Characters in anime are typically multidimensional with arcs that develop over time, which is one of the unique features of anime.
In terms of popularity, anime is one of the most popular genres of television and film. Others embody evil and seek to destroy everything, while others are cute and out to save the world.
Despite a tragic background, some people want to do their best despite becoming villains, good guys with noble intentions, and villains with noble motives. Watch these anime characters on the couch with the popcorn. Also note, this list is subjective, to my opinion and a quick survey we completed.
Most Favorite Anime Characters
1. Goku – Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball’s Goku is often regarded as the quintessential shounen hero due to his massive muscles. The long-running series and manga have made him one of the most famous anime characters. During the period of 1986 to 1989, Dragon Ball was aired, and between 1989 and 1996, Dragon Ball Z was aired.
A head injury forced Saiyan warrior Goku to forget his mission of destroying humanity, and instead, he became its greatest protector.
Fun Goku Fact: Japan Celebrates Goku Day On May 9th
2. Astro Boy – Astro Boy
Both Japanese and English versions of Astro Boy were broadcast on American television from 1963 to 1966. As a result, it is not surprising that the titular character has become one of the most well-known anime characters of all time.
As with many anime shows, this television series was inspired by Osamu Tezuka’s manga of the same name. Over the years, the show has been remade several times, including a 2009 film. It ran for 193 episodes over four seasons.
Cool Astro Boy Fact: The first appearance of Astro Boy was in 1951 in Atom Taishi (Ambassador Atom/Captain Atom) as a supporting character.
3. Sailor Moon – Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon has become one of the most iconic anime characters in pop culture and one of the greatest female heroes of all time. The black cat Luna gifts Usagi Tsukino a brooch as she grows up as the human Usagi Tsukino.
As a result, she is able to transform into Sailor Moon, which enables her to realize that she has been reincarnated as the Moon Princess. They fight the evil forces that threaten the planet with the assistance of her fellow Sailor Guardians.
Fun Sailor Moon Fact: The title means ‘sailor soldier’ or ‘sailor scout’ – magical girls who are to save the world from destruction.
4. Ichigo Kurosaki – Bleach
Bleach is another one of the “big 3” shounen titles. A teenager named Ichigo Kurosaki begins the series as a Shinigami (Soul Reaper) who can see spirits.
Soul Reapers are responsible for protecting people from Hollows, which are evil spirits, and for escorting good spirits to the Soul Society. A number of related films and a new series are in the works following the original series, which ran from 2004 to 2012.
5. Naruto Uzumaki – Naruto
Naruto is the last of the “big 3” shounen series. One of the most famous anime characters is Naruto Uzumaki, who is the title character.
The chakra of the Kurama, the nine-tailed demon fox, was within him when he was an orphaned baby. His village shunned him because he had the chakra of the Kurama. As a powerful ninja and village leader who has overcome a rough start, he has become a beloved character.
Fun fact About Naruto: In the series, protective headbands are worn because Kishimoto Sensei took too long to draw Naruto’s reflective goggle.
6. LeLouch Lamperouge – Code Geass
This is a classic story of a fallen hero in which LeLouch Lamperouge, the leader of the Order of the Black Knights, is a charming villain who was unable to overcome the moral challenges he encountered.
7. Monkey D. Luffy – One Piece
Luffy is the charismatic leader of the Straw Hat Pirates, seeking to become the Pirate King by locating the One Piece. A strong fighter, his body becomes rubbery and stretchy after accidentally consuming Gomu Gomu no Mi, making him able to defeat enemies against all odds.
In spite of his enhanced abilities and impressive reputation, he is a happy-go-lucky character who can come across as somewhat dim-witted and tends to think with his stomach rather than with his head.
8. Levi Ackerman – Attack on Titan
As one of the most famous and popular anime characters, Levi Ackerman is considered to be humanity’s strongest soldier.
There is a dark fantasy series called Attack on Titan in which humans live in a post-apocalyptic world protected by walls from the Titans. After airing in 2013, the manga it is based on quickly gained a cult following. As a Captain of the Scout Regiment’s Special Operations squad, Levi is responsible for eliminating Titans.
Cool Levi Ackerman Fact: Levi is nearly 40 years old.
9. Saitama – One Punch Man
Saitama, one of the most powerful beings in the universe, was created by manga artist One. He initially became a hero just for fun, but eventually sought recognition through the Hero Association.
10. Ash (& Pikachu) – Pokémon
There is no doubt that the cast of Pokemon is one of the most recognizable of all the anime characters.
As a result of the popularity of both the trading card game and anime series, this has occurred. The main protagonist of the story is Ash Ketchem, who is striving to become a Pokémon Master.
Pokémon Fact: Ash is Originally Named After Pokémon’s Creator, Satoshi Tajiri
11. Totoro – My Neighbor Totoro
A famous Japanese animation studio is Studio Ghibli. With its unique aesthetic and Disney-esque storytelling, it boasts a unique aesthetic.
Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro is perhaps the most famous. As the two main characters explore childhood and rediscover hope in the face of illness, he is a sweet and gentle spirit.
12. Light Yagami – Death Note
Death Note’s main protagonist, Light Yagami, learns that too much power can corrupt the will to do good.
While he starts off as a good kid with well-meaning intentions, he is also manipulative, cold, and ruthless. In a well-written story, his complex moral arc and character arc make him an unlikeable villain yet very popular.
13. Yugi Muto/Yami Yugi – Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh! was based on the manga by Kazuki Takahashi. Yami Yugi, the ancient spirit of Pharaoh Atem, was possessed by young schoolboy Yugi Muto in the original series that ran for 27 episodes in 1998.
It was always Yugi’s forte to play games, solve riddles, and solve puzzles. Yami, who is skilled at gambling, is released after the Millennium Puzzle is solved and they become the “King of Games” and solve conflicts this way.
14. Motoko Kusanagi – Ghost in the Shell
The anime film Ghost in the Shell is a neo-noir cyberpunk thriller. There are darker themes and a gritty feel to this game, like One Punch Man.
Man and machine are so closely intertwined today that it also explores the idea of identity in technology and what it means to be human. With her strength, skill, and intelligence, Motoko is a strong female lead who demands respect.
15. Spike Spiegel – Cowboy Bebop
In anime styles such as shounen, shojo, and kodomo, teenagers or children are the target demographic. Cowboy Bebop, on the other hand, is a neo-noir sci-fi series that appeals primarily to adults.
Spike Spiegel, the anime’s main protagonist, is one of the most well-known characters among older viewers. Onboard his Bebop spaceship, he travels across the universe as a morally gray rogue.
16. Eren Yeager – Attack on Titan
The protagonists of Attack on Titan are known for being complex and making you question good and evil.
The perfect example is Eren Yeager. As a young man impulsive and stubborn, his character arc begins normally. He later joins the Survey Corps after he swears to seek revenge after the Titans attack the city and kill his mother.
17. No Face (Kaonashi) – Spirited Away
Studio Ghibli has created an ethereal character named Kaonashi as well. In the award-winning film Spirited Away, this famous anime character is also known as No Face. As the main character, Chihiro, ends up in the spirit world, Kaonashi seeks her approval and friendship as a means of alleviating his loneliness.
18. Gintoki Sakata – Gintama
One of the most famous anime characters is Gintoki Sakata, the resident class clown.
An alien race known as the “Amanto” invades feudal Japan in the Gintama story. Samurai are forbidden from carrying swords after the shogun surrenders to the aliens with an unequal peace plan.
Nevertheless, eccentric Gintoki continues to work freelance, forming a team – the Yorozuya – with Shinpachi Shimura and an alien girl named Kagura.
19. Kirito – Sword Art Online
The popularization of the Isekai genre, a combination of portal fantasy and science fiction, has been attributed to Sword Art Online.
In the virtual reality game Sword Art Online, the avatar name Kirito represents Kazuto Kirigaya, a beta tester who becomes trapped in the game, where dying on screen is the same as dying in reality, with no way to log out.
Japanese light novelist Reki Kawahara wrote the series, while anime director Tomohiko Ito directed it. With 25 episodes, it was released in 2012.
20. Vegeta – Dragon Ball
The quintessential villain in the series is Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyans, where Goku is the ultimate hero. A ruthless killer, he is arrogant, full of pride, and full of pride at the beginning of the story. He is also very dissatisfied with Goku’s superior strength.
The fact that he has evolved over time is part of the reason why he is one of the most popular anime characters.
21. Midoriya – My Hero Academia
In a world filled with heroes, being born without superpowers (or quirks) is challenging. In spite of this, Izuku Midoriya, the protagonist of My Hero Academia, does not let this discourage him. Having idolized All Might, Japan’s greatest hero, he dreams of becoming a superhero.
A series of spin-offs and films have been produced for the anime series, which consists of 113 episodes and eight original video animations. This manga series was written by Kohei Horikoshi, who is still working on it.
22. Ken Kaneki – Tokyo Ghoul
Human-eating ghouls can make dating challenging, especially when they intend to feed on your flesh. Rize Kamishiro attempted to kill Ken Kaneki, the lead character of Tokyo Ghoul. He is transformed into a half-ghoul as a result of the doctors transferring Rize’s kakuhou into him.
As he attempts to adjust to his new life, the story is based on the manga by Sui Ishida. Keeping his identity hidden and preserving his humanity is a constant struggle between the nightmarish pull of his gruesome ghoul side. In addition to the original 12 episodes, multiple sequel series and original video animations have been produced since 2014.
23. Satoru Gojo – Jujutsu Kaisen
The series Jujutsu Kaisen debuted in 2020. The story follows Yuji Itadori, a cursed student, and is based on a manga by Gege Akutami. In addition to being one of the best Jujutsu Sorcerers in the world, Satoru Gojo is also one of the most recognizable anime characters. In addition to mentoring young students, including the cursed Yuji, he works at Tokyo Jujutsu High.
His ultimate goal is to restructure the Jujutsu world through education, which is why he focuses on training the next generation of Jujutsu practitioners.
24. Shinji Ikari – Evangelion
Fans can identify with Evangelion’s very human struggles even though it is a mecha-anime series with a lot of hybrids of machines and people. Characters created by Hideaki Anno were intended to reflect his own challenges and life experiences.
Shinji Ikari, the main character, is a perfect example of this. In order to stop the Angels from destroying all of humanity, he must pilot a giant Evangelion bio-machine.
25. Tanjiro Kamado – Demon Slayer
In addition to killing Tanjiro Kamado’s family, Muzan Kibutsuji transformed his sister into a demon. In the story, his main objective is to transform his sister, Nezuko, back into a human. As a result of the tragic backstory of this character, it is easy for them to become bitter and jaded towards the world. In spite of this, Tanjiro is one of the most popular anime characters due to his kind and compassionate nature.
Koyoharu Gotouge wrote and illustrated the manga, and 44 episodes were aired in the anime series.
