Action-packed shonen anime are full of physically fit characters due to the numerous battles in which they typically find themselves. Almost all shonen characters train hard to be the best they can be at their craft. However, there is a particular brand of athletic male characters who stand out among the rest: jocks.
Jocks are known for their competitive natures, strong physiques, and lack of social or intellectual knowledge. They hate to lose, but they never back down from a challenge. While this can put them in some precarious situations, jocks thirst to prove their strength and always come through in the end.
10 Ryouma Terasaka Finds A Place For His Strength
Assassination Classroom
Ryouma Terasaka is not the brightest student in Assassination Classroom. But what he lacks in intelligence, he makes up for in muscle. As an assassin in training, Terasaka prioritizes his brute strength, which often negates the stealth needed for assassination. Yet, he can always be relied upon to subdue enemies when the class is in a jam.
As one of the Class 3-E students, Terasaka feels that others look down on him. Because of this, he overcompensates with a brusque attitude and the braggadocio to match. Though he does come to embrace his flaws and accept his place in the class, Terasaka remains a competitive jock who knows how to throw his weight around.
9 Loid Forger Lets His Emotions Get In The Way
Spy x Family
Special Agent Twilight (known as Loid Forger) is a secret Westalan operative working in Ostania undercover in Spy x Family. While his main mission is to be the head of a fake family, he takes numerous side missions that constantly have him on the go.
Loid is incredibly athletic due to the nature of his job. Plus, as Westalis's top agent, he has a bit of an internalized ego that can be easily bruised. Additionally, Loid is practically clueless in love and often misreads his false wife's signals since he has never had a real relationship before. Though he can get caught up in his exhaustion and his own emotions at times, Loid always ensures to put the mission first — sometimes to the detriment of his own heart.
8 Ichigo Kurosaki Wants To Protect Everyone
Bleach
Ichigo Kurosaki is a stand-in Shinigami in Bleach. Since he was young, Ichigo has always had a strong desire to protect those he cared about. He attended martial arts classes for the specific purpose of being able to defend his mother and two sisters. Ichigo carries this same energy into his reaping.
Ichigo believes very strongly in justice and loyalty, which can interfere in battles. Unfortunately, he is also very affected when he loses — particularly when he feels he cannot save someone. Ichigo makes the perfect shonen jock because of his strength and unrelenting need to finish the fights he starts.
7 Yuji Itadori Is A Natural Athlete
Jujutsu Kaisen
Yuji Itadori is only a middle schooler when he faces his first Cursed Spirit in hand-to-hand combat. His natural athletic ability and compulsion to save his friends eventually lead Itadori into a life of Sorcery in Jujutsu Kaisen.
Itadori is not as smart as some of his Jujutsu High classmates, but his instincts help him to be a surprisingly capable fighter. He tends not to think before acting, but it, fortunately, pays off — most of the time. Itadori's raw athleticism and sharp instincts make him a quintessential jock trope.
6 Katsuki Bakugo Has Terrible Social Skills
My Hero Academia
Katsuki Bakugo is a talented hero-in-training who has a temper as hot as his explosions. Practically everything comes easy to him — especially when it comes to using his quirk in fights in My Hero Academia.
However, Bakugo falls short when it comes to social intelligence — a flaw that even costs him his first chance at a hero license. Thankfully, he is working on himself and has already made great strides toward a compassionate heart. Bakugo is a shonen jock due to his accomplishments in battle and his social ineptitude.
5 Roy Mustang Has Great Ambitions
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Roy Mustang is not one to give in. He is a relentless soldier who even fights through injury to win the day. His ambitions are high, and his strategic prowess is only matched by his subordinate, Riza Hawkeye, in the show Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Roy is one of several State Alchemists who specializes in a specific type of alchemy. In his case: Flame Alchemy — which he has honed to perfection. True to his element, Roy has a low boiling point and can fly off the handle when provoked. Even so, Roy is a top military man who easily rises up the ranks.
4 Erwin Smith Climbed His Way To The Top
Attack On Titan
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
Erwin Smith is the commander of the Survey Corps in Attack on Titan. Erwin is an unyielding military leader with excellent instincts and an unparalleled desire to discover the truth about the horrific Titans. Though he is not often the one killing Titans anymore, Erwin has displayed his physical capabilities more than once in battle.
Erwin’s biggest weakness is, unfortunately, his curiosity. It is only right at the end that he realizes how many people he climbed over to uncover his ultimate desire. Though he can be blinded by his hubris, Erwin is a formidable shonen jock.
3 Akitaru Obi Wants To Find The Truth
Fire Force
Akitaru Obi is the captain of Fire Company 8 in the anime Fire Force. Obi is a smart and shrewd captain, and he has an obsession with physical fitness.
Obi has a strong sense of justice and an even bigger desire to save people. As an ex-firefighter, Obi was a first-hand witness to the corrupt actions of the other Fire Force captains. Because of this, Obi all but works against the entire Fire Force — making powerful enemies. Obi may be an incredibly muscular man, but his fight for justice puts him in a lot of hot water.
2 Tengen Uzui Uses His Muscles To Save His Life
Demon Slayer
Tengen Uzui is a shinobi as well as one of the Hashira in Demon Slayer. As the Sound Hashira, Tengen uses sonic vibrations to track and combat rogue demons. He is incredibly strong. He even uses his musculature to save himself from certain death after injury.
Despite this, Tengen can be rude to others — especially girls and women he does not know. Yet, Tengen always charms his way back into people's good graces. He is a flamboyant and egotistic jock who loves the limelight.
1 Joseph Joestar Faces Challenges Head-On
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Joseph Joestar is the brash grandson of Johnathan Joestar from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Joseph is extremely cocky, but he also has the strength to prove his inflated self-worth.
Though his mouth can get him in a lot of trouble, Joseph always finds a way out — usually by using his fists or running away. Joseph never backs down from a challenge and confronts any enemy head-on. Though his friends and family try to temper his anger, Joseph is one stocky fighter that will not let sleeping dogs lie.