Comic relief is an important part of many anime. It can balance the darker themes, offer moments of ease to mitigate suspense, and add laughter to otherwise tense fights and drama. A common way for anime to include comic relief is by including whacky or eccentric characters that can carry the moments of levity.
Often some heroes fill this role. Sometimes, they are serious characters who fill in lulls with sassiness and humor. Other times, they are characters whose entire personalities revolve around comedy and goofy antics.
10 Mineta's Character Is A Joke, Even If It's Not Funny In My Hero Academia
Mineta's character design and temperament are both silly and a source of humor throughout the show, but his interests and attitudes make him more of a joke than a jokester.
His place in the show is obviously a role of comic relief, and it does some through sometimes, but often his humor is at the expense of the female characters, and there is a lot of harassment involved. So, while Mineta is a literal hero with a comic relief role, he is not that funny to many viewers.
9 Kon From Bleach Is A Sidekick Who Loves His Antics
While Kon may look like a ridiculous stuffed lion plushie, he is anything but inanimate. Like Mineta, the eccentric Kon is obsessed with women, and this is a source of humor in the show, though also as with Mineta, for many it is a cause for being uncomfortable.
However, throughout Bleach, Kon proves to be a hilariously sassy and incredibly helpful friend for Ichigo, Rukia, and their comrades, making Kon a valuable character even though his design was obviously geared towards providing comic relief.
8 Fairy Tail's Happy Has Sass Enough To Power The Show
The fish-loving, mischievous talking blue cat, Happy is both the constant companion of the series' protagonist, Natsu Dragneel, and a source for a lot of the show's comic relief. Not only does Happy provide useful exposition for fans, but Happy's wit and sass also offer moments of levity and laughter.
The balance between comic relief and seriousness is difficult to achieve, but somehow Happy can always be on the side of humor and lightness, even when offering important but intricate world lore or fighting dangerous bosses with Natsu.
7 Zenitsu's Eccentricity Is Laughable In Demon Slayer
Zenitsu's character is obsessed with women, but unlike Mineta, he lacks the creepy factor. Instead, fans feel sorry for Zenitsu and can laugh at him. The fact that his incredible power only comes out when he is unconscious is also a cause for laughter.
Even when Zenitsu is being serious and performing the important duties of a demon slayer, he is still offering comic relief in the form of subverting the audience's expectations on what it takes to be a true and brave shonen hero.
6 Zenitsu's Antics Would Be Nothing Without Inosuke's Instigating In Demon Slayer
Zenitsu's comic relief would be pale if it were not for the addition of Inosuke into the main cast. This boar-head-wearing ball of energy is responsible for instigating many of Zenitsu's antics.
Since Zenitsu is scared of just about everything, it stands to reason he would be scared of someone like Inosuke, and this causes the two to engage in all sorts of slapstick shenanigans. While Inosuke would not consider himself comic relief, he and the crybaby Zenitsu together are a force of humor.
5 Saitama's Character Seems Like A Joke, But Things Constantly Work Out In One-Punch Man
Saitama can defeat any enemy with one punch, and how does he do this? Basic exercise like performing 100 sit-ups a day is responsible for turning him into one of the most formidable heroes on television. However, the mundanity of Saitama and his rise to prominence is exactly what makes this character so funny.
He is a complete subversion of shonen anime expectations, and because of this, his entire character is kind of a joke. This does not mean Saitama should not be taken seriously, though, because he can truly defeat any enemy with only one hit, even if it bores him.
4 Yuga Aoyama Is A Ridiculous But Loveable Character In My Hero Academia
Aoyama's Quirk is not so powerful that it needs the drawback it has, but in nerfing the character's power, the door to comic relief was opened. Even his Quirk's name, Navel Laser, and his hero name, Shining Hero: Can't Stop Twinkling, are sources of humor and laughter.
Unlike Mineta, his comedy does not rely on making others feel uncomfortable unless you count his inability to stop twinkling uncomfortable. Still, his eccentric personality and hero name are evidence that he is a hero built for comic relief, and he really is a thoughtful person.
3 Rock Lee's Obsession With Might Guy Is Hilarious In Naruto
While Rock Lee can get serious, his character is used primarily as a source of comedy, and perhaps this is why his character seems to fail a lot. Rock Lee owes everything to his mentor, Guy Sensei, and because of this, he dresses, looks, and acts just like Guy.
However, because Guy and Lee have such eccentric appearances, this is obviously used for comic relief. On top of that, Rock Lee's inability to use ninjutsu or genjutsu, which is supposed to be serious, is made light of via things like his drunken master abilities.
2 Might Guy Fuels The Comedy & Rock Lee's Eccentricity In Naruto
On the same note, Might Guy is another strong hero who is also made for comic relief. He is goofy, has a one-sided rivalry with the calm and cool Kakashi, and he goes overboard constantly.
Even when he is fighting his hardest, it can be hard to take him seriously and look past his clothes, hair, voice, and air-headedness. For example, in one of his battles with the Akatsuki member, Kisame Hoshigaki, it is a running joke that he cannot remember who Kisame is, though they had met previously and Kisame still held a grudge.
1 Alex Louis Armstrong Is An Essential Part Of Fullmetal Alchemist's Comedy
Alex Louis Armstrong, or the Strongarm Alchemist, looks exactly like what his nickname might suggest, an old-timey strong man. He is incredibly buff, has a bushy mustache, and a balding head with a curl of blond hair.
Despite his intimidating exterior, he is also an incredibly kind and warm-hearted person, and this juxtaposition combined with his goofiness is what makes him such a great source of comic relief in a show like Fullmetal Alchemist that is often dark, heavy, and full of intensely sad events.