Anime is an exciting genre, often set in exciting locations. It only stands to reason that the characters who inhabit those worlds live thrilling lives, and because there are so many different worlds to see, that means more possibilities lie just beyond the horizon. Some characters almost have or have reached horizons, writing compelling stories just by existing.
For some characters, giant monsters, massive battles, and endless adventures are just the tip of the iceberg in their day-to-day lives. For others, it's something as mundane as climbing the corporate ladder. After all, "excitement" is a state of mind rather than a state of being.
10 Every Region Is A New Journey For Ash
Pokémon
Exploring the world of Pokémon is already exhilarating as is; imagine doing it as a seemingly eternally pre-adolescent child. For Ash Ketchum and his friends, that's a reality, traveling the world free of responsibility with what is essentially his army of magical pets. Just as the Japanese intro to the original anime states, Pokémon can be found everywhere, and Ash has virtually been all over the world.
In every region Ash visits, he finds new faces and new creatures to acquaint himself with, all to further his growth as a person and Pokémon Trainer. Also, considering his age, there's no doubt he's enjoying every step of the way as his journey continues.
9 Luffy Is Going To Become King Of The Pirates
One Piece
Only one word can describe both the Golden Age of Piracy in history and Monkey D. Luffy: freedom. With all the many pirate crews circumnavigating the world of One Piece, it's hard to sail the open seas without the smell of freedom, adventure, and fun in the air.
Half of what makes One Piece compelling is the masterful world-building laid out by Eiichiro Oda over his 25 years of work on the series. The audience has ventured alongside Luffy from the time he first set out to his promotion to Emperor of the Sea and understands how much the straw-donning seafarer enjoys his quest with every arc.
8 Tohru & Friends Bring Spice Into Kobayashi's Life
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
Kobayashi is a run-of-the-mill Tokyo office worker, and Tohru is the daughter of a dragonic commander; their meeting formed the bridge between two different worlds in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. Despite the simple dragon's antics, Kobayashi remains her usual aloof, matter-of-fact self, while Tohru treats every modern innovation with a childlike wonder.
Since Tohru grew up hating humans due to personal experience and the Chaos Faction's teachings, any positive aspect she can find in humanity slowly but surely reshapes her worldview and opinions on the beings she once vowed to destroy. When other dragons begin coming into the mix, Tohru learns that there is more to the world than pure chaos or harmony; everyone needs a little bit of both.
7 Hohenheim Has The Fate Of The World On His Shoulders
Fullmetal Alchemist
In the world of Fullmetal Alchemist, alchemy is a science in which its practitioners can perform feats that border on the impossible. However, there are still boundaries that can't be crossed, the biggest being the subject of immortality. Hundreds of years before the start of the series, Van Hohenheim involuntarily overcame this boundary, albeit at the cost of his entire country.
What makes Hohenehim's neverending life so interesting is that while he recognizes its perks, he overall despises his immortality and has spent his years since obtaining it looking for a way to destroy the creature that gave it to him. That, coupled with his two sons trying to save the world, makes his very existence a gripping narrative.
6 Tanjiro Is The Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba
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Demon Slayer's Tanjiro Kamado never thought he'd be doing more than selling firewood to the local mountain village, but life often works in mysterious ways. Where the anime is currently, Tanjiro is still getting used to his job of undertaking missions to find and hunt down the infernal monsters plaguing Japan on top of collecting blood samples from Lower and Upper Moons in the hopes of curing his corrupted sister.
With every high-ranking demon Tanjiro encounters and Hashira he teams up with, he learns more about his possible ancestry and the meaning behind Sun Breathing. He still has a lot of improving to do, but thankfully he'll always have his darling sister by his side.
5 Josuke Lives In A Wild, Noisy, Bizarre Town
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable
When the words "serial killer mystery" are mentioned, dark and misty city streets walked by a gruff, hard-boiled detective often come to mind. The fourth saga of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and its titular protagonist, Josuke Higashikata, are the polar opposite of that, with the town of Morioh lush with vibrant color and life.
Josuke finds himself putting an end to a crime spree following the murder of his grandfather, which ultimately leads to the discovery of a much bigger menace lurking in plain sight among the town populace. Add in psychic phantoms that can possess any number of abilities that are invisible to regular people, and viewers have an experience that can only be described as bizarre.
4 Guts' Life Is Exciting For All The Wrong Reasons
Berserk
On the surface level, the life of Guts (or any Berserk character, for that matter) looks astonishing and rife with blood-pumping encounters, but when looking deeper into what he truly goes through, no one would honestly want to be Guts himself. From birth, all the Black Swordsman has known is fighting and death, which only intensifies when he receives his brand signifying his status as a sacrifice to the evil creatures of the Astral World.
There's nothing particularly "fun" about the way Guts lives, in constant fear, frustration, and very little sleep. It is an exciting lifestyle, to be sure, or at least about as exciting as removing fingernails every single night can be, and that's nothing in comparison.
3 Riko Is Embarking On A One-Way Trip
Made In Abyss
Made in Abyss is a story about exploring a giant hole in the middle of town, or at least that's the summary in layperson's terms. Young Riko, daughter of a legendary Delver, understands the basic rules and conditions of the Abyss, including the most important: ascending the Abyss is more deadly the lower one goes. Intent on not turning back, this anime is actually a story about a little girl and her drive to live up to her mother's legacy.
The Abyss is teeming with secrets, creatures, and civilizations spanning back thousands of years. Having come close to death multiple times, Riko and her robotic friend, Reg, know a thing or two about excitement at its most extreme.
2 Akko Studies To Be Just Like Her Idol
Little Witch Academia
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Little Witch Academia was a short-lived but beloved anime that created a rich and colorful world that truly captures the spirit of "magic" as a concept, one that Akko Kagari throws herself headfirst into after seeing a magic show from the renowned magician: Shiny Chariot. Among the students attending Luna Nova Magical Academy, Akko is the only one without impressive magical aptitude, immediately making her the odd one out among her peers.
Despite everything, Akko never gives up, and her infectious optimism pushes her and everyone around her to do the same. She will go through whatever trials are necessary if it means becoming like Shiny Chariot, a witch who uses magic to inspire others.
1 Mash's Experiences Transcend Multiple Lifetimes
Fate/Grand Order
Mash Kyrielight, as befitting of a Pseudo-Servant classified as a Shielder, protects her Master from hell or high water, as well as the world itself. To do so, however, she must fulfill her task of traveling through and fixing seven time-space anomalies called Singularities that have altered human history.
In every Singularity, Mash gains nuggets of knowledge from a handful of famous names from history and mythology. Her journey is a dream come true for history buffs, a chance to pick the brains of humanity's greatest minds and fighters for their wisdom, which the young Servant absorbs like a sponge. How this will pay off near the end of Fate/Grand Order is yet to be seen.