JuicyTalk
So many anime characters with compelling backstories, cool character designs, and memorable personalities are unfortunately ignored in favor of the more popular protagonists of their shows. Sometimes, a series’ side characters are even more deserving of fans’ attention than the main characters, but are too often overlooked for various reasons.
Ten characters stand out as anime’s most underrated, because their series would not be the same without them. Many of these heroes and villains are on the sidelines, continually being overshadowed by more prominent figures in the anime. These hidden gem characters have undoubtedly earned a moment in the spotlight too, through their vibrant personalities and impactful actions.
10
Zenitsu Agatsuma
From Demon Slayer
Zenitsu is frequently called Demon Slayer’s most annoying character, but this could not be further from the truth. Zenitsu’s greatest character development does not occur until later in the series, during the Infinity Castle and Sunrise Countdown arcs. His character arc is truly one of the series’ best, as he matures from a terrified coward into a resilient hero.
Zenitsu never set out to be a demon slayer and was pushed down this path because of unfortunate circumstances, so his fear is understandable. What is significant about Zenitsu is that he grows tremendously, not staying complacent in his petrified outlook and failure to act. By the end of the series, he is one of Demon Slayer’s best heroes, with one of the most powerful Breathing Styles, meaning he deserves a lot more admiration than he gets.
9
Martha Marriott
From Spy x Family
Spy X Family
Summary
“Spy × Family” is a popular Japanese manga and anime franchise that blends action, comedy, and spy elements. The story follows Twilight, a secret agent tasked with creating a fake family to carry out a mission, unaware that his “wife” is an assassin and his adopted “daughter” is a telepath. The series, praised for its humor, heartwarming moments, and dynamic characters, has expanded to include anime adaptations, a feature film, and various merchandise.
Martha Marriott, Anya’s friend Becky Blackbell’s caretaker, has one of the most tragic backstories in Spy x Family, and has overcome serious adversity to get to where she is today. In her youth, she was a successful ballerina, but catastrophe struck when many dancer friends of hers died in the war between Ostania and Westalis.
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Desperate to avenge her fallen friends, Martha’s dancing ambitions were unfortunately placed on the backburner, and she joined the war. Martha sacrificed everything to fight, giving up her ballerina career and the love of her life, Henry Henderson. Her bravery and selflessness are commendable, and fans might not know her complicated past, but her story in Spy x Family deserves more recognition.
8
Pannacotta Fugo
From JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Created by
-
Hirohiko Araki
- TV Show(s)
-
JoJo Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s Golden Wind arc is one of its best and most popular, as the characters journey through Italy to stop mafia boss Diavolo from destroying their community with dangerous drugs. The Passione gang is made up of some of the series’ most lovable heroes, but one of them, Pannacotta Fugo, is too often forgotten.
Fugo bowed out of the mission earlier than the others, understandably so, because encountering Diavolo and his henchmen was extremely deadly and even led to the demise of a few Passione team members. Despite his departure from Passione, Fugo is still an amazing character with one of the mightiest Stands in JoJo’s history. Purple Haze releases a murderous gas that infects victims instantly, making it also one of JoJo’s most deadly Stands as well.
7
Touta Matsuda
From Death Note
Death Note
- Created by
-
Takeshi Obata, Tsugumi Ohba
Light Yagami, L Lawliet, and Misa Amane may be the three characters from Death Note who stand out the most, but there is one other member of the cast who is worthy of acclaim for his quick thinking, genuine passion for his detective job, and the major role he played in catching serial killer Kira: Touta Matsuda. Not only is Matsuda sometimes underappreciated by the fandom, in the series itself, his coworkers often poke fun at and demean Matsuda.
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By the end of Death Note, Matsuda rightfully earned the respect of his fellow detectives, who finally realized he was an intelligent, important part of the team. Matsuda was even the one to confront Light directly, having a huge impact on the case. He also provides humorous remarks and comic relief to an otherwise pretty dark series, even further solidifying his crucial role in Death Note.
6
Historia Reiss
From Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan
- Created by
-
Hajime Isayama
Summary
Attack on Titan is a globally successful manga and anime franchise created by Hajime Isayama. The story is set in a world where humanity lives inside walled cities, threatened by giant humanoid creatures called Titans. The series follows Eren Yeager and his friends as they fight to uncover the truth about the Titans and the world. First serialized in 2009, the franchise has expanded into anime series, films, video games, novels, and live-action adaptations.
Historia Reiss is one of Attack on Titan’s most significant heroes, but she does not always get the attention she should. Furthermore, she was not even present in the final season of the series, leaving fans puzzled about her mysterious whereabouts. She was not just an influential member of the Survey Corps, she was a part of the royal family.
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Although Historia was abandoned by her family since her mother was not royalty, Rod Reiss, her father, still attempted to make her eat Eren and take his Founding Titan ability in order to take control of the world through Titan powers. Historia was bold and refused, fighting back against her own family in a remarkable act of courage. Sadly, her presence in the story dwindled after this meaningful scene, but this does not negate how necessary her character is to Attack on Titan’s story.
5
Yo Hiori
From Blue Lock
Season two of Blue Lock introduced a host of new and intriguing soccer players to the familiar, established cast, and Yo Hiori was among these new recruits. Although he is more soft-spoken and reserved compared to louder, more standout personalities like Barou Shouei and Rin Itoshi, his impact in the U-20 and Neo Egoist League arcs should not be underestimated.
Hiori is one of the series’ most complex characters because he actually does not even enjoy soccer anymore because of the immense pressure placed on his shoulders by overbearing parents who demanded he succeed. Despite these sad aspects of his story, Hiori is an instrumental player and phenomenal at passing. He is also one of the kindest, most thoughtful members of Blue Lock, and thankfully, his experiences eventually reignite his passion for soccer. The multifaceted nature of his character arc and his undeniable soccer skills make Hiori one of Blue Lock’s best but most overlooked players.
4
Beam
From Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man
- Created by
-
Tatsuki Fujimoto
Summary
Chainsaw Man is a dark fantasy manga created by Tatsuki Fujimoto. The series follows Denji, a young man who merges with his devil-dog Pochita to become Chainsaw Man. He joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters to fight devils threatening Japan. The series explores themes of violence, power, and survival. Since its debut in 2018, Chainsaw Man has gained immense popularity, leading to a critically acclaimed anime adaptation.
Chainsaw Man is packed with various devils with all kinds of powers, but Beam’s is one of the most unique. Beam is the Shark Devil, which allows him to literally transform his own head into a deadly ocean creature. Beam’s unwavering loyalty to Denji, joking personality, and humorous attitude make him a one-of-a-kind character, but he is sadly often overshadowed by stronger devils.
Beam’s contributions to Chainsaw Man were important, and can be seen especially in the Bomb Girl and International Assassins arcs. His time in the story was tragically short-lived, but during his brief appearances, Beam was fearless, sometimes recklessly so, committed to helping Denji succeed, and entertaining to watch, so he deserves more love from fans.
3
Jogo
From Jujutsu Kaisen
Among Jujutsu Kaisen’s villains, Jogo is one of the best and some fans fail to grasp his sheer power levels. Throughout the anime, he accomplishes many impressive feats that most cursed spirits can only dream of, giving the jujutsu sorcerers like Gojo a serious run for their money. Jogo is one of the only villains to ever fight Gojo on multiple different occasions and live to tell the tale, for starters.
Although he did eventually lose his life at the strongest sorcerers’ hands, Jogo’s tactics allowed him to survive much longer than most villains who went up against Gojo and died instantly. Jogo’s Cursed Technique, Disaster Flames, is one of the most effective in Jujutsu Kaisen, effortlessly reducing his enemies to ash. Among the many Disaster Curses, Jogo is perhaps the most underrated.
2
Hiro Sohma
From Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is not an average slice-of-life anime, and actually has some deeper themes that viewers may not expect from the adorable love story. The dynamics within the Sohma family are quite unhealthy, due to Akito’s abuse and the strain that the Zodiac Curse places on family members. Hiro Sohma is often looked down upon by fans for his rude behavior and bluntness, but he deserves some grace and understanding for his behavior.
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Years later, Fruits Basket still remains one of shojo’s greatest hits of all time, with relatable characters, a gripping plot, and adorable animation.
Hiro’s character arc is one of the series’ most satisfying, as he gradually matures as he grows up. There are positive aspects of Hiro’s personality, like his care towards Kisa. It might be difficult to look past his initial irritability, but he is only a child in a difficult situation, and he becomes much more empathetic and likable as time passes, making him a better character than viewers may realize.
1
Neito Monoma
From My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia
- Movie(s)
-
My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021)
- First Film
-
My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
Class 1-B is often forgotten since the focal point of My Hero Academia is Class 1-A, Izuku Midoriya’s class, but one Class 1-B student is worth paying attention to. Neito Monoma was a frustrating and arrogant character at first, and in his desperation to show that Class 1-B is better than Class 1-A, he earned the ire of a lot of fans with his vain speeches and pathetic attempts to prove Class 1-B’s worth.
A lot of Monoma’s brashness stems from his inner insecurities and weaknesses, and once he began to work through these, he became a lot more likable. Monoma’s Copy Quirk is also one of the most useful and creative abilities in the anime, making him even more interesting. He even helped defeat Shigaraki and All For One, giving Monoma an instrumental role in My Hero Academia’s story that cannot be overlooked.
