Top 10 Best Fairy Tail Characters

Fairy Tail is packed with some of the most unique, memorable, and beloved characters in anime. From the fiery determination of Natsu to the unshakable strength of Erza, the guild is full of personalities that have left a lasting impact on the fanbase. But who really stands out to you?

Maybe it’s a character's growth throughout the series that pulls you in, or their loyalty to their friends, or maybe they just make you laugh every time they're on screen. Whatever the reason, the Fairy Tail universe has given us a lot of favorites to choose from. And now, it’s up to you to help decide who rises to the top.
The Top Ten
Erza Scarlet

Erza can rarely be beaten in strength, but she could never be beaten in love, character, and friendship. She cares for her guild as though it is her home, and it is. Her original home is no longer around. The guild of Fairy Tail is her home and her life. Without Fairy Tail, she might as well be dead, and without Erza, Fairy Tail would be dead too. Nobody compares to her heart and reliability.

She trains like a beast and never gives up. I could only dream of being as self-confident, self-sufficient, loyal, persevering, reliable, honest, and powerful as her. Some people think they can live up to Erza and be better or make a draw, but almost nobody can withstand the power of her honor, loyalty, and strength.

Even Wendy, a 12-year-old girl, couldn't compare to Erza's loyalty. Wendy lost her home too. Fairy Tail is her home. She has more loyalty than probably anyone... except Erza. I have had dreams about someday being in the anime world and meeting Erza. I never wanted to wake up. In conclusion, Erza is the best character in Fairy Tail!

Gray Fullbuster

Gray Fullbuster is my favorite character for many reasons. (This is going to be long) First of all, his backstory is tragic. (SPOILERS) He was blamed for the death of his mentor, who sacrificed herself for him, and as a result, his childhood 'friend' grew up to hate him. He watched his parents get murdered by a demon, and then his guardian, who he was closest to, got killed while murdering that same demon. Just when he thought his father was alive, he dies in front of him. And yet, he lives on, and is brave and selfless.

Secondly, his fights. Now that he has devil-slaying magic, I believe that he's possibly stronger than Natsu (Maybe equal to END?) and maybe matched evenly with Erza. He can freeze literally EVERYTHING! His abilities are great, like his blood-ice thing. He uses his brain as well, such as producing magic too fast so that Rufus' mind couldn't keep up, freezing his own blood because of one detail Ultear mentioned, working with Lyon to figure out Racer's secret (that episode also showed the incredible accuracy he had).

Third, his quirks. His stripping habit is hilarious, and the way he gets into fights with Natsu is enjoyable to watch. He is compassionate, as he supported Gajeel, saved Juvia even though she was the enemy, forgave Ultear, etc. He has flawless acting skills and has worked as a double agent many times, like with Daphne, being forced to start the Dragon Chain command. There's more, but this has already gone on too long. And that is the reason why Gray Fullbuster is my favorite character.

Jellal Fernandes Jellal Fernandes is a childhood friend of Erza Scarlet. When he lost his own memory, he was a Dark Mage who desperately sought to revive Zeref via the R-System. Jellal served as the main antagonist of the Tower of Heaven arc and is currently a member and co-founder of Crime Sorcière.

This dude totally deserved the top spot. He had been through so much: first captured by his captors when he was young, got possessed, nearly died (and then got saved by Wendy), lost all his memories, and got arrested for something that wasn't actually his fault because he was being possessed. He totally deserves to sit back, relax, and enjoy the sunset. Yet, he devotes himself to destroying dark guilds and societies that threaten "peace" to atone for his 'sins', which technically weren't even his fault.

He never stops, no matter how much hate people have for him, no matter the risk of being arrested again, and no matter how much of his horrible past is brought up. I also like that even though Erza and Jellal obviously care for each other a lot, they know how to keep their distance and don't get all lovey-dovey. He shows how much he cares for Erza not through loud actions, but in subtle ways. An amazing character with even more amazing character development. Totally deserves 1st place.

Natsu Dragneel

Natsu is my life, everything! He is my hero and my inspiration. He is so loyal and incredibly attractive. He cares about his comrades and always protects the ones he loves. The anime itself is so good, and Natsu is just my favorite character. I don't know why he is not ranked higher. He is funny, awesome, and inspiring. His powers and the life lessons he imparts are inspirational. He never shows his weakness and helps others like Lucy and Happy. He has both a soft side and a tough side. His quotes are quite inspirational. His character truly makes him amazing.

Ultear Milkovich

She should be #1, and let me explain why: Despite not being a member of the Fairy Tail Guild, the sacrifices Ultear made for them and for the world are immeasurable. By sacrificing her youth and lifespan, she gave Gray a second chance at life, rescuing him from death, as well as saving the lives of others (Droy, Macao, Bacchus, etc.), enabling them to defeat Future Rogue. Earlier, she had saved Natsu from being killed by Future Rogue by attacking him with her "Flash Forward," which forced him to flee.

Then, during the Alvarez Arc, she broke through Dimaria's Age Seal using just an astral projection and saved Wendy from being slaughtered by the Spriggan. Here, we see this formidable Ice and Time mage counteracting one of the strongest spells cast by one of Zeref's Shields. Additionally, using the same astral projection, she granted both Wendy and Sherria with Third Origin. Although only Sherria successfully activated it, it allowed her to take down Dimaria with a single blow. Ultear truly deserves to be #1.

Juvia Lockser

Juvia is my favorite character! She deserves to be at #1, but I am sad she is ranked lower. I went from despising her (because she trapped Lucy) to being the world's biggest fan of Juvia. I really don't understand the hate here.

I personally like Juvia very much. I know the way she loves Gray skirts madness, but if you are following the manga, you've seen what she has done while battling Gray under Invel's spell. Against all odds, she broke through his spell and tried to take her own life so that Gray would be free of the chains and could beat Invel, which he did magisterially.

My respect towards her skyrocketed when I saw her killing Keith, probably the first time she killed someone since she joined Fairy Tail. The huge amount of mature feelings and thoughts that surfaced during that fight are beyond description. Hence, she is my favorite female character in Fairy Tail.

Mirajane Strauss Mirajane Strauss is the elder sister of Lisanna and Elfman, who possesses “Take-Over” magic, which allows her to take shape of animals, other wizards, or her “Satan Soul” forms. Mirajane is also an S-Class wizard who was rivals with Erza Scarlet when they were both young, often challenging her... read more

Criminally underused. Her personality makes her easy to like because she's an angel around her friends, and then you find out that she's also a complete savage when she fights, using Satan Soul. I wish we saw more of her: more of her backstory (the small amount that we got during the Tartaros arc was great), more fights, and more times where she uses the demons that she took over (I really wanted to see her use Seilah more and not just put a bunch of people to sleep). Hopefully, she gets more time to shine in the 100 Year Quest.

Lucy Heartfilia

I personally find Lucy to be conceited when it comes to her looks and annoying when she simply sits back and watches as Natsu, Gray, Erza, and others save everyone. However, when she gets up and fights, she's fairly strong. She has a lot of potential, and I believe her power isn't as great as Juvia's because she spent much of her life cooped up in a mansion.

Lucy is also incredibly smart, though a bit naive and superficial, and she cares deeply for her friends. I think the reason she's not as driven as many of the other characters is that the traumatic events in her past weren't as severe. Overall, she's either my fifth or sixth favorite.

Laxus Dreyar

The ultimate example of character development, and one of my favorites in the series. Laxus is first introduced as someone who acts as a superior and looks down at everyone else in the guild, even his grandfather Makarov. But after the Battle of Fairy Tail, you can see how much he cares for the guild and for The Thunder God Tribe as well. What makes Laxus outstanding, however, is that his transition is not just a 100% bad-to-good change like Minerva. It's a realistic one, as he still retains some elements of his old personality.

Sting Eucliffe

Do I need to explain? He is kind, loving, and adorable. I'm not going to talk about how attractive he is because that will make me sound like the other comments. His character made such an emotional impact on me. The loss of Lector completely changed him, a genuinely unique character who was not born evil. He was abused, bullied, and rejected. Now, as Sabertooth's master, he ensures the well-being of every comrade, guild member or not. His character even makes huge impacts on the mains, particularly Natsu (we can see this via the episode 'Natsu's Mind' - Natsu's subconscious creates an image of Sting to guide him. Not Gray, not Lucy, not even Igneel, but Sting). The fact he picked Sting shows the huge impact he has on others as a character. I love him to bits, and any haters really need to look at his character development and personality. Because personally, he is my all-time favorite anime character.

The Newcomers

? Zera

One of my favorite characters in the series. In terms of character development, she's near the top. When we're first introduced to her, she's the spoiled daughter of the Red Lizard Guild master. She's rude, bossy, and looks down on Mavis.

Seven years later, when she first encounters the treasure hunters, she still retains that same personality. However, she gradually changes. As the more rational of the two between the carefree Mavis and her, she often theorizes logical decisions for Mavis to help keep her out of trouble. She also becomes shy, as staying seven years on Tenrou Island with only Mavis has made her social side disappear.

As Fairy Tail Zero progresses, you can see how much she cares about Mavis, but also how she finally begins to warm up towards the treasure hunters, becoming more polite and respectful of Mavis's interactions with them, even though they can never hear or see her until the end.

When it's found out she's an illusion, for me, that's one of the three saddest moments in Fairy Tail. She had such a huge impact on Mavis for seven years, and then entrusts Yuri with her. Her gradual change from rude and snobbish to kindhearted and respectful helps make her one of the best characters in the series.

? Macbeth

I always thought Midnight was really cool. His powers always felt surreal, and it's interesting when you hear him talk. Whenever he is in an arc with the rest of the Oración Seis, it's always so fantastic to watch.

I understand some people don't feel that way, thinking his mentality and attitude in correlation with the main characters are disgusting. Too bad, but really, seeing the things he and his group had gone through, I disagree.

Also, I can't find another hot goth/punk boy who wears black lipstick as well as Macbeth does.

The Contenders
Gajeel Redfox Gajeel Redfox is a fictional character from the anime Fairy Tail. He is the Iron Dragon Slayer. He was an antagonist in his first appearance, fighting main character Natsu Dragneel. He later ended up turning to Fairy Tail's side, and most commonly fights alongside Levy McGarden and Panther-Lily.

Gajeel is one of the best Fairy Tail characters. He may act cold and uncaring, but he really does care about the guild, especially Lily and Levy. At the end of the Tartaros arc, who remembers him comforting Wendy when the dragons were disappearing? He is quite like Vegeta in a way. He is quick to adapt and has so much power. He literally absorbs Rogue's shadows and uses it combined with his iron dragon magic to defeat Rogue. And we know he is better than any singer. Gajeel is an amazing character that really deserves to be much higher on the list.

Freed Justine

Freed is just the sweetest, most intelligent, most handsome, kindest, and all-around amazing little cinnamon bun you have ever laid eyes on. Voting for him is easy!

Freed is absolutely my favorite character. His magic is powerful and elegant, and he's much more complex than any other character in Fairy Tail.

Freed is AWESOME! He was nominated for S-Class! This guy is strong, kind, protective of Laxus, and smart. (Does anybody remember when this man had a buzz cut?)

Zeref Dragneel Zeref Dragneel is a character from the anime/manga series, Fairy Tail, created by Hiro Mashima. He debuted in chapter 200 of the manga, and episode 96 in the anime. In Fairy Tail, Zeref is considered to be the strongest Dark Wizard of all time, who was under the Curse of Contradiction. He is the founder... read more

Zeref Dragneel is the best! He is the most complex and interesting character in Fairy Tail. A lot of the characters in Fairy Tail have unique backstories, but Zeref definitely has the most tragic and devastating one, which makes him all the more sympathetic. Almost every character in the series misunderstood him as a malevolent being who had no heart, but in reality, Zeref is a very kindhearted, sweet, gentle, compassionate, selfless, and well-meaning individual who spent centuries feeling miserable because of his curse. Not even his younger brother Natsu understood him, despite being aware of the curse (though he did eventually realize his mistake in Fairy Tail: 100 Year Quest), which is just sad. Thankfully, Zeref died happily after being loved back by Mavis Vermillion.

Zeref's portrayal in both the manga and the anime is outstanding. I'm a huge Zeref fan and I think he's very underrated and deserves to be number one. I just wish he had more scenes because his kind of character deserves it.

Rogue Cheney

I don't understand why he isn't higher. He was the only member of Sabertooth that questioned what their guild was doing, even going as far as to call their guild's motives wrong. He didn't join them in the arena when they were going to throw down after Minerva hurt Lucy, nor did he watch Minerva beat her up. He also has such a soft side for Frosh, which is adorable. And then there's the whole shadow thing. He's had to deal with the fact that in the future he could kill Sting, and yet he still strives to be happy. Honestly, I love Rogue. He should be at least 12th.

Wendy Marvell

Why isn't she higher? I love Wendy! Disliking her is nearly impossible. It's great getting to meet Wendy and Carla. Who doesn't love Wendy?

Honestly, Wendy should at least be in the top ten. When she was first introduced, she was very shy and modest, mainly using her powers for healing. Since joining Fairy Tail, she has become more confident and stronger. She even achieved her Dragon Force at twelve years old, while Natsu didn't until he was a young adult. Wendy also has an amazing personality. She's kind, sweet, and modest.

She may have flaws, like being reserved and quiet around certain people, but overall, I think she is easily one of the best characters in the Fairy Tail series.

Meredy

Meredy, although she isn't shown too much, is, in my opinion, a great character. She is very strong and developed a lot in the short period we saw her. She claimed during her scuffle with Rusty that she lived in the present and he lived in the past, meaning she's optimistic and has a reason to live - live for your friends.

I think she should be number 1. She has been one of the only characters in Fairy Tail who I really liked then ended up hating.

Sweet, beautiful, caring, cheerful, and with great character development. Meredy is really underrated.

Mystogan

Wasted character. Every time Mystogan was on-screen prior to the Edolas arc, he was awesome. He put everyone in the guild to sleep and completely destroyed the branches of Phantom Lord, stalemating Laxus. I definitely wanted to see more of him and his abilities. I especially wanted to see how his relationship with Wendy would progress. However, their reunion and farewell were in the same arc, which is kind of lame. Regardless, Mystogan will always be a savage, even if everyone forgets he was one of the original S-Class wizards.

Loke Loke is a recurring character in the anime show, Fairy Tail. He's a heroic, but flirtatious friend of Lucy.

His backstory was so sad! He's my second favorite character (besides Gray) and definitely needs more love.

I don't know who could be cuter than Loke.

Loke is so cool, and no one is better!

Kagura Mikazuchi

This woman could destroy anything without even unleashing her sword. That is power! If it wasn't for Erza telling her about Simon's death and getting Kagura so emotional (which broke her focus on the match), then I truly believe that she could have taken Erza down. While watching her fight, I truly thought to myself, "Erza might lose." Super strong, a great wizard, needs more screen time. Also, she wears clothes! She's not running around trying to fight in high heels and a bikini. She looks like a warrior, and I love that.

Happy

Happy is the right name for this cute flying kitten. His cheerful smile and voice are so appealing to me and always warm my heart. I love how in the show Happy would have his own scene, whether he is dancing or eating fish. It's always what I look forward to the most in each episode because this little cat just knows how to make someone happy.

Happy might be the greatest animal sidekick in all of anime. Combat-wise, he doesn't have much value. But his comic relief in the series is unparalleled. Fairy Tail might not be the show it is without him.

Lyon Vastia

I actually think Lyon should be in the top ten. He's super handsome, and at first, he was quite obsessed with becoming better than his master, Ur, and seemed quite vain. But later on, his more caring characteristics come to pass. He adores Juvia and does everything to try and please her. He even asks Gray when he was planning to marry Juvia. He obviously struggles with the thought but overcomes it by thinking about Juvia's happiness. Why does Juvia like Gray when he is so absurdly mean to her?!

Lyon is an AMAZING character. He was super sweet when he was a kid and has awesome skill when it comes to his magic. Did I mention his hair?

Rufus Lore

Awesome magic that can make or combine magic, and I don't know how he got two-shot by Gray.

Gildarts Clive

He is one of the strongest wizards in the entire anime, yet he remains nice and not arrogant like some other characters. He is like a father to many guild members. He even cheered Natsu up when he knocked him down in the S class trial and still let him pass.

Why is he here? Fairy Tail's strongest mage, and the fourth strongest overall (after Zeref, Acnologia, Igneel at 1, Mavis at 2, and August at 3). He is stronger than the Spriggan 12. In chapter 417, we see him breaking a hill with a punch, which only Igneel and Acnologia have done in one blow. He fought Acnologia and survived. Most people forget that. All of Fairy Tail's core members, excluding him, couldn't even get Acnologia to be serious. This goes to show how strong he is.

Mavis Vermillion Mavis Vermilion is the first guild master of the infamous guild Fairy Tail. She started as a poor young girl with no parents and friends. She worked for the guild Red Salamander on Tenrou Island. Tenrou Island is also the island that belongs to the Fairy Tail guild where her grave is.

SPOILER WARNING

WHAT? Put her on #2! Brilliant story about the formation of the guild! I relate to her so much! Her story with Zeref is great, and I love her illusion magic! It suits her because she is so clever, yet imaginative and happy! She's also very strategic! The game with Yuri was really great! I love her, and I think I relate to her even more than any other character! She's adventurous and insightful and just wants to travel and help the world be a better place! Wonderful character development, and I love her and her friend's relationship! It was so terrible when she got cursed! I was so happy when she got her body back, though, and her and Zera's relationship is so beautifully done!

Orga Nanagear

Cool, strong, hilarious! When he sings, it's pure mosh delight!

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