As a genre, anime has introduced us to so many incredible characters. With such a rich history and extraordinary cultural impact, making such a short list of great characters is almost impossible.
Every fan has their favourites, from fearsome warriors to deeply relatable characters. Whether you're new to anime or a die-hard enthusiast, some of the picks here would be worthy of your list, too.
Of course, if you have any suggestions or glaring omissions we should have included, please let us know in the comments. To keep the peace, we've listed them here in no particular order and be warned that there may be spoilers for the Animes that these characters feature in!
Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
Luffy dreams of becoming the Pirate King by finding the legendary One Piece treasure. The carefree yet determined captain of the Straw Hat Pirates is armed with the stretchy powers of the Gum-Gum Fruit. Fans love Luffy for his boundless optimism and incredible resilience.
- Debut: 1999
- Notable Abilities: Elasticity, Gear transformations, Haki mastery
- Why Fans Love Him: Luffy's unwavering commitment to his friends and ability to bring hope even in the darkest moments make him a true hero.
Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
Naruto was initially an underdog ninja who dreamed of becoming Hokage, the leader of his village. Over time, he evolved into one of the strongest shinobi, mastering several different techniques.
Throughout the anime (and manga), his journey of self-discovery has deeply resonated with fans worldwide.
- Debut: 2002
- Notable Abilities: Shadow Clones, Rasengan, Kurama Mode
- Why Fans Love Him: Naruto’s perseverance, loyalty, and growth into a wise leader have solidified his place as an anime legend.
Son Goku (Dragon Ball Series)
Goku, the Saiyan warrior, is the epitome of strength and determination. From humble beginnings on Earth to becoming one of the universe's strongest fighters, Goku is generally loved for his cheerful personality and insatiable drive to improve and do the right thing.
- Debut: 1989
- Notable Abilities: Super Saiyan transformations, Ultra Instinct
- Why Fans Love Him: Goku's infectious enthusiasm and status as a global anime icon have made him a cultural phenomenon.
Saitama (One Punch Man)
Saitama is unmatched in terms of physical strength and can defeat enemies with a single punch. However, because of his unparalleled strength, he only works as a hero for fun and struggles with the lack of challenge offered.
- Debut: October 5, 2015
- Notable Abilities: Limitless strength, invulnerability
- Why Fans Love Him: Saitama’s comedic take on the overpowered hero trope and his humble personality make him unforgettable.
Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)
Levi is one of humanity's strongest soldiers. Using his Omni-Directional Mobility gear to fight the fearsome Titans, he's precise and ruthless in battle. He has a stoic demeanour but a deep sense of duty and cares for his comrades.
- Debut: 2013
- Notable Abilities: Expert combatant, tactical genius
- Why Fans Love Him: Levi’s quiet strength and unparalleled skill make him a standout in the brutal world of Attack on Titan.
Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)
Tanjiro embarks on a journey to avenge his sister, Nezuko, of her demon curse. He's compassionate and full of resolve and also happens to master Water Breathing techniques.
- Debut: 2019
- Notable Abilities: Water Breathing techniques, heightened senses
- Why Fans Love Him: Tanjiro's unwavering kindness, even in adversity, strikes a chord with audiences.
Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)
From defending humanity to a more morally ambiguous figure, Eren is one of anime's more complex protagonists. Without spoiling too much of the series, his actions tend to drive much of Attack on Titan's tension.
- Debut: 2013
- Notable Abilities: Titan Shifter (Attack and Founding Titans)
- Why Fans Love Him: Eren’s layered personality and dramatic character arc keep fans debating his motivations and decisions.
Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Gojo is the strongest sorcerer in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe. He's charismatic and powerful, and his space-altering techniques and playful, confident demeanour have made him a popular character.
- Debut: 2020
- Notable Abilities: Infinity, Limitless, Domain Expansion
- Why Fans Love Him: Gojo's blend of humour, style, and raw power is irresistible.
Giorno Giovanna (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Many of the “JoJos” of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure could have been picked to feature in our list, but Giorno is an interesting one as he attempts to rid the world of organised crime using his stand, Gold Experience (Golden Wind).
- Debut: 2018
- Notable Abilities: Golden Experience Requiem
- Why Fans Love Him: Giorno’s tactical brilliance and commitment to justice resonate deeply with fans.
Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Madoka is an anime character who transcends the typical magical girl character archetype. Her journey from an ordinary girl to a god-like figure is a great character evolution that fans of Puella Magi Madoka Magica enjoy.
- Debut: 2011
- Notable Abilities: Reality alteration, time manipulation
- Why Fans Love Her: Madoka’s selfless sacrifice and cosmic significance make her a unique and unforgettable character.
The Strongest Anime Characters
In the world of anime, it's fairly common for stories to feature strong characters and plotlines involving protagonists overcoming adversaries through battle or fighting.
Naturally, each of these characters exists within their own fictional universes with their own rules, so you can't really compare characters directly.
Determining the strongest characters in anime is impossible because of each series's variety, but many of them look pretty cool and are fun to draw.
However, for just a bit of fun, here are some of the most powerful anime characters and what makes them so strong. Most are known for overcoming adversity, protecting loved ones, or pushing the limits of what should be possible, even within their fantastical settings.
- Zeno (Dragon Ball Super)
- Controls and destroys entire universes effortlessly.
- Immortal and invincible.
- Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
- Unknowingly creates and alters realities based on her emotions.
- Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
- Rewrites the laws of the universe as a cosmic entity.
- Saitama (One Punch Man)
- Defeats any opponent with a single punch.
- Giorno Giovanna (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
- Golden Experience Requiem nullifies actions and traps enemies in an endless cycle of death.
- Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)
- Immeasurable cursed energy and invulnerability through Limitless.
- Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
- Master of transformations and Ultra Instinct.
- Yhwach (Bleach)
- Alters the future and commands Quincy's powers with god-like precision.
- Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)
- Commands the Founding Titan, controlling legions of Titans.
- Neo-Queen Serenity (Sailor Moon)
- Resurrects entire civilisations and wields galaxy-spanning power.
Ultimately, one of anime's strength is its characters, who are just as important as the events within the series themselves. Whether characters are shaping the fate of the world or the universe or simply overcoming personal struggles, many of us enjoy watching anime because of the characters we root for or against.
Anime covers such a wide range of genres from high-octane action to heartwarming slice-of-life stories. Everybody can have their own favourite characters from the most popular anime series and while we've leaned more into the fantastical characters from series that include mighty warriors, there are certainly plenty of more grounded and realistic characters that we could have focused on.
Even with far-fetched storylines and fantastical events and almost-perfect characters (and the opposite), we love to see ourselves in these characters or aspire to be more like them, even if just in aesthetic.
Which of these characters is your favourite? Which anime characters should we have included?
With so much diversity in anime in terms of series and characters, there's so much to choose from!
Learn More About Anime and Japanese Culture with a Private Tutor
Without entering into a debate about subs versus dubs, you can always learn more about Japanese culture like anime or the Japanese language with a private tutor on the Superprof website.
An understanding of the culture or language can greatly contextualise anime series, which often feature distinctly Japanese cultural references and societal norms. Knowing these can make watching (or rewatching) your favourite anime far more rewarding.
To learn more, you can search for private tutors on Superprof and start browsing their profiles today.
Even if you can't find local tutors, you can always learn from online tutors. Your tutor may even be in Japan and able to recommend new series that you haven't seen or heard of!
Many of the tutors on the Superprof website offer the first session for free so you can try a few before choosing the right one for you.
We recommend making a list of requirements for what you need from your tutor, whether it's learning Japanese, drawing anime and manga characters, or understanding Japanese culture.
From there, you can shortlist good potential candidates and get in touch with them to take advantage of the free sessions they offer.
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