The realm of anime features all sorts of protagonists and heroes, some of whom fit the mold of shonen protagonist or shojo heroine, while others experiment with the formula a bit more to create something more unique. One way to measure an anime hero's personality is how chatty they are, whether they're talking to friends or interacting with a rival or enemy.
Fictional characters reveal a lot about themselves through dialogue, but they can also reveal something about themselves from what they don't say, and some characters can speak volumes with just a short line or total silence as they fight an enemy or other endeavor. Which anime protagonists are chatty, and which ones are more tight-lipped?
10 TALKATIVE ANIME HERO: Naruto Uzumaki Can Weaponize Words (Naruto)
Naruto Uzumaki aspires to become Hokage someday, and he'll tell that to anyone, whether or not they asked about it. Naruto knows the pain of being ignored and ostracized, so he makes up for it with pranks, antics and boastful words. He can be obnoxious, but not cruel or arrogant.
Naruto is quick to talk during a fight, and he will trade barbs with any foe. But he is most famed for his "talk jutsu," making emotional and personal appeals to rivals or enemies to win them over to his side. Zabuza, Gaara, Neji and even Nagato have all been swayed with Naruto's words.
9 QUIET ANIME HERO: Chad Lets His Fists Do The Talking (Bleach)
Ichigo Kurosaki, Bleach's hero, and his friend Uryu are moderate when it comes to being chatty vs. quiet in a fight or in other contexts, while their mutual friend, Chad, is even quieter. Chad is a loyal and brave friend, but he doesn't feel the need to keep talking about it. He'd rather prove it with his actions.
Chad tends to keep quiet during fights and only speak when he's announcing the names of his moves, such as El Directo. He's willing to chat a bit, such as when he fought Gantenbainne, but overall, he's not terribly talkative.
8 TALKATIVE ANIME HERO: Arthur Boyle Tells Everyone He's The Knight King (Fire Force)
Arthur Boyle is Shinra's rival and friend in Fire Force, and he will gladly tell anyone who'll listen that he is King Arthur, the royal knight. This is actually compensation for his parents abandoning him, but there's more to it. Arthur actually becomes stronger when he gets into character.
Arthur powers up as he talks himself up as King Arthur, and he'll loudly demand that his enemies respect and fear him as the king of knights. He'll also make all kinds of poetic proclamations during battle to the same effect, even if his allies find it ridiculous. At least it works.
7 QUIET ANIME HERO: Shoto Todoroki Is A Silent Hero (My Hero Academia)
Shoto Todoroki is something of a kuudere, a quiet boy who is rather self-absorbed and aloof most of the time. He has a lot of personal baggage, after all, but a hero can't be a total loner forever. Bit by bit, Shoto is opening up to his My Hero Academia classmates, forming rivalries and token friendships along the way.
Still, Shoto is a rather quiet hero overall, and he tends to let his powerhouse Quirk do the talking, usually in waves of ice or perhaps blasts of fire if he's in the mood. He's even quieter around his father, but the two of them are slowly building bridges.
6 TALKATIVE ANIME HERO: Edward Elric Has An Active Personality (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Edward Elric has a fierce temper, and he also likes to taunt his enemies or ask them insightful questions during battles in Fullmetal Alchemist. He's perfectly capable of keeping quiet in a library or research lab for hours on end, but that's an exception. Otherwise, Ed is fairly chatty.
Ed is quick to react if anyone teases him, especially about his height, and Ed is also a skilled negotiator and counselor as well. He can fight, but he'd rather resolve matters with words if possible, and he doesn't mind delivering lectures or pep talks if necessary. His brother Alphonse is fairly chatty, too.
5 QUIET ANIME HERO: Jotaro Kujo Is Coldly Silent (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Jotaro Kujo is the third Joestar hero, and he was the star of the Stardust Crusaders story arc. He is known for saying "good grief" in reaction to the antics around him, but not much else. Jotaro is a remarkably cool-headed and tight-lipped protagonist, especially considering how eccentric most other JoJo's Bizarre Adventure characters tend to be.
Jotaro will even snap at people and tell them to hush up, and he has no patience for idle chit-chat or long-winded speeches. Even when he scored his final triumph over DIO, he didn't deliver a sentimental speech. Instead, he spoke a short, terse line, and left it at that.
4 TALKATIVE ANIME HERO: Senku Ishigami Carefully Explains Everything He's Doing (Dr. Stone)
Senku isn't a social butterfly; he'd rather spend time researching advanced engineering or building a model rocket than go to parties or hang out at the mall with friends. But if there's a job to be done, Senku will gladly explain the inner working of his projects in remarkable detail. He sees no need to keep any trade secrets.
In the new stone age of Dr. Stone, Senku urgently needs allies, and it helps if he can cultivate the skills of fellow scientists and craftsmen such as Chrome and Kaseki. So, he'll tutor them endlessly on matters such as electromagnetism, chemistry and the laws of physics. He's like a college professor whose class never ends.
3 QUIET ANIME HERO: Nezuko Kamado Wears A Bamboo Muzzle (Demon Slayer)
Nezuko Kamado has very few lines in Demon Slayer's first season, and for good reason. The wicked Muzan Kibutsuji turned her into a demon, but she doesn't mean any harm, so she must travel discreetly in Tanjiro's wooden backpack during daylight hours. She gets no chance to speak with anyone.
Besides, Nezuko wears a bamboo muzzle to help keep her demonic hunger in check, and prevent her from biting anyone in case she loses control. Nezuko had a few lines in the first episode as a human, then went silent as a demon. That doesn't stop the fandom from loving her, though.
2 TALKATIVE ANIME HERO: Lucy Heartfilia Gets Easily Worked Up (Fairy Tail)
Most members of the Fairy Tail Guild are lively and chatty people, and that includes Lucy Heartfilia, the celestial wizard who joined in the first episode. Lucy is smart and crafty, and she also gets excited or agitated easily, and she won't keep quiet when that happens.
Lucy will happily talk to any of her many friends during downtime, and during adventures, she often comments on (or complains about) just about anything. In a fight, she'll give verbal orders to her spirit allies, and even get into minor arguments with them at times.
1 QUIET ANIME HERO: Thorfinn Karlsefni Is Moody & Keeps To Himself (Vinland Saga)
Thorfinn Karlsefni is among the quietest anime protagonists; since everyone already knows exactly what he wants, there's not much else to say. Thorfinn was more talkative as a kid, but now he's grouchy and silent, and intensely focused on getting revenge for Thors' death.
Thorfinn doesn't want to make friends, and he sees no use for psychological warfare, either. He quietly does what Askeladd tells him, and fights his enemies without saying a word. In between fights, he keeps to himself, silently stewing in grief and rage.