Anime has played a key role in defining various aspects of modern media. There's something about watching a runnarutosing along to a song aboutpokemon or giving Goku the spiritual power for Spirit Bomb, which just opens up the genre to emulate in real life.
And, for better or worse, the anime characters most prone to love, imitate, and admire were the most edgy. They are the kind of brooding ones who keep their cool and lie low, but at the same time throw a furious flurry of strength and skill. Usually dressed in all black and probably a cape at some point, they are considered a "serious" character that gives the series depth. Looking through old picture books, this list will go down to the most iconic anime characters that defined everyone's childhood.
10 Ichigo Kurosaki: Bleach
Let's start this list with a surly high school student who is understandable to everyone. He is literally so passionate about life that he joins an entire organization dedicated to protecting the afterlife, warding off occult creatures ranging from demonic samurai to stuff that definitely once was on a heavy metal album cover.
All inBleach and Ichigo screamed early 2000s grunge as almost every character had a pouty look, there was always a bit of steel guitar in the music and everything was draped in black. Ichigo was simply the king of grunge who had to fight his inner demons but later befriend and bond with them, merging with the mask of death that once tormented him. There must be lyrics from My Chemical Romance in here somewhere.
9 Sasuke Uchiha: Naruto
If there was anyone who surpassed Ichigo in the early Big Three as the king of Shonen Edge, it was Sasuke Uchiha. Not once in this series did Sasuke wear bright colors. Everything about this guy was incredibly gothic. Even in his early power-up animations, he was taken over by black tattoos.
Sasuke has it all: a constant brooding demeanor, he takes things seriously, has an incredibly dark past, and later joins the dark side in an iconic display of teenage momentum. Whether people like it or not, at some point everyone loved Sasuke too much and treated him too much.
8. Kirito: Sword Art Online
As divisive as he became among the community, Kirito truly was the guy everyone wanted to be. He was a brilliant hero living in a real fantasy who showed that spending a few hours a day playing video games could pay off. Plus, he acted like it didn't really matter.
Being over-prepared, Kirito understood the seriousness of the situation with SAO, trying not to build tough relationships and traversing the virtual hell as a rogue loner. It took a few special people to really break him out of his shell, upping the stakes for a boy who was just trying to hold on to something to love for. He is the perfect fanfiction character.
7. Shadow The Hedgehog: Sonic The Hedgehog
Shadow the Hedgehog is one of the main characters among the canon of poignant characters that marketers create to connect with young people. He is literally just the stark opposite of Sonic the Hedgehog; the black-painted evolution of the arrogant, relationship-filled protagonist of the '90s.
His dark demeanor somehow made the series whole; video games, anime, and more anime-like movies, and all of his actions played such a huge role in inspiring people that Sonic's character could really take on any personality, creating a lot of heavy fan fiction circulating in the curious world of super-powered, anthropomorphic animals.
6 Meta Knight: Kirby
In the same vein, if not right on the same drawing board as Shadow, Meta Knight is an edgy, brooding force that feels incredibly out of place in Kirby's colorful universe, yet still fits in with its grand fantasy adventures. He is almost the only character that actually seems like he was raised as a warrior, always ready for all the chaos in the world and telling bad omens to the main team.
Also, in the English dub of the anime, he was voiced as Dracula, in an Eastern European style, something that really tried to highlight his gothic roots. In any case, it is the favorite choice of many people inSuper Smash Bros.
5. Yami Yugi: Yu-Gi-Oh!
When Yami Yugi took the stage, everyone knew things weren't going well. Literally a sharp, higher evolution of the otherwise small, innocent form of his successor, Yami Yugi was there to show cool lines and draw cards with huge success.
That's not even counting the fact that Yami and Yugi had one of the most iconic, if not one of the most impractically dressed characters in anime history, with a dark coat, mysterious chain, and hairstyle that has influenced all card game anime. for generations. Even his original Season 0 incarnation was just a tough bully directly punishing the bad guys in brutal death games.
4. Hiei: Yu Yu Hakusho
Hiei is a brooding elite heroineYu Yu Hakusho, which the series has never tried to make less edgy or even remotely happy. Every second that he appears on the screen, Hiei comes out with his stern look, dark lines and something from his tormented past. This past literally includes his mother throwing him into an icy death pit, he survived, was raised by bandits, and dedicated his life from the age of five to just killing a bunch of people, earning an early infamy in the process.
His abilities and fights can quickly change from focused accuracy to outright sadistic overkill if his opponent even tries to look him in the eye. Today, he is a strong model for many anime and fans are grateful to him for that.
3. Roy Mustang: Fullmetal Alchemist
ThoughFullmetal Alchemist followed the existentially harrowing adventures of Edward and Alphonse Elric, a character that fans everywhere instantly loved was Roy Mustang.
He was a strict, cold-blooded lieutenant whose determination and confidence simply screamed to all observers of a calm older brother. This does not mean that he is always cold and prudent. Cross it badly and Roy can bring out a pretty wicked streak with literally the snap of a finger.
2. Guts: Beserk
Including Guts here might be a bit of a scam. He is a Seinen character who has become the epitome of horrific violence in manga and anime, a figurehead that Japan definitely didn't sell to kids and wasn't going to influence childhood.
However, to be honest, this hasn't really stopped many curious young children, significantly more than anyone is willing to admit, from setting up or renting out.berserk . From there, fragile young minds have been torn down by carnage and a brooding critter that gives Batman the opportunity to make money.
1. Vegeta: Dragon Ball
Last but not least, this list reaches one of, if not Shonen's most influential character, defining the basic foundations of anime edge for generations to come. Vegeta's constant scowl was the perfect rival and opposite of Goku's eternally sunny worldview.
Even his fights carry extra weight to their severity, as Vegeta displays arrogance, sadism, and personal stakes for just about everyone. He's the perfect anime rival and a shining example of what it means to really take anime seriously.
