Anime has a long history of using certain character tropes to attract and retain audiences. Shonen boys fighting for what’s right, the cute female leads fawning over the male protagonists, the dense heroes who are about as subtle as a brick wall, and of course, the classic tsundere — it’s rare to find main characters that don’t fit into one of these categories!
However, some anime shows feature characters that may be unique. These heroes, or heroines (if you will), defy all anime stereotypes and bring a burst of color to the otherwise black-and-white saturated anime world.
10 Kazuma Sato (KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!)
If the Isekai genre has a problem, it’s the fact that they always have these ridiculously overpowered heroes, which leads to clichés and overused tropes. Kazuma Sato from KonoSuba, however, tries to be different. He is a lazy and perverted character with no special powers.
You can’t help but chuckle when he complains about the fantasy world’s lack of modern amenities or when he gets into awkward situations with the female characters. So, while other Isekai heroes may have god-like powers and armies at their disposal, Kazuma has something just as valuable: humor. And that’s a power that can never be overused.
9 Koro Sensei (Assassination Classroom)
Koro Sensei is an octopus-like yellow creature with multiple tentacles that serve as his arms and legs. He has a big grin on his face with tiny dotted eyes. But it’s not his appearance that makes him unconventional. In Assassination Classroom, Koro Sensei’s actions and role as a teacher are hard to understand. For starters, he destroyed a whopping seventy percent of the moon!
And if that wasn’t enough, he threatened to do the same thing to Earth within a year. Meanwhile, he’s also teaching a group of students at a high school. It’s somewhat conflicting — on the one hand, he’s nothing less of a villain who would wipe out humanity, but on the other hand, he’s imparting valuable lessons to his students who wouldn’t live long.
8 Nazuna Nanakusa (Call Of The Night)
Nazuna Nanakusa is undeniably one of the coolest characters in anime, with a penchant for gothic fashion. From her black outfit to her black nail polish, Nazuna is all about embracing the darkness – the night sky.
She is very bold and open about adult topics and doesn’t shy away from making suggestive comments or innuendos. You can see that when she’s teasing Ko with her playful remarks. But interestingly enough, she gets embarrassed and cringes hard when someone else brings up such topics.
7 Sakurako Kujou (Beautiful Bones: Sakurako’s Investigation)
Many female characters in anime are often pigeonholed into romantic subplots, whether they’re socially awkward like Shoko Komi or emotionally distant like Erina Nakiri. But Sakurako Kujou is a character who doesn’t need a romantic partner to define her story.
Her relationship with the male protagonist, Shoutarou Tatewaki, is professional, built on mutual admiration for each other’s skills. As a forensic anthropologist with an unhealthy obsession with bones, Sakurako uses her skills to solve crimes and mysteries. She’s so engrossed in her work that she sometimes forgets to care for herself.
6 Giorno Giovanna (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind)
Giorno is the fifth JoJo in the original universe, and he is undoubtedly one of Araki’s oddest creations. Unlike the previous JoJos, Giorno is the son of the show’s main villain, Dio Brando. He is conceived through Jonathan Joestar’s body. So, technically, that makes him a Joestar.
Giorno, however, shares many traits with Dio. His unconventional nature is further emphasized by his goal of becoming a gangster and rising to the top of the Italian mafia, a far cry from the heroic aspirations of his predecessors. He is also willing to resort to violence and manipulation to achieve his goals.
5 Revy (Black Lagoon)
Shyness, innocence, and submissiveness – you can find these traits among many anime girls. But then there’s Revy, the protagonist from Black Lagoon. She’s not exactly the type to swoon over flowers and love letters. Instead, she’ll probably shoot the flowers and use the letters to light a cigarette.
Revy is a sadistic and ruthless mercenary who works for a criminal outfit in Southeast Asia. She has a foul mouth and may act violently. Revy defies the weak female trope and doesn’t hold back against anyone who messes with her. She carries a pair of Modified Beretta 92Fs Inox; with her quick reflexes and deadly accuracy, you don’t want to be on her bad side.
4 Gintoki Sakata (Gintama)
Gintoki isn’t your typical samurai, especially in a world where aliens have invaded Edo-Japan. He’s had to adjust to the changing times and technology that came with a new era. Instead of sticking to his samurai roots, Gintoki is now a freelancer. He even zips around town on a scooter.
Gintoki is a massive fan of Shonen Jump, which, in case you didn’t know, is a super popular Manga magazine in Japan. He often spends his time collecting issues of the magazine and throws in iconic Manga references throughout the show. Gintoki is also a big video game buff and switches from sword-swinging to button-mashing in seconds.
3 Oga Tatsumi (Beelzebub)
Oga Tatsumi is quite the sight to behold when he walks down the halls of his school. With a naked demon baby perched atop his head, it’s no wonder people can’t help but stare. It’s hard for anyone to believe he is a father when no girls ever get near him. The only thing he’s ever nurtured is his reputation as the school’s most notorious delinquent.
Oga has to care for the baby 24/7 and stay within fifteen meters of a range because, well, if he doesn’t, his pint-sized pal will unleash a lightning attack that can fry anyone in the vicinity. Like other anime heroes, Oga also has some special powers, but it’s unusual. He has to drink “super milk” to borrow the demon baby’s power temporarily.
2 Denji (Chainsaw Man)
Shonen heroes are often shown to have a great moral compass with a noble purpose. They’re always fighting to save their loved ones or even the entire world. Tanjiro from Demon Slayer, Takemichi from Tokyo Revengers, and Naruto are all great examples of this.
However, Chainsaw Man has brought in a character who challenges this traditional hero archetype. Instead of fighting for honor or justice, Denji simply wants to have a girlfriend and enjoy good meals. And he is willing to chainsaw his way through devils to make that happen.
1 King (One Punch Man)
One Punch Man’s King is the ultimate fraud of the superhero world. Revered as the “Strongest Man on Earth,” King, however, is a total chicken who relies on luck to get through battles. There’s even a rumor about “King Engine,” which people believe is him getting into battle mode.
In reality, though, it’s just the sound of his heart pounding like crazy when he sees a monster and tries to keep it together. King has no special powers and often plays video games with Saitama to cope with his anxiety. He is respected by many heroes who admire his supposed raw strength. King’s public image is a total mismatch with who he actually is, and it’s quite hilarious.
