Though many beloved anime characters are bubbly rays of sunshine who have almost nothing mean to say about others, there are plenty of snarky ones to balance things out. These characters have sharp tongues and sarcastic remarks for every situation.
Some are classic tsunderes who use their snarkiness as a front to hide their true kindness, while others are deadpan sarcastic masterminds who know exactly what to say to upset someone. These characters have uttered some of the most memorable one-liners in their series. Whether fans love or hate them is irrelevant since they're important to the cast's overall dynamic.
10 Kyon Is Introverted & Sarcastic (Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Kyon from Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya narrates the series. He's an introverted, sarcastic teenage boy who can't stand everyone else's antics. When someone suggests an out-of-the-box idea, Kyon immediately shuts it down and argues in favor of maintaining the status quo.
Whether it's a strategic eye roll or a facepalm that sends a clear message, Kyon often gets his points across in snarky ways. He uses his cold exterior to hide how much he cares about others. It's not easy for Kyon to admit that he cares about other people and often rationalizes his emotions.
9 Tomoe Has A Sarcastic Comment For Everything (Kamisama Kiss)
Tomoe isn't exactly a tsundere, but he's certainly hard to read. In Kamisama Kiss, he's sarcastic, withdrawn, and isn't really a fan of opening up to others. Whenever Nanami thought she started to understand him, Tomoe had another snarky comment to keep her on her toes. He's sarcastic at best, but harsh and condescending at worst.
Just like every other fox, Tomoe is cunning and has sly ways of getting his answers. He doesn't care about his looks but understands that he's highly attractive by human standards. He uses this to his advantage.
8 Jotaro Can Find Something Snarky To Say About Anybody Or Anything (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure)
Jotaro is a man of few words, but he's become iconic for tipping his hat and mumbling, "Good grief" under his breath. As the flagship protagonist of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Jotaro's personality has stirred up quite a bit of controversy. He's crude, sarcastic, and always calls things how he sees them.
He doesn't express himself or his emotions, but cares deeply for his friends and family. Jotaro's snarkiness often works in his favor against some of the series' worst villains. When he had to be Steely Dan's servant for a day, he kept a receipt of everything he was forced to do. Then, Jotaro beat Steely Dan up for humiliating him all day and threw the receipt at him.
7 Riza Has A Dry Sense Of Humor (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Riza from Fullmetal Alchemist has a no-nonsense attitude, and all of her subordinates know that crossing her is a mistake. She's one of the strictest members of Roy Mustang's group and can be intimidating at first. Riza prefers to keep things professional and has difficulty opening up to colleagues.
However, fans appreciate her dry sense of humor and perpetual sarcasm. She's one of the series' most well-written characters because she proves that there's always more than what meets the eye. She's more fun to be around than she initially lets on.
6 Kiyotaka Isn't Above Using Others To His Advantage (Classroom Of The Elite)
Kiyotaka from Classroom Of The Elite seems like the typical detached, bored teenager who couldn't care less about his surroundings. He's brilliant, but so lazy that nobody would expect it. Some perceive this as sheer emotionlessness, but there's more to this complex character than what lies on the surface.
Kiyotaka is a pretty mean spirited guy who isn't above using others to his advantage. Because of his upbringing, he views everyone else as tools to get him over the finish line. When his true personality comes out, his tongue is sharp, and he strategically chooses what to say to break someone's psyche.
5 Kyo Used To Have A Serious Attitude Problem (Fruits Basket)
Kyo was a completely different person at the beginning of Fruits Basket. He hated Yuki with every ounce of his being, resulting in a serious attitude problem towards everyone else. He always had a snarky comeback for everything, but slowly changed because he realized how it impacted Tohru.
Still, he kept the same attitude with everyone else. This got him slapped and punched a few times, especially when he bickers with Arisa and Yuki. It seems like Kyo never really thinks before speaking and can't choose his battles wisely.
4 Fans Love Levi's Deadpan Snarkiness (Attack On Titan)
Attack On Titan's Levi Ackerman is known for his dry sense of humor. He rarely smiles, and it's hard to read him sometimes. He constantly makes sarcastic remarks with a totally deadpan expression, so it's hard to tell whether or not he's serious.
It's one of his best qualities in the series. Though the anime adaptation didn't fully show it off, Levi's sardonic humor is one of the brightest aspects of his personality. He may be a clean freak, but he's not sanitizing his language for anyone else.
3 Shikamaru Thinks Everything Is A Drag (Naruto)
Naruto's Shikamaru likes to complain. In fact, his catchphrase is, "What a drag!" He pretty much says it all the time. He's not above making fun of others or goading them into arguments. In fact, he's probably the snarkiest character in the series.
His sarcasm and constant complaints work well with his lazy attitude. Shikamaru is good at finding ways out of tricky situations by working smarter and not harder. At the end of the day, Shikamaru's main goal is to live peacefully and unremarkably.
2 Izaya Enjoys Proving That He's Better Than Everyone Else (Durarara!)
Izaya enjoys keeping people on their toes and seeing how they'll react in Durarara! He lives for humanity's inherent unpredictability and studies it, so he knows how to manipulate others better. He's charming, but also intimidating. He always has a snappy one-liner or sharp response to someone's criticism and never minces his words.
He also enjoys proving that he's better than everyone else. Asserting himself as the best makes fighting worth it to him, whether it's physical combat or verbally sparring with someone.
1 Tsukishima Has A Derogatory Nickname For Everybody & Loves Getting People Riled Up (Haikyuu!)
Tsukishima from Haikyuu! is one of the anime's most divisive characters. People either love him or hate him. As soon as he debuted, he started making fun of Shoyo's height and picking on Kageyama by calling him the "King of the Court," a known sore spot for him. Tsukishima has a derogatory nickname for everybody, and nothing is off-limits to him.
He loves riling people up and constantly upsets people because he'll say the snarkiest things with an eerie smile. Tsukishima is also happy to hear when he's a nuisance to someone else because it means he did something right. His opponents quickly learn that taunting him is a mistake since he'll respond with a smug smirk and a remark that cuts deeper than they initially thought it would.