The Most Overrated Anime Character, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the anime character you think is the most overrated!

Updated on Apr 18, 2024 06:45

In the colorful world of anime, fans often clash over which characters deserve the spotlight. Some characters receive a disproportionate amount of attention and admiration, which can overshadow others who might be more deserving of the limelight. Creating a list of the most overrated anime characters can provide an interesting perspective and open up conversations on what truly makes a character worthy of praise. By participating in the ranking, users have a unique opportunity to express their viewpoints and reshape the narrative around popular characters. This dynamic list evolves with every vote, reflecting the current sentiments of the anime community. It's a way for fans to challenge the status quo and potentially introduce others to undervalued characters who are overshadowed in popular discourse.

What Is the Most Overrated Anime Character?

1

34
votes
Light Yagami from Death Note

While Light is a complex character, he is often portrayed as a genius who can outsmart anyone. However, his arrogance and lack of empathy make him difficult to relate to, and his actions are often morally questionable.
Light Yagami is the main protagonist of the anime series Death Note. He is a high school student who discovers a powerful notebook called the Death Note, which allows him to kill anyone whose name he writes in it. Light becomes intoxicated with his newfound power and sets out on a mission to rid the world of criminals, seeing himself as a kind of god of justice. However, his self-righteous actions soon draw the attention of a brilliant detective known as L, leading to a thrilling game of wits between the two.

Anime series: Death Note (2006-2007)

Manga series: Death Note (2003-2006)

Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano (Japanese), Brad Swaile (English)

Occupation: High school student

Age: 17 (at the start of the series)
Light Yagami from Death Note in other rankings
- Position 2 of 10 in Most famous anime villains
- Position 6 of 10 in Most attractive anime boy
2

45
votes
BrokenSphere · CC BY-SA 3.0

Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto

Masashi Kishimoto

Sasuke is often portrayed as a cool, brooding character, but his constant brooding and obsession with revenge can be tiresome. His actions also often put him at odds with the other characters, making it difficult to root for him.
Sasuke Uchiha is a fictional character from the popular anime series Naruto. He is known for his brooding and aloof personality, as well as his intense desire for revenge. Sasuke is a skilled ninja from the Uchiha clan, known for their powerful Sharingan eye technique. Throughout the series, he goes through a complex character arc, oscillating between seeking power and vengeance, and eventually learning the value of friendship and teamwork.

Age: 12 (Part I) - 17 (Part II)

Gender: Male

Height: 168 cm (Part I) - 175 cm (Part II)

Weight: 52.2 kg (Part I) - 61.2 kg (Part II)

Eye Color: Black
3

24
votes
Kirito from Sword Art Online

Reki Kawahara

While Kirito is a skilled fighter, his character can come across as bland and one-dimensional. He is often portrayed as a typical "cool" protagonist, but lacks the depth and complexity of other characters in the series.
Kirito is the protagonist of the popular anime series, Sword Art Online. He is known for his exceptional gaming skills, particularly in virtual reality games. Kirito's character has often been criticized for being overpowered and having a somewhat unrealistic personality. However, he remains a beloved and iconic figure among many anime fans.

Anime Series: Sword Art Online

First Appearance: Sword Art Online light novel (2009)

Gender: Male

Skill Set: Master Swordsman

Gaming Ability: Highly skilled and experienced
4

20
votes
Goku from Dragon Ball Z

Akira Toriyama

While Goku is an iconic character, he can be overrated due to his seemingly endless power and lack of character development. He often relies on brute force to solve problems, rather than using his intelligence or strategic thinking.
Goku is the main protagonist of the popular anime franchise Dragon Ball Z. He is a Saiyan from the planet Vegeta, who was sent to Earth as a baby and later becomes one of its greatest defenders. Goku is known for his extraordinary strength, endurance, and unwavering determination to protect his loved ones and the planet from powerful adversaries.

Species: Saiyan

Home Planet: Vegeta

Abilities: Superhuman strength, speed, endurance, and ki manipulation

Forms: Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, Ultra Instinct, and more

Signature Moves: Kamehameha (Energy Wave), Spirit Bomb (Energy Sphere), Instant Transmission (Teleportation)
5

19
votes
Naruto Uzumaki from Naruto

Masashi Kishimoto

Naruto's constant shouting and over-the-top personality can be grating at times. While he is a determined and likeable character, his antics can become repetitive and predictable.
Naruto Uzumaki is the titular character of the anime series Naruto. He is a young ninja from the fictional village of Konohagakure in a world where ninjas are highly skilled in combat and special powers. Naruto is known for his distinctive spiky blond hair, orange jumpsuit, and spirited personality. He starts off as an underdog and gradually becomes a powerful and respected ninja, determined to become the Hokage, the leader of his village.

Gender: Male

Age: 12-17 (during the main events)

Ninja Rank: Genin (initially), later progresses to Chunin and then Jonin

Affiliation: Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village)

Chakra Type: Wind Release
6

9
votes
玄史生 · CC0

Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach

Tite Kubo

While Ichigo is a skilled fighter and has a tragic backstory, his character can come across as generic and lacking in personality. He often relies on his powers to solve problems, rather than using his intelligence or wit.
Ichigo Kurosaki is the main protagonist of the popular anime series Bleach. He is depicted as a high school student with natural orange hair and the ability to see ghosts. After accidentally obtaining the powers of a Soul Reaper, Ichigo becomes a formidable warrior who protects both the living and the spirit world from evil spirits and monsters.

Hair color: Orange

Ability: Ghost-seeing and Soul Reaper powers

Role: Main protagonist

Series: Bleach

Occupation: High school student and Soul Reaper
Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach in other rankings
- Position 8 of 10 in Most attractive anime boy
7

10
votes
Lelouch vi Britannia from Code Geass

While Lelouch is a complex and fascinating character, he can be overrated due to his seemingly endless intellect and ability to manipulate others. He often comes across as a stereotypical "genius" character, lacking in emotional depth or relatability.
Lelouch vi Britannia is a highly popular and often hailed as an iconic anime character from the series Code Geass. He is the main protagonist and anti-hero of the show, known for his strategic thinking and manipulative tactics.

Alias: Lelouch Lamperouge

Birth Name: Lelouch vi Britannia

Occupation: Student, Military Leader

Age: 17 (at the start of the series)

Height: 178 cm/5'10"
8

7
votes
GabboT · CC BY-SA 2.0

Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan

Hajime Isayama

While Eren is a determined and passionate character, his constant anger and obsession with revenge can be frustrating to watch. He often puts himself and others in danger due to his recklessness, and can be difficult to root for.
Eren Yeager is the protagonist of the popular anime series Attack on Titan. He serves as a member of the Scout Regiment and his main goal is to eradicate all Titans. Eren is known for his passionate and hot-blooded personality, often driven by a strong desire for revenge against the Titans who destroyed his home and killed his mother. Despite being initially portrayed as a somewhat reckless and impulsive character, Eren undergoes significant character development throughout the series.

Gender: Male

Age: 15 (beginning of the series), 19 (current timeline)

Height: 170 cm

Weight: 65 kg

Hair Color: Dark brown
9

4
votes
Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z

Akira Toriyama

While Vegeta is a fan-favorite character, his constant arrogance and antagonistic behavior can be tiresome. He often puts himself and others in danger due to his pride, and his character development can be inconsistent at times.
Vegeta is a highly regarded character from the popular anime series Dragon Ball Z. He is a Saiyan warrior and the prince of the fallen Saiyan race. Vegeta is known for his striking appearance, iconic hairstyle, and proud personality. Throughout the series, he goes through significant character development, transforming from a villain to an anti-hero and eventually becoming a key member of the Z Fighters.

Race: Saiyan

Rank: Prince

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Black

Height: Approximately 5'5"
10

2
votes
Naruto from One Piece

While Naruto is a skilled fighter and has a unique power, his character can come across as one-dimensional and lacking in personality. He often relies on his powers to solve problems, rather than using his intelligence or wit.
Naruto from One Piece is a fictional character that does not exist in the One Piece anime series.

Anime Series: One Piece

Character Name: Naruto

Overrated: Yes

Existence: Does not exist

Main Protagonist: No

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Ranking factors for overrated anime character

Popularity

Compare the character's popularity to their actual significance and development in the series. Sometimes a character may become popular because of superficial traits such as appearance or catchphrases, rather than meaningful character growth or storyline contribution.
Hype

Consider the level of hype created by fans and the media around the specific character. The more over-the-top and unjustified this hype is, the more overrated the character may be considered.
Strength and Abilities

Analyze the character's abilities and the portrayal of their strength within the anime series. If the character's power is consistently over-exaggerated or illogically high compared to others in the anime, they might be overrated.
Character Development

Evaluate the depth, growth, and complexity of the character over the course of the series. An overrated character often lacks significant development compared to other characters in the show.
Screen Time and Impact

Assess the character's overall presence and importance in the storylines of the anime. A character could be highly popular but may not have much impact on actual story progression or significant scenes, making them overrated.
Personality and Uniqueness

Determine how distinctive and original the character is in terms of their personality, appearance, or backstory. Overrated characters may have generic or clichéd traits, but be praised excessively by fans.
Appeal to Popular Demand

Gauge whether the character's popularity and prominence within the series are simply because they cater to popular tropes or fan-service, rather than their intrinsic value to the story.
Critical Acclaim

Check reviews and critiques of the anime series to understand if a character is overrated based on expert opinion, or if it is only a popular opinion among fans.
Comparisons

Compare the character to other characters within the same anime and within the broader anime genre. By doing so, you can assess if the character genuinely stands out or if they are simply overrated in comparison.
Fandom's Impact

Observe the influence of the fandom on the character's overrated status. The character could be overrated as a result of fan art, cosplay, shipping, or other activities that extend beyond the actual content or depth of the character within the anime itself.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most overrated anime character. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Anime character is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

1666 views
177 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Anime character once every 24 hours. The rank of each Anime character is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most overrated anime character

Anime has become a massive cultural phenomenon worldwide, and with it comes a massive roster of iconic and beloved characters. However, not every character is created equal. Some have become overrated and overhyped, despite not living up to the hype. From protagonists who are too bland to villains who are too predictable, there are plenty of anime characters whose popularity is debatable at best. In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the most overrated anime characters and explore why they may not be as great as some fans claim them to be. So, get ready to question some of your favorite anime characters and dive into the world of overrated anime characters.