Top 10 Best Anime ‘Comfort Characters’ of All Time

Tea Anime recently polled anime fans to discover their favorite comfort characters, and the top 10 list is packed with popular and familiar faces. Fans will recognize beloved characters such as Frieren the elf from the high fantasy series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, the youthful Anya Forger from Spy x Family, and Maomao the poison expert from the historical anime The Apothecary Diaries.

The poll also highlighted several can’t-miss shonen action stars, often celebrated for their pure-hearted idealism and classic virtues like hard work. Izuku Midoriya of My Hero Academia and Asta the swordsman from Black Clover both featured prominently in the rankings.

Here’s the official top 10 list:

1. Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries)
2. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
3. Anya Forger (Spy x Family)
4. Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End)
5. Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia)
6. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
7. Ranpo Edogawa (Bungo Stray Dogs)
8. Izuku Midoriya/Deku (My Hero Academia)
9. Asta (Black Clover)
10. Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)

The poll results highlight the diverse interpretations of “comfort” among anime fans, a testament to the industry’s ability to offer a comforting and inspiring story for every viewer. This is evident in the varied characters who made the list. Some, like the endearing Anya Forger and the earnest student hero Izuku Midoriya (Deku), align with a more traditional sense of comfort—cute and cuddly.

However, the inclusion of action-oriented characters like Katsuki Bakugo and Monkey D. Luffy might seem surprising. Yet, fans found comfort in Bakugo’s unexpected vulnerabilities and Luffy’s boundless enthusiasm and joy.

For other fans, comfort stems from characters who provide emotional validation, much like a supportive parent, sibling, or child. Maomao is seen as a quirky sister figure, while Frieren embodies a wise mother or aunt. While such characters are often found in drama and slice-of-life anime, it’s interesting that no one from series like Horimiya or Fruits Basket appeared on the list, despite characters like Tohru Honda being the epitome of unconditional comfort.

Similarly, the action-oriented characters on our list overwhelmingly hail from ongoing or relatively recent titles, hinting at a natural recency bias. While anime fans certainly cherish personal favorites from across many decades, current popularity helps newer characters resonate more strongly as comforting role models, especially within the optimistic realm of shonen anime. It’s likely that a similar poll next year could feature an entirely different set of faces, reflecting the dynamic nature of the anime landscape and the ever-evolving sources of comfort fans find within it.