The way a character enters the scene affects how they're remembered for the rest of the series. Some of anime's flashiest personalities debut was quick, witty, and unforgettable. Other's popped into the series with a badass sequence of attacks, making viewers realize that they're not the one any villain should mess with.
Anime antagonists have a knack for entering the scene in ways that cement them as formidable opponents, whether it's because the atmosphere changes with their presence or they made sure to make their name known to everybody. The best anime entrances are always hard to forget.
This article mentions suicide.
10 ADAM's Debut Immediately Changed The Tone Of Sk8 The Infinity
ADAM is the darkest character in Sk8 The Infinity, which is an otherwise lighthearted series. His initial introduction was in his iconic room with tons of screens so he could watch the races during "S." He was blaring loud Italian opera music, shirtless, and elated after seeing Langa's performance.
Then, he emerged from the shadows after Langa crossed the finish line to congratulate him on winning in a flamboyant, but totally inappropriate way. He insulted Miya in the process, which angered Reki enough that the redhead challenged him to a beef. This was the first glimpse fans got of the Matador of Love, and it immediately changed the series' tone.
9 Hawks Stated Nothing But Facts During His Speech At The Hero Billboard JP Show (My Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia has had plenty of memorable character entrances throughout its run, but few come close to Hawks' iconic speech during the Hero Billboard JP show. He stated nothing but facts about society's loss of faith in heroes and boldly questioned if Endeavor was truly fit for the job.
Even better, he had a bored expression on his face before he started talking. His speech changed the trajectory and overall tone of the series. It made some fans question and realize hero society's flaws, while others were cheering for Hawks because he affirmed their criticisms.
8 Akashi Seijuro's Entrance Sent A Chill Down Everyone's Spine (Kuroko's Basketball)
Akashi Seijuro was the most mysterious member of the Generation of Miracles in Kuroko's Basketball. Even mentioning his name seemed like a cardinal sin among his former teammates. When he finally debuted during the Winter Cup finals, his presence sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Akashi was cold, intimidating, and wouldn't take no for an answer. He only wanted to meet with the other Miracles, so when Kuroko brought along Furihata, it infuriated him. Then, Kagami defied him, so Akashi used Midorima's scissors to cut his face.
7 Levi Ackerman Asserted Himself As A Badass From The Jump (Attack On Titan)
Attack On Titan's Levi Ackerman only made a few short appearances before his official introduction. In episode 9, he swooped in to save the day with the rest of the Survey Corps and asserted himself as a powerful Titan killer.
He masterfully used his ODM gear and dual swords to swiftly take down as many Titans as possible. It was a skill level that fans hadn't seen up until this point in the series, so Levi immediately intrigued viewers and soon became a fan-favorite character.
6 Naruto's Hilarious Introduction Is Unforgettable
Naruto's had plenty of iconic scenes throughout the series, but his hilarious introduction in the first episode is arguably the most memorable. He was a total slacker and genius prankster during his time at the Ninja Academy. Unfortunately, he nearly flunked out and couldn't graduate because he couldn't adequately perform cloning jutsu.
Instead, he made the entire class laugh and sent the teacher flying back with a nosebleed after using his Sexy Jutsu Technique. It immediately characterized Naruto as a total class clown and became one of the most iconic introductions in anime history.
5 Gojo Didn't Waste Any Time With His Entrance (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Gojo is one of the coolest characters in Jujutsu Kaisen. Throughout the series, he's consistently proven why he's the strongest sorcerer in the world and endlessly entertained the audience. His official entrance in the series was memorable and wasted no time showing off his skills in a head-to-head battle against the King of Curses, Sukuna.
He popped onto the scene, nonchalant and fashionably late. It annoyed Megumi, especially since he brought mochi as a souvenir from a previous mission. Gojo challenged Yuji to let Sukuna take control for 10 seconds. During those 10 seconds, Gojo fought against Sukuna, with neither side giving an inch. All throughout, he talked about how his mochi was made and carried on his normal banter like he wasn't fighting the most terrifying cursed spirit in history.
4 Dio Jumped Out Of The Carriage To Make Jonathan Joestar's Life A Living Hell (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood)
Dio Brando wasn't always the despicable, time-freezing vampire fans came to recognize him as in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. When he went to the Joestar mansion in Phantom Blood, he was only a teenager. Still, this didn't mean he couldn't harbor any evil intent. He jumped out of the carriage to make Jonathan Joestar's life a living hell as soon as he hit the ground.
Some people thought this entrance was way too much and that Dio didn't have to stunt this hard. However, it represents Dio's perpetual ability to steal the show and direct all the attention towards himself. He's a charismatic showman at heart, hence why he became such a powerful foe later in the series.
3 L's True Appearance Shocked The Audience (Death Note)
L already debuted earlier in Death Note when he remotely outsmarted Kira and pinned his location down. However, his actual entrance in the series shocked fans. People were not expecting the world's greatest detective to look like the average emo kid with chronic insomnia and a raging sweet tooth.
His debut was unforgettable. He stood there, staring at the police officers, wearing his signature baggy clothes and scratching his ankle. As the officers introduced themselves, he pointed a gun at them and yelled "BANG!" as a warning against casually introducing themselves, lest they run into Kira.
2 Zenitsu's Introduction Was Equally Hilarious & Concerning (Demon Slayer)
Zenitsu tries his best, but still crumbles under pressure, succumbs to his anxiety, and constantly makes a fool out of himself. When he first met Tanjiro, he was harassing a woman on the side of the road, violently sobbing and begging her to marry him. Tanjiro dragged Zenitsu away from her and forced him to explain himself.
Zenitsu deluded himself into believing the woman reciprocated his feelings, so she slapped him and called him out. Tanjiro asked him to explain what was going on, and Zenitsu flailed around in the middle of the road screaming about how he's in debt to a woman and got swindled into some old geezer's schemes. Now he has to fight demons against his will to make money. It's a miracle that Tanjiro even made sense out of Zenitsu's bizarre tangent.
1 Dazai Introduced Himself After Atsushi Interrupted His Attempted Suicide (Bungo Stray Dogs)
Dazai's fascination with suicide is one of the longest-running gags in Bungo Stray Dogs. He made quite an appearance in the first episode, too. Atsushi was dying of starvation near a river and decided that if he wanted to survive, he'd have to start stealing.
He saw a pair of legs floating down the river. He pulled Dazai out of the water but was shocked when he reacted angrily and told him off for rudely interrupting his suicide. Atsushi had to explain what happened as Kunikida hollered at Dazai from the side of the river. Dazai blew him off and forced him to pay for as many bowls of tea over rice as Atsushi wanted.