Hiro Mashima’s acclaimed title, Fairy Tail, is a series with a special position in the Shonen meta. The series is not loved for its unique take or originality, contrarily, it rose to prominence because it stayed loyal to the true shonen formula. It introduced little to no aspects that are completely new to the fans; with that being said though, whatever the fans received, they firmly appreciated it. It goes without saying that the Fairy Tail fandom is among the best in the anime community.
With regards to the aspects that make a Shonen series enjoyable, Fairy Tail is rich with them. The worldbuilding is ever-expanding, the plot is linear, but it nonetheless draws the viewer in, and the cast is diverse and lively. The characters of Fairy Tail are the series’s most notable selling point. Without their goofy interactions, the series wouldn’t have been the same. Here are the ones favorited the most by the community.
10 Wendy (1,700+ Users)
Wendy Marvell is the Sky Dragon Slayer. She was introduced fairly early in the series, and with her introduction, she swiftly captured the fans’ hearts. Her lovable and cute personality makes disliking her near impossible.
But do not be fooled by her adorableness; Wendy is easily one of the most formidable fighters in the series. She has a wide array of Sky Dragon techniques that give her unmatchable versatility.
9 Gajeel (2,500+ Users)
Nobody liked Gajeel when he first debuted — not the members of Fairy Tail, and definitely not the fans; after all, humiliating a member of Fairy Tail is the fastest way to get hated by the fans.
But against all the odds, Gajeel repented and became a core member of Fairy Tail. Not only did the fans cease to dislike him, but they also elevated him to a fan-favorite position.
8 Jellal (2,800+ Users)
We can all agree that Fairy Tail operates in a predictable manner. However, it's a predictable manner that none of us ever complains about. It’s pretty much a set in stone that at least half of the antagonists of any given arc would turn over a new leaf by the end of said arc.
They wouldn’t start plotting for revenge and whatnot, instead, they turn over a new leaf and strive to better themselves. A good chunk of the characters in this list, which include Jellal, were former bad guys.
7 Laxus (2,900+ Users)
Laxus is another example of a bad guy gone good, and his transition was by far the most realistic. He, alongside Thunder God Tribe, orchestrated a coup in an attempt to gain control of Fairy Tail.
Needless to say, the coup ended in failure. However, as a result of this failed attempt, we got one of the best arcs in Fairy Tail.
6 Juvia (3,200+ Users)
Individually, each of the core characters in Fairy Tail is well designed. But what truly highlights the charm of these characters is their interactions with each other. Juvia by herself is a character we all love and appreciate, but Juvia together with Gray creates a dynamic that sucks us right in.
The main premise of Fairy Tail is undoubtedly friendship, and the series sure does a great job in making the premise enjoyable.
5 Happy (4,300+ Users)
Happy is a character that accompanied the fans since day one. When a cutesy mascot-ish cat is introduced, sure enough, the fans will love them. And unlike other mascots in anime, whose only purpose is to act as comic relief, Happy formed a deeper level of emotional connection with the fans.
He became so much more than a bipedal cat making random jokes every once in a while, hence his position in this list.
4 Lucy (7,300+ Users)
Lucy is the main female lead of Fairy Tail. The entire story, to some extent, is narrated from her point of view. She is one of the most talented Celestial Wizards, if not the most.
Lucy’s main role in the gang is to keep everyone else in check. It’s a duty she is forced to take given that she is the least oddball of them all.
3 Gray (8,100+ Users)
In any prominent shonen title, there’s always that one character that shares a love-hate relationship with the protagonist; that’s to say, a lifelong rival.
Gray Fullbuster is Natsu’s eternal rival, heck, even their magic elements are contrasting each other. Grey’s existence adds an entire layer of entertainment ensuing from the goofy situations the squad finds themselves in.
2 Erza (17,400+ Users)
Erza is a solid example of a female character done right in anime. She is confident, charismatic, and unimaginably strong.
Her fame is not just limited to the Fairy Tail community; she is most certainly one of the most iconic female characters in anime, and for good reasons. Of all the characters in Fairy Tail, Erza’s character development was among the most satisfying.
1 Natsu (22,400+ Users)
And the last entry of this list is Natsu Dragneel. The main male lead of Fairy Tail and one of anime’s most famous figures. One doesn’t even have to be an anime fan to know Natsu and his deeds.
Some would argue that Natsu’s character is too simple, and they are technically right. However, what they overlooked is that Fairy Tail, in its entirety, is a simple series. And that simplicity is what fans appreciate the most.