There are quite a few factors that determine how good an anime is. Unarguably, one of the most important factors is the characters. An anime with a trash plot can still be very good if it has good characters.
For me personally, characters matter a lot. I have left a few anime because I did not find a single likable character. Even if the plot is bad if I find even a single character I like, I will stick to it till the end. I wonโt give an example here because that will probably trigger a lot of people.
Over the years anime has given us so many likable, detestable, detestable yet likable characters. It is not always necessary that the character that we like is the protagonist. So here are the top 5 side characters better than the protagonist.
Hatake Kakashi from Naruto
Yes, we all love Naruto and Sasuke but you can’t deny how much of a badass Kakashi sensei is. Even in Boruto, he is still one of the strongest shinobi despite having lost his Sharingan.Kakashi sensei is the master of everything. He knows all 5 elemental transformations; he is smart and skilled in both ninjutsuand taijutsu (physical combat).
His proficiency of the Sharingan is better than some of the Uchihas and the Uchihas admitted his skill with the eye. He copied over 100 ninjutsu using his Sharingan earning him the nickname “Copy Ninja Kakashi”. Overall, he is a complete badass.
Todoroki Shoto from BNHA
While I like Midoriya and love the fact that he is trying his best, he can a little annoying at times. Todoroki on the other hand is a completely cool dude. Not only do I love his ability “Too hot too cold” but I also like his character development.
I didn’t like him at first but he grew on me little by little. He is smart and prefers using strategies rather than brute force in a fight. He does tend to get overconfident sometimes but he is only a kid after all as much as expected. His quirk allows him to use complex combinations of both ice and fire. He is hot and cool at the same time. If you know what I mean.
Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan
Personally, I am a huge fan of post-time skip Eren but if only seasons 1-3 are considered, I agree Levi is the cooler one. This man has the 2nd highest titan kill count right after Eren and the highest titan kill count as a human. He isn’t much for strategies but he is extremely fast. He chops up titans like vegetables.
His Ackerman lineage grants him superhuman speed and strength. This combined with his instincts and superior combat knowledge; is a force to be reckoned with. Yes, he is a little short but I believe that being short helps him in moving faster. Hehe.
Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter
A list of iconic side characters cannot be complete without Hisoka. He is just something else. I wouldn’t call him a badass but he is really cool. His character is in a single word but maybe “horny” will do? I mean this guy literally gets erections when he sees someone become stronger.
He doesn’t kill people he sees potential in so that he can fight them again once they are stronger. This man fights purely for fun and loves seeing new Nen abilities. He joined a group of thieves just so he could fight stronger opponents. Yes, that is how thieves work in HxH for some reason.
Gilgamesh from Fate Series
Of course, our goldie king is on the list. Fate Series has quite a few well-written side characters like Kotomine, Iskander, etc. but arguably the most iconic among all of them is our dear King Gil. You may argue that saber is more iconic as literally everyone knows who saber is but, I like Gil more than her so I put him on the list. Yes, saber may be more iconic bit Gil is much cooler than her.
His presence on the screen demands attention. You can’t look away from him when he is on the screen. a lot of Gilโs charisma also comes from his voice. Seki Tomokazu went all out while voicing Gil. His voice is just amazing. Then thereโs his famous laugh. A laugh fit for a king.
Those were my picks for characters better than the protagonist. Let me know what you think down in the comments. Feel free to tell me your picks down in the comments as well. Let me remind you again, these are my personal picks. As always, stay tuned for more content, and do not forget to check our awesome art section. With that said, I will take my leave here. See ya!!
