Top 25 Anime Protagonists Of All Time

Some of these aren’t considered:

Musashi, Johnny Joestar, Denji – No anime yet

25. Shinichi Izumi

Anime: Parasyte

Shinichi Izumi, a 17-year-old male high school student, is the protagonist of the Anime Parasyte. One of the parasites tries unsuccessfully to creep into Shinichi’s nose while he sleeps, instead of becoming his right hand. He is initially a nice and thoughtful person but is also considered a wimp and pushover. But he greatly changes after Migi becomes his right hand. He has great character development in a short amount of time. Parasyte isn’t a long series and Shinichi’s growth is absolutely great.

24. Phos

Anime: Land of the Lustrous

Phos is the protagonist of the series, Land of the Lustrous, and the youngest Gem when the story began. They are clumsy and fragile and this makes them unfit for combat. Phos has always aspired to serve others. Phos’ initial task was to create an encyclopedia of natural history, but they made very little progress. They pledged to assist Cinnabar in finding employment as well.

The only Gem to date with significant physical and psychological impacts is Phos. Over the course of the series, Phosphophyllite exhibits a personality shift primarily brought on by maturation, trauma, and outside factors.

23. Shin

Anime: Kingdom

Shin is the protagonist of the series, Kingdom. The character is based on a real-life character that lived in Ancient China. Shin is loyal, headstrong, and courageous but could sometimes be extremely hotheaded. He is also a great leader with charisma, making him a General of the Hi Shin Unit. Shin in a way is like a usual Shonen Protagonist as he tries to become the greatest general in China and constantly grows to reach that place.

For me, it was refreshing to find the main character with a larger-than-life goal in a realistic non-fantasy setting. Also, Shin is constantly tested and has to face the brutal reality of the war yet his goals never waver and he always moves forward. Shin is one of the most underrated protagonists in Manga.

22. Spike Speigel

Anime: Cowboy Bepop

Spike Spiegel is a bounty hunter who travels through space with his crew aboard the Bebop. Spike was a member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate before becoming a bounty hunter. Spike is a character who is slothful, nonchalant, indifferent, and lazy. He is a cool dude who is also great in hand-to-hand combat and martial arts. The moments where Spiegel discusses his past or shows his tender side is what make him a relatable character.

21. Conan

Anime: Case Closed

Conan is the main character of the series, Case Closed. Shinichi took the appearance of his six-year-old self after being exposed to a prototype poison called APTX 4869, which he was forced to swallow by two men in black who were later revealed to be Black Organization members. Detectives are one of the coolest characters in fiction and Conan is no different. He is one of the most iconic anime detectives probably after L.

20. Joseph Joestar

Anime: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures

Joseph Joester is the protagonist of the second part of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures known as Battle Tendency. The first part of Jojo isn’t that great for me but the second part is much more enjoyable mainly because of Joseph Joestar. He isn’t a layered, intricate, or philosophical character. He is funny and goofy yet he is actually pretty intelligent and street smart.

19. Jolyne Cujoh

Anime: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures

Jolyne Joester is the protagonist of the sixth part of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures, Stone Ocean. Jolyne is a typical little girl—brisk, a little bit rude—who harbours grudges against her father Jotaro. She matures throughout the course of the narrative, and even her animosity for Jotaro fades. Her creativity is her biggest ability, and she uses her stand in a variety of ways.

Due to the circumstances, Jolyne had to mature quickly and significantly, and she succeeded in doing so. It is uncommon to find a female protagonist in a popular Shonen anime, thus Jolyne in Jojo was welcome.

18. Kaneki

Manga: Tokyo Ghoul

Kaneki is the protagonist of the series, Tokyo Ghoul. He is a half-ghoul and a half-human but was just an ordinary boy once. As the series, progresses he slowly began to accept his fate and moves forward in life. Kaneki’s character development is one of the best in Manga. Kaneki is a complex, flawed, and layered character and he deserves a spot here.

Unfortunately, the anime doesn’t do enough justice to the series and Ken Kaneki as a character. Hence he is ranked pretty low.

17. Tenma

Anime: Monster

Tenma is the main character of the series Monster. Tenma is morally upright and a king person and an excellent neurosurgeon who tries to value all lives equally. His life is thrown into chaos when a kid he saved comes back into his life several years later. Johan Liebert is one of the greatest Manga villains and often overshadows Tenma.

But Tenma’s struggles because of his conviction of valuing lives equally were really good. Tenma is a really good protagonist and fits the theme of the series that the author wanted to tell.

16. Goku

Anime: Dragon Ball

Goku, the main character of Dragon Ball is definitely the most iconic Anime protagonist of all time. He is well known even among non-anime fans and the Super Saiyan transformations are still one of the most famous anime things ever.

We follow Goku from his childhood to adulthood when he is a grandfather. As a kid, he had an energetic, kindhearted, pure-hearted, and caring personality. He is still one of the funniest Main characters ever as a kid. His growth over the series is really great and the character development is good. Goku is an inspiration to a lot of modern-day Shonen protagonists and he definitely deserves a place on the list.

15. Naruto

Anime: Naruto

Naruto is only second to Goku in terms of popularity in anime and is even known among those unfamiliar with the medium. Like most Shonen Protagonists, Naruto is an optimistic and ambitious person. His story is an inspirational one of achieving one’s dream. He is also funny, headstrong, and had a lot to endure to reach his dreams. He is also one of the strongest characters in the series.

Being the chosen child in the Ninja World, he perfectly embodied the themes the author wanted to tell. He had a Nine-Tailed Fox within him, and this made him an outsider. Despite this, he persevered despite all odds to become the world’s desired savior. Pain arc is one of the best arcs and Naruto’s character in that arc is just perfect. Though the final war arc created a few inconsistencies in his character and stayed away from the original themes, his influence in the anime world is unquestionable so he deserves a place here.

14. Mob

Anime: Mob Psycho 100

Shigeo Kageyama, also known as Mob is the protagonist of the series, Mob Psycho 100. He is socially awkward, and lacks friends, but is very understanding of others even those who’ve hurt him. He is very strong but he doesn’t like those aspects and tries to keep his emotions in check. Mob is one of the best overpowered Main characters I have experienced. He is one of those characters that touch you emotionally.

13. Gon

Anime: Hunter X Hunter

Gon is the protagonist of Hunter X Hunter written by Togashi. Gon may at first glance seem to be a typical good-hearted Shonen protagonist, but Togashi subverted the trope with Gon. He wants to become a Hunter so he can meet his father, Ging. In Gon, a 12-year-old boy is thrown into a cruel, morally complex world where he learns about humanity’s flaws.

Gon’s interaction with Hisoka in the first arc demonstrated how egotistical he is, to the point where he would sacrifice another person to further his own ends. To win the Dodge ball game on Greed Island, he even harmed Killua. And Chimera arc is the perfect culmination of all of Gon’s flaws leading to that iconic anime transformation that made him one of the strongest in the series. Gon isn’t enjoyable as other characters in this list throughout the story and hence is ranked low.

12. Edward Elric

Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist

Edward Elric is the protagonist of the series, Fullmetal Alchemist written by Hiroma Arakawa. Elric did the one thing that is forbidden in the alchemy world: he tried to bring a dead person back to life which is his mother in this case. But he lost an arm and a leg, and his brother lost his physical body due to this. The story revolves around Elric’s ongoing struggle with making morally challenging choices while attempting to restore his brother’s body.

Edward Elric is intelligent, well-informed, and not really interested in developing his physical strength. He was forced to make a number of morally challenging choices, yet he persists by upholding his ideals. His character’s resolution was one of the reasons I gave him such a good rating since I really enjoyed it.

11. Eren Yeager

Anime: Attack On Titan

Eren Yeager is the protagonist of the series Attack On Titan, written by Hajime Isayama. Eren and other people live in a secluded wall outside which is surrounded by Titans. He has to figure out a way by which his friends could forever live in peace. Eren wasn’t particularly unique at first, but as the story developed and the world grew, he emerged as one of the most unique Shonen main characters ever.

His ideals and actions make him polarizing. It is tough to like someone who is trying to kill everyone in the world except his closed ones. Personally, I never liked Eren once but I think that is actually a beauty of the series. But the conclusion isn’t also that great and hence I am putting him here.

10. Saitama

Anime: One Punch Man

Saitama is the main character of the series One Punch Man, written by One and illustrated by Murata. Saitama is the strongest character in the universe which leads to an existential crisis as he is now too powerful to have any fun in a battle. Initially it feels like he is just a parody of the genre in general but that idea is handled briliantly. Saitama is funny, goofy, and really enjoyable to read but at the same time, he isn’t a simplistic character.

Saitama is one of the best-overpowered protagonists I have seen. His character design, dialogues, fights, and the nuances in his character make him a place in this list.

9. Hinata Shoyo

Anime: Haikyuu

Hinata Shoyo is the protagonist of the series, Haikyuu written by Furudate. Hinata Shoyo is a high school student who wants to become a Volleyball player but his short height ends up as a great obstacle to achieving that. The narrative details his struggle in overcoming an impossibly high obstacle to his desire.

Like other Shonen heroes, Hinata is straightforward, enthusiastic, and has a never-say-die attitude, but for me, Hinata stands out for the way the underdog theme was handled. Haikyuu and Hinata’s journey is one of the most inspirational one in Shonen for me. The underdog theme was handled brilliantly as it is something I don’t think is done well in most mainstream anime. Even till the end of the Manga, Hinata’s journey feels quite realistic.

8. Yusuke Urameshi

Anime: Yu Yu Hakusho

Yusuke Urameshi is the protagonist of the classic Yu Yu Hakusho written by Togashi. Yusuke isn’t what I would describe as a deep or complex character, but he is witty, strong, and generally entertaining to watch. Even after all these years, it still surprises me how interesting and engaging Yusuke is as a protagonist. His conclusion is also really great as it was both mature and gratifying. One can argue that Gon was the better protagonist written by Togashi, but Yusuke is simply more entertaining and fun to follow than Gon.

7. Okabe Rintaro

Anime: Steins Gate

Okabe is the main character of the series, Steins Gate. He is a self-proclaimed mad scientist. He is melodramatic, eccentric, and a socially inept person. He is a unique character as we often don’t get to have a scientist as the main character in a well-received anime.

6. Guts

Anime: Berserk

Next on the list is Guts, who is the protagonist of the series. Guts has a claim to be at top of any best protagonists list but the Anime adaptation of Berserk isn’t the best and doesn’t give justification to his character.

Guts is known as the Black Swordsman. He is a former member of the Band of the Hawks and a branded struggler. He is also without doubt the strongest human character in the series. Guts’ journey from his childhood to the current period is a fascinating tale. In a world filled with demons, monsters, magicians, and Gods, he still remains the most humane character there.

Guts story is one of the most inspirational ones to watch in Anime. He moves forward in life regardless of the struggles and obstacles he faces. The design, character development, fights, thematic messages, the dynamics with the main antagonist, emotional moments, etc for Guts are just perfect.

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5. Light Yagami

Anime: Death Note

Light Yagami is the protagonist of the series, Death Note. He finds a notebook that kill anyone when the said person’s name is written in it. He starts to use that notebook to kill the criminals in the world but eventually becomes corrupted by the great power he gained from the notebook. His dynamic with L, the battle of wits between them is one of the best in anime ever.

Initially his actions might be something that many will get behind, but as the story goes on the actions becomes questionable and even the readers can’t get behind them. He becomes ruthless, and his utilitarian ideals make him the same person he hates. That is why Light’s journey is one of the best in anime.

4. Sindbad

Anime: Magi: Adventures of Sindbad

Sindbad is the protagonist of the series Adventure of Sindbad and also a major character in the series Magi. I have taken into account of his actions from both series in ranking here. At first, he seemed like a idealistic person but as the series progressed, it is revealed he isn’t what it seems.

He starts to realize that it is inevitable to make some morally questionable actions for a bigger purpose. Sindbad is one of the most enjoyable characters ever and hence he finds a place here.

3. Lelouch

Manga: Code Geass

Lelouch is the protagonist of the series, Code Geass. Politics play a major theme of the series and Lelouch was a perfect protagonist to explore that. Climax is one of the greatest in anime history and Lelouch’s actions make him one of the greatest Main characters of all time.

The main character of the Code Geass television series is Lelouch. Lelouch is composed, highly intelligent, smart, and haughty, but at school, he presents himself as kind and likeable. Many soldiers and leaders trusted him because of his charisma and commitment to justice. Lelouch has traumas and losses throughout the course of the series, which harden his resolve.

2. Gintoki

Anime: Gintama

Sakata Gintoki is the protagonist of Gintama, written by Hideaki Sorachi. Gintama as a series doesn’t have a great plot and that makes Gintoki’s inclusion here a bit weird. Gintoki lacks ambition, is passive, lacks initiative, has no dream, isn’t prideful, etc. Strangely enough, Gintoki is ideal for the tale and the theme Gintama is trying to tell.

Gintoki doesn’t try to be heroic but he will save those within his sword’s reach. His journey is a simple and relatable one that anyone can get behind. Also, his father-daughter dynamic with Kagura is probably one of the best dynamics in anime for me. Gintoki is one of those rare characters that touch you emotionally.

1. Luffy

Anime: One Piece

Luffy is the protagonist of the series One Piece, written by Eiichiro Oda. Luffy sets on a journey to find One Piece and become the Pirate King. Luffy may come across as a typical Shonen protagonist—enthusiastic, simple-minded, and with a never-say-die mentality. The difference is that Luffy serves as a reminder of why these tropes are so common. He is just so damn enjoyable in those aspects.

That doesn’t mean Luffy is shallow, the entire theme of One Piece is built around him. The positive take on the theme of freedom is something I really admire. Also, Luffy isn’t a morally justified hero either so he has the freedom to do morally questionable things too. He is without the funniest Main characters I have seen. His fights, comedy, emotional moments, and his flaws are much more enjoyable than any protagonist I have read.

Even after 1000 episodes, Luffy is still an unpredictable force of nature that changes the world around him. People tend to have this inhibition to place Shonen heroes that high, but for me, Luffy is the most enjoyable character in fiction ever and I have to give him the top spot.

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