Humans bleed, and thus, they scar. Narratives use these imperfections as a plot device often associated with antagonists. Over time, this trope evolved that anyone can be blemished, regardless of their role and moral alignment. Whether it's an identifying mark or grounds for a tragic backstory, no two scars on an anime character are the same.
Appreciating blemishes doesn't come easy, especially in anime when the drawings are expected to be flawless. However, anime learned to portray scars in a great variety. Some titles even become memorable because of these characters with iconic wounds.
10 No One Can Forget Lady's Face
Devil May Cry
From the Devil May Cry franchise, Lady's silhouette inspired the anime's logo. While technically a video game, the animated series was released in 2007. Set between the first and second installments, the show introduces the protagonist Dante and his devil-hunting business.
Lady, a demon hunter, descended from a priestess who helped Sparda seal the gate between the human and demon worlds. The heterochromatic eyes and the scar that runs across her nose bridge makes her face stand out from other female protagonists'.
9 The Slash Is A Reminder Of Tatsu's Former Life
The Way of the House Husband
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Since its publication in 2018, The Way of the Househusband has become one of the best comedies and overall best series of that year. The story follows Tatsu, an infamous yakuza member who retires to become a househusband for his career woman wife, Miku. Every episode centers around his daily errands and encounters with people from everyday life, his former associates, and his enemies.
While he dresses up his yakuza suit and fedora with an apron, he still carries the scars and tattoos on his body. One scar on the side of his face starts at his hairline, drags down over his eyebrow, and ends at his cheek. It can only be assumed that he got this during a fight.
8 Criminals Like Yusei Are Literally Scarred
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's succeeded GX and is the second spinoff of the series. Set in the distant future, it focuses on their battle against the Dark Signers, and the Three Emperors of Iliaster. When it comes to defining features, Yusei's scar makes him stand out from all the other Yu-Gi-Oh! protagonists.
Technically, the yellow line under his left eye is actually a criminal mark. Branded by a laser, he got the scar as a punishment for unauthorized entry to Neo Domino City. The mark cannot be removed and is used to track and identify criminals.
7 Toriko's Iconic Three Scars Have Two Different Origins
Toriko
Ever since its original manga run in 2008, Toriko gained a ton of popularity and sold over 25 million copies. The author, Shimabukuro Mitsutoshi, took a lot of artistic inspiration from other popular anime titles to form the protagonist, Toriko.
His scars run from his left ear to just under his left eye. According to the canon story, he was born with this mark. In Oneshot 2002, the original pilot manga, Toriko fought against a Baron Bison with spiky tufts on its tails. This hit Toriko on the face, leaving permanent scars.
6 Shinichi's Mom Literally Broke His Heart
Parasyte
In the world of Parasyte, parasitic species of unknown origin that take over human bodies and eat human flesh start to take over the world. The protagonist, Shinichi, happens to be the only human whose brain is not affected by the parasite.
Shinichi's mother, Nobuko, was taken over by a parasite. She stabbed Shinichi in the heart as punishment for Migi's failure to host his brain. Migi healed Shinichi back to life using cells from his body. After repairing his broken heart, a huge scar formed on his chest.
5 Garfiel Scarred Himself During A Panic Attack
Re:Zero
Re:Zero's habit of introducing characters confuse a lot of viewers. Some of them appear to be enemies at first, only to turn out to be an ally later. Garfiel Tinsel belongs to this category. Growing up as a demi-human, he feared the outside world.
He protected others like him as a former guardian of the Sanctuary. Reliving his mother's death caused him to fall into a state of panic during his First Trial. He scarred himself by repeatedly bashing his head against the wall.
4 Mello Survives A Bomb Explosion
Death Note
After receiving multiple adaptations, fans have different theories about Mello from Death Note. Drama watchers think that Mello is part of Near's personality, while in the movies, he doesn't exist. In the original anime, L nominated Mello as a successor after his death.
He executed his own brand of justice by joining the mafia, using tactics like kidnapping Sayu for ransom to get his way. In an attempt to find Kira and the Death Note, he detonated bombs while being held at gunpoint. This left a burn scar on the left side of his face.
3 Ichi Is An Icon Among J-Horror Fans
Ichi The Killer
When it comes to horror manga publications, most fans think of Junji Ito. On the other hand, fans of the horror genre have heard of Ichi The Killer. While it got low ratings on IMDb, a high audience score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes means that it has a cult following.
The animated prequel, Ichi the Killer: Episode 0, focused on the origin story of the murderer. It's hard to forget the slashes that run across his forehead, nose, lips, and right eye. Due to his ambiguous backstory, viewers don't know whether the scars on his face were from a fight or self-inflicted.
2 Eren's Titan Form Took A Toll On Him
Attack On Titan
With the manga completed for over a year now, only anime watchers are left waiting for the Attack On Titan finale. Eren Yeager started as a boy with noble intentions, only to grow up and learn the harsh truths of the world. After the latest events in the story, fans begin to question Eren's morals as he slowly turns into a villain.
Shifter marks appeared on Eren's face for the first time in Season 2's finale. However, by Season 4, it becomes more permanent. The longer a person is in their Titan form, the longer and deeper the scars on their face are. They act as burn marks after being absorbed into the Titan bodies for long periods.
1 Himura Kenshin Has The Most Iconic Anime Scar
Rurouni Kenshin
When it comes to the topic of scars, Himura Kenshin is the first to come to the minds of classic anime fans. Rurouni Kenshin tells the tale of a former assassin and his life after making a vow to never take a life again.
Kenshin's iconic X-shaped scar was given to him by his first love and late fiancé, Tomoe, and a young samurai named Akira whom he was assigned to kill. For a man of his skill, getting wounded in the face comes off as unexpected. However, this served as a constant reminder of his promise and the sacrifices it took for him to turn over a new leaf.