It takes characters of every type to tell a good story, and that includes characters who might not be the most palatable. Whether they're obnoxious, perverted, or cowardly, there are a plethora of characters in anime and other media who are the furthest thing from impressive. Every story needs some foils to compare the better characters to, after all.
But everyone gets their five minutes of fame at some point, and that's no exception when it comes to even the most frustrating of anime characters. From amazing and heroic acts of strength to selfless sacrifices, there are many annoying anime characters who manage to pull off at least one admirable feat.
10 Zenitsu Agatsuma Protected Nezuko From Inosuke (Demon Slayer)
There's no denying that Zenitsu has a strong personality. He feels every emotion to the extreme and he's not shy about letting others know about it. From crying and cowering in fear to seething jealousy over Tanjiro spending time with cute girls, Zenitsu can be pretty frustrating. But despite that, he's got a strong code of honor. When Inosuke tried to attack Nezuko, Zenitsu stubbornly clung to her box and took quite the beating to keep her safe. What's most impressive is that Zenitsu knew a demon was in the box but trusted Tanjiro to explain why when he was ready.
9 Mineta Chooses To Be A Hero (My Hero Academia)
Minoru Mineta's primary character traits include cowardice and perversion. He's frequently caught up in lewd fantasies and even tried to peep in the girls' dressing room at one point. U.A. Academy is a place for future heroes, but it's hard to imagine Mineta in that role. This is why his actions during the Practical Exam are notable. Mineta had the opportunity to let Midnight knock him out peacefully with her Quirk, something that he lecherously fantasized about. But during this encounter, Mineta realizes that he really wants to be a Pro Hero and he manages to outsmart Midnight, fighting against his own nature and passing the exam.
8 Aqua Purifies Arch Wizard Keele (KonoSuba)
When Kazuma chose Aqua as his cheat item, he wasn't expecting her to be such a useless goddess. Aqua is an indulgent, egotistical crybaby who rarely comes in handy when the party is in a pinch. But, surprisingly, Aqua comes through when she's most needed as a goddess. Archwizard Keele had sacrificed himself to become a lich in order to save his beloved, who had already passed many years ago.
Keele was waiting for a priest to come and put him to rest so he could be reunited with his love in the afterlife. Aqua, who's usually quite disdainful toward liches, surprisingly does her job properly and sends off Keele with the grace befitting a goddess.
7 Sakura Ended Up Being An Amazing Medic (Naruto)
Sakura Haruno is infamous in the Naruto fanbase for being a much-disliked character. From her enduring selfishness to her propensity to be helpless in a fight, Sakura has become quite the target. Nevertheless, she performed many important deeds during her time as a ninja. Sakura's excellent chakra control and knack for learning led her to become one of the best medics of her time. She brought both Naruto and Sasuke back from the brink of death at least once and performed dozens of other remarkable feats while treating injured ninja during the war.
6 Kon Saves Three Students From A Hollow (Bleach)
As a Mod Soul, Kon's existence is unique... and limited. Perhaps that's why he's so fond of the earthly pleasures of the flesh. It is no exaggeration to say that this guy is a real lech when it comes to women. Nevertheless, Kon showed an impressive side of himself upon his introduction to the series. While running rampant in Ichigo's body, Kon senses a Hollow on the loose and chooses to fight it, saving three boys in the process. Because Kon is a Mod Soul, he has a very distinct way of viewing life, and he finds all life precious.
5 Misa Refuses To Sell Out Light (Death Note)
Misa Amane is another character that suffers from less-than-favorable reviews in the community. She's seen as a forceful, jealous, and impetuous child of a character who willingly allows Light to use her as a pawn. But Misa isn't without her positive qualities, and one of those is her undying loyalty. Although it was to protect a bad person, Misa still refused to sell out Light after she'd been captured by L. Instead, she opted to give up her ownership of the Death Note per Rem's suggestion, erasing all memory of her meeting Kira and being the Second Kira. She only retained her love for Light.
4 Motoko Gave Yuki A Much Needed Confidence Boost (Fruits Basket)
Motoko Minagawa is a troublesome yet enthusiastic third-year student at Tohru Honda's high school. She's also the head of the Prince Yuki Fanclub and served as a c omedic relief that jealously tried to keep other girls away from Yuki Sohma.
Motoko planned on keeping her feelings secret, but upon graduation, she decides to let Yuki know just how important his presence is to her without expecting anything in return. It was a surprisingly mature moment for her, and it did more for Yuki's self-esteem than she could ever know.
3 Okabe Saved The World (Steins;Gate)
Rintaro Okabe starts off as a quintessential chuunibyo, i.e., someone with the "middle school syndrome," often associated with annoyingly edgy and obnoxious characters who think they have secret powers. He spends a good portion of his time goofing off and pretending to be a mad scientist, much to Kurisu Makise's dismay. But Okabe is much more than an annoying "mad scientist" - he's a man who believes that anything is possible and always wants to do the right thing. Okabe has his reasons for being Hououin Kyouma, and he uses that same energy to take on fate itself and prevent World War III.
2 Yukiteru Offers To Make The Ultimate Sacrifice For Yuno (Future Diary)
As a verified crybaby and coward, Yukiteru Amano is a guy who can definitely get on people's nerves. He spends much of Future Diary in terror and confusion, with his indecisiveness getting him in trouble more than once. By the end of the series, however, Yukiteru has assured himself of one thing: he truly loves Yuno Gasai. He finds a way to make the Third World Yuno's life happy, a far cry from her First and Second World selves. Moreover, Yukiteru offers to die in First World Yuno's place so she can become God of the Second World. It's a rare moment where he shows true resolve and courage in the name of love.
1 Hercule Overcomes His Fear During The Cell Games (Dragon Ball Z)
Known as Mr. Satan in Japanese, Hercule is an egotistical showoff whose false bravado is only surpassed by his cowardice. He spends much of the Cell Games cowering on the sidelines watching the Z Fighters take on Cell one by one. At a crucial moment, Android 16's still-functioning head asks Hercule to take him closer to Gohan so he can boost Gohan's spirit and tell him it’s okay to fight. Although he's afraid of both Cell and Android 16's dismembered head, Hercule ultimately steps up to the plate and dutifully delivers Android 16's last words to Gohan.