And even though anime likes to focus on the brave-hearted men and women who are prepared to lay their life on the line to achieve greatness, not everyone is like that. In fact, some are so cowardly that they’re basically the opposite of that. So in this list we’re going to take a look at the less flattering role in anime: characters that can seem so wimpy that I could see some actually wetting themselves in fear.
15. Shinji Ikari
Anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion You know the old saying: “You can lead Shinji to a robot, but you can’t make him go in”. In all seriousness, I want to start off with Shinji simply because I have the most understanding for him. After all, he’s just a teenager. And he definitely never asked for any of this. And unlike other cowardly shounen protagonists, he doesn’t really have a chipper environment that can help him get over his fear, because all the other characters are either insane, depressed, suicidal, or a mixture of the three.
14. Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki
Anime: Fairy Tail As the token comedic relief character, it only stands to reason that he wouldn’t share the same levels of unwavering heroism as the rest of the cast. He’s very relaxed and cocky around other people. But the second things get dicey he’s more likely to run than to give a nakama speech and face his adversary. There are exceptions, though. And he has shown a braver side to his character. But that’s few and far between. The real thing he should be afraid of is a harassment lawsuit.
13. Yukiteru Amano
Anime: Future Diaries Yuki falls in a very similar category as Shinji, where his cowardice is totally understandable, but it also sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the other psychos on the roster. Whenever an enemy appears, he just tends to hold onto Yuno’s skirt and cry while she takes care of business. He does have a character shift later on. But the amount of crying he did in the first half definitely lands him a spot on this list.
12. Orochimaru
Anime: Naruto This one seems a bit weird, but makes total sense once you think about it. Orochimaru only prays on the weak, and is the first to run away and give up if things become too dicey. For the majority of the show he’s just praying on children. And the only notable exception to this rule was Hiruzen, who was basically at his death bed from old age. When characters like Itachi or Pain give him a slap on the wrist, he immediately flees. And never even attempts to get them back for it. No wonder he was so obsessed with immortality, my dude is shaking in his snake skin boots.
11. Hol Horse
Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure : Stardust Crusaders Hol Horse is a very realistic depiction of a coward. And I both love and hate him for it. He’s the type of dude who will bad mouth you when his friends are around, but will run away if you ever catch him when he’s by himself. He’s aware that his Stand is on the weaker side of the spectrum. So he constantly seeks powerful allies who can do most of the heavy lifting, so that he can have the opportunity to teabag some fools.
10. Yoki
Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Yoki is pretty similar to Hol when it comes to cowardice, as he can only play big and tough when there’s someone around to protect him. However, he’s a far worse person than mister wannabe cowboy. Since Yoki not only bankrupts countless people through an impossibly high tax, but he also goes off to work for the enemy the second he’s stripped of his position. At least we can take comfort in the fact that he’s somehow always getting hurt.
9. Yajirobe
Anime: Dragon Ball Z Even though Yajirobe is a samurai, he’s as far from a warrior as one can get. Sure, he had one stroke of heroism in the Vegeta Saga. But that’s about it. He just secluded himself in Korin Tower with his talking cat buddy and became a healing support who just gave the gang Senzu Beans from time to time. Then again, given how powerful everyone around him got during the run of Dragon Ball Z, I can kind of get where he’s coming from.
8. Kuniharu Saiki
Anime: The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. You know how parents are supposed to set a good example for their kids and showcase virtues that will build them up to become decent people? Kuniharu did not get that memo. As he’s one of the most spineless characters I have ever seen. He openly talks about how he licks his boss’ shoes every day, and never even thinks of standing up for himself. Even his own kids can’t take him seriously – leading him to literally beg and throw tantrums whenever he wants their help.
7. Hannes
Anime: Attack on Titan Hannes only had one true showcase of cowardice. But it shaped the entire series. Even though he was technically a soldier, he never actually faced real danger, as he spent his days just day-drinking within the safety of the Walls. But when things got serious and he was finally in a position where he could have saved someone through battle, he chose to flee instead. And this isn’t just me calling him a coward, as that one decision would lay heavy on his conscious for a long time to come.
6. Minoru Mineta
Anime: My Hero Academia It’s clear to see that Mineta only became a hero in the hopes of one day scoring some babes, since he’s never the one to jump into action when things look bleak. In fact, he’s usually the one just whining about how hopeless the situation is, and judging his classmates for actually wanting to do something. Even though that’s quite literally the entire point of being a hero… Sure, he has had some heroic moments. But it always took something backing him into a wall in order for that to happen.
5. Ginrou
Anime: Dr. Stone Ginrou would be Mineta’s best pal, as he too prefers to complain and judge rather than do something. And yet again, the irony strikes hard as Ginrou is literally one of only two guards in the entire village. But given that there were no real outsiders up until Senku and his gang, Ginrou probably just took the position because it seemed easy and cool. I will say though, that he can be quite diabolical. He often likes to scheme with Senku. Of course, this only applies if he isn’t part of said scheme.
4. Sekke Bronzazza
Anime: Black Clover Mister Fuhha is quite the slimey little devil, always looking for ways to climb the latter while putting in little to no work whatsoever. The first time we see him, he’s trying to pick on Asta because he deemed him the weakest of the bunch. And for the remainder of the series he just keeps talking about how great he is, while never really having the courage to go into battle and earn some actual merit. I honestly think that it’s extremely fitting that he ended up as the King’s right-hand man. Both just like to talk big and hide behind people who can actually do something.
3. Welfin
Anime: Hunter x Hunter (2011) Welfin follows a very similar story like Sekke. From the very beginning we see him constantly scheming something in the shadows, while simultaneously jumping at every sudden sound. He constantly talks about how powerful he is. But in reality, he’s just searching for a powerful ally who would do all the heavy lifting. But my favourite moment was when he started taking about how he was stronger than Meruem, only to age 50 years once he actually saw his king in person. Ah karma, you have to love it.
2. King
Anime: One Punch Man King is one of my favorite cowards, as his cowardice is literally his superpower. Because of a train of events where he got the credit for Saitama’s victories, the dude has racked up some serious credit. This has led him to become so infamous that villains just immediately surrender once they see him coming, totally unaware that he’s pissing his pants at that very moment.
1. Zenitsu Agatsuma
Anime: Demon Slayer When it comes to cowardice, no one can truly top Zenitsu. The dude is the personification of being scared, and spends nearly half the series begging someone to save him. At one point he even begged a literal child. But the best part is that unlike almost everyone on this list, he’s actually incredibly capable, and has no reason to be fearful. But that just wouldn’t be fun, now would it? Never change you lightning coward. Never change.
