From Lelouch to Deku, we're diving into the most iconic anime characters who've defined the first two decades of the 21st century. These characters have captured our hearts, challenged our expectations, and redefined what it means to be a hero in modern anime storytelling.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most iconic anime characters
00:10of the 21st century as of this writing.
00:13To be clear, if a character made their first appearance before the millennium, we can't
00:18count them.
00:21He dreamed of one day becoming a hero despite not having any powers in a world dominated
00:36by them, only to go on to be chosen as the successor of the greatest hero of the age.
00:46A humble fanboy at heart, if All Might is the embodiment of the Silver Age heroes, then
00:52Deku is the one to take those ideals into the modern times and all the societal perils
00:57that come with it.
01:05He's an awkward cinnamon roll at the best of times, but as he's proven over and over,
01:13when the chips are down, he will rise up to the occasion and do what's right, no matter
01:18which monster stands in his way plus ultra.
01:40Timid by night and the embodiment of pride by day, Escanor shines as brightly as his
01:46sunshine magic ability.
01:48Escanor backs up his impossibly arrogant attitude and spruce moustache with kindness or maybe
01:54pity for all those weaker than him, which is basically everyone.
02:04Whether he's flexing on anyone who stands in his way or simping for Lady Merlin, Escanor
02:09can do no wrong in our eyes.
02:11While he may not technically be the protagonist of The Seven Deadly Sins, Escanor has enough
02:16main character energy to be the hero we deserve.
02:30He may have a pretty face, but Aquamarine Hoshino has a dark side.
02:35The reincarnated fan of idol Ai Hoshino and her new son, Aqua is on a mission of revenge
02:42to find and kill his mother's murderer.
02:53By climbing the ranks of the entertainment industry, Aqua hopes to uncover the truth
02:58behind Ai's death.
02:59However, in hunting a monster, Aqua's personality becomes darker.
03:04She starts using those around him to achieve his ends.
03:07Although sometimes controversial, Aqua remains fascinating to watch, and we can't deny
03:13his acting chops or his dance moves.
03:24life in another world.
03:38The adorable oni maid of Roswaal and the twin sister of Rem, Rem is initially cool and distrustful,
03:45if not downright murderous, towards Subaru.
03:48However, she gradually opens up to the isekai protagonist after much tribulation and a few
03:53resets.
03:54Her devotion to both Subaru and her sister won the hearts of many.
04:12Rem is the ultimate ride-or-die girl, willing to do anything for those she cares about.
04:18And that includes everything from housework, to emotional comfort, to fighting off demons.
04:23Apologies to Emilia Stern's, but in this waifu war, Subaru, well, he chose poorly.
04:33He's got no powers to his name, is a con man by trade, has spent most of his life bullshitting
04:39friends and foes alike, and yet somehow, in a series that features espers who can lift
04:44whole cities, Reigen is still the standout character.
04:51Compared to everyone else who is trying to exert their psychic abilities to conquer or
04:56trying to hide it away, Reigen is world-savvy, has a firm grasp on what it's like to live
05:02in the real world, and is likely the only man who can take down a super-powered organisation
05:08by breaking down their self-esteem with words alone.
05:11He's no saint, but Mob couldn't ask for a better mentor.
05:30Number 25, Denji, Chainsaw Man
05:42The eponymous hero of Chainsaw Man, Denji breaks the mould from most of his shounen
05:47protagonist peers by being more of a typical teenage boy.
05:51Sure, he fights devils and has a chainsaw devil dog for a heart, but at the end of the
05:55day, he's as sex-crazed and self-absorbed as any other kid his age.
06:01While Denji is deeply flawed as a person, his straightforward nature, relatability,
06:06down-to-earth goals, and friendships have helped make him a refreshing hero.
06:20Although Denji likes to pull back his cord and let it rip, he really needs to learn restraint,
06:26or at least be more discerning in his pursuit of women.
06:29Not that we can blame him, resisting magima is hard to do.
06:34Number 24, Kaiji, Kaiji
06:37The undisputed king of losers, who serves as the greatest example of why you never want
06:42to get into debt or become a slave to gambling.
06:50After falling into financial hell, Kaiji's only recourse is to battle his way through
06:54a series of life-or-death games for the amusement of the obscenely wealthy.
07:00It's one of the worst predicaments a person can imagine themselves in, and it's where
07:05Kaiji as a character thrives, the ultimate underdog scraping by with wit alone.
07:12And in that regard, we can't help but feel captivated by his antics, even if he somehow
07:22makes every situation worse with that greed of his.
07:33Number 23, Megumin, Konosuba
07:36From the very first explosion, this little lady won us over.
07:40Oh sure, watching Aqua step a foot in it never gets old.
07:48Kazuma is the best example of an anti-isekai-er, while Darkness is… well, Darkness.
07:55But it's Megumin with her mischievous nature, earnest love of explosion magic, and theatrics
08:01as the supposed best archmage of the crimson demon clan that continues to endear her to
08:07us.
08:08She'll smite down whatever gets in her path, and look adorable while doing it.
08:18At least, until she faints after a single use.
08:21She's simultaneously the best and worst spellcaster you could ever want in a party.
08:31Number 22, Tanjiro, Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba
08:42Not everyone could devote themselves to learning how to kill demons, and find a cure for their
08:47sister's demonic transformation after losing the rest of their family, and remain well
08:52adjusted.
08:53But Tanjiro's one of a kind.
08:55Sure, his hype sword fights are a major draw, but it's his empathy for other people that
09:00has earned Tanjiro so much adoration.
09:03Whether it's his allies or his enemies, Tanjiro sees the good in everyone.
09:08He's just a kind and decent guy.
09:10Tanjiro's the sort of person who would do your taxes and bake you cookies while helping
09:16you move.
09:22Number 21, Satsuki, Kill la Kill
09:24On your knees, you pigs in human clothing.
09:27Because Lady Satsuki is about to bring the pain, and look damn good while doing it.
09:38Ryuko may be a sassy ball of vengeance, but it's her sister's ice queen persona, skill
09:43with a sword, and inner compassion that left the longer lasting impression.
09:55Not only was she a badass with her Kamui, but her dedication to her end goal of liberating
10:00the world from her tyrannical mother, no matter the cost, proved how she was far more than
10:05a simple rival for Ryuko to overcome.
10:09Put all of that together, and what do you get?
10:12The greatest waifu of the century thus far.
10:15Well, maybe one of them.
10:17Number 20, Howl, Howl's Moving Castle
10:20This wizard does indeed live in a castle that moves, but there's more to the man than
10:25where he lays his head.
10:32While he's somewhat cowardly, mercurial, and has a flair for the dramatic, Howl is
10:43Howl is also a romantic, compassionate man, willing to befriend and give his heart to
10:48anyone.
10:49And we mean that last one literally in the case of Kelsifer.
10:53It's almost certain that none of us will be whisked off our feet by a magical birdman
10:58when we're prematurely old and grey like Sophie, but Howl keeps that impossible dream
11:03alive for many.
11:05Number 19, Osamu Dazai, Fungo Stray Dogs
11:09Named after a Japanese novelist, Osamu Dazai has a way with words himself.
11:14Effortlessly witty and irreverent, this member of the armed detective agency is a study in
11:20contradictions.
11:29He's an ex-mafia member turned detective.
11:32He's somehow both so brilliant that he's always ten steps ahead of everyone else, and also
11:36a complete disaster.
11:38Dazai commands attention whenever he's on screen, and he manages to have great chemistry
11:43with just about every character.
11:46It's no wonder he's so popular.
11:48Even so, his comedic attempts to have an, well, early exit don't always land though.
12:03Number 18, Josuke, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Diamond is Unbreakable
12:08Look, we'd love to put Joseph or Jotaro on here, but they already made animated appearances
12:15prior to the 2000s.
12:17Not to say that Josuke doesn't deserve his time in the spotlight, since his JoJo-ness
12:22is just as good as any of his predecessors.
12:28He's just your average teen, who happens to be blessed with a stand that can give free
12:34hands like nobody's business, not to mention heal anyone on the verge of death.
12:39Truly humble, and considerate to the end.
12:42Oh, unless you make fun of his hairdo, in which case, prepare to die.
12:56Not even a mass murderer with a hand fetish that can make people go boom, could handle
13:01Josuke's brand of swag.
13:14Number 17, Whitebeard, One Piece Alas, Luffy and Zoro made their appearances
13:20just before the turn of the new millennium, which means the Straw Hats are out of consideration.
13:27But that doesn't apply to this legend of the Golden Age of Piracy.
13:36One of the four Emperors of the Sea, or just pops to those who serve under him, despite
13:41being well into his twilight years, Edward Newgate is a force of nature.
13:56From his devil fruit, his size, to the respect he's garnered the world over, he was willing
14:02to go to war with the Navy just to save a single member of his crew.
14:07And even when his life was finally snuffed out, he still died standing.
14:15Number 16, Koyomi Araragi, Monogatari series Nowadays, there are so many harem protagonists
14:22out there, that you could fill a whole encyclopedia.
14:26Most of which you'll likely find come in various shades of milk toast.
14:31And it is in that capacity that Araragi stands alone.
14:35Not only is he part of one of the most visually dynamic franchises in recent memory, but he's
14:40also kind of an asshole.
14:52A vampiric asshole, who is constantly having to save his love interests from crazy oddities
14:59linked to their emotional burdens, but an asshole nonetheless.
15:09He screws up, he gets his backside handed to him, he crosses lines no one should when
15:14it comes to brushing teeth, and it's all refreshing to behold.
15:23Number 15, Freiren, Freiren Beyond Journey's End When you can live forever, you need a
15:29hobby.
15:30And besides mentoring young adventurers, killing demons, and finding grimoires, this ancient
15:35elf mage is trying her best to get to know the people around her.
15:49Freiren is a wonderfully complex character.
15:52While she'll seem stoic, blunt, and unemotional one minute, the next she'll turn into a pouty
15:58elven baby who just wants to sleep in, or fall for another obvious mimic trap.
16:04As impressive as Freiren's titanic magical abilities are, what hits home for many are
16:09her attempts at human connection, which almost everyone can relate to.
16:13Her magic is pretty epic, though.
16:27Number 14, Levi, Attack on Titan Eren may be able to transform into a rampaging
16:33monster, Mikasa may have abs for days, Armin may have the purest heart in this broken,
16:40messed-up world, but there's only one man among the Survey Corps that's a unit unto
16:45himself.
16:49Raised in squalor, Levi has seen the ugliest side of both humans and titans, and come out
16:56of it as a soldier capable of slicing apart both with equal ferocity.
17:10He's a man of few words, but put him in front of an obstacle, and he'll chop it to bits
17:15within the blink of an eye.
17:17Pretty sure he single-handedly redefined what badass could be in his debut alone.
17:23If we were Zeke, we'd be sweating bullets.
17:35Number 13, Haruhi Suzumiya, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
17:40Brash, arrogant, inconsiderate, and just about the last person you'd want to have
17:52the power to rewrite the universe.
17:54Haruhi is a lot of things, and Unaware God just happens to be one of them.
18:00While this might make her sound utterly hateable, and she certainly has her moments, it's her
18:06exploits with the SOS Brigade that slowly started to endear Haruhi to us, especially
18:12when her uncontrollable abilities start flaring up during their high school hijinks.
18:26Thanks to the rocky relationship she eventually builds with Kyon, this would-be deity isn't
18:31so much concerned with dominating all life, as she is rewinding time so her summer fun
18:36can last forever.
18:38Yep, she's a headache, but you'll love her all the same.
18:53Number 12, Edward Elric, Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
18:57While he stole the show back in the day, we can agree this second iteration of the older
19:02Elric brother is the definitive take.
19:10While his hatred for being called short and eagerness to deliver an auto-mail punch to
19:14anyone who wrongs him remains unchanged, what truly elevates this fledging alchemist above
19:20his peers is his unwavering sense of loyalty to his brother, as well as the unspoken guilt
19:26he feels due to the childhood mistake that cost both him and Alphonse their bodies.
19:39Battle-hardened, unrelenting in his pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone, and undeniably
19:44human no matter how much of him is artificially replaced, you couldn't ask for a better face
19:50for a universally acclaimed franchise.
20:00Number 11, Saber Fate Series
20:07Considering that by this point there are legions of Saber-class servants taking part in all
20:12manner of holy grail wars located all across this franchise, we're specifically focusing
20:18on Artoria Pendragon, King of Knights, esteemed owner of Excalibur, occasional lover of Shiro,
20:26and overall badass capable of bringing down the competition with a single radiant slash.
20:40Just noble, though not without her fair share of regrets, watching her take on other servants
20:46and masters in pursuit of her wish will never not be awesome, especially if you delve into
20:51her work across Fate Zero and Unlimited Blade Works.
21:04Number 10, Torfinn – Finland Saga
21:07When it comes to character arcs, few anime characters can match Torfinn, beginning as
21:16a starry-eyed kid from Greenland, Torfinn vows revenge after his father Tors is killed
21:21in a duel by Ashlad. Forced to work for his father's killer, Torfinn spends his adolescence
21:27surrounded by violence with no one to trust and nothing to hope for but Ashlad's death.
21:33It takes becoming enslaved and discovering friendship amid his darkest times for him
21:38to truly change and grow. Torfinn's journey from angry, bitter youth to a peaceful man
21:44wise beyond his years is an epic part of Finland Saga and anime in general. He may
21:49have no enemies, but Torfinn certainly has esteemed peers, the greatest anime characters
21:55ever.
22:00Number 9, Ichigo Kurosaki – Bleach
22:14Between taking down punks during school to invading heaven itself to save his companion
22:18from execution, this substitute Shinigami simply refused to let a little thing like
22:23death slow him down. His hilarious interactions with the extensive cast of the Gotei 13, along
22:38with his iconic battles against the likes of Byakuya, Grimmjow and Ukiura elevated him
22:44to superstardom in the eyes of fans.
22:55Number 8, Saitama – One Punch Man
22:58In a time where everyone was becoming a superhero out of a sense of moral responsibility or
23:04because they were blessed with great power, seeing some dude in a cape do it because it
23:08was fun was a much welcome addition. Of course, the fact he can inexplicably wipe out everything
23:22in his path with a single strike doesn't hurt either. In what sounds like it could
23:28be a doomed formula, Saitama's eternal meh attitude combined with a total disregard
23:34for heroic theatrics somehow resulted in him rising up to become the caped crusader both
23:40his world and the anime scene desperately needed. Hard to believe just one punch can
23:52cause so much hype.
24:01Number 7, Gojo – Jujutsu Kaisen
24:04For as great as the cast of this dark, supernatural action series is, Gojo alone is the honoured
24:10one. But can you blame us? He is just the best. The strongest Jujutsu sorcerer of the
24:15age, Gojo has plenty of offbeat wisdom to dish out to his students. When he isn't
24:21people in or out of battle, that is. While the whole irreverent, overpowered mentor with
24:26covered eyes thing has been done before – more on that soon – Gojo has so much
24:32undeniable swagger that everyone can't help but love him. Who wouldn't want to get lost in those
24:48eyes?
24:50Number 6, Kakashi – Naruto Series
24:53Yeah, yeah, settle down in the back.
25:06While a certain orange-wearing ninja may be the face of this long-running franchise,
25:11it's his masked mentor that stands tall for not only accumulating some of the best moments,
25:17but is just an overall better character. A veteran shinobi entrusted with the sharingan
25:23by his dying friend, going on to become the unorthodox teacher for the next generation,
25:28all the while delivering fight scenes that weren't only straight fire,
25:33but also harboured true emotional weight.
25:35Seriously, even a cursory glance at his showdown with Obito still leaves us stunned.
25:50Plus, the man's a purveyor of smutty literature. Points for that alone.
26:06Number 5, Okabe – Steins Gate
26:10In our mind, there's only one person worthy of the title of mad scientist, and it goes to the
26:16guy who cracked time travel with nothing more than a microwave and a text message.
26:24Upon discovering they can alter timelines via this crazy combo, Okabe and his merry
26:30band of misfits revel in their scientific triumph. At least, until they start attracting
26:35some unwanted, murderous attention from a certain shadowy organisation.
26:52This is where Okabe truly comes into his own, for beneath the veneer of a wacko in a lab coat
26:58is a sensitive soul who would defy the laws of the universe
27:02to save those he loves. Especially if it's Kurisu.
27:11Number 4, Gintoki – Gintama
27:15There are comic relief characters who have badass moments, then there are badasses who
27:31might crack the occasional joke. Very rarely do you find one who is the embodiment of a
27:36savage shounen sword swinger who also breaks the fourth wall relentlessly.
27:41Whether it's parodying literally everything under the sun,
27:45or delving into a heartbreaking backstory, Gintoki doesn't settle for mediocrity.
27:59Goes to show that if they're well-written, even someone willing to troll the audience
28:03with a fake movie trailer can have dynamic layers to them.
28:12Number 3, L – Death Note
28:20Light may be the god of the new world that made us question just how much we can cheer
28:25for a nihilist on a bloody crusade, but not for one second did we waver in our support
28:31for this oddist of detectives. With unique mannerisms and a dizzying intellect that
28:39could even match that of Kira, L was very much the social anomaly, but one with a very
28:45traditional sense of justice, making him the perfect opponent for the hubristic light.
28:51No matter what you think of his policy on no socks, his methodical approach and dedication
28:56to solving crimes made him a wholly likable figure we could rally behind.
29:02No wonder his death crippled so many.
29:10Number 2, Kamina – Grenlagan
29:15The man was killed off after only eight episodes, and yet his legacy remains strong as ever.
29:23That should tell you just how much of a beast Kamina was, serving as an inspiration to the
29:28remnants of humanity with nothing more than some nonsensical speeches, hatred for shirts,
29:33unfiltered machismo, and genuine love for his bro, Simon.
29:39Sure, he was taken away from us too soon, with none of the other cast truly succeeding
29:57in measuring up to the shadow left behind, but the fact this goofball still resonates
30:01in the minds of fans speaks volumes. He truly did make every moment count, though we're
30:07guessing he wished he spent more time with Yoko.
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30:26Number 1, Lelouch v. Bretagne – Code Geass – Lelouch of the Rebellion
30:32Emperor, rebel, tyrant, zero. This man was all of these things and so much more,
30:38all of which culminated in creating the best damn anti-hero to grace anime thus far.
30:50Determined to overthrow the Bretannian Empire and undo the evils of his own family,
30:55Lelouch stoked the fire of revolution by assuming the role of a masked vigilante,
31:00who just so happened to be able to control the minds of those who were caught in the Geass' gaze.
31:09Of course, you can't overturn a global superpower without getting blood on your hands,
31:21with Lelouch's constant blurring of the line between saviour
31:25and anarchist, painting him as the ultimate morally grey lead.
31:29Is there a celebrated 21st century anime character who missed the party?
31:40Surprise us with your favourites in those comments below!
31:59And don't forget to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos!