The list of popular anime characters is quite large, and thus it is very hard to rank them. It is obvious that every anime fan has his own favourite character but if we see in general, there are some characters that certainly deserve top spots when we rank them. This post contains information on 10 most popular anime characters of all time. The ranking is based on a number of factors, like the overall fanbase of the character, context and importance of the character in the series, and the impact of the series and character on young minds.
Which are the Most Popular Anime Characters?
1. Astro Boy
Astro Boy is a popular anime character that first appeared on television in 1963. This makes it one of the oldest characters which still has place in minds of many viewers. It was created by Osamu Tekuza, and in the series, Dr. Tenma was the creator of this anime character. He created this character in the series to replace his son who died in a car accident. Most of the episodes had moral lessons for children as the anime character used to fight against evil with his superpowers. The childish attitude of the character won the hearts of many children at that time.
2. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
In 2022, came a new magna series One piece which became increasingly popular worldwide. The anime character in this series, Monkey D, Luffy, also became a common household name among anime lovers. His presentation included a straw hat and red jacket and he appeared as a cool guy.
3. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
Naruto is popular as one of the most powerful ninjas of all time. Anime used to be synonymous with Naruto at one time, which shows how wide his fanbase had been. Initially, in the series, he was not very powerful. But with his strong determination, he evolved to become a strong and destructive Ninja.
4. Johan (Monster)
Johan is popular as one of the most popular villains in the anime industry. He was a serial killer with the vision to kill everyone who came along his way. Johan is also compared with the Light Agami of Death character, but there are some differences in both characters. Like Johan is a character who is never afraid of his death, and he even asks others if they are capable enough to shoot him to death. Another exceptional trait of Johan was that he used to manipulate others very strongly. He always used his past information to act best in any situation and made the best use of the limitations of human behaviour to make others do what he wanted from them.
5. Goku (Dragon Ball)
The character of Goku is not just a normal anime hero; we can say that he was an experiment that exploded among anime lovers. He gained most of his popularity in the series Dragon Ball Z. From thereafter, the series will be incomplete without the character of Goku. He is not a conventional anime ninja but a trendsetter in his own. His character was so impactful and different that many other popular anime series have admitted that their hero was inspired by the character of Goku.
6. Spike Spiegel ( Cowboy Bebop)
Spike Spiegel is another popular anime character of all times, and he was known for being a proper combination of traits like immense strength, cool attitude, and calm mind. His philosophical knowledge is also celebrated in the series Cowboy Bebop. His love life with Julia also got much attention of viewers, even though it met a tragic end.
7. L (Death Note)
The character of L in Death Note is quite weird and nowhere near to the character of some ideal hero in an anime series. Like he likes to eat a lot of junk food, and his hairs are all over. But that does not mean he has not the gift of detective behaviour. In fact, the genius people are know to have some odd habits, and that is what makes this anime character so close to reality.
8. Tanjiro ( Demon Slayer)
One of the key aspects that gives more weight to any anime character is the background. This is what makes the character of Tanjiro powerful in the series, Demon Slayer. When Tanjiro is young, the villain kills his entire family, and his sister was turned into a half-demon. Currently, he becomes determined to make himself powerful enough to be able to destroy the villain and bring back his sibling to normal.
Another unique aspect of this character is his kind attitude. This series has occupied top viewership charts even though it is comparatively new.
9. Arsene Lupin 3 (Lupin 3)
This series came in the 1970s, at a time when anime was seen as a medium to entertain and educate children at the same time. But the series Lupin 3 changed this perception of anime and introduced the concept of adult comedy.
The character was a very good thief, and he performed the theft of some very valuable things in the series. But he did not have much love for the things he stole. Most of the time, he will just give away these stolen items to the needy. This makes his character quite identical to that of Robinhood.
10. Kakashi (Naruto)
It is not a common thing for another character to become more popular than the main character of the anime series. But Kakashi performs this very well in the series Naruto. Kakashi is another character that has become more interesting because of the background he has. Like there is mention of his father’s suicide in the past, which shaped his behaviour in a particular way. In the series, he has proved life saver for Naruto multiple times, and this makes his character more powerful than that of Naruto in some instances.
So, these were the top 10 anime characters of all times. Some of the ranking lists are also based on the strength of anime characters, thus ranking the most powerful character at top and so on. But I believe, that correct ranking should be a combination of all factors, like the level of popularity of the series and the positive impact of the series.