Top 10 Best Anime Characters of All Time

Vote on who you think are the best anime characters in the anime world.
The Top Ten
1 L - Death Note L Lawliet, exclusively known by the mononym L, is a fictional character in the manga series Death Note, created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

Although, one may fight that L is just "another character" in the anime series Death Note, I believe that he is more than that. He is just like all of us even though we may not realize it. L choses to use a monotonous voice to hide any possible emotions. L has dealt with pain and suffering or a while that he decided to not show himself until it was necessary; the Kira case. Light Yagami was truly the closest friend to L but he knew that he was Kira. This must have hurt his soul to know that his friend was a killer. Throughout the anime, L expresses himself through solving cases, sweets, and conversing with various characters. These aspects show a lot of L's emotions but if only one could see that. We learn that L is a funny and pretty smart and to some, quite attractive. These detail lead me to believe that L is one of the greatest anime characters out there in the anime world.

Death Note made two of the greatest characters in the history of anime but you and I clearly know that L stands out among those two. The other one I'm talking about is obviously Light Yagami. L is so lovable as a character. Everything he ever says or does is so unlike any other character of person. He's himself. He's so awesome. He deducts cases what otherwise a general sleuth would take a year to solve in just a week. He's also the mastermind when it comes to observation. And he's got amazing psychological knowledge although he's not very social. If there's any creation that can stand up to Sherlock Holmes for the 'Best Fictional Sleuth', its most definitely gonna be L. The series got a little messed up when L died though.. I wish he lived on and solved the case himself. Anyways, even in the span of 20 episodes, L got to be number 1 on this list and that's satisfactory. He's deserving of it anyway. And yeah, you can't spell the words love or life without L and without L, the world is ...more

With his superior deductive and logical abilities, L is sure to outsmart all of these other characters instantly! I absolutely adore his character design too, I thought he looked like a rockstar when I saw him for the first time in the anime. Although he is described to have a cold personality, he is quite polite, and can be really sarcastic towards others (which I really enjoy) and is always willing to make some drastic and bizarre decisions to help him solve his cases, even if it does cost him his life. His smile, sweet addiction and awkward behaviour all ooze with cuteness too, which makes me love him even more. L has taught me how I can use my own logic to my advantage too. He will always be my panda-eyed, candy-loving hero!

L is probably the most interesting character in Anime, and not just a cliche good guy (Goku being one of the prime example) see L isn't what you can call a good guy, in fact some refer to him as evil, but in reality, he is actually a tool for justice. Think about it, he helped stop WW3, he solved over 4,500 difficult cases and saved probably millions of lives for doing so. However in order to do so, he had to be almost completely emotionless seeing how emotion usual will cloud our minds of the right choice. He had to be alone all his life, because he knew that people would cloud his decisions. Let's face it people comparing L to a person like Goku it almost a one sided argument. Goku is a very one note character seeing how he only really cares about fighting, and once you know Goku always win, the character is pretty much defined by "When is Goku going to power up to Super Sayain God Super Sayian 2 and win." Because that's it. That's all he is. Now compare that to the interesting ...more

2 Edward Elric - Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric, commonly nicknamed Ed, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series and its adaptations created by Hiromu Arakawa.

He is one of the few people I actually find attractive because of their personality. The fact that he's a blonde (I have a thing for them) has nothing to do with it.-D.Natasha

Edward Elric is without a doubt, one of my favorite fictional character within the anime world. He's the epitome of inspirational and respect in my opinion. Edward is a character with many flaws, but that's what makes him so much more phenomenal and relatable. He feels all the things humans are suppose to; love, pity, anger, guilt, sadness, etc. You just NAME it.

Even though in the surface, Edward can seem like a hot tempered young teenager, he has incredible depth to his character and he goes through SO much and endures through so many perils and grows from it. Character development is immense with Ed. He has a dark past, a very tragic one, from which his insecurities and guilt comes from. But from this, he also gains strength and determination to take responsibility for his actions.

He makes mistakes, but he's not afraid to stand his ground and deal with the consequences.

Ed is also one of the most compassionate characters I've seen, with one of the strongest ...more

Edward Elric is awesome- definitely one of my most favorite anime characters in anime. To me, Ed represents love, caring, inspiration, and loyalty. His many flaws add to his character a lot; in fact, if it weren't for these flaws, Ed wouldn't be someone you could relate to. But in reality, you could easily imagine how Ed would feel at the moment because he feels all the emotions humans feel.

When you first meet Ed, he can seem irritable, hot tempered, and easily angered. But as you delve deep into his past, you can see that he has gone through a LOT, and then you come to realize that these flaws are what make him human. His tragic and gloomy past is actually the fuel for his determination and strength to take responsibility for his mistakes. Also, he is not the kind of person to run away from his problems. Ed will face the consequences for whatever he has done; the thought of doing otherwise has never crossed his mind.

In addition to this, Ed is one of the most devoted ...more

The best. The best ever. He should be in first on this. He is so amazing it's beyond explaining. He is funny, and determined to pursue his goals, never giving up, even at a young age burned his own house down so he would have nothing to go back to and he had to keep going forward. He has a great relationship with his brother Alphonse, and his personality is so distinct you can just see him or hear him and think "Hey, that's Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist." I love him as a character, I don't think that they could have had a better person to fit the style of Fullmetal Alchemist.

3 Vegeta - Dragon Ball Vegeta is an anime fictional character from the anime series, Dragon Ball Z, created by Akira Toriyama.

He has to be my favorite character because I just feel like he is the living definition of saiyan pride. And plus Vegeta has some of the most badass scenes in the whole show.

Vegeta, the prince of all saiyans, is the best character of all time. He can push himself to the limit and further because he will not settle for second best. When freiza took him as a child his father and a whole army died trying to get him back because he is just that important. He never gives up and is always ready for a new challenge. He holds onto his pride because he knows he is awesome, and taunts his victims because he is not afraid to show it. He always has a witty comeback like " I did lots of push-ups and sit-ups and drank plenty of juice. " HA! So if you don't like Vegeta tell me, has a hater like you ever experienced true fear?

This guy here is the inspiration of my life! He is better than Goku in many aspects. He is way better tactician and Goku is just a bonehead. His plans has ALWAYS succeeded. Ge pushes himself WAY HARDER than Goku. Proof: Goku becomes supersaiyan training 100 times gravity. Vegeta trains in 450 times gravity...you heard me 450 times and he barely makes it. But every time he ascends, he is stronger than Goku because he trains way harder than Goku does. Besides Goku is one lucky dog He gets his training from great masters like roshi who teaches him his kamehameha move, king kai, who teaches him spirit bomb, he learns instant transmission from inhabitants of anothe planet, in short all his so called great moves are BORROWED. He does not have any move of his own. On the other hand vegeta does all the training by himself, develops HIS OWN moves and surpasses Goku in power twice. If he was as lucky as Goku he would be much stronger than Goku. And I'm just getting started... Still think Goku's ...more

Vegeta definitely deserves to be No1, not Goku. Maybe, as a Vegeta fan girl, I'm being a bit biased, but, still. Unlike Goku, who is in realistically perfect and was portrayed as the perfect character, Vegeta actually made mistakes. He went from being evil, and misunderstood to being one of Earth's strongest fighters. Unlike Goku, who had the perfect childhood and life, Vegeta had a horrible life. Also, if it weren't for him, Buu would've lived, and the androids would've won. Just those two acts alone made him more useful than the other Z fighters were throughout the entire series. -_-

4 Goku - Dragon Ball Son Goku (Kakarrot) is the main protagonist in Dragon Ball franchise created by Akira Toriyama in 1984. He has many abilities like, super strength, utilization of ki, flight, teleportation, super speed, enhanced reflexes, and Super Saiyan transformation that increase strength, speed, and durability. His real name was suppose to be Kakarrot because that's his Saiyan name, and he is the son of Badrock, and Gina. His brother was Raditz. When they sent Goku (Kakarrot) to Earth his grandfather Gohan took care of him. Later on Goku didn't realize it when he was a kid, but he killed his grandfather Gohan because it was a full moon, and Goku looked at it, so he turned into a giant ape.

Goku. He is the Jesus of Anime and the greatest anime Legend of all time. Even now in the Revival of F he is above everyone in the entire universe. Only one below him is Vegeta. I watched every episode in the ENTIRE Dragonball series since Dragonball Episode 1. I've tried searching for a character who obviously can't be as strong but as good as he is and haven't seen one beating him. I mean he's a perfect hero. Kind hearted, humor, never gives up EVER, defeats guys 10X stronger than himself, saved Earth many times except of course Majin Buu and GT doesn't count, and always test the waters of his enemy's transformations which is ballsy but hey he's a confident dude. You can see all these badass looking heroes that are standing there in the wind all dreamy and stuff but Goku doesn't care to be a badass which is why he is the best there ever was.

Goku will always bring about fond childhood memories and such, but does that make him the best anime character? I think not. Compare him to L from death note and his character looks mediocre at best and the depth of his character is shallow in comparison to said character L. I'm not saying Goku is a bad character I'm just saying he isn't truly number 1 in my eyes, what I am saying is that everyone needs to watch Death Note realize how awesome L is and vote him up to number 1 spot. Just do yourself a favor and before voting for Goku watch Death Note.

I don't understand why people like mr. Creeper (L) so much. There not much to him besides he was an orphan, he's weird, he likes sweets, & he's smart. Ok cool. I guess L is a good character, but in the end death note is a pretty boring show.

However, goku is such a great character that popular anime afterwards had their main character copy traits from him (eats a lot, childish, goofball, naive, oblivious to love, brave, heroic, kind, etc...). But it worked for goku because how he was raised by a nice old man secluded far from civilization so they didn't need to use 'he's a child' excuse like they do for all other characters that copied him. Of course I love other characters more than goku, but I think this alone should make it above a guy who barley shows any emotion.

I believe that Goku deserves to be #1 for several reasons. First of all, we've watched him since he was little through his life journey and adventures, and many people grew really attached to him, because he basically made their childhood. Second of all, the fact that he is one of the rare people who are able to fly on Kinto Un shows how pure hearted and uncorrupted he is. Third of all, Goku is the father of anime and you can't deny it. He is truly one of the most important and most powerful characters in anime history, and he inspired many other popular anime characters. Hate him or love him but that's a fact. Although almost same goes for Vegeta, but we're talking about Goku here. Dragon Ball was one of the most influential animes in boosting the popularity of Japanese animation in the rest of the world. Four, he is very loyal and protective towards his friends. He has pure spirit and only good intentions, and he doesn't fight to be better than others nor for power nor to brag about ...more

5 Naruto Uzumaki - Naruto Naruto Uzumaki is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Naruto, created by Masashi Kishimoto.

He is a big inspiration for everyone who have watched naruto. Naruto is not a character, he is an EMOTION, he is a charactter for whom we have no words to express, he's that iconic. I have watched so many anime but for me he gets the title for the FIRST position for best anime character.

Though this might be because I grew up watching Naruto, I voted for him since he really did have a good plot and background information. For those who finished, he had a saddening childhood, and yet never gave in to the hate. He always told everyone something similar to: "I'll become the Hokage, just you wait and see. Believe it! " And as we know he grows up to be a fine shinobi, conquering his enemies and even turning many into friends and comrades. Once again, for those who watched from beginning to the end, we got to witness as Naruto a kid became a teen, then finally an adult as he achieves his dream of becoming Hokage and even getting married and have kids.

I don't know why Naruto is not number 1, he never stop chasing his dream and reached it in the end, he tackled the prejudice and racist- like treatment and eventually became someone that wasn't feared by everyone but loved and respected. Naruto is the more relatable person on this list, "never give up and you will reach your goals", I mean why is goku up there he is basically "oh damn, I'm losing this fight, maybe I should change my hair colour" or "hey Gohan, I want you to fight cell, let me power him up first." Literally Naruto is relatable to, those kids that get excluded, people that get bullied based on what they are, aspiring young fighting- dreamers, basically everyone in the world.

Son Goku does NOT BELONG IN number 1! Why? Because people only judge him by his power. First of all, great poem by the way, that's gonna inspire most people. Most people below Goku are much better characters than him. To be honest, I find DBZ boring because everyone is too invincible. The villains are also bad without a purpose. But Naruto is more relatable and doesn't have a weird power curve. HOWEVER the best thing about Naruto is how he responds to his tragic backstory. His life was something a normal person would rather live without. First of all his father IS KILLED by the nine tails the ALL of a sudden people start to hate him and he's just a loner. The SASUKE, his best friend, leaves him for OROCHIMARU! Need I say more?!

6 Monkey D. Luffy - One Piece Monkey D. "Straw Hat" Luffy is a fictional character and the protagonist of the One Piece manga franchise created by Eiichiro Oda.

Luffy is one of the most savage characters in anime history. He defeated 50,000 of the fish men with just his Haoshoku Haki. He never gives up on his friends, and he's also one of the funniest and more simple characters in anime. His silly and idiotic attitude is what anime fans look forward to in One Piece. He influences everyone around him and brings smiles to people's faces. He even got the most beautiful character person in One Piece, Boa Hancock, to love him, which is a win in itself. Plus, there are a ton of memes on him too. He also doesn't hide his feelings, which also makes him a stand up character in One Piece. He also doesn't expect much in return, such as must characters in One Piece do. Coughs*Bellamy*coughs.* All the kid wants is meat to himself. Isn't that enough for the future Pirate King?

Luffy has been my favorite character since I started watching and reading One Piece over around ten years ago. People say he's a moron and shouldn't be the main character when it's not all true, yes, he is very child-like and doesn't listen to his friends, orplan things out, but his flaws make him feel more realistic to get attached to him. He cares about friends, almost getting himself killed by protecting them so many times, he went through so much at Marineford just to save Ace, only to have him die in his arms. He saves people he doesn't even know, because he cares. People say he's selfish for putting his friends in danger, when he isn't, they agree to help him with the task at hand. If they didn't want to help, he wouldn't MAKE them do it against their will. He's been through so much, it's a miracle that he can still smile

This guy here is stupid, but he has his absolute wise times to the point where it's scary. Luffy's devil fruit power does sound pretty weak, but once you see his full potential, you will immediately change your mind. Luffy is immune to regular bullets, electricity, or any blunt damage unless it is Haki infused. Luffy might as well be the only character in this list that can knock out over 50,000 men in just a glare, not even moving an inch. Luffy's Haki is something to be
reckoned with. Luffy is a friendly pirate who can at one moment be laughing away, next thing you know he is dead set on defeating you to protect his Nakama, you're going to be stomped.

The fact that he lost nothing of his signature huge grin even after the Marineford Arc (no spoilers here) is the reason he should be the second in this list. But not the first because the guy from Dragon Ball Z is there and I heard that Eichiiro Oda's favourite anime was that; so respect for my favourite mangaka's favourite. (Does this sentence even make sense to you? )

Either way, I "love" Monkey D Luffy's character. He's 17 yet he acts like a child in daily life. But when the push comes, he can get serious and push it right back. And I think this is actually the best way to live; don't take little things seriously and smile all the way, but also when you have to be serious; be serious. Love it!

7 Levi Ackerman - Attack on Titan Levi Ackerman is a fictional character in the manga and anime series Attack on Titan, also known as Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese, created by Hajime Isayama. He accompanies the main protagonists in the second half of season 1. His most notable feature is being "Humanity's strongest".

I think Levi is a great character because he has an amazing backstory and has a interesting personality. He is also definitely one one the strongest Ackerman when it comes to being a soldier or a corporal.

I couldn't decide between Levi Ackerman, Rin Okumura, Light Yagami, Kiritsugu Emiya, and Archer. There are things I like about all of them. Levi Ackerman's cold hostility and will to defeat Titans, but is an excellent soldier and a good person. Rin Okumura's powers as a demon, his short temper and amusing and sweet personality, and his goal of defeating his father, Satan. Light Yagami's noble goals and ideals and the mixture of justice and evil in his personality. Kiritsugu Emiya's ideals of making a world without tears and the fact that he's a total badass. Not to mention the losses he's had to experience for the sake of his beliefs and ideals are unreal. And Archer's childish, cynical, and cold personality, built on the fact that his life's work was just a waste knowing that humanity is hopeless and will never be saved. His fighting skills and his power is jawdropping as well. So I randomly decided on Levi since he was already high up on the list, even though he should be higher. ...more

Levi's not exactly one of the main characters of his show, but he is still the most loved and most popular character in the show and one of the most loved characters in anime. Has an extremely disturbed past (a reccuring theme in Attack On Titan) and has witnessed many traumatic things in his life, but Levi stays strong through it all. The thing I like most about Levi is his personality: He's real serious, sarcastic, and cold; but also very compassionate, protective, and a clean freak. I forgot to mention that this dude is a literal human beyblade, he's real overpowered. Also, Levi isn't just fan service, he is actually really important in AOT's story. For example (spoilers), he decided that Armin would get the injection and has saved Eren on multiple occasions. Without Levi, AOT wouldn't be the same, maybe even less people would like this anime if Levi were not present and lots of things in the story would have changed.

Levi is my absolute favorite character in AOT. He has a very strong willed personality. If there was anyone who could defeat the titans, it's Levi. There's no way you can't dislike Levi. Or should I say, Commander Levi? One of my favorite Levi scenes in the manga (or anime) is when Eren is walking alongside a patrol and he feels like someone is watching him. He turns around and Levi is behind him, staring at him intently. I love Levi because of his leadership, and he makes me laugh. He is my favorite AOT character and I wish I could meet him in real life.

8 Spike Spiegel - Cowboy Bebop

It is absolutely pathetic that Spike sits this low. I like L and Ed, but Spike is a more complex character than either, and Goku and Vegeta are simply not well written characters, especially not by Z and Super. They are iconic, sure, but simple, underdeveloped and emotionally shallow. Luffy is actually a good character, but not better than Spike. But there is nothing more insulting than Naruto Uzumaki sitting at five. What the hell is wrong with people. Naruto is one of the worst written characters created by a poor character writer. Listen, you can like Naruto. That's totally fine. But what Kishimoto is good at is action and fight scenes, not, in any way, his character work or story. Good god people.

NUMBER 1 ALL THE WAY. Spike is the epitome of cool but NOT in a cliche way. A clever, laidback badass with a human side and mysterious past..One would think that he's a cliche but he's NOT, he's just awesome. Even though he's a smartass, he's skilled fighter and a tragic hero too. His character isn't too perfect to the point that its unrealistic because he has his share of flaws. Unlike so many cool, intelligent guys in animes, Spike is believable and has a unique personality. Even a little philosophical.

I can relate to Spike, we both don't like drama even though we create it. He is clever, tough, and dreamy like I am. Even if he does have his annoying moments such as him being stubborn or getting violent sometimes, he does have his kind moments and it made me fall in love with him and want to be friends with him. He is my love! I also like his voice actors, especially Steven Blum! His deep voice always makes me go "It's Spike! "

He's an old-school stud. Anime these days is largely devoid of male characters that other guys can find interesting. Spike has it together. He's in a slightly older show, but he's still absolutely relevant.

9 Itachi Uchiha - Naruto Itachi Uchiha is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto.

Before you read this.. Beware of spoilers. Now... lemme start by saying Itachi's a hero hidden in the dark. He shows that no matter what, you need to move ahead and stop feeding on people's praise and what they think of you. I think he's a brilliant creation. I don't know for the majority out there but he's certainly the best anime character ever crafted and a perfect role model for many. He defended his village at the cost of his fame and pleasure. He knew he was gonna have a tough time but went on with it anyway. He did everything for the greater good and he loved his brother to the very end. Even after death, when being reanimated, he still wants to protect the village and everybody in it and he's the biggest reason why the war turned in favor of the Allied Shinobi. He's got a class of his own although he's got haters. He's the most mature, most deserving of all Shinobi but still considers himself inferior to everyone. That's called humility people.. His love was true to the very ...more

The best side character along with kakashi. He is a goat. No words to express. He has such an important arc in naruto and has a big impact as well. But he is really one of the best side characters in the entire manga/anime. I don't want to spoil his character. But he is a goat. an inspiration

One of my favorite characters in anime, because he has such a deep storyline... He is portrayed as the villain who slaughtered his clan, but in reality, his actions were made to protect the village that he so loved. And for most of the anime, Itachi's brother, Sasuke, hated Itachi, for what he did, but then he figured out why he did it all, and how his brother loved him... It's just such a deep story... Itachi also has some very distinct character traits, and his personality and story is shrouded in mystery, and it's just so amazing seeing his character being revealed through the anime... Itachi is just so awesome

Itachi Uchiha has one of the best plot designs in my opinion. As he grows up, we witness how he's talented and has a pretty mature understanding of the shinobi world. He graduates early from the academy and due to "reasons", he sees his squadmates die in front of him, therefore, unlocking his Sharingan at a young age. Also because of witnessing the suicide of his best friend, he unlocked the Mangekyo Sharingan as well. To top it off, he had to murder his entire clan, besides Sasuke because he loved him too much to kill him. He cried and suffered as his parents didn't resist, they just told him to take care of Sasuke. He shouldered the hatred that Sasuke held towards him for killing the clan as well. I found one of the most badass things about Itachi, was the fact that he went up to Danzo and threatened to sell out secret information on the village if he would ever lay a finger on Sasuke. He even had a crow Genjutsu implanted in Naruto for countermeasures if Sasuke ever attacked ...more

10 Himura Kenshin - Rurouni Kenshin Himura Kenshin, known as Kenshin Himura in the English-language anime dubs, is a fictional character and protagonist of the Rurouni Kenshin manga created by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

He doesn't have super powers but his agility. His power doesn't come from his ability to kill; it is coming from his will to protect everyone even his enemies.
His personality is the best I've ever seen. He is like a living description of perfect men. And when you watch the last film of the series; you will be having a hard time about not to cry.
He created a legend under the name of Hitokiri Battosai by slaying then he promised not to kill anymore. Then he started a new life as a Rurouni Kenshin Himura and created another legend with this name until he can't use sword. When he give up using sword he started as Shinta and created another legend too.

Based on real life events and characters, this story is one that I have cherished sine my childhood. Every character is memorable, the world created is logical & complete, and the author/artist is a regular person (with amazing talent) you can really warm up to.

The drawings are consistent, rarely cheap and simple, and the balance between text and image makes for a very enjoyable read.

Definitely the best I have ever seen and read. And re-read.

Ahh Kawakami Gensai! I will always love this character. The person he is based on died in the 4th year of Meiji holding the sword corps off as his wife and child snuck away. He was falsely accused of harboring enemies of the state because they knew how much of a threat he was if they ever had to face him.

He was such a great swordsman that the sword police could not take him even outnumbering him and they were forced to use a line of gunmen to shoot him in the back as he fought off the sword corps.

He did not have red hair nor a cross shape scar but was short and thin for a man, he was however noted as a man whom honored all those he killed and was a very VERY excellent hitokiri.

I agree that kenshin Himura is different from the other anime characters who are in the top 10. He relies solely in his ability and desire to help those who are in need. He is also vulnerable without his sword which makes him more of a real human. I think a lot of people can relate to his story. His character is just so great!

The Newcomers

? Touta Konoe - UQ Holder
? Karin Yuuki - UQ Holder
The Contenders
11 Ichigo Kurosaki - Bleach Ichigo Kurosaki is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations created by Tite Kubo.

Ichigo belongs at least at #2. He is the hero of bleach, and the way he shows that is so badass! He will protect his friends at all costs and do whatever he can to stop anyone who threatens his friends! I believe his speed would be able to keep up with goku at a very strong level, because of just how fast he is. His strength isn't as strong as goku because (well can't you tell the difference laugh out loud) but his powers help push that further. Ichigo also is inspiring, because he won't let anyone knock him down and if they do, they will pay the price 10 fold. He also never gives up and is always there for anyone! Ichigo is really #1!

He is one of the most sympathic anime characters ever, even though he can be an ass. He fights to protect, it's just impossible not to root for him. He is incredibly strong and has a valid reason to be. He is human, Shinigami and hollow at the same time and pretty much caries the faith of the world, but you'll never hear him complain. He is pretty funny too, his interactions with other characters like Rukia, Toushiro, Renji and Byakuya never fail to amuse me. And next to all that, he's damn handsome. Ichigo for the win

Why is Ichigo on #11 he literally went through so much just as the other characters he's one of the best characters ever bleach is so underrated it's really a great anime to be honest infact Ichigo is such a heart warming person he always tries to help and fix people he don't even know, he risk it all for strangers. He always protects his family and friends he's also overpowered and had a lot of character development.

A lot of people seem to hate Ichigo. But I, for one, am one many others who respect him. He refused to kill Ulquiorra after the latter told him to because he was already weak and Ichigo hated that he wanted him to finish him off because of it. He fights for his family, his home, his friends, hell, what else could a guy fight for in his life? Ichigo is the perfect example of a guy who's willing to lay down his life to keep everyone safe. Even if it means dying in the act.

12 Kakashi Hatake - Naruto Kakashi Hatake is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. In the story, Kakashi is the teacher of Team 7, consisting of the series' primary characters, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno.

One of the best side characters not just in naruto but in the entire manga/anime. He's such a badass. An inspiration. He has such an emotional childhood even emotional than naruto... he lose his teacher his friends and family. He deserves to be in the top 10 anime characters in the entire anime history... He is so cool even after the things which have happened with him... He was sensei and leader of team 7 ofc naruto sasuke and sakura... He has such a big role in their lives... He is so lovable... A GOAT

Kakashi Hatake it definitely my favourite anime character. He definitely has an extremely sad childhood, which in itself is an excellent trait in any character, but it's the anticipation that makes it exciting. From about half way through Naruto his past has been questioned and hinted at, just enough to get fans excited about it, but not enough that they're tired with it. Pieces of it are shown in Naruto Shippuden episodes, but even after it's reveled people from his past come back (in some of the biggest plot twists and potential spoilers of the series).
He has a fairly neutral personality, which makes the moments when he shows emotion that much more intense. Despite being a more serious main character than all but Sasuke, he has a lot of funny moments, and he's extremely loyal. He has lots of character flaws and highlights, but most of them aren't as obvious as with other characters. You need to dig to find them.
Also, he can summon a pug.

Sorry but Kakashi should be number 1. He has went through so much in the past and seeing him teaching Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura how to fight when they were younger you could see a bond between Kakashi and his students. He really cares about them and then when Sasuke grows up to only look for revenge and team 7 splits apart Kakshi tries so hard to help them and wait I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore.. there's too much to explain how amazing Kakashi is. Seriously deserves the number 1 spot on this list. come on GUYS/GIRLS VOTE

If I get into why he should be number 2 or 3, I'll be here literally FOREVER. His story is SO compelling. He demonstrates how one can persevere through PTSD, through grief. He's a powerful badass and extremely skilled fighter but modest about it. His character revolution is incredible. He's got the cool attitude, a bit of mystery and..I should probably end this now before the rambling starts, I might be here for the next decade...

13 Light Yagami - Death Note Light Yagami is a fictional character and the protagonist of the manga series Death Note, created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

Look, you know a character is good if you can hate them... but still love them! Light Yagami is an amazing character who is smart as heck, so I got really mad when he lost to a literal copy of L. That doesn't change that I love his character though!

Light was simply one of the best characters ever written and you can't really deny that. (in my opinion) He's a normal genius in high school who just happens to be the one who had to find the "Death Note". It changes his life as he believed he could bring change to the world, making it crimeless. He does however of course like most people in history, got corrupt on power and began to murder even those who were innocent. His clashes with "L", the greatest detective were some of the moments that made Death Note intense and amazing overall. Though some people probably don't enjoy psychological action and prefer just brute fighting scenes. (sorry DBZ though I'm not saying I don't enjoy the series)

Light starts out as a semi-likable High School Prodigy who befriends a Shinigami (Japanese god of death) and acquires an artifact called the Death Note that lets him kill people if he knows their name and face. He plans to kill off every criminal on Earth and create a Utopia.

Over time, he becomes a twisted murderer who kills everyone that comes close to standing in his way. What I loved about Death Note is that I never knew who I was rooting for... Light, the evil boy who wanted to create a Utopia? or, L, the detective assigned to figure out who is behind the killings. After Light killed both of my favorite characters in episodes 5-7, I hated him, and L became my favorite character. I just wanted L to gain the upper hand on Light so badly. But after awhile, I wanted Light to stay alive and continue his plan. The conflict and mentality of the show are what make it so good.

You should watch this show right now.

Throughout the whole of death note I tried to convince myself I hated him. I couldn't. Light is the insanity inside us, convincing yourself what he believed his wrong is so hard! I ended up loving him, more than L, more than every single character in the anime.I new he was doomed from the start but I cried all the same. He was the first 'bad guy' I could finally relate to.

14 InuYasha - InuYasha

Inuyasha is sometimes idiot. Especially, when he leaves Kagome to after Kikyo. But I really like this anime. I love this anime. And that crazy, amazing, dumb, hilarious, tragic, and cute love triangle between Kikyo, Inuyasha, and Kagome, and plus Koga! Inuyasha deserves to be part of the top 10. Some says that this anime is good but as they gone far, it gets boring. Well, I think none of any episodes was boring and I don't regret watching it. Just watch it! And all of your doubts and questions will be solved! :))

The name InuYasha is probably one of the most iconic figures in all of anime/manga. The Queen of Anime, Rumiko Takahashi outdid herself once again in this tale full with adventure, romance, and comedy. Let's leave it at this if you do not like InuYasha then you are clearly not a true fan of anime.

I totally wish I was kagome because Inuyasha is so cute and noble and I love his hair and ears and big adorable yellow eyes. Inuyasha is the best character ever!

InuYasha is one of my favorite Anime of all time. He is a cool character and his development over the course of the anime was excellent.

15 Lelouch Lamperouge - Code Geass Lelouch Lamperouge, whose real name is Lelouch vi Britannia, is the title character and protagonist of the Sunrise anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Lelouch. Where to even begin? A brilliant strategist. An awe-inspiring leader. Incredibly determined and devoted to his cause. Lelouch is both an amazing friend and a master of deception and lies. He is melodramatic, charming, and charismatic. He's got the best evil grin and wicked psychotic laugh. He is the murderer of hundreds of thousands of innocent people, becoming the most despised tyrant on the planet, yet he is still the sweetest, most considerate, caring brother in the whole entire world.

Although he is far from perfect, he makes mistakes because he is still human; and he certainly has some screw-ups of massive proportions (season 1, episode 22, anyone? ). However, these flaws only serve to strengthen his character as he becomes all the more relatable, dealing with unbelievable amounts of regret, pain, guilt, and responsibility.

And the ending of Code Geass? Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Exquisite. Indescribably, utterly, completely damn awesome.

ALL HAIL ...more

Lelouch should be #1 on this list in my opinion, due to his extraordinarily ingenious and tactical mind. This high school senior and vice president of the student council also is the scourge of the empire of Britannia named Zero. He is the pure definition of badass. His full human nature completely reflects the effect of which war does on all of us. An antihero he is. He remains partly evil yet all for a good cause. He raises an army, conquers the world, dies to bring peace to the world and (controversely) lives to see the future. I am fully convinced that Lelouch Lamprouge is undoubtedly the greatest anime character ever conceived. The boy manages to be a badass, a genius, and a student/ vice president of the student council whilst wielding the power of the king known as Geass.

Lelouch is one of my top 5 favorite anime characters due to the fact that not only is he a vicious genius, an ultimately good brother, and a lady-killer, but he is the only character who decided to stand up against oppression- no matter the cost- for the sake of everyone he loved. One could say that Lelouch is a cold hearted and manipulative because of his actions, but watching him play out battles like a chess grandmaster and ultimately *spoiler avoided + must watch Code Geass* is just great. All my respects for this great guy. All Hail Lelouch!

Lelouch is an outstanding character and deserves to be way higher on this list! He is one of the only anime characters that I have actually respected and followed through his entire story.

16 Eren Jaeger - Attack On Titan Eren Yeager, spelled Eren Jaeger in the Funimation dub, is a fictional character appearing as the protagonist from the manga series Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama.

I know a lot of people hate Eren. And so do I. But I voted for him because his personality is just like mine and I can relate so much to everything he says (And yes I am a loud and noisy b---h) I get made easily, I am very reckless and I always take big risks, I don't like when people save me or help me out (accept my mom because I need help with that math homework ), and I suck at teamwork. And these days you rarely ever see anime characters that trust in themselves and know that they ARE strong and up to the challenge. Eren is strong and he knows it.

I love Eren! Unlike DBZ, Naruto, and other god-mode protagonists, Eren felt very real. In other words, he's human! He has his flaws, and he's not afraid to show it. He feels EMOTION, and whether it hurts him or makes him stronger, that's what makes him a better character than most of these contenders. Seriously, Kirito? Unrealistic, boring, god-mode Kirito is above him? Come on everyone, let's make this list better!

keeping up with Eren Yeager has been a hell of a ride. Since the beginning he has been the most interesting character. Despite not having any specific talent he showed an extraordinary level of determination. And I think that says a lot about a character. It can be really hard to understand him fully sometimes especially when it comes to Mikasa. Despite everything that's been going on I think He has true feelings for her. He is clearly the most complicated character in my opinion and the best of course.

Dammit, Eren is arguably one of my favorite anime characters. He's similar to Naruto, very determined and passionate, but on a more intense level of hatred (towards the titans) that is pretty unique in a male lead character.
I think his character design is underrated. I love his design so much. In fact, most of AoT's characters were really memorable, design-wise.
I don't get why Kirito has to be bashed on for being in front of Eren, they're both pretty awesome.
(I personally prefer Eren based on personality but I'm conflicted because SAO was my first anime )

17 Yugi / Yami - Yu-Gi-Oh!

He is super caring, and would literally do ANYTHING to save... well... anyone! Right there with Naruto, Natsu, Eren, and so many other great characters!

One of the best of the best anime heroes, With Yami's bravery and Yugi's kind heart they form the best anime hero ever!

I Love yugi. It anoys me when he is called yugioh or a ten year old. He is a short 10th grader. He has the coolest hair ever to be drawn ever no doubts. He is adorable and extremy likable. I like all the yugios with yugi in them the other ones mean nothing to me. The origional before they started the card spinoffs was the best. It makes me wanna cry that it cannot be recognized for the brilliance of season zero (yugioh) and that it was cancelled.

I love Yugi! His big eyes are so cute! And I love it when Yami just crushes someone in a duel. He's so professional!

18 Yusuke Urameshi - Yu Yu Hakusho

All of the anime that togashi has made are amazing. This has such a creative plot and very different character design than HxH (another anime togashi created). When I started watching, I expected the characters to have similar style/design as HxH but I WAS SOOO WRONG. this is a great anime/manga

I love Dragon Ball Z, I love Naruto, I enjoyed countless others from SAO to Death Note to FMA but Yuyu Hakusho is a series I've watched since a kid and re-watched many times because no matter how many times I watch it it is amazing. Yuske being the center of that show makes my choice obvious. His love for Kaiko and his faux apathetic attitude makes him not the most complex but a very interesting character and his ability to continually improve despite his odds prevents me from saying anything negative about him. The show is amazing and this character is as well. I'm sad he's not in the top ten but I'm glad he made the top 15.

Yusuke is a great character and extremely well made. Unlike most protagonists in an action anime, he has the ability to lose and stick with it, although he does have rematches but at different time. As much as he can be short tempered, he cares and shows other feelings as well.

Yusuke Urameshi why isn't he one of the top ten? Yu suite has always been such a relate-able and lovable character oh my god! And until I turned 14 I used to pray every night god please make a spirit detective, koenma answer my prayers I remember the good old days waking up at 5am just to watch the repeat FOREVER FOREVER

19 Roy Mustang - FullMetal Alchemist Roy Mustang is a fictional character from the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series and its adaptations created by Hiromu Arakawa.

He has a couple of flaws, but so does every good character. He shows bravery in the face of danger, and he is so badass that it hurts. he has some of the best qualities out of any of the characters in the show. He has ambitions that you can't help but route for, and he's a lot more compassionate than he shows

Have you seen this guy? The flame alchemist was amazing! Watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and witness the savagery that was his fight against Lust and later, Envy. A strong, but intelligent and sometimes funny character as well. Loved Mustang

Flame alchemist, Roy ' Mustang. He may not look like much but he's just as badass as those on top the list. Without him the elric brothers would've failed to reach their goal not to mention, this guy totally kicks ass.

He was so awesome. His need to revenge for his friend... Oh god. So much passion. Well, he was a lady's man, and a little messed up in the end, and got easily angry, but these are the reasons he was so special

20 Yoko Kurama - YuYu Hakusho

Most intelligent character of all time. Inspiration of the nine-tails demon in naruto series and Kurapika of Hunter x hunter. Amazing different personalities from being rude to funny.

One of the best characters I have ever seen. Intelligent, analytic and good looking. He love for his family and friends makes him one of the best characters ever!

YuYu Hakusho is by far me all time favourite anime and a lot of that is thank to Yoko Kurama, he was just such a good character I couldn't stop watching the anime!

"The expression two faced has got nothing on this character. In Yu Yu hakusho he proves over and over again how amazing not one side can be but both can be. "

21 Trunks - Dragon Ball Z/Gt Trunks is an anime fictional character from the anime series, Dragon Ball Z, created by Akira Toriyama.

He's really handsome and in his kid form he's very cute. I like the idea of his friendship with Goten, one of my all-time cute characters! Also his voice both in his kid form and adult form is really cool!

Why is my single crush so low on this list. He was the one who changed future, killed androids, loved goku and everyone else.

Trunks is awesome and destroyed Frieza and King Cold within 2 minutes.

My 2nd favorite, awesome in dbzk because he has a sword, vegeta's son, cool hair, he and goten are awesome.

22 Killua Zoldyck - Hunter x Hunter

Okay, so let's start by stating that I am beyond triggered by where Killua stands on this list. First of all, he is a great character who is extremely intelligent despite being so young. He is smart enough to quickly analyze any problem at hand and deal with it properly. Second of all, he has a quite tragic past, but decides to put the assassination training he received to good use in helping Gon. Also, he somehow overcame his dark past and turned into a character with a great and hilarious personality. In my opinion, Killua is the best character.

Hunter x Hunter is my first anime ever. I only started to watch anime because I read the HxH manga and midway, fell in love with Killua, so I just had to watch the anime. And man, this is like the best thing existed (I was born for this). After HxH, I found lots of good anime, but yeah, nothing could beat this. I jumped and drowned into anime, all hanks o and credits for Killua. If only I never read HxH, if only I never saw Killua, I probably would never watch anime or watch, but years later. Killua will always be my favorite, and he always has this special place in my heart.

Killua just broke my heart... He grew so much over the anime! And despite his horrendous upbringing and the torturous training his family has put him under, Killua has managed to remain generally positive even after the pain he's endured! It's a miracle Killua is even able to smile at all! He puts his friends first over his own life without a thought! Killua is one of my favorite characters and he deserves to be higher! He's such a sweet, lovable boy!

Killua is almost my favorite anime character of all time. He had such a tragic past, but overcame it and is now such a happy, funny, heartful, and beloved character. Not to mention, he is a very skilled hero! He is also very loyal and kind towards Gon and his other friends. I honestly haven't watched Hunter X Hunter yet, but I definitely will! I also love how he is protective and caring for his friends and will kill whoever hurts them. This character is very likable and is amazing!

23 Kurapika - Hunter x Hunter

Kurapika. What can I say about him. He is such a great character and is so well developed. He has a kind and calm demeanor, but on the inside he is obsessed with revenge. The addition of Melody and Leorio really helped his development. His fight with Uvo was one of he most iconic HxH fights, and helped so much of the story come together

I like his intelligence and strategic skills mixed with sarcasm and an overall kind heart. Usually the smart badass characters aren't sweet and caring, so this was positively unique. I also love how he started off as just a weak quick-witted teenager and became an incredibly strong force to reckon with with great character development. I love watching characters grow, and Kurapika is no exception. His backstory with Pairo and the Phantom Troupe was very well done and utterly heartbreaking. His voice actress in the 2011 remake is great with emotion, and I capture his character so well that I laugh and cry with him. He's absolutely my favorite character in anime.

Kurapika is absolutely amazing. He's a total badass with his chains, and there's never a dull moment when he's on screen. But that's not the only reason I like him that much. He's an amazingly written character. His tragic past and revenge story is one of the best I've ever seen. For some reason I always felt bad for him every time he's on the screen, he had a great impact on me. He's much more complex than most of the anime characters. I love him so much. Togashi did such a great job!

This anime brought such amazing side characters I've never seen done so well in other anime. Kurapika story of revenge gets my blood pumping and can't help root for him. He starts from a nice determined boy into a vengeful man. He knows being soft hearted won't let him achieve his goals and I admire him for that.

24 Armin Arlert - Attack On Titan Armin Arlert is a fictional character in the manga and anime series Attack on Titan, also known as Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese, created by Hajime Isayama. He accompanies the Protagonist Eren Jaeger. He is mostly known for his smart and quick witted mind. His notable feature is wanting to explore the world outside the walls.

Armin is strong in both mind and strength. At first he might not seem like the most durable person, but throughout the series, he shows great acts of courage and determination, putting lots of things on the line for his friends, Mikasa and Eren. He even risks his life for Eren! If facing a huge bunch of government trained 'assassins' isn't enough to be awesome, I don't know what is. Like Eren and Mikasa, Armin is surely a character I'll never forget!

Armin Arlert may be seen as a weakling, but in fact, he is stronger than you all think.

Have you ever heard of the quotation that sometimes, strength has to bow to wisdom?

That's what it means.

It may not be seen directly, buf Armin doesn't know that his strategies and plans saved many lives. If not for his little hesitation to pull the trigger, Jean would've died in the manga. If not for him calling up Hannes, Eren and Mikasa would be eaten along with their mom. If not for his theory on Annie as the Titan, many lives will be taken away by the Female Titan. If not for his manipulation on Berthtoldt, their mission would've failed and Eren would still be kidnapped. If not for his quick thinking and strategical mind, the squads wouldn't be able to refill their gas and kill the remaining Titans.

Basically, he was always the boy behind the operation.

His personality is also highly relatable. He's nice, sweet, friendly and caring, but there is something ...more

Armin is maybe weak but his head saved countless people When you think about it, without armin, literally almost all the characters would have been dead. He was was the one that told hannes where eren and mikasa were. He was the one that came up with the plan to get into the supply room. He was the one that figured out annie was a titan. He was the one that helped save krista and retrieve back the 3dm gear. Without armin, humanity would have been gone by now.

From the moment when Armin gave his speech in season 1 to protect Eren and Mikasa I knew from right there that he'd be my favourite character in show. Yes he's not physically strong. What he lacks in strength he makes up for in brains. He's without a doubt the smartest character.

25 Izuku Midoriya - My Hero Academia Izuku "Deku" Midoriya is a fictional character and the protagonist of My Hero Academia, a manga series written by Kohei Horikoshi.

I don't know why anyone from MHA isn't higher up on list but Deku deserves at least top 10.
He inspires everyone to become the best versions of themselves and is so kind and adorably nerdy.

Midoriya is so kind and thoughtful, he never puts his needs before others. His passion to become a hero even though he has no powers is just so inspiring. He is so powerful, humble, and just so adorable. His character is deep when you think about the history of his rise to being an amazing hero. He deserves to be in the top 10 at least.

I don't understand why he's not in the top tens. He is literally the most devoted character in the world of anime. Not to mention his adorably dorky and pure heart that inspires us all to be our own heroes. Even though isn't real, I look up to him in so many ways. BNHA is the best anime and that's just the truth.

Izuku Midoriya is the spitting image of a true hero as interesting protagonist. He feels inferior to those around him because he was apart of a minority. He had overcome so many obstacles. I aspire to be like Midoriya.

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