RELATED: Most Iconic Anime Characters Who Dual Wield Weapons
Luckily for fans, the shows of today are on the road to including more black characters and representing them in a respectful way. Many have appeared as key supporting characters, but some shows have them as leading characters. Either way, these characters are memorable and are some of the best characters in the anime world.
Updated on July 14, 2022, by Sarah Prado: More and more POC characters are starting to appear in anime, but it’s still a pretty small pool. However, fans can rejoice that most of the black characters in modern anime are showing them in a positive light versus most older anime that portrayed them in problematic ways. Creators like Shinichiro Watanabe (director of Cowboy Bebop), Atsushi Ohkubo (creator of Fire Force and Soul Eater), and Tite Kubo (creator of Bleach) have taken the steps in adding more diverse characters to their cast and continue to do so. Even if the characters don’t appear for long, they have become iconic because of their looks and having a strong presence when they appear.
20 S.A.M (Cannon Busters)
A robot that’s programmed for friendship and grows as the series goes on. Because of this programming, S.A.M. is a pretty sweet girl who just wants to befriend everyone around her. This does make her come as naive and let some people take advantage of that. S.A.M. She also can’t process when someone insults her or disrespects her, and just brushes it off.
Overall, S.A.M. is just a sweet girl that fans can’t help but love even if she’s oblivious to things around her. However, S.A.M. is extremely protective over her friends and transforms into a pretty terrifying weapon if they’re ever in danger.
19 Darui (Naruto Shippuden)
Darui has had quite an interesting life so far. He was a student of the Third Raikage who taught him how to use black lightning and is the second person to know how to use it. He’s a pretty powerful shinobi and almost defeated the Gold and Silver Brothers single-handedly which is pretty impressive since they were using the Tools of the Sage of Six Paths. Darui is also the right-hand man and bodyguard to the Fourth Raikage and comes off as more mature than him.
Though often apologizing for the Fourth Raikage’s impulsive actions, Darui highly respects him and is quick to defend him if anyone says something negative. During the Fourth Shinobi War, Darui was the leader of the Allied Shinobi Forces First Division. After the series ends, Darui is now the Fifth Raikage, showing that he’s only gotten stronger.
18 Miyuki Ayukawa (Basquash!)
She might be a supporting character, but Miyuki is Dan’s mechanic and a really good one at that. Her contributions to Dan and his team are large and he should be grateful that someone as amazing as Miyuki is helping him. She’s more than happy to help out and keep their Big Foots up and running.
Miyuki is just the total package having beauty and brains. She even remains friendly with Dan (whom she has feelings for) after she learns that he has feelings for Rouge.
17 Ogun Montgomery (Fire Force)
A longtime friend of Shinra and Arthur, and a Third Generation pyrokinetic. Ogun is a Fire Soldier who is extremely powerful and has some pretty awesome abilities at his disposal. He’s able to create his own flames unlike Second Generations who can only control existing flames. He uses his abilities to create multiple spears and sword-like weapons to use in battle, usually by throwing them.
What makes Ogun stand out is his Flamy Ink ability in which he tattoos his flames onto his skin. This ability greatly increases his strength, but it does come at the risk of him overheating quicker. Ogun sparingly uses this ability, but when he does, it looks awesome.
16 Coffee (Cowboy Bebop)
She only appeared in one episode of Cowboy Bebop, but Coffee has left a lasting impression. A bounty hunter who just happened to be after the same guy that Edward and Ein are looking for. Needless to say, Coffee found herself in some strange situations revolving around the duo, but kept her focus on finding the man. It’s almost funny how serious she was while Edward and Ein were just being their eccentric selves in the middle of a shootout and car chase.
RELATED: The Best Anime For Gun Nerds
Her one time appearance was more than enough to make fans love her. Wielding a grenade launcher with no issues and looking fabulous while doing so is tough to do, but Coffee pulls this off effortlessly. If there is one character that could have their own spinoff series, Coffee would be an interesting character to watch.
15 A, The Fourth Raikage (Naruto Shippuden)
The older adoptive brother of Killer B and is one of the strongest characters in the series. The Fourth Raikage has been able to match the speed of Minato Namikaze and strength of Naruto and Sasuke. Though a stern man who’s not afraid to make heavy sacrifices should he have to for the greater good, A is a man who cares deeply for everyone around him.
A loves and cares for his younger brother, but isn’t afraid to rough him up if he gets out of line. Even though Killer B is possibly a lot stronger than him, he’s not going to antagonize A if he can help it.
14 Claudia LaSalle (The Super Dimension Fortress Macross)
A character from an 80s anime that is a well-written character along with being well-designed, especially compared to other POC characters that came during this decade. Claudia is a supporting character that usually helps out her friend Misa Hayase whenever she needs it, usually revolving around her growing feelings for Hikaru. Though her job as second lieutenant can be pretty stressful, Claudia remains confident and professional. Her relationship with Roy was a pretty good one until his death, and they are one of the very few interracial relationships in the anime world. Even though she grieved for him, Claudia continued to remain strong while doing her work, and always remembering the good times she had with Roy.
Most black characters in 80s anime were usually designed and portrayed with problematic stereotypes, but Claudia came out unscathed from this and broke down barriers. She showed that a black character (and a female at that) doesn’t have to be those things to be successful and iconic.
13 Kaname Tosen (Bleach)
Though he’s an antagonist in the series, Kaname is a man with his code and morals. His creed is “take the path with the least bloodshed” and following Sosuke Aizen was the lesser evil. He knew thousands would die, but believed the outcome was worth it. After his dear friend was killed and her killer was free from the crime, Kaname secretly sought justice against the Soul Society that allowed this.
It’s hard to not feel sorry for him because he saw the dark and ugly side of the justice system and his friend truly loved the Soul Society. His path in the series asks many questions about how justice truly works and shows the corruption hidden in the world. Despite his philosophy of less bloodshed is better, Kaname was a pretty deadly and powerful warrior that very few would dare to cross.
12 April (Darker Than Black)
April could just be iconic for just her looks alone. Even among other anime characters, her look is very unique with her light blue hair, pink fur-lined jacket, and the beautiful pink color on her lips. But April is more than just a pretty face and this woman can be pretty deadly since she can create hurricanes and strong winds.
RELATED: Best Supernatural Anime, Ranked
Plus her high tolerance of alcohol made for nice and lighthearted moments. Any time she’s around, it’s hard to not look at her because of her bright appearance in a rather dreary and dark environment.
11 Muhammed Avdol (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders)
A very important ally in Stardust Crusaders since he’s the one who helped find a way to defeat Dio. He’s very concerned with his “image” and this could easily sound self-absorbed, but this is not the case since he wants others to know he’s responsible and mature. His sense of duty and loyalty is very strong, and he was dedicated to helping the Joestar family put an end to Dio. He is one of the wisest characters in the series, making him a valuable ally.
Avdol was confident in his abilities and wasn’t afraid to boast about them and his Stand’s strengths. He was a mentor and great friend to Jotaro Kujo, helping him understand how Stands work and teaching him and the rest of the group many things.
10 Carole Stanley (Carole And Tuesday)
Carole’s life has been less than ideal, being an orphan and constantly fired from jobs. However, she doesn’t let that bring her down. She’s straightforward and a little brusque when dealing with delicate situations and customers, which usually leads to her getting fired. Still, Carole is quite nice, patient, bright, and outgoing, so it might be surprising that she has few friends. However, this could stem from the bullying she faced from both her peers and teachers.
RELATED: Best Anime On Crunchyroll (February 2022)
Despite the hardships she’s been through, Carole doesn’t give up her dream of being a famous musician. She’s independent, strong, and confident, which makes her a great older sister figure for shy, less confident Tuesday. Carole doesn’t see her as a burden, even though Tuesday lacks social skills and is a bit of an airhead.
9 Afro Samurai (Afro Samurai)
One of the most iconic black anime characters, Afro Samurai is a highly skilled swordsman who can deflect crossbow bolts and bullets, and can even fight in the air. He is ruthless in battle, and people have considered him a monster because of it. He’s taken out thugs and warriors with relative ease. He is seen wearing the Number Two headband, which marks him as the second-strongest swordsman in the world.
Though he’s quite cold and aloof, Afro Samurai has shown that he does care for a few people, like Jinno and Otsuru. Even though Otsuru was sent to kill, it’s shown that he had an emotional connection to her, and kept her hairpin after her death.
8 Yoruichi Shihoin (Bleach)
Yoruichi surprised many viewers when she transformed into her human form for the first time. Born in the Shihoin family, one of the noble houses in the Soul Society, Yoruichi was the first woman in her family to be the head of the house and one of the strongest captains in the Gotei 13. She trained Orihime and Chad to get them ready to go to the Soul Society.
She’s considered the most proficient Hoho master ever, which has earned her the title “Flash Goddess.” She can to take groups of enemies in the blink of an eye, and has mastered Hoho to the point that it looks like she’s in multiple places at once. Not many people will challenge her, because they know if they do, an extremely tough fight awaits them.
7 Kilik Rung (Soul Eater)
Kilik Rung has definitely earned his spot as one of the top three students in Death Weapon Meister Academy. He might not get much screen time, but fans of Soul Eater know his power is nothing to underestimate. With his twin gauntlets, Fire and Thunder, he uses his expertise in hand-to-hand combat maximize their potential. They pack some serious power, and even if opponents can withstand his attacks, they can’t do much to counter them.
He’s considered hot-headed, but he is compassionate and is willing to give his life to protect his friends. In the anime, he and Black Star are good friends and make quite the powerful duo.
6 Canary (Hunter X Hunter)
An apprentice butler for the Zoldyck family, Canary is seemingly loyal to them when she first appears. She is ruthless against anyone who trespasses onto Zoldyck property, and was able to keep from crossing for a while. It seemed nothing would stop from carrying out her duties, but Gon saw that she was not completely cold.
Canary’s loyalty to Killua outweighs her loyalty to the Zoldyck family. She’s just as deadly as they are when it comes to combat, and she can hold her own against strong opponents.
5 Killer B (Naruto Shippuden)
He was chosen to protect his village, but he aspires to be the greatest rapper ever. A fan favorite, Killer B is a very powerful shinobi, and is the only jinchuruki of the Eight-Tails to befriend it. He was able to get total control over it, and the two worked together with no problems. Killer B is confident in his abilities and strength to the point of being cocky, but he can back up his talk.
Killer B can wield seven swords at one time by combining kenjutsu and his unique fighting style. This styple is somewhat chaotic, almost looking like he’s breakdancing while wielding them, and makes his movements unpredictable. Even Sasuke’s Sharingan couldn’t help him during their fight, and he nearly died when Killer B impaled him.
4 Michiko Malandro (Michiko & Hatchin)
Michiko might not seem equipped to take care of a child, but she does have a heart of gold. After breaking out of prison, Michiko bursts into Hana “Hatchin” Morenos’ life and helps her escape her abusive family. The two set off to find Hatchin’s father, whom Michiko is in love with.
Though a bit childish, Michiko is a strong, independent, and caring woman. She and Hatchin tend to bicker because of their opposite personalities, but they grow to love each other like mother and daughter. Though she’s been arrested plenty of times, Michiko is not a horrible person and Atsuko Jackson (Michiko’s former friend and the one who arrested her) knows this.
3 Dutch (Black Lagoon)
Dutch is a large, intimidating man, so it might come as a surprise that he tries to avoid fights. He prefers to give orders and negotiate contracts as the leader of the Lagoon Company. He’s level-headed and pragmatic, and not afraid to call out his crew if they get out of line. Dutch will make sure the missions get done, but doesn’t take dangerous jobs, even if they are high-paying, because he doesn’t want to risk his crew.
RELATED: The Best Anime Movies On Netflix (February 2022)
Though he avoids violence, he’s not a man to get in a fight with. Dutch served in the Marine Corps, and is proficient using firearms and strong on his own. He’s a serious and professional man who will lie to those around him, but for good reason.
2 Atsuko Jackson (Michiko & Hatchin)
Another strong woman from Michiko & Hatchin, it might seem like Atsuko is an antagonist to Michiko. However, she’s more like a frenemy. She grew up in the same orphanage as Michiko and the two of them were great friends often looking out for each other. Atsuko grew up and became a policewoman, and was the one who arrested Michiko before the series.
Despite pursuing Michiko and Hatchin, Atsuko has helped Michiko out of bad situations. She knows that Michiko isn’t a horrible person, and looks out for her old friend’s well-being.
1 Fire Emblem, AKA Nathan Seymour (Tiger & Bunny)
One of the few non-binary characters in the anime world, Fire Emblem is an effeminate hero who was bullied by their classmates and disowned by their parents for showing interest in makeup, jewelry, and dresses. Though haunted by this, Fire Emblem is still a confident person and embraces themselves for who they are. Fire Emblem is close to their friends and loves hanging out with the heroines. They flirt with the male heroes, and they don’t seem to mind. If anything, they banter with Fire Emblem and don’t avoid them even if they get a little handsy.
Fire Emblem is flamboyant and proud, and sums up their own character in one quote: “They say a man is made of courage and a woman is made of love. So what does that mean for people who are both? We are invincible!” They are arguably the most mature in their group, giving and offering advice to their companions and breaking up arguments. It could even be argued that they are the one who keeps the team together. Their friends don’t remark on their gender presentation or sexual orientation; they just accept Fire Emblem as they are.
MORE: Great Anime Studios That Are No Longer Around
