters!

10.Honor Jaeger

Anime:Attack on Titan

To be honest, it took a long time for Eren to warm to me. As always I was much more interested in what Levi or Erwin were doing.

However, the fourth season exactlyit won me overand allowed Eren to celebrate how good the series had become.

I mean, it was always good. This was just the first time that I not only found Eren interesting, but legitimately wanted to put his avatar picture on Twitter. What is the highest rating any anime fan can give.

So, because of the first three seasons, I can't put it that high...butfinaleAt least that pushed it into the top 10 for this ranking.

9.Nana Osaki

Anime:Nana

If you know me, then you know how much I love this series.

It has some of the most believable and heartwarming drama I've seen in any anime. And I think it gets better as you get older.

Of the two Nanas, I always preferred Rock Queen because she was simply breathtaking.

She had a good balance between strong characters and a believable insecurity/sensitivity that really made her stand out.

I can't say that he is flawless or an ideal person. Quite the opposite: she's so incredibly flawed that I fell in love with her after only a few episodes of the show.

8.Zoro Roronoa

Anime:One piece

Although Zoro was always second, in my heart he was first!

I just couldn't latch on to Luffy's optimistic ideal as much as I could to Zoro's undeniable viciousness.

The guy just screams cool.

This is onemaster of the sword, and is a prime example of why you should never mess with a guy who can wield a blade with his mouth.

His stamina and dedication is also pretty insane, as the famous "nothing happened" scene will probably go down in history as the biggest crowd hype moment anime has ever produced.

7.Fireplace

Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

No character has ever made an impression on me as quickly and as effectively as Kamina.

After an episode or two, I was already looking for his signature glasses on eBay.

And because you-know-what's-happening, I was on the verge of becoming an alcoholic.

The guy is just insanely charismatic. So much so that even the audience is inspired every time he gives Simona an encouraging speech.

And I don't mean the usual "oh this is so exciting" level of inspiration, I'm talking about taking 100 selfies, writing a book and embracing that level of inspiration long term.

6.Gon Freecss

Anime:Hunter x Hunter (2011)

I can't say that Gon is that creative when it comes to his writing. In fact, he follows most of the tried and true shounen protagonist stereotypes…

But with some minor changes.

For example, he has the same twinkle in his eye and the same idealistic outlook on life as other shounen protagonists. But he actuallydoes a lot of killingwhen you really think about it.

And it's not like he killed the biggest supervillain to save the world. Sometimes only the worker ant dared to cross it.

So there are definitely some more surprises with this little guy.

5.Edward Elric

Anime:Brotherhood of Full Metal Alchemists

Just like Gon, Edward can seem like a pretty bland protagonist.

But after a closer examination, it turns out that it is nothing of the sort.

The most obvious difference is that the guy is not muscular, but uses his wide range of knowledge to ensure victory. He's also a pacifist who actually fears death, something we don't see that often in shounen.

He can still be a rock star when he needs to be. But he is much more human than many of his colleagues.

4.Light Yagami

Anime:A death message

The light is simply fascinating to watch.

It's a guybrilliant in every way, and his God complex is the central narrative device that moves the story forward.

He can be calm and calculated one second and laughing maniacally at your grave the next.

The cat and mouse chase he and L had was one of the best in anime history. And their characters were as important to each other as the great writings.

The light is far from the hero. But as a central character, he has done wonders for the series. And we will surely remember him for generations to come.

3.Ridarou Okabe

Anime:Steins· Portal

I wanted to induct Okabe into the trio of psychogeniuses in the Hall of Fame – and you'll see what I mean in the next two entries.

But the guy deserves some serious respect.

The script team balanced it outperfectbetween being the most lovable dork on the planet and being a time-traveling mad scientist.

Throughout the series, we are shown many of his flaws, but we also get to see how loyal he is to the people he loves, which makes him feel three-dimensional and oddly idealistic.

Kurisu is also a very strong candidate for this position.

But I like my mad scientist a little better.

2.John Liebert

Anime:Beast

Johan is undoubtedly one of the best written antagonists of all time as he manages to captivate the audience for 74 episodes with the prospect of understanding him.

He doesn't really get as much screen time as one might think. But his influence is felt in every scene, because every word from his lips becomes the Bible of some haunted soul.

And the best part is that even he doesn't really understand himself, allowing the writers to twist his psyche while we're all strapped and screaming on the sociopathic roller coaster.

1.Lelouch Lamperouge

Anime:Code Geass

To round out my psychopathic trio, we have Lelouch, the king of all anti-heroes.

Of all the characters on this list, Lelouch not only grabbed my attention the most, but the mosta satisfying character arc.

I think the ending of his personal journey, and the series itself, is one of the best (if not the best) anime has to offer.

And it would hardly have been written otherwise.

He is a genius like Johan and Light, but not as cold or psychopathic. Instead, he is a true leader at heart, this happened to give him the strength he needed to bring about change.