In the vast and exciting anime worldeach series introduces us to a wide range of characters, from fearless heroes to memorable villains. However, among the multitude of charismatic protagonists and captivating antagonists, we also find characters that arouse completely different emotions: loathing, annoyance, and sometimes even outrage. These are the characters who have managed to stand out as the most hated in anime history, leaving a lasting impression for all the wrong reasons.
Some of the most hated characters are those who defy expectations by fusing characteristics of heroes and villains. These charismatic anti-heroes often have a dark side that, instead of repelling viewers, draws them in eerily. On the other hand, there are the villains whose malicious and cruel actions are so shocking that they generate a visceral loathing. Anime is also filled with characters whose obnoxious personalities and annoying habits make them targets for the audience’s antipathy.
These hated characters can arouse a wide range of emotions in viewers. Some make us feel a deep revulsion due to their ruthless and malicious actions, while others exasperate us with their irritating personalities and selfish attitudes. An anime’s ability to create characters that evoke such reactions is a testament to its ability to connect emotionally with the audience.
Therefore, today we gathered to review some of the most hated anime characters according to fans:
Asta – Black Clover
Asta, the protagonist swordsman in Black Clover, is an interesting case among unpopular anime characters. Longtime fans who watch the majority of Black Clover will see Asta become more likeable and engaging, but many haven’t made it that far. Rather, many stopped midway through Black Clover when Asta was at his most annoying as a typical brash shonen hero who yells too much. For many anime fans, that’s all Asta is, and he gets a bad rap for it, whether he earned it or not.
Rachel – Tower of God
Countless anime fans loathe blonde Rachel from Tower of God, to the point that she’s famous for it and new fans are wondering what all the fuss is about. Rachel once presented herself as a decent person, but she actually envied Bam and pushed him off the Tower, which nearly killed him. After that, Rachel pretended to be physically handicapped to get the others to pity her and get her up the tower. Rachel’s selfishness, manipulation and dishonesty are the factors that make her so unsympathetic, especially as she takes advantage of society’s sympathy for the disabled for her own benefit.
Shou Tucker – Fullmetal Alchemist
The Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime premiered way back in 2009, but even now, anime fans still shudder at the thought of Shou Tucker and his crimes. He is a state alchemist, known as the “life stitcher alchemist”, and when he becomes desperate for results, his family will pay for it. Shou earned his license by stitching his wife together with an animal, and the resulting chimera begged for his death. A few years later, Shou combined his beloved daughter, Nina, with his dog, Alexander, producing a second chimera that horrified Edward, Alphonse, and Scar to a fault. Scar killed Shou before the case even went to trial.
Malty Melromarc – Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari
The royal family of the kingdom of Melromarc, in the isekai kingdom of Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari, is a mixed bag. The queen is a noble, wise and benevolent woman who became one of Naofumi Iwatani’s best allies, and her young daughter Melty was also quite helpful. However, the queen’s husband and eldest daughter are another matter entirely. The King and Princess Malty conspired to have Naofumi banished from the kingdom, and Malty used hideous lies and accusations to get Naofumi’s name banned forever. She did not regret it at all, and this made her at odds with her mother, the queen. Worse yet, sabotaging Naofumi like this weakened the kingdom’s defenses against the Waves.
Gabi Braun – Shingeki no Kyojin
If it weren’t for two key factors, Gabi Braun, the warrior candidate, would be quite an admirable and likable character, but this brash and impulsive young soldier went too far in the eyes of Shingeki no Kyojin fans. She cannot be easily forgiven for what she has done. It was Gabi who snuck into the airship and shot the beloved Sasha Blouse, an act that instantly united the entire fandom against her. On top of that, Gabi is reviled for her brainwashing attitude towards her fellow Eldians, stubbornly believing them to be demons that must be punished or slaughtered.
Minoru Mineta – Boku no Hero Academia
Little by little, hero student Minoru Mineta from Boku no Hero Academia is making a name for himself, as he’s getting braver as a fighter, getting good grades, and has had some smart moments in action, like when he bested the heroine Midnight in the battle. However, in general, it is easy to hate him. Minoru is a pervert, the kind that yanks open a girl’s underwear drawer to look at its contents. He even tries to peek at girls in the bathroom, a well-worn anime cliché, and is also characterized by being easily scared and panicking when things go wrong. Most of the fans like him terribly.
Shinji Ikari – Neon Genesis Evangelion
Strictly speaking, Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Shinji Ikari is just a 14-year-old boy, and his superiors demand a lot from him. Most people his age would react badly in a situation like Shinji’s, but that doesn’t stop the anime fandom from objecting to him. Shinji is criticized for having little courage or determination as the protagonist, and often complains about almost everything that comes to mind. He is also accused of getting turned on by his tsundere ally Asuka Langley while she was unconscious, something almost all fans find disturbing.
Orihime Inoue – Bleach
There are plenty of anime characters who are more universally hated than Orihime Inoue, but even so, Orihime has plenty of detractors, and for a few key reasons. In the Bleach story, she is a likeable and loyal friend with remarkable bravery, making her well-liked by most of the Bleach characters. Many Bleach fans ship Ichigo with Rukia, but Orihime claimed Ichigo for herself, as seen in the final chapter of the manga. Many fans were outraged to see his romance fantasy ruined. Apart from that, Orihime is also often teased for just yelling “Ichigo!” or “Kurosaki-kun!” worried too many times during fight scenes.
Mami Nanami – Kanojo, Okarishimasu
Mami Nanami is a minor antagonist in the Kanojo romantic comedy, Okarishimasu, and anime fans absolutely loathe her, even if she isn’t a violent supervillain. Although the male lead, Kazuya, is far from the best guy, fans felt bad for him when Mami left him for someone else. Mami’s actions set the whole story in motion, but the fans didn’t exactly thank her. Under the false sweet guise of her, Mami is very manipulative and antagonistic, often going out of her way to break up Kazuya and Chizuru for unclear reasons, which doesn’t do anyone any good.
Ren Yamai – Komi-san wa, Komyushou Desu
The charming anime Komi-san wa, Komyushou Desu is a gentle parody of many character archetypes and romantic anime tropes, such as the shy librarian Himiko Agari and the competitive Makeru Yadano. However, not even this anime can completely sanitize the concept of yandere. Ren Yamai is still a despicable person who has no excuse for what she does, which makes her deeply unpopular. She has threatened other people, bullied others while being a popular girl, tried to leer at Shoko Komi, and even kidnapped Hitohito Tadano.
Boruto Uzumaki – Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Although the original Naruto anime featured unpopular characters like Sakura Haruno and Danzo Shimura, fans still adored its protagonist, the brave and underdog Naruto Uzumaki. Interestingly, Naruto’s son Boruto soon became one of shonen’s most hated anime characters when he became the star of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Boruto Uzumaki is powerful and talented, but fans dislike him for it, considering him a kind of Mary Sue. The character is also unpopular for his bratty attitude, which, unlike his father’s, was totally unwarranted. Boruto came from a loving and understanding family, so it was strange that he behaved so badly.
