Wondering who are the most popular anime characters of all time? These characters are what make or break an anime as each character has to be unique and full of life that the fans can get behind. They can range from side characters, protagonists, side kicks, and even villains have made such an impact on the audience that there are fans of each of the characters who have a life of its in its fandom.
So much so that the popularity raises to such heights that it is known by those who haven’t even watched anime at one point. Numerous characters are considered popular in the anime community. Let us look at the list of the top 15 most popular anime characters of all time that we have for you!
Top 15 Most Popular Anime Characters Of All Time
15. Izuku Midoriya
Midoriya is the main protagonist of the infamous My Hero Academia anime. He rose to popularity in recent years for being a flawed protagonist that has his fair share of failures, but his determination to overcome them is what won the hearts of so many people. Many thought that his journey of becoming a hero will fail but he has proven them wrong time and time again. He continues to be somewhat a vulnerable protagonist, but he has become more and more popular as each time passes by.
14. Gon Freecss
He is the son of Ging Freecss, and he is the main protagonist of the Hunter X Hunter series. Gon is a very strong and very simple-minded person who is confident in his abilities to a point that he will fight enemies that are far stronger than him even if his life is on the line. This is the level of determination that makes a character and Gon strives in situations like this on top of all, his playful personality makes him even more likable and popular.
13. Spike Spiegel
He is one of the most badass main protagonists ever graced the anime community. Spike is a bounty hunter that travels from one planet to another in search of a target that will keep him and his companion fed. The reason behind his character’s popularity is his nonchalant and lazy but his first appearance can be deceiving as he in term a very powerful individual that once was the leader of a powerful organization. His walk of think and his determination to go forward in life are something that everyone should aspire to do.
12. Kurosaki Ichigo
Bleach at its peak was a member of the Big 3 which consists of Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach itself. Its protagonist, Ichigo, was very popular then. He is a powerhouse that has made his way to the top of the food chain by unlocking his powers to the fullest through training and hard work. He is a very stubborn but strong-willed guy that will defeat his opponents no matter what and find a very to improve himself during that time.
11. Sasuke Uchiha
He is their rival and a friend of Naruto. He comes from the Naruto series. Sasuke is a very serious character that was a genius by all. His popularity comes from his cold attitude and badass looks, as well as the tragic backstory that made him begin his crusade of his. Every single Naruto fan couldn’t bring themselves to hate this character become of his character motivation and the things he did the before the series ended.
10. Lelouch Lamperouge
He is the anti-hero of the anime series that doesn’t need any introduction which is called Code Geass. Lelouch is a genius that was once the crown prince of the almighty Britannia Empire. He is a very intelligent character that with his mind, brought the world to his knees. His popularity as a character skyrocketed when the anime began airing, and he still gets a lot of attention to this very day.
9. Gojo Satoru
He is a character that hails from the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. Gojo works as a teacher at JuJutsu High and is one of the strongest characters in the Jujutsu Kasien world, if not the strongest. The anime was released and upon making his debut, the fans loved the character of Gojo who was mostly funny at the time but also serious when he has to be. One of the reasons he is so popular is, in fact, that he is a very strong character. Every single time he comes into the picture, the whole fandom losses their mind
8. Light Yagami
He is a genius who served as the main anti-hero of the Death Note anime. Death Note is by far one of the most common anime that beginners watch to get into anime due to its reason for it being the best anime of all time. Light is one of the pillars that hold this show to such the highest as he is one of the smartest characters in any anime and the tricks that he used in his mental fight against L were one for the ages which became one of the reasons why he was so popular.
7. Kujo Jotaro
There have been many protagonists in JoJo’s Bizzare adventures but none of them had such an impact on the anime community as Kujo Jotaro. Upon his first reveal, he looked like a one-dimensional character but each fighting scene and character interaction defined his character who is a tough guy that doesn’t talk but will save his loved ones from any danger. He is one of those characters that have made a great impact on the world because of his fight with Dio. Their fights have some of the most memorable moments in the entire series, and it is still enjoyable to watch.
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6. Madara Uchiha
He is the former leader of the Uchiha clan and is a character from Naruto. Madara served as one of the main villains of the Naruto series who has made a very strong impression on the Naruto fan base upon his awakening. The reason for his popularity is because of his role in the series as a whole and the enemies he has defeated in such a way that it was considered unfair. He’s been the second last antagonist of the Naruto series, was the high point of the series and the hype from Kishimoto made him into bigger than life character.
05. Red Hair Shanks
He is a character that comes from the infamous One Piece series. Shanks have made only a handful of appearances in the manga series but each time he comes back, the hype gets through the roof and even those moments are simple ones like him talking. The way Oda has portrayed his character is very amazing, and he is someone who is the reason behind Luffy starting his journey. Shanks’ popularity is so high that there is even an anime film coming that will focus on his daughter and also will reveal many other details about him
04. Guts
He is a manga series that doesn’t need an introduction as it is without a doubt one of the best works of fiction out there in the world that has inspired many people and creators throughout their careers. Guts are the main protagonist of the series. Guts is someone that has struggled his entire life but ultimately became someone that everyone knows and loves. The series showed his struggles and his overcoming the instrumental odds with his willpower and his growth as a character as time passed by. His willingness to not submit and the ideals that he has is the reason for his popularity.
03. Naruto Uzumaki
He hails from the Village Hidden in the Leaf in the Naruto series. He is one of the few main protagonists that has made his presence known worldwide. Naruto’s joyful nature is always something that will lighten up everyone’s mood and the strength he has is used by him to protect his friends and everyone in his village. His ideas are very different from other characters, which even makes the villains think twice about whether what they are doing is wrong or right.
02. Monkey D Luffy
He is The Captain of the Strawhat Pirates and is the main protagonist of the One Piece. Luffy, at time, act like a childish character that doesn’t worry about anything or anyone in the world, but he is an amazing character that will help people that are in need, even if he is a pirate. As the series has progressed, the adventures he has been on and the people Luffy has helped are numerous. This is one of the reasons that so many people love him in the One Piece community and the anime community.
01. Son Goku
He is the main protagonist of Dragon Ball, who the audience has been with since he was a small kid. His adventure from when he was a small kid to the grown man that has defeated threats that have threatened the safety of the entire Universe is something that has been closely watched by the world as a whole. He is undoubted a very prominent figure that has far exceeded any other anime character in terms of popularity.