The 15 Most Well-Written Anime Characters of All Time (2024)

One of the best things about anime is the characters. Characters can make or break a series. This typically comes down to how the characters are written. Thankfully, plenty of characters, whether they’re main or side characters, are some of the most well-written cast members in their respective shows.

These characters typically have a lot of development throughout their series. Their motivations evolve as they do to create truly dynamic stories. In terms of side characters, some are so well-written that they surpass the main characters in quality. The most well-written anime characters grapple with the world around them and grow from their struggles.

Updated on October 29, 2024 by Robbie Robinson: Often times, it's the characters that make anime series so good. Over decades and decades of anime, there are more than enough anime characters for fans to love. That being, there are so many that it's hard to pick which characters are the best of the best. The characters are not ordered by rank tier - this is, instead, simply a comprehensive list. This list has been updated to include more of the most well-written anime characters and to get this list up to CBR's current formatting standards.

15 Usagi Tsukino Is a Reluctant Hero

But That Doesn't Stop Her From Saving the World

Sailor Moon wouldn't be complete without the Sailor Moon, Usagi Tsukino. The best part of Usagi is her duality. She may be the reincarnation of Princess Serenity, but she's also living her life as an average teenage girl. Because of that, Usagi showcases extremely relatable fears and desires for any teenage girl. However, she's also an endless well of love and compassion. Her love is her greatest strength, and she forces herself to overcome her anxieties when it means saving her friends.

Throughout the series, Usagi grows to be the most powerful being in the universe. That being said, she's benevolent and would never use her power in cruel ways. She's an intimidatingly strong person, but that is also snuffed out by her genuine kindness and silliness. She wears her emotions on her sleeves, but that's what makes her so charming. Usagi is an amazing character, and she's so well-written that she has gone on to inspire generations of young girls.

Sailor Moon

TV-PG

Action

Drama

Fantasy

Romance

A group of schoolgirls discover they are incarnations of super-powered alien princesses, and use their abilities to defend the earth.

Creator(s)

Naoko Takeuchi

Cast

Kotono Mitsuishi , Aya Hisakawa , Michie Tomizawa , Emi Shinohara , Rica Fukami , Tôru Furuya , Keiko Han , Kae Araki , Yasuhiro Takato

Main Genre

Fantasy

Seasons

5

Creator

Main Characters

Production Company

Writers

Sukehiro Tomita

Number of Episodes

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

Franchise(s)

Sailor Moon

Directors

Junichi Sato , Kunihiko Ikuhara

14 Sasuke Uchiha Has Amazing Character Development

He's a Deeply Dynamic Character

Sasuke is haunted by his desperate need for revenge against his older brother Itachi for the murdering of the entire Uchiha Clan, including their parents. Many times, he can come off as very stoic and rather uninterested in the affairs of others around him. Because of the brewing storm inside of him, Sasuke has hurt those that he cares about many times. While he doesn't necessarily mean it, he is very jaded by his desire for vengeance.

Naruto has tons of amazingly written characters, but Sasuke has to take the cake. Out of all the characters, Sasuke's growth is exponential and extremely apparent. He allows himself to be consumed by his anger, so much that he barely hesitates when it comes to hurting his friends, who want him desperately to come home. Even when all is said and done, he refuses to come home fully, feeling that he needs to atone for all the wrongs he's committed against his village and the people who love him. The fact that Sasuke is so openly, yet deeply, flawed makes him one of the most dynamically crafted characters throughout anime history.

Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village's leader and strongest ninja.

Created by

Masashi Kishimoto

First Film

Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow

Latest Film

Boruto: Naruto the Movie

First TV Show

Naruto

Latest TV Show

Boruto

First Episode Air Date

September 21, 1999

Cast

Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Noriaki Sugiyama , Yuri Lowenthal , Chie Nakamura , Kazuhiko Inoue , Dave Wittenberg

Spin-offs

Boruto

TV Show(s)

Naruto , Naruto: Shippuden

Video Game(s)

Naruto Ninja Council 3 , Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja , Naruto: Path Of The Ninja , Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm , Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact

Manga Release Date

August 6, 2003

Manga Volumes

72

Genre

Shonen , Anime , Manga , Action-Adventure

13 Makima Is Much More Than Meets the Eye

Even Viewers Make the Mistake of Objectifying Her

As soon as Makima meets Denji, Denji finds himself smitten with her. He's not the only one either, even Aki has his watchful eyes on her. The thing about Makima is that a lot of the characters sexualize her and even the majority of fans do. There's nothing inherently sexual about Makima from a visual standpoint, nor does she appear to be very interested in that sort of thing. The only moments fans see Makima acting in a seductive manner are when she needs Denji to do something for her. She knows what he wants, and she knows exactly how to get him to agree to things.

What makes her such an incredible character is that even viewers misinterpret Makima's behavior. At no point does she actually seem like she's literally interested in Denji - she's manipulating him. She can read people so well that she knows what she needs to do for each person she interacts with. She does a perfect job of playing both the bad guy and the good guy. Her morals are very questionable, but Makima isn't pure evil. She does "bad" things because she looks at them from a practical viewpoint. Necessary evil, so to speak.

Chainsaw Man

TV-MA

Anime

Action

Adventure

Following a betrayal, a young man left for dead is reborn as a powerful devil-human hybrid after merging with his pet devil and is soon enlisted into an organization dedicated to hunting devils. When his father died, Denji was stuck with a huge debt and no way to pay it back.

Release Date

October 11, 2022

Cast

Kikunosuke Toya , Ryan Colt Levy , Tomori Kusunoki , Suzie Yeung

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Studio

MAPPA

Creator

Tatsuki Fujimoto

Main Characters

Denji, Makima, Pochita, Power, Himeno, Kishibe

Number of Episodes

12

Network

Crunchyroll

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll , Hulu

12 Spike Spiegel Is the Coolest Guy Around

But He is Also One of Anime's Deepest Characters

Cowboy Bebop is an anime that has completely nailed its style - it's dripping with a cool factor rarely seen in recent anime. A big part of that is none other than Spike Spiegel. Spike is laidback, funny and doesn't seem to care about much at all. He picks up dangerous jobs without fear, only seeming to care about getting paid and finding a meal. Spike doesn't seem to change all that much throughout the series, but that's because fans are meeting him as an already changed man. The Spike in Cowboy Bebop is a character who has already undergone a great struggle within.

Spike's current character can only be understood through his relationship with Julia. Broken-hearted after Julia never showed up, Spike begins searching for a reason to live. It's not that he wants to die, it's more like he's impartial towards whatever fate has in store for him. He doesn't try to die, but he's not greatly attached to living either. As fans get a look at his history, Spike suddenly becomes much more understandable and serves as the product of a once broken man.

11 Satsuki Kiryuin Is Just Built Different

Her Trauma and Abuse Fuels Her With Unending Determination

Kill la Kill isn't the most serious show around. Its entire plot revolves around fanservice and wearing as little clothing as possible. It's satirical and campy, but underneath all the goofiness, there's actually incredible commentary on parental abuse and sexual assault. When the series introduces Satsuki, it forces viewers and Ryuko to believe her to be a villain and the murderer of Ryuko's dad. She's painted as a selfish dictator with cruel tendencies.

However, she's actually an extraordinarily determined person who cares about humanity and wishes to stop her mother, Ragyo's, terrible scheme. Satsuki is an excellent character all around. She may rule with an iron fist, but she's practical and acknowledges her own faults. Her mother is grossly abusive and Satsuki plays along simply so that she can enact her lifelong plan to end Ragyo. Satsuki is also capable of inhuman feats literally because of her unwavering resolve, making her a very cool character.

Kill la Kill

TV-14

Action

A young girl arrives at a school of superhumans to find out the truth behind her father's murder.

Release Date

October 4, 2013

Creator(s)

Kazuki Nakashima

Cast

Eric Mendez , Matthew Mercer , David Vincent , Christine Marie Cabanos , Carrie Keranen , Patrick Seitz

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

Studio

Studio Trigger

Writers

Kazuki Nakashima

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll , Hulu

Franchise(s)

Kill La Kill

Directors

Akira Amemiya , Masahiko Otsuka , Hiroyuki Imaishi

10 Haruhi Fujioka Shows Others That Heart Outweighs Looks

Haruhi Fujioka Champions Compassion Over Everything

Ouran High School Host Club is a satirical look at the shojo genre, but it also has one of the best-written characters. Haruhi Fujioka is a scholarship student at an elite school and is often mistaken for a boy. She becomes indebted to the school’s Host Club after breaking a vase and becomes one of the Hosts herself. Haruhi may be surrounded by pretty boys, but she maintains a level head and helps them realize their value lies beyond their looks.

Haruhi has often been praised for her outlook on gender. She cares much more about a person’s heart than what they look like on the outside. She shows the boys that no amount of money or fancy clothes will get them anywhere if they aren’t true to themselves. Haruhi may be the main character of a comedy shojo anime, but her legacy and writing outlive the confines of her show.

Ouran High School Host Club

TV-14

Comedy

Release Date

April 5, 2006

Creator(s)

Bisco Hatori

Cast

Caitlin Glass , Vic Mignogna , J. Michael Tatum , Todd Haberkorn , Greg Ayres , Luci Christian , travis willingham

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Writers

Yoji Enokido

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Franchise(s)

Ouran High School Host Club

Directors

Takuya Igarashi

9 Shinji Ikari Struggles With His Fears and Anxieties

His Cowardice Is Understandable

Upon watching Neon Genesis Evangelion for the first time, many fans take issue with Shinji. He's a fourteen-year-old boy who is made to pilot Evagelion Unit-01 to fight the invading "Angels." Shinji is cowardly and fearful - he's a gentle soul riddled with abandonment issues. Unlike many anime protagonists, Shinji struggles to rise to the occasion. It's not who he is, and NGE very much leans into that side of him. A lot of fans have a hard time liking Shinji in the beginning of the series because he comes off as far too "weak," but that's because Shinji serves as a character who prompts self-reflection.

Shinji is a highly relatable character. He's very realistic, and the guilt he feels for his father leaving is evident. His character and behaviors actually make a lot of sense for him. Shinji reflects real insecurities, which can make viewers feel uncomfortable or dislike him, as he echoes many more "shameful" qualities that people wouldn't expect a hero to have. Shinji knows his faults, however, and he acknowledges them, even if they begin to consume him. He can certainly be frustrating to watch, but that doesn't mean he isn't a well-written character.

8 Levi Ackerman Maintains His Humanity

Levi Ackerman Has a Secret Soft Spot

Levi Ackerman appears to be one of the more stoic members of the Survey Corps in Attack on Titan, but a closer look reveals a secret humanity. Attack on Titan is an unrelenting series with a lot of violence and death. It takes a strong stomach to be a part of that world, and many of the characters become desensitized to it to some extent. However, Levi isn’t like the rest of the characters.

Although he’s been on the job for a while, Levi still mourns every person he loses and heavily feels the futility of the war. He is also seen trying to keep one of his colleagues’ badges as a token of remembrance. Levi is strong enough to get any job done, but soft enough to still retain his humanity in a hopeless environment.

Attack On Titan

TV-MA

Action

Adventure

Original title: Shingeki no Kyojin.
After his hometown is destroyed and his mother is killed, young Eren Jaeger vows to cleanse the earth of the giant humanoid Titans that have brought humanity to the brink of extinction in Attack on Titan.

Release Date

September 28, 2013

Cast

Bryce Papenbrook , Yûki Kaji , Marina Inoue , Hiro Shimono , Takehito Koyasu , Jessie James Grelle

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

4 Seasons

Studio

Wit Studios, MAPPA

Creator

Hajime Isayama

Production Company

Number of Episodes

98 Episodes

7 Light Yagami's High Intelligence Leads Him Down a Villainous Path

Light Yagami Was an Ordinary High Schooler

Light Yagami from Death Note is one of the best anime characters of all time. This isn’t necessarily because he grows to become better, but because of his descent into darkness. Light initially uses the titular Death Note to rid the world of people he deems as “bad”. However, the longer he keeps up his “Kira” persona, the more he starts to kill people for his gain.

Furthermore, Light’s rivalry with the detective, L, is one of the best anime rivalries. The fact that Light was working with L to find Kira makes Light’s betrayal and L’s eventual death all the more upsetting. Light was simply an ordinary high schooler when Death Note began, but the way he’s written shows how his arrogance leads him to his dark dive and eventual demise.

Death Note (2006)

TV-14

Animation

Crime

Drama

Original title: Death Note: Desu nôto.
An intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.

Release Date

October 21, 2007

Cast

Mamoru Miyano , Brad Swaile , Vincent Tong , Ryō Naitō , Trevor Devall

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Studio

Production Company

Number of Episodes

Streaming Service(s)

6 The Elric Brothers Face a Lot of Tragedy

The Elric Brothers Have Distinct Personalities, Which Speaks to the Writing

The Elric brothers are a tragic duo from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. They became orphans in practice at such a young age, since their dad left, and their mother succumbed to illness. Grief-stricken, the brothers attempted to bring their mom back, but lost much more in the end. Now, Edward and Alphonse Elric travel the world fighting villains and searching for a philosopher’s stone to get back their missing body parts.

The Elrics aren’t all gloom, though. They have a wide network of allies and friends. Edward even has an eventual romantic relationship with their childhood friend, Winry Rockbell. Edward and Alphonse also have distinct personalities that set them apart from the other characters (and themselves) as well. The Elric brothers deal with a lot, but they never feel overly stuffy or brooding. They have their highs and lows like anyone else, which makes them two of the most well-written anime characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

TV-14

Action

Adventure

Drama

Fantasy

Original title: Hagane no renkinjutsushi.
When a failed alchemical ritual leaves brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric with severely damaged bodies, they begin searching for the one thing that can save them: the fabled philosopher's stone.

Release Date

April 9, 2009

Cast

Romi Pak , Rie Kugimiya , Shinichirô Miki , Fumiko Orikasa

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Production Company

Bones

Number of Episodes

64

5 Yuji Itadori Is a Jujutsu Sorcerer

Yuji Itadori Is The Vessel For a Cursed Spirit

Yuji Itadori is a regular high school student in Jujutsu Kaisen until his friends are attacked by a Cursed Spirit after discovering a mysterious cursed object. Flung into the world of Cursed Spirits and Sorcerers, Yuji takes it upon himself to become both after swallowing the finger of an ancient Cursed Spirit: Ryomen Sukuna. Harboring that malevolent spirit within him, Sukuna becomes a tireless struggle for Yuji to deal with and suppressing Sukuna is a dangerous game that Yuji has to overcome every single day.

During the Shibuya Incident, Sukuna commits atrocities after taking control of Yuji's body. Everything is leveled - making it appear like there is a hole in the center of Tokyo, and several sorcerers and civilians are killed. When Yuji regains control, he is faced with the horror of knowing that it was his hands that caused all the destruction. Yuji is such a well-written character because of how he grapples not only with the despicable things Sukuna does, but with the knowledge early on that in order to stop Sukuna, Yuji himself will have to consume all twenty of the curse's fingers and then face his own execution. Yuji commits the days of his life to protecting the people he cares about, but even his best isn't often good enough.

Jujutsu Kaisen

TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

A boy swallows a cursed talisman - the finger of a demon - and becomes cursed himself. He enters a shaman's school to be able to locate the demon's other body parts and thus exorcise himself.

Release Date

October 2, 2020

Cast

Junya Enoki , Yuma Uchida , Yuichi Nakamura , Adam McArthur , Asami Seto

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

3

Studio

MAPPA

Creator

Gege Akutami

Main Characters

Yuji Itadori, Satoru Gojo, Ryomen Sukuna

Production Company

Mappa, TOHO animation

Number of Episodes

47 Episodes

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll , Amazon Prime Video

4 Katsuki Bakugo Is a Reformed Bully

Katsuki Bakugo Looks Inward At Last

Katsuki Bakugo is a complicated My Hero Academia character. He begins the series as an antagonist and remains that way for much of the show. However, after being humbled a few times, Bakugo finally looks internally at his problems. Once Deku's bully, Bakugo has started to look at Deku with respect and admiration. Deku has served as Bakugo's greatest internal reflection.

Bakugo grew up being good at everything and having people constantly praise him for it. Therefore, any tiny setback would send him spiraling out of control. He has now realized this character flaw and has made amends for his past actions. Bakugo likes people to think he’s strong, but he has insecurities like anyone else. Bakugo’s transformation from the beginning until now is one of the most well-written character transformations in anime.

My Hero Academia

Action

Superhero

Animation

Izuku has dreamt of being a hero all his life—a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. That’s right, in a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered “quirk,” Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that’s not enough to stop him from enrolling in one of the world’s most prestigious hero academies.

Release Date

April 3, 2016

Cast

Aoi Yuki , Ayane Sakura , Christopher R. Sabat , Yûki Kaji , Nobuhiko Okamoto , Luci Christian , David Matranga , Justin Briner , Kenta Miyake , Clifford Chapin , Daiki Yamashita

Rating

Seasons

7

Production Company

Bones

Number of Episodes

113

3 Frieren's Many Regrets Drive the Story

And As She Makes Up for Them, Her Growth Is Undeniable

Frieren is an elven mage from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Frieren has lived for over one thousand years. However, it is only in the story’s present that Frieren realizes how much she’s missed out on by taking the world (and her friends) for granted. This is especially true of her relationship with her late friend, Himmel.

Although she didn’t realize it, Himmel meant more to Frieren than anyone else in her long life. Now that he has passed, Frieren makes a concerted effort to more thoroughly take in her surroundings and pay attention to her new companions. Frieren is a long-living being who will harbor regret for a long time. It’s a somewhat torturous existence, but it also makes her one of the best-written and well-rounded anime characters.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

TV-14

Anime

Adventure

Drama

An elf and her friends defeat a demon king in a great war. But the war is over, and the elf must search for a new way of life.

Release Date

September 29, 2023

Cast

Atsumi Tanezaki , Kana Ichinose , Mallorie Rodak , Jill Harris

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Creator

Tsukasa Abe, Kanehito Yamada

Production Company

Aniplex, Dentsu, Madhouse, Shogakukan, TOHO animation, Toho

2 Jinta Yadomi Blames Himself

Jinta Yadomi Finally Finds Peace

Jinta Yadomi (Jintan) is a lonely young man from Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day. Jintan is still reeling from his friend’s death five years before when an aged-up version of her ghost begins haunting him. Jintan tries to ignore her at first, but Meiko Honma’s (Menma) ghost insists on getting their old friend group back together. All of their old friends are dealing with Menma’s death differently, but it hits Jintan the hardest.

Jintan feels guilty about Menma’s passing. It was only because Jintan insulted Menma and ran away that Menma slipped and fell into the river while trying to chase after him. He is also more sensitive to it because he had feelings for Menma, even though he rejected her when her feelings for him were outed. Jintan goes through a lot of doubt and self-hatred for what happened in the past. It’s only when he reunites with his friends that he can truly accept Menma’s death, and finally tell her his feelings after all this time.

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

TV-14

Comedy

Five childhood companions reunite when the ghost of their dead friends appears, and demands they grant her final wish.

Release Date

April 6, 2018

Cast

Brina Palencia , Jarrod Greene , Amanda Lee , Tabitha Ray , Mallorie Rodak , Ariel Graham , Bill Jenkins , Tyler Walker , Kyle Phillips

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Studio

A-1 Pictures

Writers

Keiichirō Ōchi

Number of Episodes

11

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Franchise(s)

Hinamatsuri

Directors

Kei Oikawa

Main Cast

Ai Kayano, Miyu Irino, Haruka Tomatsu, Takayuki Kondou, Saori Hayami and Takahiro Sakurai

1 Guts Struggles to Keep His Humanity

His Greatest Battle Is Within Himself

Berserk has been a beloved, though gruesome series for years. It never pulls its punches and features some of the most grim and bleak scenes in any anime. But, it wouldn't be Berserk without Guts. Notorious for his massive sword, Guts is a product of an amalgamation of years of horrific trauma. While he has great battles on the field, his hardest battle is internal. He constantly fights the Beast of Darkness to hold on to the final shreds of his humanity.

Guts is an exceptionally written anime character. While many stories typically take their heroes down paths that allow them to overcome their trauma in positive ways, Guts is a realistic look at how hard it can be to heal from trauma. Not every person is able to heal in perfect ways. He is a flawed character with longtime scars that will never fully disappear.

Berserk

Guts, a wandering mercenary, joins the Band of the Hawk after being defeated in a duel by Griffith, the group's leader and founder. Together, they dominate every battle, but something menacing lurks in the shadows.

Created by

Kentaro Miura

First Film

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc 1: The Egg of the King

First TV Show

Berserk

Latest TV Show

Berserk

Where to watch

Crunchyroll

Video Game(s)

Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no Sho , Berserk and the Band of the Hawk , Sword of the Berserk: Guts Rage

Manga Volumes

42

Genre

Fantasy

Where to Stream

Crunchyroll

Summary

Berserk (Japanese: ベルセルク, Hepburn: Beruseruku) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. Set in a medieval Europe-inspired dark fantasy world, the story centers on the characters of Guts, a lone swordsman, and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary band called the "Band of the Hawk". The series follows Guts' journey seeking revenge on Griffith, who betrayed him and sacrificed his comrades to become a powerful demonic being.