Top 10 Anime Protagonists That Everyone Hates

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we are counting down our picks for the Top 10 Anime Protagonists Everyone Hates.

For this list, we’re going to be counting down our picks for the lead characters in an anime that were despised by fans. Either due to their actions, poor development, or just because they were unlucky enough to earn otaku ire.

Are these worthy candidates for the pantheon of crap? Let us know in the comments below!

“My Sister, My Writer” (2018)

It’s no secret that the leading male characters in shows that primarily deal in the Sistercon sub-genre are blander than beige wallpaper. Even by those standards, Yuu is uncomfortably boring. Duller than dishwater, he only exists for his talented and hormonally charged sibling to throw herself at. Given how the animation was tearing apart at the seams the longer it went on, we’re guessing that not even the anime could stand how pathetic this guy was, and was doing everything it could to disintegrate itself.

“Psycho-Pass 2” (2014)

We lost Kogami, and got shafted with this instead?! Making her debut in Season One as a snooty student, the fact little miss prissy worked her way up to Akame’s squad was already giving us a headache…but then she started acting out. Not only was she wholly dismissive of Enforcers in spite of the fact she was woeful when compared to their skills, but also had no filter when it came to lashing out and undermining Akane’s leadership. I’m sorry, but where do you get off giving grief to the best girl?!

“Samurai 7” (2004)

You’re part of an elite group of rogue samurai capable of slicing up mecha – you need to be on your A-Game! Not stand around acting like a self-righteous twit constantly trying and failing to make moves on Kirara…who then goes on to fall for the much older and more capable samurai. Yeah, try as he might, Okamoto is nowhere near Kanbei level. If he had just chilled out a little and put all that time complaining into perfecting his sword swings, then maybe he wouldn’t feel like the seventh wheel!

“Peter Grill and the Philosopher's Time” (2020)

Maybe, deep, deep, deep, down this guy is actually a decent person, but it’s so hard to see it through all his loathsome actions. Supposedly dedicated to his one true love, this lone knight is constantly approached by a slew of monster girls who all want to bear his children. Does he refuse their advances? What do you think? One after another, every unlikable harem member in this show gets his Excalibur slotted into their sheaths, while Peter can only cry about still being pure and devoted. We wouldn’t despise him so much if he just let his precious princess go.

“Rent-A-Girlfriend” (2020)

How is it possible for a series to have so many top tier waifus in it, and yet have a leading man that is just so…pathetic? Granted, come the end of the first season, Kazuya did show signs of growing a spine and improving himself. Then again, he’s still got a long way to go to make up for such a weaselly debut. Hiring someone to act as his girlfriend before yelling at her due to his own crippling self-esteem, falling for his ruthless ex-girlfriend despite her being so obviously trash, it’s like this guy couldn’t help sabotaging himself.

“Beyblade Burst Turbo” (2018-19)

If you’re going to let it rip, fall down, meet ground, get back up again, and carry the damn series, then you’re going to need to have some modicum of charm. Unlike his fellow Beyblade champions, Aiger has just a little too much douche in him to be considered the next Valt. Plot armouring your way through every match is one thing, but to also be an obnoxious brat and take down fan-favourite like Lui so effortlessly? Foul play. We demand that they bring back Tyson!

“School Days” (2007)

Believe it or not, there is an art to being a lovable asshole in anime. Just as long as you can balance the flaws with actual character development, you’re pretty much golden. Sleeping with and cheating on every available girl to the point that you’d need a graph to figure out who got screwed over the most – that just makes you the worst. And yet, Makoto still believes himself to be in the right. While we don’t endorse homicide, seeing one of his broken-hearted conquests stab him was morbidly satisfying.

“Dragon Ball GT” (1996-97)

The antithesis of Caulifla and Kale, Pan was a terrible introduction as far as female Saiyans go. Always in need of rescuing, extremely limited in her combat skills, and oh my god she never stopped complaining! Despite being the grandchild of Goku, Pan never accomplished anything aside from making us long for the glory days of Z and the original Dragon Ball. Unless she gets the Broly treatment later on, she’s well on her way to being the most useless member of this franchise’s ever-expanding roster.

“Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny” (2004-05)

Ha! This guy thought he was going to be the next Kira Yamato. Only to end up getting pushed to the wayside and replaced by the ACTUAL Kira Yamato. Not surprising really, after all Shinn took all that edgelord nuance that made characters like Athrun interesting, and just pushed the “me against the world” vibes to eleven. Brash, ignorant, without any real depth to him, we’d happily trade him out for any of the old gang if it spared us another one of his rants. Yes, we’d even take even Katz Kobayashi.

“Future Diary” (2011-12)

It says a lot when you’re more unbearable than the axe-wielding yandere. Roped into a murderous game with the chance to become a god, what should have been a sympathetic character turned into a weak-willed, somewhat manipulative and aggravating idiot. Say what you will about Yuno’s psychosis, Yuki is the slimeball who sought to use her to turn things in his own favour, and yet still is presented as the poor soul trapped in an impossible situation. There’s no reason for Yuno not to try and castrate him with an axe really, especially after he slept with her just to gain an advantage!