Top 10 Anime Characters with Social Troubles

Some people struggle with their introversion while others revel in it. Due to a series of past traumatic incidents, this guy has a pretty dim view on society. Hachiman puts up a conscious effort to distance himself from the people around him and remain within his own headspace. This reclusive behaviour makes everyone around him see him as arrogant. Because he spends so much time observing others, he feels he has a good understanding of the everyone else’s needs and motivations, but his tendency to try and help others self-actualize makes people reject him even more.

Harima proves that no matter how tough you are on the outside, we can still all be dribbling fools on the inside. At first glance this high school delinquent and tough guy may not seem very lovable, or even relatable, but the effort he goes to in order to get the attention of his crush is something everyone can understand. Unfortunately, due to an embarrassing incident that occurredwith the two in middle school, Harima is unable to confront his love face to face, and instead decides to assume a secret identity in order to win her affection. Almost like a superhero for love, Harima’s outer identity as a bully terrifies those around him, and his one track mind keeps him from fitting in.

Getting along with our families can be difficult, and being cursed with an ancient Chinese zodiac spirit doesn't help make things any easier. Kyou is a misunderstood soul that finds it nearly impossible to connect with people due to his childhood abandonment issues. In order to mask his many insecurities, Kyou has adopted a rude and standoffish behaviour, but deep down he's just as vulnerable as anyone. He is outwardly aggressive and hostile, even to his own family, and as a result he is the black sheep of the Sohma household.

This socially awkward teenage girl has made it her mission to become popular or die trying. An inability to read basic social cues and body language plagues Tomoko in her quest for social approval. Within two months of entering high school she's managed to, unintentionally, avoid meaningful contact with every single person in her class. The power of denial is strongwith this one. Tomoko's affinity for erotic manga and dating sims has jaded her perception of real life communication, making interactions with her uncomfortable to say the least. Despite her many social failures, Tomoko remains vaguely positive about her situation and takes every day in stride.

Monster hunting may not be the type of work where social skills matter but even among her fellow Claymores Clare is considered an emotional vault. Having lived most of her life alone, Clare has deemed most relationships obsolete, making her willing transformation into a Claymore all the more fitting. Having witnessed the death of her savior and guardian Teresa, Clare becomes highly motivated by revenge and numbs herself to all subsequent emotions. Her follower Raki has been the only one to ever break her cold hard exterior, and despite harbouring strong feelings for the boy, she can't bring herself to effectively express it.

Calling Erio’s behaviour peculiar would be an understatement. Erio's peers are led to believe that she isn't from this planet, and she's likely to agree with them. Because of an incident where she went missing for six months, Erio is now convinced that she is an alien, and is obsessed with returning to her home planet. For the better half of the series she religiously wraps herself in a futon in accordance to her made-up alien logic, and doesn’t hide the fact that she is, or rather thinks she might be, an alien.

There's a thin line of decency when it comes to teacher-student relationship which this instructor has totally disregarded. While a capable literature teacher in his own right, Mr. Kimura has openly admitted to being in his profession in order to satiate his obsession for high school girls. This quality about the middle-aged teacher borders from weird to downright creepy once he takes it upon himself to “observe” the girls in swim class, or approach them outside of class. Contrary to popular belief, Kimura has been proven to be in a committed marriage with a beautiful wife and daughter, yet it's suspected that they're both unaware of his “extracurricular activities”.

This world-renowned detective is the best at what he does, but his brilliance comes at a slight price. There's little explanation for most of L's bizarre habits, as he is often very secretive and very little is known about his past. Due to the nature of his work, L doesn’t allow himself to befriend people, and treats his relationships as logically and professionally as possible. He also doesn’t seem to care what other’s think about him, as he makes no attempt to hide his awkward habits or fit in with regular people.

Delusions of grandeur will likely make a fool out of anyone. University student Rintarou likes to think of himself as a mad scientist who struggles against a secret organization that no one else seems to know even exists. In hopes to appear more edgy and mysterious, Rintarou begins to believe his own facade, which only serves to make him appear more arrogant than he actually is. His know-it-all act is soon traded in for a more genuine role, yet this only highlights how uncomfortable he is in his own skin.

Before we unveil our pick for Top Anime Characters With Social Troubles, here are a few honorable mentions:


Annie Leonhart
“Attack on Titan” (2013-)

Mashiro Shiina
“Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo” (2012-13)

Sawako Kuronuma
“Kimi ni Todoke” (2009-11)


Harunobu Madarame
“Genshiken” (2004)

Piccolo
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-1996)

In life we're told to tackle our fears head on, and this character does just that only fists first. Because of her father’s mental condition, Mahiru has inherited a phobia of men, which poses a serious problem for a teenage girl that wants to get out and actually meet boys, catch 22. She becomes increasingly anxious whenever a male steps into her proximity, something she's struggled with for as long as she can remember. In an effort to overcome her issues, she begins a waitressing job as the ultimate test to her resolve. While Mahiru is far from being able to talk to her crush Souta, she has at least overcome the urge to hit him.

Do you agree with our list? What anime character did you think was the most socially awkward? For more awesome Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.