Top 25 Male Anime Characters [By Voting]

You don’t generally see the kind of hype and excitement for a single category of content like one that revolves around anime. Anime offers a complete package filled with emotions, drama, entertainment, amazing plot twists, stunning visuals, and of course, admirable characters. No matter how good or bad the show is, an anime is always defined by its characters. A good-looking, charming, and badass hero is the backbone of an anime. Believe it or not, but many popular cult-favorite anime characters have millions of fans. Today, we will reveal the top 25 male anime characters.

Stay tuned to find out if your favorite anime boy made it to the list!

Best 25 Male Anime Characters/Anime Boys

Here is a list of the coolest of the cool, the top 25 most loved male anime characters in anime history, according to the fan votes. Note that the characters here are listed in no particular order:

• 1. Levi Ackerman - Attack on Titan
• 2. Kakashi Hatake - Naruto
• 3. Itachi Uchiha - Naruto
• 4. L - Death Note
• 5. Ken Kaneki - Tokyo Ghoul
• 6. Karma Akabane – Assassination Classroom
• 7. Katsuki Bakugou – My Hero Academia
• 8. Killua Zaoldyeck – Hunter X Hunter
• 9. Hak – Yona of the Dawn
• 10. Ban – The Seven Deadly Sins
• 11. Satoru Gojo – Jujutsu Kaisen
• 12. Zero Kiryu – Vampire Knight
• 13. Edward Elric – Fullmetal Alchemist
• 14. Victor Nikiforov – Yuri!!! on Ice
• 15. Ayato Sakamaki – Diabolik Lovers
• 16. Son Goku – Dragon Ball
• 17. Monkey D. Luffy – One Piece
• 18. Naruto Uzumaki – Naruto
• 19. Eren Yeager – Attack on Titan
• 20. Saitama – One Punch Man
• 21. Ichigo Kurosaki – Bleach
• 22. Tanjiro Kamado – Demon Slayer
• 23. Spike Spiegel – Cowboy Bebop
• 24. Light Yagami – Death Note
• 25. Todoroki Shoto – My Hero Academia

1. Levi Ackerman - Attack on Titan

Levi Ackerman is a cold, distant, antisocial anime boy. He looks like a young teenager but he’s decades old. Levi is the Captain of the Scouting Legion division and Special Operations Squad. He boasts the title of “Humanity’s Strongest Soldier” because he is the strongest human being in the world who can easily take down Titans. What makes this character so realistic is that he is not perfect; he’s facing his own emotional trauma and insecurities. Since his introduction, he has gained immense love and appreciation from the fans. Levi’s stern face, tactful nature and strength make him one of the best male anime characters.

2. Kakashi Hatake - Naruto

Naruto is perhaps one of the most famous anime shows out there with a number of cult-favorite characters. Kakashi Hatake is Naruto’s sensei and leader of team 7. Kakashi Hatake is a shinobi of Konohagakure's Hatake clan. His teammate Obito Uchiha gives him a Sharingan. He gets the title “Copy Ninja Kakashi” because he can copy the moves of other ninjas due to his Sharingan. Kakashi is famous for his mysterious appearance, relaxed attitude, and dynamic personality.

3. Itachi Uchiha - Naruto

Itachi Uchiha is one of the most famous anime characters of all time. He is the most popular edge lord in the anime world. He is popular due to his older brother whose t-shirts and mixtapes he stole. Itachi Uchiha is not a protagonist but an anti-hero. He kills the entire Uchiha clan except for his brother Sasuke. Despite his negative characteristics, fans love him. His mysterious history, dreamy eyes, cool moves, and sexy personality make him an attractive male anime character. Itachi has millions of fans around the world with dedicated fandom websites.

4. L - Death Note

L Lawliet is the famous detective in Death Note. He is famous for his different aesthetic and strong personality. He is a man of high intelligence, awkward posture and intriguing mysteries. Ever since his introduction, L has left a long-lasting impression on viewers. This suspense series would have been incomplete without L. His social ineptitude and complex strategic reasoning are the perfect addition to the plot.

5. Ken Kaneki - Tokyo Ghoul

Ken Kaneki is the main character in Tokyo Ghoul married to Touka Kirishima. He has a gentle, introverted, and kind personality. At the beginning of the series, he is a normal man but then Rize Kamishiro's kakuhou is transplanted in him. Ken then transforms into an artificial one-eyed ghoul, the first of his kind. Being half-ghoul, half-human he becomes a Quinx. Later on, he is known as the Eyepatch and becomes one of the strongest ghouls ever.

6. Karma Akabane – Assassination Classroom

Karma Akabane is a young, mischievous, and clever character in the anime series Assassination Classroom. Karma goes to the Kunugigaoka Junior High School and studies under Korosensei. Karma is a popular character because most teens can relate to his stubbornness. He is popular in school for violence and troublesome attitude. Even though he is shown to be cunning, sadistic, manipulating, and aggressive, there is still a tender side to him – and that’s what makes his character so exciting.

7. Katsuki Bakugou – My Hero Academia

Katsuki Bakugo is a famous male character in My Hero Academia manga and anime. His love and hate relationship with Katsuki is an important aspect of his overall personality. Being rude, arrogant, aggressive, and short-tempered, Katsuki is a man of average height. He has the typical; Japanese physique with a slim, muscular build. He is given the hero name “Great Explosion Murder God Dynamite” because he is very hot-headed and violent. Anime fans all over the world love his sexy lustrous ash-blond bangs, his fighting abilities, and his epic hero costume with Grenadier Bracers.

8. Killua Zaoldyeck – Hunter X Hunter

Killua Zaoldyeck is one of the strongest and most impactful characters of Hunter x Hunter. He is cool, sharp, and mischievous. Even though Killua is relegated as Gon Freecss' sidekick, he has managed to grab the audience's attention. His mysterious history, deadly talent, and never-ending contemplation of morality make him a great character.

9. Hak – Yona of the Dawn

Hak is the second most important character of this anime and manga series. Hak is the former General and Chief of the Wind Tribe who falls in love with Princess Yona. Hak is famous for his outstanding martial arts, swordsmanship, and archery skills. He earns the title of "Lightning Beast", in the Kingdom of Kouka because he is the strongest fighter in the country. He is famous for his charming personality, sarcasm, wit, humor, and nonchalant behavior.

10. Ban – The Seven Deadly Sins

Ban is the king of Benwick and sin of Greed in Seven Deadly Sins. He is married to Elaine and has a daughter named Lancelot. and the king of Benwick. Ban is famous for his resilience and for giving up immortality to resurrect Elaine. Ban’s character is inspiring and passionate. He follows his heart and sometimes ends up suffering due to his selfishness and greedy nature. However, he is still caring and selfless for the people he loves and that's what makes him so amazing.

11. Satoru Gojo – Jujutsu Kaisen

Satoru Gojo of Jujutsu Kaisen is a special grade jujutsu sorcerer. He teaches at the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College. Satoru is a tall handsome man with white hair and bright blue eyes. Gojo is a complex personality known to be nonchalant and fun around his friends, colleagues, and students. He is famous for his strength, speed, and reflexes. He is also the most powerful Jujutsu sorcerer.

12. Zero Kiryu – Vampire Knight

Zero Kiryu is a vampire hunter and an ex-vampire. Zero is a tall attractive man with silver hair and snow-white skin and lavender eyes. He is one of the most popular manga and anime characters. He has a cool laid back rough and tough appearance; he has tattoos and multiple ear piercings. The tattoo is actually Hunter's Seal which suppresses his vampire side and tames him. He has a strong loving personality. Even though he comes across as hostile and cold-hearted, he has a kind heart. He wishes to protect humans against his own people.

13. Edward Elric – Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist is the biggest Shounen anime with millions of fans. Edward Elric is the main protagonist of this anime series and manga. Fans love him for his spunky personality and morally conflicted human emotions. He loses his arm due to an alchemy experiment gone wrong. He is popular for his struggles through life, constant existential drama, heartwarming friendships, and epic alchemy battles. He is loud-mouthed, arrogant, headstrong, and resilient.

14. Victor Nikiforov – Yuri!!! on Ice

Victor Nikiforov is a famous figure skater in Yurri!!! On Ice. He is the coach and choreographer of Yuri Katsuki’s and his fiancé. Victor is presented as a very handsome man. He has a slim tall physique, light blue eyes, and short gray hair with bangs, the classic Japanese anime boy. Even though the star performer is Yuri, Victor has a strong celebrity persona and charisma. His flirtatious looks, sexy strength, and stunning performances, leaves the audience wanting for more. Victor is also very hardworking and always tries to perfect his skills and moves. His fun attitude, good looks, and easy-going personality make him one of the best male anime characters.

15. Ayato Sakamaki – Diabolik Lovers

Ayato Sakamaki belongs to the Sakamaki household and is the third son of the Vampire king Karlheinz and his wife Cordelia. Ayato is an angry young man with a slender body and rough reddish-colored spiky hair. He has a fair complexion and narrow green eyes. Ayato is a troublesome character yearning for attention. He is presented as a mischievous and clever young boy who looks down on others. By nature, he is a bully and teases people for his personal pleasure. Ayato refers to himself as “Ore-sama” (Yours Truly) after he falls in love with Chichinashi. Fans love him because he is a narcissist who is mercilessly passionate about torture – exactly what a real vampire should be!

16. Son Goku – Dragon Ball

Son Goku is, of course, one of the most iconic anime male characters of all time. Otherwise known as “Kakarot,” Goku is the main protagonist of Dragon Ball. In fact, he was so popular that even when the showrunners wanted Gohan to be the main star, there was so much demand for his return.

That’s why even if he technically passed away in the anime, the writers found a way to bring him back to life. The main reason that people love him is the fact that he has powerful fighting skills, but he is also so cheerful, innocent, and pure-hearted. He has a never-give-up attitude and too much loyalty to his friends that viewers just naturally have a crush on him.

17. Monkey D. Luffy – One Piece

Next, we have Monkey D. Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece, also the anime show’s main protagonist. People love him because he has the dream of becoming the King of the Pirates and finding the legendary treasure. With his rubber-like abilities, he is powerful and, at the same time, attractive.

Even if this dude is not conventionally handsome, his carefree, childish, and extremely loyal attitude makes him a good candidate for an anime crush. He has a strong sense of justice despite being a pirate, after all!

18. Naruto Uzumaki – Naruto

A male anime toplist is incomplete without the classic Naruto Uzumaki. We’ve watched him grow up as a loud, young ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village, until he became the loud, energetic Hokage. Despite his lonely childhood, Naruto never gave up and really achieved his dreams.

Fans love him because Naruto is stubborn yet emotional. He is also full of passion. Some might say that his value on friendship, especially with Sasuke, is really adorable in him. Not to mention that he has cute looks with his bright blonde hair and whisker-like marks.

19. Eren Yeager – Attack on Titan

For someone on the darker side, we have Eren Yeager. This guy is the main character of Attack on Titan, and begins his journey as a hot-headed young boy who simply dreamt of freedom beyond their walls. But the circumstances of his life turned him into one of the most complex characters in anime history.

That said, his fans love him because he gives off a mysterious and demure vibe, despite his intense and determined attitude. People especially loved him more when he became more darker and broken, especially when he began to don his piercing green eyes and messy brown hair.

20. Saitama – One Punch Man

Another iconic character is Saitama, a character said to have been inspired by Bruce Lee. He is a really overpowered character and can defeat enemies with just one punch. He is, quite literally, the one punch man.

It’s because of this same overwhelming strength and awkward, always bored personality that fans love him. He has easily taken his place as one of the best male characters in anime. His calm and clueless attitude is adorable to many.

21. Ichigo Kurosaki – Bleach

Ichigo Kurosaki is the substitute Soul Reaper in Bleach, and the anime’s main character or protagonist. He takes on the responsibility of protecting humans from evil spirits, and his immense spiritual energy and sword skills make him a very powerful protector.

Aside from his skill, he is loved by the anime community because of his cool appearance. He has bright orange hair and a tough, rebellious look. He deeply cares about his family and friends, and possesses a strong moral compass, which is inspiring especially for young boys.

22. Tanjiro Kamado – Demon Slayer

For our more recent characters, Tanjiro Kamado is another well-loved male anime character. He is the protagonist of Demon Slayer who goes on a quest to cure his sister, Nezuko, who turned into a demon.

Fans followed his journey as a simple boy with a good nose, and he quickly rose as one of the strongest members of the Demon Slayer Corps. He has unwavering determination and a very interesting background (which we have yet to fully explore in the anime) that makes him a really popular choice among fans.

23. Spike Spiegel – Cowboy Bebop

Of course, another popular choice is Spike Spiegel. He’s a classic 90’s and early 2000s anime boy who many people love. His character is basically a boy with exceptional combat skills and sharp shooting abilities.

With his messy dark green hair and slim build, he exudes an aura of calm and mystery. The anime does an exceptional job of exploring his past and relating that to his philosophical outlook on life. This is why he’s a really well-loved male character.

24. Light Yagami – Death Note

Light Yagami is a genius high school student who finds the Death Note, a mysterious little notebook where any person whose name you write will be killed. With this power, Light decides to create a world free of criminals and becomes known as “Kira.” From this premise, you can already imagine how his character is presented.

Intelligent, ambitious, and manipulative, Light has a calculating personality that makes him someone you can really adore. However, his slow regression into having a twisted morality, especially with the power he has, is a fascinating sight to watch. Light is an anti-hero with good looks, and that makes him a popular male anime character.

25. Todoroki Shoto – My Hero Academia

Lastly, we have Todoroki Shoto from My Hero Academia. He is training to be a professional hero, and he possesses a powerful Quirk called “Half-Cold Half-Hot.” This allows him to control both ice and fire.

With his calm and emotionally distant attitude, we, as viewers, explore his troubled childhood. What makes him an adorable character is the fact that while he is demure and often silent, he has a caring and sincere heart. His unique hair and handsome face also make him popular among his fans.

Why Anime Boys Are Attractive?

What makes anime boys so attractive is their gentle demeanor. Anime has given a different touch to masculinity as compared to western shows - where an attractive man is usually portrayed as a tall macho dude with 6 packs. However, the concept of an anime boy is generally someone with a soft, cute, lithe yet athletic and badass personality. These hardcore tough guys have feminine qualities which set them apart from the mainstream heartthrobs like Chris Evans as Captain America or Zac Efron as Matt Brody.

Also, the ideal Japanese male is also much different than a Western guy. Japanese don’t desire strong, muscular, handsome Greek God-looking men. For them, the idea of an attractive man is a cool, laidback, charming, gentle guy with adorable looks and a goofy personality. Thus, a male anime character is a perfect combination of manly and sensitive - and women love that!

Want To See Yourself as an Anime Character? Filmora Can Help

If you want to see yourself as an anime character, Wondershare Filmora can make it happen. You can cartoonize your photos, create animated characters from text, and build short anime-style videos. It works on both desktop and mobile, so you can work wherever you are.

There are many ways you can use these anime characters:

• Design a set of anime boys/girls for YouTube or Instagram projects.
• Produce short animated videos for TikTok trends.
• Tell a story using your anime character in explainer videos.
• Share cute greetings for birthdays or special occasions.
• Build content for animation-inspired brands.

Filmora gives you several AI tools that help you bring your anime ideas to life.

AI Image Stylizer

The AI Image Stylizer lets you turn your photo into an anime or cartoon style. You can save the animated version as a photo or turn it into a short video. It is a quick way to create your anime-style portrait.

AI Text to Image

The AI Text to Image tool helps you generate animated characters from text descriptions. Just describe the look or style of the male anime character you want, and Filmora will create it for you. You can choose different animation styles such as ACG, Pixel, 3D, and others, and explore more ideas on Filmora's animation prompt page. It is great for building new anime boys or crafting an original character from your own ideas.

AI Image to Video

The AI Image to Video tool lets you import photos and create animated videos. You can select styles like custom figurines, cartoons, pixel characters, and more. You can also use this tool to add interactions between you and your favorite anime characters through effects like AI Hug, AI Kiss, and AI Fight.

Part 4: Create an Animation Video with Filmora

Many people may think making an animation video is difficult. Actually, as long as you get the right video editor, it is not that difficult. Filmora can also help you create an animation video without any hassle.

As a desktop solution for video editing, Filmora makes creating animation videos easier than ever. You can view the video below to learn how to create an animation video. Except for video making, Filmora also gives you more tools and features to help you create a video for your loved anime character:

• AI Copywriting: Write scripts for your anime characters. Just describe your idea, and Filmora’s AI copywriting tool will create a story for you.
• AI Text to Speech: Convert your script into a voiceover. Choose from more than 48 tones or clone your voice to fit the mood you are aiming for.
• Creative Assets: Add animated stickers, shapes, and backgrounds from Filmora’s more than 2.9 million creative assets to boost your video's visual style.
• Sound Effects and Background Music: Choose from over 300,000 music tracks and a large collection of sound effects to complete your video animation.
• Seamless Transitions: Pick from over 8,400 transitions to make your scene changes look natural and smooth.

Download Filmora and try it today!

Conclusion

Turning yourself into an anime character sounds fun, but finding the right tool is not always easy. You want it to be fast, simple, and look good. Filmora makes it all possible. You can create your version of a male anime character or design new anime boys straight from your photos or ideas.

It feels good to see yourself in that world you love without spending hours editing. So, if you have been dreaming about it for a while, try Filmora for free today. Just a quick reminder: use AI tools responsibly and respect others' work.

FAQs

1. Who is the most popular anime boy of all time?

There is no single answer. Fans have varying tastes, and that is the reason why we have several popular male characters. In this article alone, we’ve listed 25 of them. But in reality, anime fans have longer lists depending on their tastes.

2. Are top anime male characters usually protagonists?

No. Some anime have interesting and lovable side or supporting characters that fans equally like or love. A good example is Sasuke Uchiha or the cool and powerful Hashiras of Demon Slayer. There’s really no set rule that only the protagonists reach the top lists for male characters.

3. How can I make a video about my favorite male anime characters?

The main way is to create them using video editing tools like Wondershare Filmora. All you have to do is take popular clips or photos of your favorite character, and create edits of them. Usually, people on TikTok or Reels create edits of these characters with cool music, featuring their powerful moments. Another way is to use Filmora’s AI video generators.