The success of an anime depends on the characters. These are the most popular anime characters available.
Like the beginnings of humanity, those who are at the top are the ones that are the most well-known, and this is the same for the characters and anime as the most casual of fans may find the choice of their next favorite anime guided by what they are exposed to most often, whether in the recommendations on YouTube as well as on t-shirts or backpacks of their fellow tweebs.
It doesn’t matter if it’s the most attractive, the best-looking, or the sexiest individual, anime as a medium by its most popular characters. They can perfectly distill all that is great about a show into a persona-like form or simply take over the show their characters; they provide a show worth paying for all on their own.
Like any other field in the world of animation, it has a competitive environment that is always changing. Although the studios are competing for a portion of their viewers, the anime characters themselves compete for interest, with the face of the industry always shifting in the public’s minds. Therefore, this list will add more faces who have been rising in the ranks of anime and adjusting to new ratings and votes in MyAnimeList.
Popular Anime Characters
15 Kazuto Kirigaya
Sword Art Online has grown into a giant in the world of anime, influencing the boom of isekai that people are familiar with to this day and becoming among the top popular franchises in the history of anime. Although every person in its diverse team has been a key player in creating the show, the main character is always the professional gamer, Kirito.
If they are enjoying his calm demeanor or his many adventures in the world of video games and romance, Kirito is filling up heart containers worldwide with his charm.
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14 Kurisu Makise
Steins; Gate was an important and influential show in many ways; however, creating one of the renowned Tsunderes from anime is the most significant one. Kurisu “Christina” Makise is the unpopular partner in science and crime to the main character in the series (more about him in the future). Her incisive tongue created an excellent rapport, and her charming personality complements the charming quality of the main actors.
Although they are admirable for themselves, They also added significance to the fact that Christina was told at the beginning of the series that Christina might die in the course the series. As the series progressed, the fans started to feel more and more about Christina, their loved Christina.
13 Hachiman Hikigaya
The current financial crisis has hit the industry of anime and among the more notorious delays is the long-awaited release of My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU. The biggest cause for the fan’s concern is that they’ll need to wait an extra few days for the anime’s self-deprecating King, Hachiman Hikigaya.
A true believer who actively contributes to the improvement of his fellow students. Hachiman is a great interpretation of the protagonist from high school that fans can’t be drawn to, and the people who invest the time to get to know him simply cannot resist falling in love with him.
12 Itachi Uchiha
Itachi Uchiha was the villain fans never thought that was bad when they gazed at his beautiful, Sharingan-filled eyes. Whether it was his iconic design or a mysterious story, or his cool movements, Itachi made millions of fans across the globe wonder why he’s not the Uchiha, the show’s main focus.
11 Killua Zoldyck
Hunter x Hunter is not just a one-character show. In the present, the show has shifted to a completely different viewpoint, allowing viewers to appreciate how diverse and intricate this dazzling Shonen could be if there were one person to illustrate how diverse and cool the series could be, the other Killua Zoldyck.
While the show attempts to place him in the role of Gon Freecss’ ally, Killua managed to grab plenty of attention because of his family’s mysterious past, deadly talent, and the constant pondering of his what he is doing and his morals.
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10 Sakata Gintoki-Gintama

This list starts with the comedy of the class, which can make anyone laugh or cry out at the drop of an eye. Gintama by itself is known as the best of comedy in anime, famous for its bizarre humor, lovable characters, and a plethora of pop-culture references. It can put Family Guy to shame.
The leader of the series’ motley group of clowns is “White Demon” himself, Sakata Gintoki. One of the pioneers during the alien invasion was the Japanese Edo. The period Gin is now working “odd jobs” across town to earn a living when it comes to working in a sushi bar or solving local police cases, or fighting aliens. The thing that elevates Gin to the top of this listing is the ability to perform straight-faced jokes, exuberant comedy routines for straight men, and charming and stoic lines. He plays cool as the innocent fool and hard-boiled badass with such ease that Gin truly has no competition in his field.
9 Naruto Uzamaki-Naruto
Sitting at #9 is among the most prominent characters from the well-known “Big Three,” the Hidden Leaf Village’s “Nine-Tailed Fox,” Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto is the epitome of “started at the bottom,” at the beginning of his career as an incompetent student at his ninja school to cause his crowd to cheer and cry as they watched him struggle and climb to the top of the ladder, learning with the best of sages and fighting the strongest ninjas and yet finding time to take care of his family members.
The #1 Knucklehead was a top choice in many anime fans’ hearts since he provided some of the best fighting scenes in anime characters, dramas about characters, and the underdog stories. A few decades ago, Naruto became the rare type of shounen hero who had the chance to fulfill their goals. He was crowned the seventh Hokage in The Hidden Leaf Village, making the viewers and readers who watched throughout the journey feel like proud parents.
8 Roronoa Zoro-One Piece
Showing that characters who are supporting and commanding officers can be loved by themselves and in their own right, the “Pirate Hunter” and first partner to Roronoa Zoro. Straw Hat pirates, Roronoa Zoro, are on this list. At first, Zoro was just a child with a loudmouth who believed that possessing more weapons meant that he was more powerful. However, with consistent training and the aches of losing a rivalry, Zoro would go on to master the famous three-sword technique and develop into the tough super-star that fans adore until this day.
In his quest to become the world’s top swordsman, Zoro has paved (in more instances and cut) the path to destruction, which has left behind structures of robotics and several of the most memorable characters from the One Piece’s most formidable enemies. He’s the cool rock that has backed and led Luffy to become the captain of the Straw Hats and a trusted friend who has proved to the fans the importance of loyalty on more than one occasion.
7 Rintarou Okabe-Steings;Gate
Moving away from the more combat-heavy series, this list enters sci-fi/suspense/visual novel territory as it looks into anime’s favorite mad scientist and the Future Gadget Research Establishment leader, Rintarou Okabe. Rin conveys everything that a struggling student at a college or STEM should strive to be.
He’s a student of Tokyo Denki University who’s decided to relocate his operation to Akihabara and set up his time travel lab as a leader composed of scientists who’re more of an otaku than scientists. Rin attracts viewers by his outrageous behavior but captivates viewers’ interest with his hidden level of honesty, suspense, and intrigue as the show deep into its characters’ mysteries, placing Rin in a myriad of high-concept moral dilemmas that provide already a fascinating character with plenty to explore.
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6 Light Yagami-Death Note
In a similar vein of high-concept suspense, moral issues, and suspense, the teenager is the hero of humanity and the savior of everything bad, “Kira” Light Yagami. The Light was once a good attractive student at the high school, where the pressures of family and society led him to become more detached from the ordinary aspects of everyday life. The chance of a lifetime was thrust at his feet, and he began the journey to world peace and mass execution.
After finding the Death Note and entering a friendship with the death god Ryuk, Light now has the power to kill anyone and anywhere by simply dictating their name and the reason for their death inside the Death Note. Assuming the persona as “Kira,” Light uses his newfound power to take down the criminals who have a shady reputation in the world, bringing closure to some while initiating an all-encompassing conspiracy/mystery for others. Light has led fans in the greatest anime cat-and-mouse chases with his dazzling imagination and quirky passion.
5 Edward Elric-Fullmetal Alchemist
As the main character in one of the best Shounen anime ever created, The “Fullmetal Alchemist,” Edward Elric has inspired fans with alike to a raunchy and underdog, morally conflicted human drama that many or none of the other Shounen characters can’t.
Following an alchemy experiment that went wrong, leaving Elric without arms and his soul in an armored suit, Ed has led fans on an incredible journey through existential and religious drama, political intrigue, tender friendships, and well amazing, high-concept battles for alchemy. Despite his loud, arrogant character, Edward Elric was the persona of an adventure for which anime fans worldwide prayed for a happy conclusion.
4 Levi Ackerman-Attack on Titan
A skilled master of blades that are different from the norm is the most powerful soldier in the world and captain of the Scouting Legion division and the Special Operations Squad, Levi Ackerman. Since his first appearance, Levi has earned more than just fan’s love because the man has completely earned the acclaim of his fans since his position being the distant, hard-headed captain has him frightened to Fullmetal Jacket level but is tempered by his calm demeanor and sincere care for his team and mission.
Beyond the leadership that draws viewers to watch, Levi is also an amazing fighter on the battlefield and has shown the best of the most thrilling moments of combating titans and soldiers. Anyone misguided due to his petite stature might quickly find themselves on the wrong side.
3 Monkey D. Luffy-One Piece
The most appropriate choice for #3 is Shounen Jump’s “Big Three,” the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy. The son of a famous revolutionary and the grandchild of a renowned marine, Luffy, was astonished to discover that he began his life as a small boy looking up at his hero in the pirate world, “Red-Haired” Shanks. After having eaten Gum Gum, the Gum-Gum fruit, and being raised by bandits, Luff went on to take on his quest to become the King of the Pirates with a charming group of outcasts and misfits that have imbued the series with a lot of character.
No one on the crew is more likable than the captain, as the fun-loving simple-minded rubber guy has inspired fans to beg, cry, and even stare in awe because his style of justice and liberty are as engaging as they are charming. Luffy is a man who’s easy to hate, and that’s in line with his status as a Shounen protagonist. However, his style of humor encourages acceptance and dreams in a way that the other Shounen protagonists simply haven’t.
2 L Lawliet-Death Note
Overtaking his main character counterpart is Light Yagami’s counterpart and the greatest detective, L Lawliet. It’s not surprising that L has had the same amount of votes because it’s just an attractive character. Whether it’s his extreme intelligence and eccentric personality, out-of-center posture, or sweet tooth diet, L just leaves an impression on the viewer’s mind that certainly increases the excitement of an already captivating suspense thriller.
Beyond being able to match Light in terms of intelligence, L is a perfect contrast in appearance alone due to his ineptitude on the social scene and a strange aura that permits L to slash through Light’s more sophisticated social and strategic thinking. In the war between the child everyone loves and the outcast who’s hard to ignore, L oddly wins out in a massive popularity contest.
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1 Lelouch Lamperouge-Code Geass
The top spot is a complicated character who leads intricate people in one of the anime’s most intricately constructed and multifaceted series. Lelouch Lamperouge was at one time the 17th prince in line for the throne but was forced to surrender his position following the murder of his mother and the dismemberment of his daughter. Being a political prisoner being thrown into exile in Japan while in school, Lelouch was able to find his way to redemption and revenge when he came across C.C. C.C., the mysterious girl who confers him with the ability to Geass, which is a strange power that allows him to control the actions of anyone at any time.
With his newfound ability, Lelouch continues down a path of destruction and redemption as he takes on the role of head of the radical organization known as the Order of the Black Knights, who betrays and lies to his family and friends and murders thousands of people along the way. The idea of seeing the kind of man he develops as his journey to the other end is thrilling enough to draw viewers to a profound emotional analysis of morals and human tragedy.