The Most Heroic Characters

[the_wolfs_howl]

Who are the most heroic characters you've seen in anime? List them, and say what makes them heroic! (Feel free to also define what the term "heroic" means to you.) Remember spoilers!

If you ask me, a hero is someone who puts other people before himself - whether that's the unknown masses of people being threatened by a great evil, or one person very important to him. Thus, these are the characters I think are the most heroic:

Full Metal Alchemist - Edward Elric

[spoiler]Every single thing he does is to help or protect other people, especially his little brother Al. When he discovers that Al has been taken away by the Gate, he offers his arms, his remaining legs, even his heart, just to bring Al's soul back. He goes out of his way time and time again to help people who are being oppressed or cheated, and dies trying to get rid of the Homunculi and Dante. Then when he comes back to life, he gives up every single thing he has to bring Al back. A true hero.[/spoiler]

Trigun - Vash the Stampede

[spoiler]His whole body is a testament to how heroic and selfless he is. Riddled with scars that actually mar his body rather than looking dashingly emo, whenever you see part of his body that he normally covers up, you're reminded of the lengths he'll go to keep humans from dying. Even the people who betray him and treat him like scum. His whole reason for living is to save people.[/spoiler]

Haibane Renmei - Rakka

[spoiler]Perhaps an odd choice, but I think Rakka - insecure, questioning Rakka - becomes a heroine by the final episode. Even after she finds out that Reki, the one person she thought she could trust to be good and kind, had just been exploiting her, she wouldn't let Reki lose herself in despair. She helped Reki see that she needed to ask for help, and then she gave that help. Because of what Rakka did, Reki was able to take her Day of Flight and find peace at last.[/spoiler]

Castle in the Sky - Pazu

[spoiler]Another one that probably wouldn't occur to most people. I just remember that from the first time I saw Castle in the Sky, I marveled at how heroic Pazu is. I suppose a lot of it comes from his crush on Sheeta, but he throws away his whole way of life to protect her and keep Laputa out of the wrong hands. Even after he thinks that Sheeta has brushed him aside, he goes back and saves her again.[/spoiler]

...Those are all I can think of right now, but I might come up with more later.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]My list is quite odd:

Rem (Death Note): [/color][/SIZE][/font]

[spoiler]Rem's heroism stems from the fact that she is willing to go to any lengths to protect and safe Misa's life; even giving up his/her(?) own life .That's textbook heroism.[/spoiler]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]Hachirota Hoshino (Planetes):

What makes this character heroic for me is the fact that he's a flawed hero. He's not perfect by any means, but at the end of the day, the job he does each and every day to keep space free of killer debris and his actions in later episodes definitely qualify him for the "hero" title.

Ginko (Mushi-Shi):

Ginko qualifies as a hero in my book because he seeks a peaceful resolution to conflicts between mushi and humans. As I said in another thread, he doesn't treat either group better than the other, but he still respects both and tries to find a level playing field where both can exist peacefully.[/color][/SIZE][/font]

[sdzero]

Goku - [Dragonball/Dragonball Z]

He's a simple hero that does not want much in life, except food and to test his abilities. He is a defender of peace and what is right.

Although, I have to admit that during some sagas, he kinda started to become a glory hog. [Spoiler]Sure, he let Gohan defeat Cell, but it was not like he was incapable of doing it.[/Spoiler] He is also a dinner table hog as well. Considering he would steal food right off your plate after asking if you wanted it, without giving the person he asked enough time to say, yes or no. Then proceed to pig out on a peace of food you were saving for last.

But other than that, he is cool with me.

[Makachop^^128]

ah theres so many ^^

I forgot how to do the spoiler thing so I'll just name them off

Nia-Tengen toppa gurren lagann

Vincent-Ergo proxy

Rakka-Haibane Renmei

Maka-Soul eater

Renton-Eureka seven

[CrimsonRyu17]

Shiro Amada - Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

The only real heroic character I adore.

[Esoteric]

Shiro Amada - Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

The only real heroic character I adore.

Shiro is indeed awesome, but is still only my second favorite gundam protagonist. For me, Bernie from the obscure Gundam 0080 series wins the ultimate hero prize:
[spoiler]The guy knew he didn't have a ghost of a chance, but trying to save that colony when he really just wanted to run away was a truly selfless act. As far as anime goes, that final battle riveted me like no other ever has. Many real heroes die unknown and unremembered.[/spoiler]

[Yamamaya]

Kamina from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Ichigo from Bleach.

[rocklobster]

my picks include:
Vash from Trigun
Pazu from Castle in the Sky
Rosette from Chrono Crusade
Edward from FMA
Allelujah from Gundam 00
Kira from Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny
Ayato from Rahxephon
Spike from Cowboy Bebop

[Fish and Chips]

Kenji Endo from 20th Century Boys.

This thread is now over.

[theanimeguy]

This was actually a harder question that I first thought. I would choose...

Holland Novak (Eureka Seven)
[spoiler]Because he really matures as a man by the end of the series. He confronts the demons of his past and learns to accept things for how they are instead of running away or using anger to solve all of his problems. He kicked butt in the finale as well, but its his change in character that really makes him an anime hero to me[/spoiler]

Roy Mustang (Fullmetal Alchemist
[spoiler]Because Roy confronts the evil within the military and takes down King Bradley and comes to terms with his life in many respects as well [/spoiler]

Ai Tanabe (Planetes)
[spoiler]For her heroic act in the second to last episode, her never giving up attitude, and her influence on Hachimaki and others, one of the most courageous anime characters and heroic that I know[/spoiler]

Rakka (Haibane Renmei)
[spoiler]For the role she plays in Reki's life in the last episodes of Haibane Renme[/spoiler]


Other notable mentions:
Pacifica Casull (Scrapped Princess)
Yoko Nakajima (The Twelve Kingdoms)
Ginko (Mushishi)

[The Banner]

I personally haven't stuck to the definition of hero as in "save the world, sacrifice everything" kind of hero, as I usually find their reasons almost baseless, like as if they only do these heroic acts because they're a slave to the storyline.

The love reason seems a bit exhausted as well. I'm not really one to say considering my relative inability to feel the "spouse" kind of love, but I hardly see any kind of emotion, wonder, or thought put inside these character relationships. All they seem to do is blush, and that concluded the "love" moment of anime.

[Spoiler]
That is why I think the ONLY "heroine" I have seen in an anime has to be the "Un-Mother" from Inuyasha. She's nothing more than a masquerade to Inuyasha's true mother, and her baseless goal is to steal Inuyasha's soul; take him to nothingness.

Such a pointless, foul creature she was, lucky enough to reborn and yet I was moved by her purpose of saving Inuyasha when Sesshomaru tried to kill him; she leaps in front of Inuyasha to be torn apart from what she would have left of life. Out of every anime I've watched so far, the Un-mother moved me the most, because she was an empty thing, and out of all motivations, her self-sacrifice out of a mother's heart was one of the most emotional and thought-provoking character changes I've seen.[/Spoiler]

Other than the one I have said above, there have been characters' deaths that have actually made the scene change a significant amount; those characters are few. I think that anime, as with many other Western movies, commonly make the death seem as if nothing is happening. And that, I believe, is the reason why I lack a reason to post any more heroes. A common flaw in literature and cinema.

[Fish and Chips]

I'm thinking some people are missing the idea of what The Hero is in this thread. Spike's a pretty cool guy who flies swordfish and doesn't afraid of anything, but I'd hesitate to call him heroic. Everything he does is self-serving (though not necessarily selfish), growing and expanding as a character, but not really filling the hero role. Technically, I wouldn't consider anybody in Bebop a hero in the strictest sense, though Jet probably comes the closest. Similarly, Nia Teppelin is a good person with a firm resolve and dedication, but in my mind doesn't really come close to the heroic archetype.

The hero recognizes something greater than himself, whether it is good and should be protected, or evil and should be vanquished. Preferably of course he has some personal tie or connection to the conflict that elevates him from being a living plot device, but there's still that recognition of the responsibility he or she is bearing. Hence, Kenji Endo.

I appreciate there's some flexibility in the identity and nature of the hero, but a little too much and this thread basically boils down to Name Characters You Like, which I don't think is what it's asking for.

As a postscript to keep people from copying this in large block quotes and going "Lol, serious much?" all heroes should also be straight as lances.

[Makachop^^128]

I'm thinking some people are missing the idea of what The Hero is in this thread. Spike's a pretty cool guy who flies swordfish and doesn't afraid of anything, but I'd hesitate to call him heroic. Everything he does is self-serving (though not necessarily selfish), growing and expanding as a character, but not really filling the hero role. Technically, I wouldn't consider anybody in Bebop a hero in the strictest sense, though Jet probably comes the closest. Similarly, Nia Teppelin is a good person with a firm resolve and dedication, but in my mind doesn't really come close to the heroic archetype.

Why I put Nia as a hero is that when Shimon is depressed she comes, and in a way saves him. She helps him get his mind off what is bugging him and encourages him. In really life anyone that encourages someone else in hard times I call a hero.

[CrimsonRyu17]

A hero (Ancient Greek: ἥρως, hērōs), in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion.[1] Later, hero (male) and heroine (female) came to refer to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self sacrifice – that is, heroism – for some greater good, originally of martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence.

I like Nia but being a supporting character doesn't make you a hero. To quote Fou Frou:

"I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life"

To level out all the non-heroes in this thread, I present to you the greatest anime hero and level of GAR you'll ever see:



SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK

[ich1990]

Kenji Endo from 20th Century Boys.

This thread is now over.

Not quite. You forgot Dr. Tenma from Monster.

Also, if you are going to be picky about definitions and such, I will point out that this thread is about the "most heroic characters you've seen in anime" and that 20th Century Boys hasn't been made into an anime (although Kenji Endo is indeed a great hero).

[rocklobster]

What about Kenshin Himora? He seems pretty heroic at times.

[Tancos]

No mention of Balsa from Moribito?

[Makachop^^128]

No mention of Balsa from Moribito?

Ah! yes Balsa is a hero I should have put her down

[the_wolfs_howl]

Not quite. You forgot Dr. Tenma from Monster.

Ooh! I knew I'd forgotten somebody! Yes, Tenma is very heroic because...

[spoiler]He gives up his future as a top surgeon to do the right thing - save the life of the first person who came, not the one who's supposedly more important. He let his career fall simply because he wasn't going to pick and choose between the lives that were in his hands. Later, he goes on the run and puts himself in great danger - not to clear his name, though that's what most people in the story assume. He does it to stop Johan, who has no qualms about killing tons of people.[/spoiler]

In talking to a friend, I also realized that L from Death Note is rather heroic, though that's more apparent in the live-action movies than the anime. Still, he puts his life on the line to oppose Kira, no matter which version of the story is being told.


I think it's a given that different people are going to have different definitions of a hero, and that's fine. But I think it would also help if people explain why they consider so-and-so to be a hero.

[Fish and Chips]

Eh, I don't find L that heroic, though granted that's my own interpretation of events. Trivializing mass murder in the pursuit of your own mind games doesn't strike me as virtuous.

Though this is only the Manga. Judging from the films, L probably does fit the mold better.

[That Dude]

Shu from Now And Then, Here And There.

[spoiler]He puts himself in mortal danger just because Lala-Ru asks for help and gets dragged into a mad world where he is tortured, beaten nearly to death just because he won't comprimise what's right. He also saves a girl from a messy abortion by dashing her stomach with a rock by placing his hands over her stomach and not letting go no matter how many times she tries to bash herself with the rock. He also forgives those who beat and brutalize him because they don't really know what they're doing.[/spoiler]

[the_wolfs_howl]

Though this is only the Manga. Judging from the films, L probably does fit the mold better.

Yes, I was mainly referring to the movies, but since this is a thread about anime characters....

[Roz]

Ai Tanabe from Planetes.

Yoko Nakajima from The Twelve Kingdoms.

Hikaru from Figure 17.

Honoka from The Third: Girl with the Blue Eye.

Kazuki Muto from Buso Renkin.

Solty from Solty Rei.

Kurau from Kurau Phantom Memory.

Claus and Lavie from Last Exile (though they have their hard times).

Hmmmm, that's all I can think of for now.

[Arya Raiin]

Okay, here I go!

Edward- FMA

Kiba- Wolf's Raiin

Kakashi- Naruto

I'll probably have some more. ^_^

[Cianter]

I love Age from Heroic Age (probably because I just finished watching it) He was never bitter or upset about his destiny, or his labors. They were kinda crappy and self serving for the Iron Tribe, but he would happily have died for them, and when I say happy, I mean happy. That's another thing I love about him, when he wasn't fighting, he was ALWAYS happy, no matter what crap had happened to him. He fought with NO though of his own safety, not to mention, the battles between the Nodos were FREAKING INCREDIBLE!!!!!!! I have never seen action like that in an anime, or in anything else for that matter.

[Atria35]

Ouch - a 2009 thread. Digging up threads over 6 months old is generally discouraged according to the forum rules. The thread will probably be locked.

[Crossfire]

What, no Shinji Ikari? [SPOILER=]*gets shot at*[/SPOILER]




Seriously though, If I had to make a choice I think my vote would go to Kazama Shin. Why? Despite his.. circumstances, he never gives up on his dream... [SPOILER=]...which in turn, grants him a noble death.[/SPOILER]

[Cianter]

Oh, I'm, I'm really sorry, today is my first day and I didn't even know how to tell at the time, really sorry:(

[SierraLea]

I know Kitchen Princess isn't an anime, but Sora. He gets killed trying to help Najita, and keeps a huge secret to help his brother. If you haven't read it, read it.

[SierraLea]

What about Kenshin Himora? He seems pretty heroic at times.

Totally agree, but then he shuts himself away in the arch after the shishio arch in the manga. Self pity is not becoming.