Anime fans spend a lot of time discussing their favorite Shonen heroes. It's no secret that the genre has some of the greatest characters, capable of amazing feats others only dream about. However, despite so many beloved heroes, some don't quite resonate with the audience as much. Not every character is well-liked, after all. Sometimes even, they're outright hated by fans.
These characters are often the worst of the cast, leaving everyone wondering how they got to be considered heroes at all. Whether it's for their cowardice, weak abilities, or simply their annoying personality, the audience can't help but groan when they appear on the screen.
10 Zenitsu Is Considered A Weak Link To Many Fans (Demon Slayer)
From his introduction, Zenitsu Agatsuma is a character that fans of Demon Slayer either love or hate. While he has his moments of heroism, he spends most of the series whining and hitting on poor, unsuspecting women. Many can't stand him for his lack of backbone that tends to be an ever-present thorn in the sides of everyone else around him.
Though some genuinely like his character, most tend to find him annoying. Some fans even say the series would be much better off without him in it at all. Love him or hate him, Zenitsu is seen as the weak link of an otherwise great series.
9 Kikyo Creates Tension Between The Main Cast (Inuyasha)
For years, Kikyo has been one of the most hated characters of Inuyasha, sometimes even more so than Naraku himself. Since the beginning, many have had strong opinions of the character and her role in the story, with most hatred stemming from her interference with Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship.
Once she is resurrected, she drives a wedge between the two, Inuyasha's uncertainty of his feelings creating needless drama. This love triangle carries on throughout the series and is a source of frustration for most viewers. Despite her importance in the series, many fans were relieved at her death during Inuyasha: The Final Act.
8 Orihime Is The Typical Damsel In Distress (Bleach)
Orihime Inoue is one of the most disappointing characters for fans of Bleach. Since its beginning, she has been one of the most hated characters of the series, disliked mostly for her damsel in distress role throughout the show's run. She is one of the weakest of the main cast, allowing others to fight her battles for her.
Many fans feel she is useless and see her as nothing more than an annoyance. Aside from her weakness and lack of agency, Orihime's clinginess and borderline obsession with Ichigo irritate fans to no end, and many are disappointed by their relationship.
7 Téa Gets The Most Hate Out Of The Main Crew (Yu-Gi-Oh)
Téa Gardner is the lead female and one of the main supporting characters of the original Yu-Gi-Oh series. While she isn't the only character of the group to take a backseat when it comes to duels, she is definitely the one who gets the most hate from fans.
She is considered weak and useless, her role as a "cheerleader" for Yugi and Joey not holding much value, other than her constant speeches on the power of friendship. Overall, most fans find her utterly annoying and see no reason for her presence throughout most of the series.
6 Takemichi Is Seen As A Crybaby And A Weakling (Tokyo Revengers)
Takemichi Hanagaki isn't a typical Shonen hero by any means. While most protagonists train and grow stronger, the Tokyo Revengers protagonist never changes or develops. Plenty of fans love this about the character and see it as a nice change of pace in a tired genre. However, many fans feel this makes him a poor protagonist that no one can look up to.
He has little physical strength and suffers one beatdown after the next, leaving some to question whether or not this hero is really a hero at all. His weak abilities, coupled with his crybaby attitude, make Takemichi a disappointment for fans looking for the usual Shonen powerhouse.
5 Gohan Disappoints Fans With His Lackluster Abilities (Dragon Ball)
While he may be the son of Goku, arguably the greatest Saiyan of the Dragon Ball franchise, Gohan is nowhere near his father's level. At first, he showed great promise, and fans were excited to see what powers he would unlock. Unfortunately, Gohan has very little interest in fighting and training compared to Goku, much to the audience's dismay.
Thanks to his lack of interest and weaker abilities, many Dragon Ball fans dislike Gohan, even claiming him as one of the worst characters of the series. Whether that is true or not, it is safe to say that Gohan is a complete let-down, failing to follow in Goku's footsteps.
4 Sakura Is The Most Useless Of Team 7 (Naruto)
Anime fans everywhere have heard it before that Sakura Haruno is one of the most useless characters in the Naruto franchise. From the start, many have complained about her weakness and constant crying. While she develops a lot throughout the series, Sakura never matches Naruto or Sasuke in power. She has many strengths of her own, but they pale in comparison to her teammates.
Many fans also complain that even as she grows stronger, Sakura is still of little use to the team and always needs saving. Though it can be said that she has become strong and capable in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, it took far too long for fans' liking.
3 Near Is A Poor Replacement For L (Death Note)
Most agree that the second half of Death Note is underwhelming compared to how it starts. This is mainly thanks to the death of fan-favorite character L at the end of the first arc. Following his death, he is replaced with a new prodigy detective, a kid named Near.
From his introduction, fans can't help but dislike him, seeing him as a cheap knock-off of L rather than a brand-new character. Despite Near's intelligence and capability, he never manages to win over the audience. Even when he defeats Light in the end, fans are hardly impressed, crediting Matsuda with the victory instead.
2 Mineta Seems More Creepy Than Heroic (My Hero Academia)
One of the most annoying characters of My Hero Academia is Minoru Mineta. Widely hated by the fans, he is mostly comic relief throughout the series. While his weird quirk makes him mostly unhelpful during a fight, that isn't what fans dislike the most about him. What everyone really hates is his personality.
Mineta is creepy and lewd, making uncomfortable comments that are supposed to serve as humor. Unfortunately for him, most fans are cringing rather than laughing. He isn't completely useless, but his awful personality makes the audience wonder how he counts as a hero.
1 Boruto Fails To Fill His Dad's Shoes (Naruto)
Fans of Naruto had mixed opinions on how the series ended, but most agree that its sequel series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, leaves much to be desired. Despite being the protagonist, Boruto is probably one of the most hated characters of the series.
Unlike his father, who grew up struggling and alone, Boruto lives the pampered life of the Hokage's son. Despite that, he comes off as very ungrateful and spoiled, which many fans find to be off-putting. Especially given that fans grew up watching Naruto's life, Boruto's treatment of his dad is hard to watch. He may just be a kid, but to many, Boruto is a selfish little brat who needs to learn some respect.