Top 20 Most Badass Anime Protagonists | Articles on WatchMojo.com (2025)

Top 20 Most Badass Anime Protagonists | Articles on WatchMojo.com (1)

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VOICE OVER: Ashley Bowman

They don't come more awesome than this bunch. Join Ashley as we look over the most beastly leads in anime, as seen in series such as "Bleach", "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure", "Cowboy Bebop", and more!

Script written by Alex Crilly-Mckean

#20: Goblin Slayer

“Goblin Slayer” (2018-)

This guy lives for one thing and one thing only – exterminating goblins from the face of the earth, and he is VERY good at his job. While other adventurers are trying their hand at taking down demon lords or trying to get laid, the Goblin Slayer’s only goal is slaughtering the little green menaces as revenge for what they did to his late sister. Using whatever weapons he can get his hands on, you can count on this guy to always pull out a Nat 20 when goblins are involved.

#19: Guy Shishioh

“The King of Braves GaoGaiGar” (1997-98)

You want to talk about retro badasses? This literal golden boy is in the top echelon. Going from astronaut to a cyborg capable of forming a giant mecha, Guy isn’t the most complex of characters, sure, but as a leading man with a killer catchphrase? The man can’t be beat. Between lashing out in hyper mode, having one of the best opening theme songs in anime, and lest we forget – the utter madness of his Hikari ni Nara? We could watch that on loop for hours!

#18: Gene Starwind

“Outlaw Star” (1998)

There are a multitude of cocky space outlaws out there, but few have the swagger of Gene Mother-Effing Starwind. While very much an outlaw unafraid to cap any space pirates who get his way with a flurry of caster shells, he’s also a pretty swell guy, always going out of his way to protect his crew and make sure they get out of every inevitable jam in one piece. Though that doesn’t mean he won’t always find a way to haggle his way to a few extra coins, or break a few beds along the way. How this guy didn’t become a harem lord is beyond us!

#17: Date Masamune

“Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings” (2009-10)

Granted, this portrayal of the legendary samurai isn’t exactly what you would call realistic, what with him using six blades at once and being able to unleash blinding shonen-style attacks on the fly. That being said – we’re still watching a dude uses six blades at once while unleashing crazy lightshows like he came straight out of the DBZ playbook. By himself, Masamune can cleave through armies, and even bring down a demonic, alternate Oda Nobunaga. His video game heritage is all too apparent but it doesn’t make it any less fun to watch unfold!

#16: Ichigo Kurosaki

“Bleach” series (2004-)

One of the original bad boys of the Big Three, this strawberry has sliced through as many Hollows as he has the hearts of fans during his tenure. As a Substitute Shinigami, a punk ass teen, and an unyielding shonen protagonist with more powers to his name than he even knows what to do with, Ichigo has pulled off some crazy feats in his time. From invading Soul Society to rescue Rukia, taking on the Espada, and even now – challenging the innumerable Quincy forces, Ichigo hasn’t stopped slicing and dicing for decades now!

#15: Ryoma Nagare

“Getter Robo” franchise (1974-2004)

With a righteous heart, a somewhat aggressive temperament and a giant freakin’ robot at his command, this veteran of the franchise may be a little on the simplistic side, but his accomplishments speak for themselves. As the pilot of the Eagle, Ryoma has put the kibosh on all manner of alien invaders over the years, though if we had to choose, his Getter Robo Armageddon incarnation is by far the most awesome of the bunch. He can even make a phrase as nonsensical as “Stoner Sunshine” sound like the most badass thing on the planet.

#14: Toyohisa Shimazu

“Drifters” (2016)

When it comes to historical warriors, you could do a lot worse than choosing the likes of Toyohisa to fight in your corner. While original fated to die during the Battle of Sekigahara, the crimson-clad samurai finds himself recruited by the mysterious Murasaki in order to save a fantasy land from some of history’s most infamous villains. With a bloody splash of an introduction, Toyohisa showed zero mercy when it came to slaughtering those who would suppress the innocent. Other than that, he’s a pretty chill guy.

#13: Thorfinn

“Vinland Saga” (2019-)

To say that this Viking is one of the greatest written characters in the medium would be an understatement – the fact he also happens to be really, really good at cleaving his way through enemy hordes with nothing but a pair of knives and a chip on his shoulder was just the icing on the cake. Twisted by vengeance for the death of his father, Thorfinn threw himself into the fire of conflict from the time he was a child, becoming a monster on the battlefield. That would usually be enough, but his growth and atonement throughout the likes of the Farm arc has been so magnificently handled that he’s even more of a badass now that he’s renounced violence!

#12: Baki Hanma

“Baki” series (2000-)

There are martial artists, and then there’s the Son of the Ogre. Training himself to an absurd degree in an effort to defeat his murderous and ungodly powerful father, Baki’s skill set, endurance and physical capabilities are next level. He’s fought off death row convicts, shadowboxed with a human sized mantis (and won), mauled his way through an entire prison while cuffed, and lest we forget, also decimated the son of Muhammed Ali. If Yujiro weren’t beyond the pale of strong, we’d have no problem saying Baki was the most fearsome and capable fighter out there.

#11: Yusuke Urameshi

“Yu Yu Hakusho” (1992-94)

The original shounen bad boy. While never one to hold back on the punches, after going through a minor case of death, Yusuke finds himself given a new career as a Spirit Detective, allowing him to take some of that rebellious nature and put it to good use…by blowing the crap out of demons with his bare hands. While always up to fight the good fight, Yusuke’s unyielding willpower and loyalty to his posse makes him something of a force of nature, one that no demon would want to get on the wrong side of.

10: Revy

“Black Lagoon” (2006)

To live on an island where criminal activity is the norm, you have to be a special kind of crazy or a special kind of skilled with a firearm in order to make a living. Revy is both. Loving life as a member of Lagoon Company, shooting down people who piss her off and commandeering stolen goods is just an average day for her. While not wholly irredeemable, she’s got a violent and hot-blooded streak to her that constantly has her one comment away from gunning someone down. She also swears like a sailor, and we love her for it!

#9: Alucard

“Hellsing Ultimate” (2006-12)

You can’t bring up anime killing machines without talking about the King of Vampires. In service to the Hellsing Family, the former Count now spends his days exterminating the likes of wannabe bloodsuckers, ghouls, crazy Catholics and, of course, Nazis. While his slaying is often for a good cause, Alucard is above all else a monster, one who relishes any chance to summon up a few familiars and reveal in a good ol’ massacre. The fact he’s so suave and actually has a multitude of surprisingly human layers just makes him all the more entrancing.

#8: Captain Harlock

“Captain Harlock” series (1978-2013)

In terms of space pirates, you won’t find a more romanticized version in all of classic anime, even if he does occasionally find himself having to run away from a whole swarm of screaming space amazons. With an abject hatred for all totalitarian regimes, a natural rebellious swagger and the classic swashbuckling look down to a tee, Harlock is a gem when it comes to star-fairing adventurers who prefer to settle problems with a laser blaster. Probably explains how his legacy was able to endure over all these years.

#7: Dark Schneider

“Bastard! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy” (2022-)

Well, they got the first part right. Dark Schneider is the definition of an arrogant asshole, and he’s got the power to back up his bragging rights. His magic, immortality and heavy metal themes abilities are so monumental he can wipe out whole kingdoms at a time. And the only reason he’s not running amok causing chaos is that he’s held in place by his ever-expanding harem, all of whom are pretty much putty in his hands. The man is so smug in pursuit of his vices that it’s almost commendable!

#6: Domon Kasshu

“Mobile Fighter G Gundam” (1994-95)

Only a beast like Domon could make a line as corny as this sound epic. As the pilot of the God Gundam, Domon and his beloved engineer Rain managed to fight their way through a series of brutal mecha battles, claiming victory with the power of his burning will and Shining Finger. Yes, it sounds lame, until you see his Gundam rip through robot heads like they were butter. He’s certainly one of the franchise’s greatest hotheads, but you can’t deny he gets results when the time calls for it.

#5: Spike Spiegel

“Cowboy Bebop” (1998-99)

There’s cool, and then there’s this space cowboy. As anime’s slickest bounty hunter, Spike and the crew of the Bebop traverse the cosmos in search of bounties, always finding themselves hurtling from one deadly scenario to the next. As a result, we’re not only treated to Spike’s infectiously cocky attitude, but also his mastery of both martial arts and marksmanship, both of which have led to some of Anime's most thrilling action scenes. Who else do you know that could take out an entire syndicate headquarters with nothing more than a pistol and a couple of grenades?

#4: Simon

“Gurren Lagann” (2007)

Inspired by the likes of his heroic big bro Kamina, Simon went from a feeble digger to the face of the human resistance, growing up into a powerhouse leader with so much charisma and inner strength that every time he struts his stuff on screen it’s practically blinding. We could point to his unrelenting belief in his friends, his refusal to back down, the fact he scored someone as otherworldly as Nia, but do we need a reason other than the fact he created a galaxy sized mecha and defeated a cosmic entity in a bare-knuckle brawl? Simon’s the man!

#3: Jotaro Kujo

“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders” (2014-15)

Don’t get us wrong, every iteration of JoJo is awesome in their own special way. But when it comes to sheer badassery, Jotaro is in a league of his own. While he’s something of a bastard that would rather break faces than make friends, the sudden resurrection of Dio forces him into the role of an unlikely hero, one thrown into countless battles against other Stand Users. We all know deep down he’s a good lad, but rest assured, cross him and you’ll end up getting a mouthful of Ora Ora Oras.

#2: Kenshiro

“Fist of the North Star” (1984-88)

Whether you know him from his insane amount of muscles, his classic catchphrase or the fact he makes heads explode by poking them, we can all agree that Kenshiro is one of the most hardcore characters to ever wander across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. One of the last masters of the deadly art of Hokuto Shinken, Kenshiro spends his days saving innocents and causing the insides of raiders to go kaboom. He’s a man of few words, but when he does speak, you had better listen, because there’s likely a chance someone is about to be reduced to a puddle of gore.

#1: Guts

“Berserk” (1997-98)

So here’s the rundown on our main man: he was born from a corpse, been fighting on battlefields since he was a child, assisted in ending in a hundred year war, took a literal demon head on and lived to tell the tale, fought and killed one hundred men by himself in one night, ended up suffering the ultimate betrayal and was left to be torn apart be a horde of monsters. And you know what? It just pissed him off more. With a life filled with so much pain, hate and violence, most people would have just succumbed to grief a long time ago. Then again, they weren’t Guts.

Top 20 Most Badass Anime Protagonists | Articles on WatchMojo.com (2025)

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