Though comic relief characters are usually meant to lighten the mood, they're pretty hit-or-miss in most anime series. Some are painfully unfunny, and viewers experience secondhand embarrassment every time they're on screen. Others rely on perverted humor way too much and make the audience uncomfortable.
However, there are some great comic relief characters in the mix who fans can appreciate. Though most of their personality quirks are played off as their main running gags, viewers may be able to see themselves in these comedic characters. Some of them had relatable backstories, while others make recognizable pop culture references that fans instantly latch onto.
10 Katai Makoto Is Just Socially Awkward
Komi Can't Communicate
Komi Can't Communicate is full of campy characters, from the emo otaku Nakanaka to the chaotic mastermind Najimi. However, very few are as relatable as Katai Makoto. Introduced in the anime's second season, Katai is a socially awkward gentle giant who looks like a badass delinquent.
However, he's just about as socially anxious as Komi and desperately wants others to understand him. Unfortunately, he gravely misunderstood Komi's nervousness as her looking out for him. Now, he's just like every other student who worships the ground Komi walks on.
9 Hinako Cares About Others A Little Too Much
Food Wars!
Hinako from Food Wars! always tries to appear mature in public, but the facade quickly crumbles once people realize her immature personality. She may try to seem as composed as possible, but that doesn't change the fact that she's prone to crying over spilled milk and overreacting to minor inconveniences.
Hinako also cares about others a little too much, particularly Megumi Tadokoro. She thinks they have more in common than Megumi may realize, so she's obsessive and overprotective. Hinako is also a tough teacher who always puts her students through the wringer.
8 Miwa Wants To Make Ends Meet
Jujutsu Kaisen
Unlike other students at jujutsu high, Miwa didn't come from a family of jujutsu sorcerers. She became one so that she could make ends meet for her younger brothers. While her techniques aren't as flashy or impressive as her classmates', Miwa always works hard with that goal in mind.
Throughout Jujutsu Kaisen, Miwa has demonstrated several relatable qualities. From her humble crush on Satoru Gojo, it's clear to see why fans fell in love with Miwa after her debut before the Goodwill Event.
7 Koichi Didn't Ask To Become A Stand User
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable
In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, many characters happen to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Such is the case for Diamond Is Unbreakable's Koichi Hirose, who got caught in Okuyasu and Josuke's crossfire. The Stand arrow pierced him, unexpectedly granting him a Stand ability.
Koichi definitely didn't ask to become a Stand user, much less to join the Joestar group's fight against Yoshikage Kira. Koichi is always in a pinch, whether he's escaping a stalker or getting his luggage stolen in Italy.
6 Gintoki Makes Recognizable Pop Culture References
Gintama
Gintama's Gintoki Sakata instantly captivated viewers' hearts with his relatable goal and hilariously eccentric antics. Most shonen protagonists dream of saving the world, but Gintoki just wants to work hard enough at his freelance job to make ends meet.
When Gintoki's not working, he's eating ice cream and reading volumes of Shonen Jump. On top of that, Gintoki always makes recognizable pop culture references that fans can latch onto, like when he got spooked by a ghost and started singing the iconic Doraemon theme song.
5 Izumi Is A Total Klutz
Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie
Izumi from Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie wants to be the best boyfriend possible for Shikimori, but he's such a klutz that he'll never live up to his own expectations. Izumi's neverending bad luck streak has landed him in some pretty hazardous situations, even endangering the people around him.
Luckily, Shikimori's always there to save him in the coolest way possible. However, Izumi wants to prove that he can help Shikimori when it counts, too. Unfortunately for him, overcoming his hilariously atrocious luck won't be so easy.
4 Matsuda Made The Most Out Of A Terrifying Situation
Death Note
Compared to other members of the police force in Death Note, Matsuda was the most apprehensive and skeptical of the investigation. Though he stuck it out until the end, Matsuda's fear was justified. After all, he's going up against a killer who lurks in the shadows and murders people with a suspicious notebook of death.
It got even worse for the usually indecisive Matsuda when he realized that L may have been right about Light the entire time. However, fans were impressed by Matsuda's sudden bravery at the end of the series when he saved his allies from more of Light's tyranny, effectively making up for his previous lapses of judgment.
3 Sasha's Humor Humanized An Otherwise Monstrous Series
Attack On Titan
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Attack On Titan isn't a series with many bright spots. For a series perpetually clouded by doom, gloom, and neverending dread, a character like Sasha really stood out and humanized the rest of the cast. From her absurdly large appetite to her likable personality, fans instantly latched onto Sasha and appreciated her role in the cast.
Writing Sasha off as pure comic relief is a mistake, as well, since she proved herself a hero on several occasions. One of her best moments was when she defeated a Titan with just a bow and arrow, saving a young girl in the process.
2 Kobeni Recognizes That Devil Hunting Is A Dangerous Profession
Chainsaw Man
Since Chainsaw Man's anime debut, Kobeni has been a controversial character. Many compare her to other famous anime cowards, while others just find her whining obnoxious. However, there's a case to be made for Kobeni's relatability. Devil hunting is a terrifying, dangerous profession. In fact, many viewers would probably react the same way Kobeni did.
It's understandable why she wanted out of the job so badly, even if she did go into Devil Hunting to make ends meet. Not everybody is meant to be a hero, and there's nothing wrong with that. Characters like Kobeni are proof of that.
1 Zenitsu's Fears Are Understandable
Demon Slayer
Writing Demon Slayer's Zenitsu off as an obnoxious coward with a perverted side is easy, but that's not all there is to him. Zenitsu's main gag is his debilitating anxiety which makes it impossible for him to kill demons unless he passes out. Many fans disregard him as obnoxious and think his tangents disrupt the plot's flow.
However, Zenitsu is actually Demon Slayer's most relatable character. Such as is the case with Kobeni, many viewers would probably react the same way to demon-slaying as Zenitsu does. After all, there's nothing pretty about chopping off a vicious demon's head and possibly getting killed in the process.