The anime characters that people remember have unique personalities, stories that people will remember, and big effects on watchers. Westerners call Japanese film and TV animation "anime," while Japan uses it for any animation.
Due to its low production costs and popularity in popular culture, anime is created in many genres, from high-school comedy-drama to post-apocalyptic sci-fi and horror. Anime, with its emotive characters and restricted animation, has moved audiences and even won an Oscar.
There are five main genres of anime or manga based on audience.
- Kodomomuke: This anime and manga is designed for kids under 12. Their tale is straightforward and animated in color.
- Shonen or Shounen: Shonen is the most popular of the five anime types. The literal meaning of Shōnen is a boy. This anime targets 12-18-year-old guys. It mixes adventure, action, drama, sci-fi, and more.
- Shojo or Shoujo: The word Shōjo means young females. It is designed for 12-18-year-old girls. Shoujo is a female-led narrative about her life, unlike Shonen.
- Seinen: Seinen means “youth.” This anime targets adults, mostly men. Seinen takes Shonen's anime to the next level by having no theme or plot limits.
- Josei: The word josei means woman or female in Japanese, but in anime, it refers to the story's genre. Josei depicts realistic romances with all their challenges, unlike shojo.
10 Most Popular Anime Characters
Being a Japanese anime fan has never been better. Earlier, you could get a VHS with three episodes of your favorite show for $50. Those days are long gone. There are a lot of streaming services now, and anime is very popular. This is a great time for fans to watch new and old anime.
Not being able to be completely neutral about which characters are the most popular is one of the first things that must be taken into account. The most popular anime characters must be well-known outside of their fandoms. Even people who don't watch anime might be able to recognize these characters. And of course, there has to be at least one costume of these characters at every anime event.
- Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
One Piece became the best-selling manga in 2022. FoxBox introduced a generation of 2000s youngsters to anime with One Piece and Luffy. With his straw hat, blue breeches, and red jacket, the Straw Hat Pirates' youthful commander is a fierce combatant from a revolutionary family. His boldness and recklessness enchant and harm others. However, they make him a daring pirate and successful in his epic escapades. Luffy is our favorite anime character for these and other reasons. - Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)
The precocious Edward Elric reinvented the modern Shonen anime hero with his ambition, smarts, and wisdom. He wasn't the beloved but a dim-witted person with a golden heart like his predecessors. Smart, calculating, arrogant, and shrimp-sized. Most bold was the fact that Edward is crippled after losing an arm and a leg in a love-and-hubris-fueled disaster. Edward was multifaceted.
He could do comic sight gags and outrageous takes. He could depict the greatest despair under the worst conditions. He could be the sweetest man on Earth and a total badass. Most importantly, Edward learned hard, world facts and that he didn't know as much as he assumed.
- Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
For certain generations, Naruto was THE anime. The narrative of the young ninja trying to win community acceptance has been a fan favorite for years and even spawned its series. The lively, ramen-loving orphan is one of anime's most beloved characters. He was a beginner like many of us who struggled to find his feet, but he became a great ninja through devotion. The chakra of Kurama, a mythical nine-tailed beast, boosts Naruto's skills. Despite his link to the formidable beast, Naruto worked hard to become one of the greatest ninjas and anime characters. - Johan (Monster)
Johan, arguably the best anime villain, was a serial murderer who suited any blockbuster movie. Monster depicted a seductive, brilliant psychopath whose only objective was to murder everyone. Besides killing, he turned others into monsters. His corruption began in his youth when he used stories to entice the other boys at his orphanage to kill the staff and each other. The Death Note character, Light Yagami, is often compared to Johan; however, they are distinct. Light's ego, which makes him prioritize his personal life over saving the world, is his fatal weakness and genius. But Johan isn't scared of death. It pleases him.
He's willing to risk his life, and he actively challenges people to shoot him. Johan masters manipulation. He utilizes his brains and understanding of human nature, whereas Light employs supernatural means. Johan is most terrifying because he shows his victims' basic humanity. - Goku (Dragon Ball)
Goku, the template of current Shonen anime leads, was groundbreaking in his day. When brave, pint-sized Goku first arrived in Dragon Ball, masculine heroes had huge muscular heads (which Goku ironically became). Goku grew up, another major transition at a time when characters seldom altered. Dragon Ball Z made Goku famous.
Goku is DBZ's cornerstone, yet he's not always the most popular character. Heroism, strength, and determination make him ideal for a kids' program with basic themes. He may not be the most complicated anime character, but he's great for his purpose. Goku's influence, not intricacy, is regarded higher here. He defied his time and shaped shonen manga/anime for decades. Naruto, One Piece, and other manga/anime authors confess that Goku greatly inspired their stories and character designs.
- Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)
Bruce Lee's martial arts, Lupin III, and cool, cinematic noir, and cool make Spike Spiegel. Spike was a mix of elements that was larger than its components. Spike was the heart of Cowboy Bebop, a global mix of cultures. In the English dub, voice actor Steve Blum gave Spike a smooth, easy calm that many say eclipsed the Japanese version, launching his career. Spike was a skilled pickpocket, a gearhead who worked on his starship, a smart detective, a badass combatant, and a philosopher. Spike's history as a criminal and hopeless romantic was most intriguing. His love with Julia and its terrible conclusion follows him throughout the series, revealing Spike's true priorities. After Cowboy Bebop's stunning ending, Spike shines like no other anime character. - Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z)
Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyans, was typically Akira Toriyama's creative outlet; nevertheless, his Google Glass notified him that Goku's strength level was above 9,000! Goku's journey as the leading hero and blazing light of virtue was clear, while Vegeta's was winding. He began as a villain but became a reluctant friend, a foe, and a loving parent.
He couldn't cease being nasty overnight, and he sometimes relapsed. He was the prince of the Saiyans, but Goku always eclipsed him, which drove his evil activities. His ego couldn't take it for years until he grew and understood he didn't have to define his life that way. - Sailor Moon (Usagi)
Sailor Moon was one of the first anime characters many youngsters met, and her influence has never faded. Sailor Moon (Usagi, in her non-magical form) is one of the most beloved anime heroines, possibly because of her slogan "In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!" and her iconic attire. She's strong, humorous, and personable. Her long-lasting fanbase is partly due to her munching and resting as much as she kicks cosmic butt. It doesn't hurt that Naoko Takeuchi created some of animation's most dynamic and greatest characters, including Sailor Moon. - Shinji Ikari (Evangelion)
Heroes are frequently powerful, capable, gorgeous, confident, and unselfish, and have some intentionally added defects to make them approachable. However, Shinji wasn't who we wanted to be. He's disliked for being a terrified, whining, scary, hopeless coward. He challenges the viewer by not providing them with a shallow, vicarious power dream like many anime. Shinji represents everything despair tells them to loathe about themselves. He's not a dream departure. Escapist fantasy is fine, but anime can be used for more, and Shinji may have been the most emotionally real anime character. - Himura Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin)
Kenshin, a murderer who stopped killing, set the standard for later anime characters like Vash. He swears off murdering after years as a hired sword and slaying many adversaries. His pledge is repeatedly challenged when immoral people threaten national security. The samurai genre was refreshed by Kenshin. Uninformed viewers mistook him for a woman due to his femininity. One of the most courteous anime characters, he always placed others first and spoke to them with respect and patience.
He seems like a kind teacher or florist, not a warrior attempting to atone for years of violence. But those who push his buttons will find a savage beast underneath that placid veneer. Kenshin may go to a dark place and revert to the habits that made him the finest swordsman in the land when his hand is pushed. He's most afraid that he'll forever revert to a manslayer in his calmer moments.
Favorite Anime Characters - Honorable Mentions
Izuku Midoriya - My Hero Academia
Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, is the main protagonist in the anime and manga series 'My Hero Academia'. Born without superpowers in a world where they are the norm, he dreams of becoming a hero and enrolls in a prestigious hero academy to pursue his goal.
Satoru Gojo - Jujutsu Kaisen
Gojo is a character from the Japanese manga and anime series 'Jujutsu Kaisen.' He is a powerful and enigmatic sorcerer who serves as a teacher at the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College. Gojo possesses immense strength, speed, and intelligence, making him a formidable presence in the series.
Saitama - One Punch Man
Saitama, a fictional character, is the main character in the Japanese manga and Anime series One-Punch Man created by One. He is an independent superhero from Z-City who aspires to gain fame and carries out heroic acts as a pastime.
Sasuke Uchiha - Naruto
Sasuke Uchiha, created by Masashi Kishimoto, is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series. He is a member of the Uchiha clan, a well-known ninja family, and is allied with Konohagakure, making him one of the most powerful members of the clan.
Popular Anime Quotes
Here are some famous quotes from popular anime characters.
| Famous Quote | Character |
| "What are you so hesitant about? It’s your dream, isn’t it? It’s right in front of you, and you’re wavering? You gotta be reckless and take whatever you can!” | Tomoya Okazaki, Clannad |
| “If you don’t take risks, you can’t create a future.” | Monkey D. Luffy, One Piece |
| “Push through the pain. Giving up hurts more.” | Vegeta, Dragon Ball Z |
| “The strong should aid and protect the weak. Then, the weak will become strong, and they in turn will aid and protect those weaker than them. That is the law of nature.” | Tanjiro Kamado, Demon Slayer |
| “Hard work is worthless for those that don’t believe in themselves.” | Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto |
| “The important thing is not how long you live. It’s what you accomplish with your life.” | Grovyle, Pokémon |
| "It's quiet, but can you hear it? Little by little, the tides are changing, and the world with them." | Shakuyaku, One Piece |
| “Nothing’s perfect, the world’s not perfect, but it’s there for us, trying the best it can. That’s what makes it so damn beautiful.” | Roy Mustang, Fullmetal Alchemist |
| “If you never listen to anyone, you can't give proper advice.” | Monk Momoaki, The Boy and the Beast |
| "Sometimes you need a little wishful thinking to keep on living" | Misato Katsuragi, Neon Genesis Evangelion |
Who are your favorite Anime characters, and why, let us know in the comments below!
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