Seinen anime remains one of the most popular subgenres of the entire medium and is not only responsible for a lot of the success of the genre outside of Japan, but has also helped to make many characters a household name.
There are many popular seinen series that primarily cater to young adults, which helped to pave the way, such as Cowboy Bebop, Monster, Trigun, Death Note, Berserk, and many more. In this list, we will be taking a look at the 10 most iconic seinen anime characters of the 2010s.
10 Saichi Sugimoto
The main protagonist of the popular manga and anime, Golden Kamuy, definitely deserves a place on this list. Otherwise known as, The Immortal Sugimoto, he is a veteran of the Russo-Japanese war and the only living member of the White Sash Brigade, known for his extraordinary survival instinct.
He is an extremely light-hearted, affectionate, and caring character, but due to his wartime experiences, he becomes remarkably violent, especially if someone he cares for is in danger. He represses much of his guilt, demons, and emotions for the sake of others, and allows them to drive him towards his goal of finding the gold to repay the dying wish of his best friend.
9 Ash Lynx
Next on the list is the main protagonist of the acclaimed series Banana Fish, known for his exploits throughout the criminal underworld, Ash Lynx. After being given a sample of a strange substance by a dying man, he becomes targeted by a wealthy and powerful mob boss, and with the help of a young reporter and his friends, he goes on a quest for answers.
Ash has the intelligence, charisma, and skill to assemble large groups of individuals under his influence. He remains excellent in hand to hand combat with a wealth of training and is an incredible marksman, feared throughout the city.
8 Rintaro Okabe
The self-proclaimed mad scientist, and the main protagonist of Steins;Gate, Rintaro Okabe remains one of the best seinen anime characters of the 2010s. Okabe is an over the top, melodramatic, socially inept, unusual character.
He possesses a deep capacity to care, and will routinely go out of his way to help others. While being extremely intelligent, due to his poor social skills, he can easily be fooled and manipulated by others. Okabe remains a very deep and unique character, and his realness and humanity shine through as his defining characteristics.
7 Askeladd
This list would not be complete without a true villain, and Askeladd is here to take the cake. The main antagonist of Vinland Saga remains a cunning, mysterious, and merciless Viking who commands one of the most deadly armies in the series.
Askeladd is a brilliant tactician, strategist, and politician, a master of close-quarters combat, and a deeply intelligent, quick-witted and resourceful thinker. What makes him such a great villain is his character arch, his growth, and how he redefines what a villain can be. He helps to make Vinland Saga a much-watched series.
6 Ken Kaneki
Ken Kaneki, the main protagonist of Tokyo Ghoul, remains one of the most popular characters in all of anime. He helps to perfectly capture the idea of nature vs nurture and that as humans we can be shaped by our environment, experiences, and the pain we have endured.
He is almost like two different characters, his pre-aogiri self and his post-aogiri self, and their personalities vary greatly. Kaneki is like anime's version of Frankenstein's monsters, but he was no doctor's creation, instead, the expectations of society and people turned him into a monster.
5 Eren Yeager
Eren Yeager, the main protagonist of Attack On Titan, helped to launch the series into the stratosphere of worldwide acclaim. After the titans broke through Wall Maria and devoured his mother, he swore he would wipe them from the earth, joining the Survey Corps to get on step closer to his dream.
He is hardheaded, strong-willed, emotional, and unpredictable, and has a strong determination to protect those around him. He will go to great lengths for his friends and will not hesitate to kill if it would ensure their safety. Over the course of the series, he grows into a very deep and conflicted character and it helps to solidify his position as one of the best characters of the 2000s.
4 Thorfinn
Vinland Saga was a popular manga and has grown into a smash hit since it came onto the scene, and Thorfinn has helped to make it possible. He begins the series as an innocent, silly, and friendly young boy constantly searching for adventure.
But by the time he joins Askeladd's army, he is a callous, cold, angry, reckless, and brooding loner, who is hellbent on revenge and will stop at nothing to exact his vengeance on his enemies. As a character, he overcomes many struggles and sees many changes in his personality. The development runs deep within Thorfinn and the writers make sure that fans pay careful attention to his story.
3 Jotaro Kujo
When it comes to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, there are a lot of Jojo's that can be mentioned, as their family dates back to the Victorian Era, but Jotaro remains the most prominent. He possesses a strong and tough exterior due to his delinquent nature, but remains gentle, caring, loyal, and never loses his cool.
Jotaro is quick-witted and intelligent and an extremely gifted fighter who controls one of the most powerful stands in the entire Jojo's continuum, the Star Platinum. If you've never seen Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Jotaro is reason enough to give the series a thorough watching.
2 Levi Ackerman
Widely known as humanity's strongest soldier, Levi Ackerman remains one of the most badass anime characters of not only the 2010s, but all time. He is unapproachable, blunt, coarse, and rarely shows emotions, but he posses a deep sense of morality and empathy for others. He values power and respects very few.
When it comes to combat, he is unmatched by anyone in the series, being the only true soldier capable of taking on multiple titans at once and making it look easy. Levi endured many troubles in his childhood that helped to shape him into the warrior and leader that he eventually becomes.
1 Saitama
Saitama is what you get when you take the personalities of almost every mainline shonen character and flip them on their head. The main antagonist of One-Punch Man is exactly that, a superhero that defeats everything in a single punch. Saitama's greatness doesn't lie in his power since he might be the most powerful character to exist in the entire medium. Instead, it's his personality that shines through.
He is a mockery of the average gung-ho, enthusiastic anime character, being indifferent and lazy because of his power and lack of competition. He remains forgetful, inpatient, frugal, and a little greedy. He is more human than a superhero - an average Joe who is frightfully powerful.