It's hard to admit, but judging an anime isn't always about the quality of the writing or animation. More often than not, fans engage in a popularity contest to decide which characters are the best. Intriguing, well-designed characters define anime. Some perfectly personify the best parts of the series, while others are masters of stealing the spotlight.
In the spirit of a popularity contest, MyAnimeList is a great way to gauge which characters fans prefer at any given time. It's a reliable way to cut out all the extra noise and determine which characters are the "coolest of the cool."
Updated May 20th, 2020:Much like any other industry, the anime world has a competitive atmosphere whose landscape is constantly shifting. And while the studios may compete for a share of their audience, anime characters themselves also indirectly compete for attention, with the faces of the industry constantly changing within the fans' eyes. As such, this list will be adding a few more faces that have risen among the anime ranks, as well as adjusting for new rankings and votes within MyAnimeList.
Updated on May 7th, 2022 by Sarah Martin: Since this list was last updated in 2020, we've updated it with new entries and rearranged some of the rankings to reflect the votes on MyAnimeList. While fan favorites like Naruto's Kakashi Hatake and Jujutsu Kaisen's Satoru Gojo came close to cracking the top 20, classic fan favorites have kept their stronghold on the chart.
20/20 Rem Earned 43,635 Favorites (Re:Zero)
Rem from Re:Zero is one of the main characters in the series. Rem is one of the most loyal characters in the series and fans truly appreciate it. According to the votes, these qualities make her one of the most popular anime characters of all time.
Overall, Rem is a great sister to Ram and her loyalty to Subaru is admirable. Rem is willing to step up and defend either of them, no matter what it takes. While she isn't the strongest fighter around, there's no denying Rem's mental resilience.
19/20 Saitama Earned 43,669 Favorites (One-Punch Man)
Saitama is the beloved protagonist of One-Punch Man. He's the most powerful being to have ever existed in its universe. At first, he just became a hero to have fun. However, Saitama eventually realized he wanted to be recognized and respected as a true hero.
Since Saitama is so overpowered, no enemy truly fazes him. Unfortunately, he's become jaded to heroism because nobody can stand on the same level as he does. Alas, Saitama wanders around, praying for a strong opponent, so he can feel alive again.
18/20 Ken Kaneki Earned 46,528 Favorites (Tokyo Ghoul)
One of the most iconic anime characters of all time is none other than Tokyo Ghoul's Ken Kaneki. The one-eyed ghoul's story is truly a tragedy, but fans admire him for several reasons. Many consider Kaneki one of the best anime protagonists of all time.
Ken Kaneki is a man of many layers, and just as many flaws. Kaneki's journey in Tokyo Ghoul is one of suffering, pain, and a gruesome, nightmarish reality. The series depicts a constant tug-of-war between Kaneki's ghoul side fighting against his humanity.
17/20 Hachiman Hikigaya Earned 49,166 (OreGairu)
Hachiman Hikigaya is the protagonist of My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, often abbreviated as OreGairu. He starts as the average nihilistic loner who doesn't want to associate with others. This behavior results from several bad experiences that left a bad taste in his mouth.
However, OreGairu's edgy teenager eventually proves he has a soft side. Hachiman is a true tsundere who seems to push others away to hide his self-loathing. Fans find him relatable because, unlike other protagonists, it seems like Hachiman can't just use the power of friendship and optimism to force life to go his way.
16/20 Mikasa Ackerman Earned 51,601 Favorites (Attack On Titan)
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Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan quickly became a fan-favorite character. She's the ultimate badass and has proven her strengths as a fighter several times throughout the series. By the end of the manga, it's safe to say Mikasa was the best soldier in the Survey Corps.
Mikasa's admiration for Eren is genuine and many fans appreciate their relationship. Additionally, Mikasa's backstory is one of the most tragic in the series and many fans respect her mental resilience — despite everything she's endured and suffered through.
15/20 Itachi Uchiha Earned 58,466 Favorites (Naruto)
Itachi is one of the best characters in the entire Naruto series. The story of the Uchiha clan is one of the most pivotal in the whole series. Ultimately, Itachi put his life on the line and pretended to be a villain to save Sasuke. In many ways, Itachi was the true definition of a shinobi. Not only that, but he's the ideal antihero. Itachi is one of Naruto's most well-written, complex characters, so it's no question why he's one of the most popular across anime as a whole.
14/20 Eren Yeager Earned 69,663 Favorites (Attack On Titan)
Eren is the protagonist of Attack On Titan. He started as a seemingly average shonen protagonist: short-tempered, impulsive, and always ready for a fight. He had noble ideals of saving humanity from the Titans to avenge those he's lost. However, as Eren learned more about the world, he became a much darker individual.
At this point, it's fair to question if Eren could truly be considered a hero because of his actions. However, fans appreciate that he's a well-written, complex protagonist who strayed from the norms of his counterparts.
13/20 Kurisu Makise Earned 60,346 Favorites (Steins;Gate)
For several reasons, Steins;Gate was one of the most pivotal and influential anime of its time. However, one character stole the spotlight from the rest. As the quintessential tsundere, Kurisu Makise garnered lots of love and attention from fans.
Kurisu reluctantly teamed up with Rintaro and became his partner in crime — for better or worse. Although she comes off as cold, Kurisu's sweet side is endearing, and it sets her apart from the rest of the cast. As the series progressed, fans became more worried about her fate.
12/20 Guts Earned 63,911 Favorites (Berserk)
Guts is the protagonist of Berserk. He's the ultimate tragic hero, and he's become the poster boy for dark fantasy anime. Guts is one of the most well-written protagonists of all time and one of the most unique in the medium.
Guts' life was defined by a series of traumatic events, but he's undergone admirable character growth. Guts learned how to move past the pain of betrayal and childhood trauma. Far from a one-dimensional character, Guts fit many tropes associated with both shonen and seinen protagonists.
11/20 Gintoki Earned 67,672 Favorites (Gintama)
Sakata Gintoki is one of the most lovable anime characters of all time. As the protagonist of Gintama, Gintoki is the ultimate class clown. He's the king of anime comedy — rightfully earning the crown with his surreal sense of humor and unwavering laziness that's almost admirable.
Known as the "White Demon," Gintoki became a revolutionary during the Edo period. However, when the audience meets him, he takes up any "odd job" he can find to make ends meet. Gintoki is equal parts humble, foolish, and badass.
10/20 Naruto Uzumaki Earned 76,317 Favorites
Naruto Uzumaki is one of the original "big-three" shonen heroes. He started at the bottom, but now he's the Hokage. At first, Naruto was a complete outcast who seemed to slack off in his studies. However, Naruto put in the hard work to become the person he is today.
From training with perverted sage Jiraiya to fighting against his childhood frenemy Sasuke, Naruto has experienced it all. The number one Knucklehead Ninja won the hearts of fans everywhere, so it's no question why he's one of the most popular anime characters of all time.
9/20 Edward Elric Earned 82,119 Favorites (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Fullmetal Alchemist is widely regarded as one of the best shonen titles of all time. Edward Elric led the show and became memorable for his spunky, passionate attitude about everything. He's a true underdog who never gave up, no matter what life threw at him.
After an experiment went horribly wrong, Edward lost an arm and his brother's soul got trapped in a mecha suit. After that, Edward took the audience on a stunning journey. Edward gave anime fans the adventure they were desperately searching for.
8/20 Killua Zoldyck Earned 86,322 Favorites (Hunter X Hunter)
Even though Gon is the protagonist, Killua truly stole the show in Hunter X Hunter and had rich character development. Despite coming from a family of assassins, Killua defied expectations by displaying healthy emotional development — both as a young boy and a shonen character. He had to learn how to understand and appreciate friendship.
Additionally, Killua had to learn the actual value of human life. In the Hunter Exam arc, he had no qualms about killing people. However, by the end of the story, Killua understood the weight of taking someone else's life. Killua has a lovable, memorable personality, and fans adore him for it.
7/20 Rintaro Okabe Earned 87,347 Favorites (Steins;Gate)
Rintaro is the eccentric protagonist of Steins;Gate. He's the ultimate mad scientist, and he leads the Future Gadget Research Establishment. His behavior is bizarre and over the top, but fans consider his antics part of his charm.
Rintaro likes playing pretend as a special agent and expresses paranoia about an "Organization" that's out to get him. One of his strange habits is that he likes talking to himself on the phone and seemingly laughs hysterically at nothing. Even though these tendencies are certainly peculiar, fans praise the intrigue surrounding Rintato's character and appreciate his sincerity.
6/20 Light Yagami Earned 87,595 Favorites (Death Note)
Light Yagami is the protagonist of Death Note. After appointing himself as the "God of the New World," Light viewed himself as the ultimate arbiter of justice with his notebook and pen. While he started off killing criminals, Light fell into madness and eventually started killing off anybody who got in his way.
Light took on the identity "Kira," and became a mass murderer in the name of saving the world. He wanted to create a world that perfectly matched his ideals. Light isn't meant to be likable, but he's fascinating to analyze and is an undeniably well-written character.
5/20 Zoro Earned 91,457 Favorites (One Piece)
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Zoro from One Piece is one of the most beloved characters in the series. He proves supporting characters and second-in-commands can become fan favorites. Zoro was the first crewmate in the Straw Hats. Initially, he came off as the average loudmouth who believed a show of strength was everything. However, Zoro quickly learned he wasn't the best because he had the most swords.
Zoro's journey to becoming a master swordsman is admirable. In his path, he's annihilated plenty of antagonists, infrastructure, and robots. Zoro is no longer the hotheaded brute fans met at the beginning. Now, he's levelheaded and proved himself a trustworthy comrade.
4/20 Luffy Earned 117,166 Favorites (One Piece)
Luffy is widely regarded as the leader of Shonen Jump's "big three." He's the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the beloved protagonist of One Piece. He came from humble beginnings and eventually sought to become the Pirate King.
Luffy has a memorable personality and plenty of charisma to go around. He's made fans laugh, cry, and stare in awe as he achieves these unfathomable feats. It's just hard to dislike Luffy, and even harder to disregard any of his achievements throughout the series.
3/20 L Lawliet Earned 117,735 Favorites (Death Note)
L Lawliet is one of the most recognizable anime characters of all time. He has plenty of likable qualities that set him apart from the rest of the Death Note cast. L is brilliant, but he certainly has his share of odd tendencies such as his sweet tooth and infamous sitting posture.
L is surrounded by intrigue, so there's no question why he's one of the most popular anime characters of all time. Death Note is enthralling enough, but the addition of L to its cast truly cemented it as a classic. L's social ineptitude and mysterious aura allowed him to see directly through Light's facade. With his deductive reasoning, L proved himself an outstanding investigator.
2/20 Levi Ackerman Earned 129, 382 Favorites (Attack On Titan)
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Levi Ackerman is widely considered one of the best shonen heroes of all time. He's humanity's strongest soldier, as well as the Captain of the Scouting Legion and the Special Operations Squad. Ever since his debut, Levi has won the hearts of fans across the globe with his dry sense of humor, clean-freak behavior, and overall badassery.
Aside from being an incredible leader, Levi's fighting skills are obviously nothing to scoff at. Some of Attack On Titan's most pivotal moments involve Levi fighting off Titans and enemy soldiers.
1/20 Lelouch Lamperouge Earned 153,744 Favorites (Code Geass)
Lelouch Lamperouge is the protagonist of Code Geass. He's one of the most complex characters in the medium, and his story is equally compelling. Lelouch was a prince and in line for the throne. However, Lelouch renounced his status after his mother was assassinated and his sister severely injured. He swore to avenge his family members after discovering C.C. and gaining the power of the Geass.
Lelouch became the leader of the Order of the Black Knights and eventually went mad with power. He betrayed his friends and killed thousands of innocents on his journey for revenge. At some point, Lelouch lost sight of his initial goal.
