14 Anime Side Characters Who Are More Compelling Than The Protagonist
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Killua Zoldyck shares a few similarities with the main protagonist of Hunter X Hunter, Gon Freecss. Killua and Gon both display a kind-hearted attitude that is most commonly found in children. What separates Killua from Gon, however, is that when provoked by an enemy, he doesn't hesitate to show his bloodthirsty side.
Much of that comes from his background growing up in a family of assassins, a lifestyle he eventually rebelled against.
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Ever school has its class clown, and Class 3-E is no different. At first glance, Karma Akabane comes off as a lazy troublemaker that's obsessed with humiliating his classmates. Once you get past this first impression, Karma reveals himself to be a sympathetic and hardworking student.
This class clown is also considered to be the strongest of the Class 3-E students, and his hits usually play out like pranks. Nagisa Shiota isn't bad, but he can't compete with Karma's zany charm.
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Even with a cast full of superheros, Shoto Todoroki is still one of the most unique characters on My Hero Academia. He possesses the ability to control fire and ice, as hinted at by his dual-colored hair. However, he refuses to unleash his fire powers for two reasons.
First off, his ice powers can be used to defeat adversaries in a non-lethal manner. Secondly, his refusal is an act of rebellion against his parents, who raised him to become a weapon that could surpass All Might. These familial issues makes him incredibly sympathetic as a character
While his initially strict personality sharply contrasts with the lighthearted Izuku Midoriya, he learns to opens up more as the show goes on, much to the delight of fans.
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- Dragon Ball Z
- Toei Animation
Out of all the Dragon Ball Z characters, no one has gone through a journey quite like Vegeta's. Initially, he's portrayed as an unbeatable bad guy, but over time he evolves into a key, yet untrustworthy ally, Vegeta's character arc is one of the strongest in the show.
The real change to his character comes in the "Majin Buu saga," as he finally admits he'll never be able to match Goku's powers and begins to fully embrace his role as a family member. Considering his previous dedication to destroying the Earth in season one of Dragon Ball Z, watching Vegeta humiliate himself in order to save the planet from Beerus, the God of Destruction, in Battle of the Gods is an amazing turnaround.
It's also surprising that, when you take Dragon Ball Super into account, Vegeta becomes a more caring husband and father than Goku.
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Natsu Dragneel has his charms, but his characterization isn't too different from all the other reckless and carefree shonen protagonists that litter the genre. While you could say the same about Ezra Scarlet and her stubbornly strict personality, her insecurities combined with her dark past as a slave make her the most compelling character in Fairy Tail.
If that's not enough, her extreme love of amour makes for a fun gag and creative power-up. She's like the Iron Man of her guild.
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This one is a total no-brainer for Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann fans. Seriously, Kamina is one of the best things about the anime.
Kamina's bombastic personality makes him an absolute blast to watch. Whereas Simon is often too timid, Kamina is loud, brave, and determined. It's easy to write him off as simple, but Kamina actually has some complexities to his character.
As he admits in the show, Kamina uses his outrageous personality to mask his own self-doubt, but no matter what, he remains a character that everyone loves to admire.
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Although the Naruto anime constantly paints its lead character as an outcast, Naruto's obnoxious behavior makes him hard to sympathize with. Plus, those Nine-Tailed Demon Fox powers of his always give him what feels like an unfair leg up on the competition.
Rock Lee, on the other hand, is the epitomic loveable underdog. Unlike most of the ninjas in the series, Rock Lee doesn't possess the skills to perform ninjutsu and genjutsu. However, through sheer determination, he is able to go toe-to-toe with the near-unstoppable Gaara using only his non-magic physical abilities.
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It might be called Yu-Gi-Oh!, but the real star of the show is without a doubt Seto Kaiba. While Yugi Mutou fills the archetypal shonen role of insecure-yet-confident protagonist to the letter, Kaiba holds nothing back as Yugi's scumbag rival.
From episode one to Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions, Kaiba never stops being a full-blown jerk to everyone around him in his quest to become the number one trading card gamer. His outrageous antics and unbelievable obsession with the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" cards make him an anime rival you can't help but love.
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Nicholas D. Wolfwood - Trigun
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Vash the Stampede is a fun character to watch on Trigun, but once Nicholas D. Wolfwood steps onto the show, it's impossible to not want more. Fashion-wise, Wolfwood rocks the bad*ss preacher look with his slick shades and enormous cross-shaped gun.
His cool persona perfectly contrasts Vash's whimsical demeanor, and his surprise relationship with Milly Thompson is endearing to watch unfold. However, just like Vash, Wolfwood has a dark past that motivates him throughout the series. His abusive childhood drives him to raise money for the orphanage he runs, so that he can make sure other children won't suffer like he did.
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There's no better way to grab the viewer's attention than to carry around a monstrous sword wherever you go. That's how Sagara Sanosuke made his debut on Rurouni Kenshin; he wields the Zanbatō like it's no big deal. Even after Kenshin destroys the Zanbatō , Sanosuke remains a captivating character to watch.
His brash attitude makes him easier to relate to than Kenshin, and his fighting style following the Zanbatō's destruction becomes more engaging to behold. Watching him try to master the Futae no Kiwami in order to avoid the punishment of death is one of the highlights of the Kyoto arc.
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Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach doesn't stray too far from the brash anime protagonist typical to Shonen Jump shows. Like so many shonen heroes, he's a grouch with a heart of gold. Renji Abarai, however, has considerably more layers to his personality.
Renji shares Ichigo's smug cockiness, but he also has a more anxious side to his personality. Visually speaking, Renji's long, crimson, ponytailed hair makes him stand out from the crowd. What's more, Renji's childhood bond with Rukia Kuchiki make their chemistry together far more interesting than any of Ichigo's relationships.
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Ruri Gokou - Oreimo
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With a lead character as loud and obnoxious as Kirino Kousaka, it's not hard to find one to surpass her in Oreimo. One that stands out in particular is the gothic Ruri Gokou, or Kuroneko, as she prefers to be called.
Like Kirino, Kuroneko is an obsessive otaku who writes pretentious doujinshi as well as novels that cater exclusively to her taste. However, Kuroneko's bashful side and sweet relationship with Kyousuke makes her far more palatable than Kirino.
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Kazuma Kuwabara - Yu Yu Hakusho
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How can anyone not love Kazuma Kuwabara? In Yu Yu Hakusho's third episode, he doubles down on studying and learns to practice great self-restraint just so a friend of his can keep his job and continue supporting his lower-class family.
Kuwabara is the perfect friendly rival for Yusuke Urameshi, as both are hotheaded students that let their fists do most of the talking. However, where Yusuke is considered good-looking and a highly competent fighter, Kuwabara is commonly regarded as ugly and often struggles to obtain victory.
His unfaltering determination as a fighter (even after taking some serious Ls in the Dark Tournament saga) makes his eventual victory against Elder Toguro so much sweeter. Plus, he's never not acting like an adorable goofball.
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There's more to Ymir than meets the eye. Her initial appearance on Attack on Titan paints her as somewhat cynical, selfish, and uncaring. As the series progresses, however, the real Ymir begins to blossom, showcasing her truly heroic side.
Outside of all her surprising personality traits, Ymir's complex backstory is also quite notable. Despite her many fluctuations, one thing that doesn't change is her devotion to her lover Historia Reiss. The same can't be said for Eren Jaeger, who remains predictably boring throughout the series.
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