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While it is true that the main protagonist and antagonist are at the crux of things in an anime, the side characters should not be overlooked by any means. In many cases, the side characters bring the best out of the main leads, and as such, their impact cannot be ignored. But, who are the best side characters in battle shonen?
Updated on May 19, 2022, by Suzail Ahmad: Anime side characters always add a new element to a series, which makes a series more interesting. Over the years, mangaka have started to put effort into the side characters instead of just making them powerful, the side characters are given an exciting personality, which them eye-catching. However, not every side character is given the same level of care and dedication, and this creates a variety of side characters, who range from amazing to awful. So, we have updated the list with some of the best side characters in anime.
14 Kawaki - Boruto
Ever since his introduction in the series, Kawaki has remained one of the highlights. Initially, he was thought to be a one-dimensional character, who was only blessed with incredible power, but as the story continued, it was revealed that Kawaki had more character depth than most of the other characters in the series.
He adores Naruto, and Kawaki is willing to do anything to save his life even if meant getting the Karma once again. Kawaki appears to be a conflicted character, who struggles to deal with emotions and there is no doubt that he will continue to grow and develop as a character.
13 Gojo Satoru - Jujutsu Kaisen
Gojo considers himself the strongest sorcerer in the world, and he has backed up his claims on many occasions. He does not fear any kind of curse and while he does not hold the highest authority, Gojo does not hesitate to disobey his superiors.
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Furthermore, Gojo does not let his power get to his head as he has shown that he is ready to help people who are in need. Also, Gojo is a fun-loving person, and he rarely gets angry at someone.
12 Zenitsu - Demon Slayer
Zenitsu is one of the funniest characters in Demon Slayer. He is capable of turning a life-threatening situation into a laughable one. In addition to his comical side, Zenitsu is also very powerful. Once he gets serious, it becomes very difficult to stop him.
When he was fighting Daki, she was under the impression that Zenitsu was weak, but he made her eat her words. Moreover, Zenitsu still has a lot of room to grow, so his character can become even better in the future.
11 Genos - One Punch Man
Genos is the perfect supporting character for Saitama. The cyborg has an emotional backstory, which ties in perfectly with his ambition to become strong. Genos has a strong desire to become powerful, but at the same time, he does not resort to evil ways to gain strength.
Despite coming off as a serious person, Genos is extremely oblivious at times, which is enough to make the fans laugh. His overall character is very impressive.
10 Levi Ackerman - Attack on Titan
Levi Ackerman is a member of the Survey Corps. He is outrageously powerful and the strongest human fighter in the series. Levi’s strength is so scary that the sentient Titans felt relieved when he was absent.
Levi’s stoic expressions made him dangerous as it was almost impossible to read his mind. With his strength, Levi managed to save the lives of countless humans.
9 Hisoka - Hunter x Hunter
Hisoka is an antagonist from Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter. He was introduced in the Hunter Exams arc, where he immediately took an interest in Gon. Despite clearly stating that he wanted to kill Gon with his own hands, Hisoka has helped Gon and his friends on numerous occasions.
He lives to fight against strong opponents, and his unique approach toward his enemies makes Hisoka a truly remarkable character.
8 Todoroki - My Hero Academia
Todoroki is the son of Endeavour, one of the pro-heroes. He detested his father because Endeavour was extremely abusive towards him and his mother. Endeavour wanted Todoroki to become the number-one hero and believed that if he was strict with his son then it could be achieved.
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Todoroki is not like his father as he cares about his friends and tries to help them in their time of need. On numerous occasions, he has supported less powerful heroes like Midoriya and Bakugo.
7 Vegeta - Dragon Ball
Years before the current Dragon Ball story, Vegeta used to do the bidding for Frieza, however, after the latter’s downfall, Vegeta joined the Z Warriors and helped to defend the earth from powerful enemies.
As a character, Vegeta is more complex than Goku and in addition to his incredible personality, Vegeta is also very powerful. These qualities have made him famous in the fanbase, and it would be plausible to assume that he is just as popular as Goku, if not more.
6 Bruno Bucciarati - JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
Giorno Giovanna might be the main protagonist of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, but it was Bruno who stole the spotlight. Originally introduced as an antagonist, Bruno soon became Giorno’s biggest aide. He decided to help Giorno in his dream to change Passione.
Bruno was an outstanding leader, who took care of his men, and despite being a member of the mafia, Bruno always helped the needy. It was because of his decision to save Trish that Giorno was about to find the true identity of Diavolo.
5 Kakashi - Naruto
Kakashi Hatake was the jonin leader of Team 7, and he was responsible for training them. He filled the role quite brilliantly as he knew when to let his students take the center stage and when to pull them back.
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Under Kakashi’s leadership, Team 7 managed to complete a dangerous mission in another country. As a character, Kakashi is smart, powerful, and funny. It would be plausible to say that he had a perfect balance, which is very important for any character.
4 Gol D. Roger - One Piece
He is the only pirate who managed to conquer the seas and become the Pirate King. Roger was feared by the World Government, and they tried to get their hands on him, but they could never catch him. It took Roger’s surrender for the Marines to execute him, and his sacrifice caused a great change in the entire world.
In the flashbacks, Roger was shown as a man who was ready to face any challenge with a smile. The courage and charisma of this man influenced Kozuki Oden to the point where he decided to sail with the Roger Pirates.
3 Roy Mustang - Fullmetal Alchemist
Roy Mustang is an important character from Fullmetal Alchemist. With the help of his Flame Alchemy, Mustang played a key role in the Ishval Civil War and his efforts earned him the recognition of the State.
Mustang played the role of a side character aptly as he would help the Elric brothers occasionally. His appearances were kept in check so that the fans could focus on him whenever he did receive screen time.
2 Escanor - Seven Deadly Sins
Formerly a prince, Escanor joined the Seven Deadly Sins after he was forced to run away from his kingdom. Escanor was blessed with a special ability known as Sunshine. This ability increased his power depending on what time of the day it was. Escanor’s power peaked at the noon for one minute, when he almost became invincible.
The change in Escanor’s power also affected his personality. He would turn from a frail man into a super-strong human. Escanor was responsible for delivering many iconic moments, which included the fights and Meliodas, Zeldris, and the Demon King.
1 Whitebeard - One Piece
Heralded as the “Strongest Man in the World,” Whitebeard was the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. He was considered to be the only person capable of going toe-to-toe against the Pirate King. Whitebeard’s role in One Piece was short but very eye-catching. He appeared at Marineford with his crew and allies and launched an attack against the Marines.
Whitebeard’s resolve to save his “son” and take on the Navy made him an instant fan favorite. To top it all off, Whitebeard died standing up after reiterating that One Piece does exist.
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