While anime covers a wide range of plots, characters, settings, and themes, it is not uncommon for two (or more) characters to end up sharing a similar backstory. Often, similar magic systems or outside inspirations can lead to similarities between even the most different of characters.
While many of these characters can be from the same show, acting as foils or mirrors for one another, many of them are from drastically different tales. Often, these tales are so different they span across different genres.
10 Naruto And Gaara Were Both Ostracized After Having A Demon Sealed Within Them (Naruto)
Naruto Uzumaki (Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village) and Gaara (Kazekage of the Hidden Sand) hail from the same anime. While many of the characters in Naruto serve as foils or mirrors for the main protagonists, Gaara presents an interesting case, as he and Naruto were both Jinchuriki.
Being a Jinchuriki meant housing the spirit of an ultra-powerful tailed beast. Due to the volatile nature of this condition, the two boys were isolated from the rest of their villages. It was because of this experience that the two were able to become great Kage.
9 Rock Lee And Maki Had No Innate Talent But Decided To Become The Best (Jujutsu Kaisen & Naruto)
Rock Lee was born with no talent to manipulate and use his chakra, forcing him to resort to mastering and relying solely on taijutsu. On the other hand, Maki Zenin could not use Cursed Energy or see Cursed Spirits. To compete with her sister, her clan, and the other Jujutsu Sorcerers, she learned to wield cursed weapons.
While both of these characters were at a disadvantage compared to their peers, they were able to become brilliant fighters using more traditional, physical means. Their hard work and determination made it all possible for them, and they were able to keep up with most of their compatriots.
8 Sakura And Usagi Both Got Magical Powers With The Help Of A Talking Animal Guardian (Cardcaptor Sakura & Sailor Moon)
Sakura Kinomoto and Usagi Tsukino are both 90's magical girls who became guardians of good when a talking animal helped them awaken special powers, and both of them were still in school. The major difference between the two is that Sakura's main objective is capturing Clow Cards by herself, while Usagi fights the forces of evil with the other Sailor Senshi.
Both magical girls help define a genre that inspired a generation of anime fans with pretty outfits, magical powers, and empowering strength.
7 Hyakkimaru And Tanjiro Both Lost Their Families Due To A Demon Menace (Demon Slayer & Dororo)
Though Hyakkimaru and Tanjiro have drastically different goals for their demon-hunting pursuits, the two of them nonetheless last their families to a bunch of demons. While Hyakkimaru's father gave him up as part of a pact he made with the demons, Tajiro's family was killed by demons.
Still, both of them devoted their lives to hunting down demons, and they both travel with a companion who holds secrets of their own. In Hyakkimaru's case, this is Dororo, and in Tanjiro's case, it is his sister, Nezuko.
6 Kakashi And Gojo Were Both Childhood Prodigies Who Ended Up Teaching A Band Of Three Misfit Children (Jujutsu Kaisen & Naruto)
Both Kakashi Hatake and Gojo Satoru were considered prodigies when going through their respective academies. They also became geniuses at their craft and were feared by their peers and enemies alike. They are each wise and powerful, but they are also aloof.
They both ended up in the same place, training a group of three students to become the next generation of their respective organizations. On top of all that, they each cover up a part of their face (Kakashi wears a face mask and Gojo sometimes wears a blindfold) and have icy white hair.
5 Lelouch And Light Were Both Incredibly Intelligent Characters Who Tried To Bring About Justice After Gaining A Magical Power (Code Geass & Death Note)
Lelouch Vi Britannia and Light Yagami were both men who came into interesting and mysterious powers. What's more, they both have a strong sense of justice and will do anything to see their vision through. To do this, they utilize not only their newfound powers but also their incredible intellect.
Lelouch wanted to stop his family and their imperialist chokehold on Japan, while Light wanted to rid the world of dangerous criminals. They treat this venture like a game of chess while using their respective abilities, the Geass and the Death Note respectively, to bolster their moves.
4 Ginko And The Medicine Seller Both Carry Around Boxes And Deal With The Paranormal (Mushishi & Mononoke)
In Mononoke, the nameless medicine seller fights Mononoke and solves supernatural mysteries amid a beautiful and surrealist backdrop. Ginko from Mushishi performs similar feats, dealing with mysterious events involving Mushi. Both carry around a box on their backs while they wander the land in search of new cases.
What sets these two characters apart is the style of their respective anime. Mushishi has an ethereal and idyllic aesthetic, while Mononoke is whimsical and surreal. Furthermore, the main character of Mushishi is human, while the Medicine Seller is more supernatural in origin.
3 Nanachi And Emma Were Both Orphans Who Lost Loved Ones To Their Captors (Made In Abyss & The Promised Neverland)
Both orphans, Nanachi and Emma experienced horrific trials that resulted in the gruesome deaths of their friends. Nanachi was turned into a rabbit-like creature when Bondrewd experimented on her by sending both her and Mitty to such a depth in the Abyss that resurfacing changed their bodies. Mitty had the worst of it and became a blob-like creature. Emma, on the other hand, found that her friends/siblings were being raised as food for demons. Later, it is revealed that experimentation happens on the orphans of her world, too.
2 Asta And Midoriya Were Both Powerless Until Gaining A Mysterious Power Themselves (Black Clover & My Hero Academia)
Both Asta and Izuku Midoriya were powerless but had gifted and powerful individuals for rivals and friends. However, as circumstance would have it, both Asta and Midoriya were later gifted powers of their own. For Midoriya, this was the One for All Quirk that is passed down from hero to hero. For Asta, this was an anti-magic ability that came from the five-leaf clover grimoire.
1 Tanjiro And Yuki Are Demon Slayers Who Are Hunting Down Their Family's Killer (Joran: Princess of Snow and Blood & Demon Slayer)
Tanjiro joined the Demon Slayer corps to fight the demon who killed his family and return his sister, Nezuko, to her original form. Yuki (also known as Sawa) from Joran: Princess of Snow and Blood is also trying to track down her family's killer. They both use swords in their fighting style.
Their personalities and the organizations they serve to reach their goals are very different, but the fact that they both experienced trauma in the form of the loss of their families remains the same.