Top 10 most ‘kawaii’ anime characters of all time

❘ Published: 2023-11-28T12:15:00

The top 10 cutest anime characters, including Anya Forger and Sadaharu

Crunchyroll/IMDB

Memorable characters transcend the confines of their stories. Here are 10 of the cutest and most ‘kawaii’ characters in all of anime, from Pokémon to Spy x Family.

Anime is more than the action thrillers and sci-fi tales that dominate the charts at the moment. It has relatable characters that will make you laugh and cry along with them.

But have you ever watched an anime with characters you can’t help but think are “so kawaii”? Over anime’s long history, there have always been charming characters that have melted our hearts over and over again

So, whether they serve as a comic relief sidekick or take center stage as an adorable main, here are our top 10 kawaii anime characters.

Top 10 most kawaii anime characters

Here are out top 10 characters that stand out from the rest as the most “kawaii” of all time.

10. Hawk – The Seven Deadly Sins

Let’s kick off the list with one of the funniest anime mascot characters of all time: Hawk, from classic shonen series, The Seven Deadly Sins.

On the surface, Hawk is an anthropomorphic talking pig who loves eating. Relatable, right? But he’s so much more. Fulfilling the obligatory comedic relief character trope in shonen anime, Hawk cuts through any tension in the series by delivering some of the funniest lines.

9. Tohru Honda – Fruits Basket

Tohru Honda from Fruits Baskets is as sweet and kind as she looks.

Considered to be as “cute as a rice ball”, Tohru is known for her kind-hearted, optimistic, and cheerful nature. No matter what life throws at her, she always tries her best to help other people and she does it with a smile, which is why she’s often considered to be one of the most kawaii anime heroines of all time.

8. Pikachu – Pokémon

Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without Pokémon’s Pikachu. Not only is Pikachu one of the most internationally recognizable anime characters, he’s also one of the cutest.

Whether he’s travelling the world at Ash’s side or fighting crime in a live-action spin-off, one thing always remains the same: Pikachu is always kawaii.

7. Hinami Fueguchi – Tokyo Ghoul

For the purpose of this list, only Hinami before the time skip is included.

In the first season, Hinami was introduced as a teenage ghoul, although she appeared to be much younger than that. Shy, kind and passionate about reading, she deeply cares for her friends and family – a trait she keeps long into adulthood.

6. Sadaharu – Gintama

Gintama is one of the best action-comedy anime series, and it wouldn’t be complete without loveable furry sidekick Sadaharu.

Although dog-like in appearance, Sadaharu is nothing like a normal dog. He’s actually an Inugami, which is a dog spirit from Japanese folklore. With his white fur, grey eyebrows, giant size and love of biting people’s heads, he’s even featured on Japan’s most desired anime pet list back in 2020.

5. Tony Tony Chopper – One Piece

As the Straw Hat pirates resident doctor and One Piece’s unofficial mascot, Tony Tony Chopper is technically a reindeer. But when he ate the Hito Hito no Mi (Human Human Fruit), he gained the ability to speak, think and act like a human.

Rejected by his herd, this adorable plush-toy-like reindeer joined Monkey D. Luffy’s pirate crew with the dream of curing every illness in the world.

4. Kotaro Sato – Kotaro Lives Alone

Kotaro Lives Alone is an adorable anime on the surface, but has a much darker core.

Most four-year-olds aren’t capable of living alone, but for main protagonist Kotaro Sato, he doesn’t have a choice. This pint-sized protagonist is fiercely independent and capable of taking care of his own home. But even though he likes to act like an adult, he’s still a child at heart, with adorable (but sometimes heart-breaking) consequences.

3. Nezuko Kamado – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Demon Slayer is one of the most popular anime series of all time. And Nezuko is one of its most popular characters – as well as being considered the most kawaii.

With huge eyes and holding a bamboo scroll in her mouth, we follow Nezuko and her brother Tanjiro as they travel across Japan to find a way to return her back to her human state.

It’s a demon’s nature to eat humans. But for Nezuko, out of sheer willpower and her love for her family, she manages to retain enough of her humanity to become one of the cutest characters in the entire Demon Slayer series.

2. Eevee – Pokémon

Almost all of the Pokédex characters could be included on this list, but we’ve settled on two. Pikachu, as already mentioned, and now Eevee.

As any self-respecting anime fan should already know, under the word kawaii in the dictionary should be a picture of Eevee (yes, it’s just that cute). Although it’s just a normal-type Pokémon, with bushy brown fur, a long tail, huge eyes and rabbit-like ears, Eevee and all subsequent Eeveelutions is definitely one of the cutest anime characters of all time. And, without a doubt, the most kawaii Pokémon ever.

1. Anya – Spy x Family

With her pink hair, huge green eyes, and adorable personality, it’s no wonder that Spy x Family’s Anya Forger has earned the number one spot on this list.

Anya enamoured herself to fans from Spy x Family’s first episode, with her ability to read thoughts, love of spies, and her child-like misunderstandings of the dangerous situation she’s found herself in.

But Anya’s most endearing attribute is how much she wants a loving family, and her almost meme-like ways of ensuring she gets it. From pretending to be older then she is to dealing with school bullies, it’s easy to see why she’s our number one.

So there you have it: the most kawaii anime characters of all time! For more fun features like this, why don’t you check out our other lists, guides and anime coverage?