The 20 Most Beloved Anime Characters That Literally No One Hates

Who would Naruto Uzumaki be without his jounin instructor, Kakashi Hatake? He sure as heck wouldn't be the hokage. Kakashi teaches Naruto the basics of being a ninja. While his Ninja Academy teacher, Iruka, is the first person to treat Naruto like a child, Kakashi is the first one to treat him like a professional ninja. Kakashi expects his students to achieve great things and wield their powers with skill – just as he does. The man boasts spectacular command over his electric abilities and his sharingan – something you never expect based on his relaxed character design.

For all his seriousness, Kakashi often comes across as a jokester – the running gag about what's hidden under his face mask is a great example. His stoic personality also works for this deeply tragic character, whose unfortunate childhood would leave most people paralyzed with grief. Kakashi contains multitudes, which is part of why people like him so much.

While most of the characters in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood boast pretty large followings, no one stands out like Maes Hughes and his family. In his professional life, Hughes works as a soldier, but his private life shows him in a much more sympathetic role. Hughes absolutely adores his wife and three-year-old daughter, so much so he happily shows off photos of them to anyone who will look, and spends half his time on screen talking about how happy they make him. The anime community loves any and all amazing dads, especially the ones who risk it all in the line of duty.

Who could possibly hate this adorable demon? Whether it's transforming into a cute baby version of herself or using her demon abilities to protect her brother from harm, Nezuko can do it all. In a world where demons completely forget their past human selves, Nezuko is able to defy all odds by retaining her human side and refusing to eat humans. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fans all around the world can agree on one thing: protect Nezuko at all costs.

Even if you pay little attention to Attack on Titan, you still probably like Levi Ackerman; at the very least, you've heard of him. This guy goes to hell and back, suffering the loss of his comrades, serious personal injury, and Titan-based trauma. Even after enduring unimaginable trauma, Levi still fights against the Titans – not for himself, but for the teenage soldiers in his care. The contrast between his touching altruism and his gruff attitude comes across as totally endearing and certainly plays into why he's such a well-liked character.

One of Death Note's major strengths lies in the anime's ability to make even the most loathsome people somewhat likable, or at the very least, enjoyable to watch on-screen. Light Yagami, the protagonist, is an honest-to-god serial killer, but plenty of people, including even readers, still find him charming. Despite his charm, Light still attracts a lot of haters – but L, the hunched over, cake-eating detective trying to bring Light down, is almost universally loved.

People find L awesome for a multitude of reasons. For one thing, his idiosyncratic behavior sets him apart not just from Death Note's other geniuses but other anime series – you'll find few, if any anime characters who look and act like L. Though intellectually brilliant, L never pretends he comes without any flaws. He takes poor physical care of himself (though still gives Light a run for his money at tennis), and his ethics when it comes to solving cases are questionable at best. Still, he comes across as an underdog in pursuit of justice, and what anime fan isn't into that?

For anime fans who are sick of standard shonen heroes, Saitama arrives like a godsend. His extraordinary powers certainly entitle him to brag about his chances at winning, but Saitama never bothers. He simply lets his powers speak for themselves, preferring to focus on more important things in life, such as cheap prices on seafood at the grocery store. Yet for all his laidback demeanor, Saitama never strays from his workouts or his sense of duty, showing viewers that even gods must work for their glory. His refreshing attitude combined with his ability to kick butt makes him one of the best anime characters to appear in recent years.