For shows that typically focus on romance, shojo anime have a surprising amount of unlikeable characters. Many cast members are either creepy or bafflingly mean to everyone around them, while others are simply one-note. These characters usually serve a purpose, but, oftentimes, their presence makes their shows appear to waver even more.
Though the reasons vary as to why some characters are awful, the casts of these anime almost bring down their entire shows. Fortunately, many of these titles are popular despite their terrible characters. Countless shojo anime are great, but they can have some of the most terrible cast members.
Updated by Alexandra Locke on May 10, 2023: Romantic characters filled with dreams of hope and love are the standard for most Shojo anime. Yet, there are still many great Shojo shows that have the most terrible characters. These hateful or simply unlikable characters don’t always detract from their shows. They even add to the anime’s drama. However, there is no denying that the characters’ actions aren’t the best.
This article contains mention of abuse and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.
15 Dance With Devils
Dance with Devils is a supernatural reverse harem anime about two warring sides. Both the Vampires and Devils in Shikou Academy are after the Necronomicon, which they believe resides in Ritsuka Tachibana.
With this understanding, the young men do whatever they see fit to woo Ritsuka and take the Necronomicon for themselves. They force themselves upon her and attempt various nonconsenting acts. While this anime is meant to be gothic and romantic, the characters’ lack of boundaries is unconscionable.
14 Prétear
Prétear is an anime with a lot of potential. This older magical girl anime follows Himeno Awayuki as she navigates being the Prétear and a regular girl at the same time. Although Himeno is a perfectly fine character, several of the Leafe Knights and her stepsisters leave a lot to be desired.
Hayate — the main love interest — is often rude to Himeno and chastises her at every opportunity. Sasame, on the other hand, betrays his brothers to side with the Princess of Disaster of all people. This anime could have been one of the best magical girl anime, but its short runtime and unlikable characters made it difficult to praise it as much more than a passing fancy.
13 Brothers Conflict
Brothers Conflict is a controversial show due to its premise and cast. Ema Hinata moves in with many of her thirteen new stepbrothers, who all begin vying for her affection. This puts many fans off due to their familial relationship, but the show has worse things in store.
Many of the brothers attempt to assault Ema, and some even succeed. Brothers Conflict tries to play these situations off as romance but fails to do so. The more the show goes on, the more the brothers sink into the ever-alarming ways as they try to win Ema’s heart.
12 Vampire Knight
Vampire Knight is a dark anime featuring a volatile love triangle between Yuki Cross and her two suitors, pureblood vampire Kaname Kuran and her childhood friend and vampire hater, Zero Kiryu. Although Kaname saved Yuki in her past, Zero remains deeply distrustful of all vampires — especially Kaname. The whole anime spins a web of mistrust and doubt as the truth eludes the cast.
Additionally, Kaname is thousands of years old, making his relationship with Yuki even more questionable. Meanwhile, Zero’s hatred tarnishes his otherwise pleasant demeanor, whereas Yuki is simply clueless. Despite being a well-liked romantic horror anime, the entire situation in Vampire Knight is a mess of complicated (and clashing) emotions that make the characters wholly unlikeable.
11 My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom!!
My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom!! follows Katarina Claes on her quest to avoid a bad ending for her story now that she is trapped in an Otome game. However, while she is the villain in the original game, Katarina’s new attitude has all the eligible people of the kingdom falling helplessly for her.
Though they are all exceptionally kind to Katarina, the people of the kingdom aren’t so kind to each other. Geordo Stuart exhibits particularly venomous behavior towards Keith Claes, who acts the same way in return. The fight for Katarina can turn very ugly in this otherwise light-hearted anime.
10 Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon is a beloved ‘90s anime about a group of stellar girls defending the galaxy from evil forces. The Sailor Scouts are led by the eponymous Sailor Moon and are often helped by another masked vigilante named Tuxedo Mask. Yet, when their costumes are off, the heroes’ true natures show.
Usagi Tsukino and Mamoru Chiba constantly bicker — despite being destined for each other. Usagi also gets into fights with Rei Hino over petty issues, and Minako Aino often tries to one-up Usagi. Though they are a united front in battle, the Sailor Scouts have a lot of bad blood as civilians.
9 Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club is an excellent parody of the shojo genre, but that doesn’t excuse the poor behavior of its titular group. The boys of the host club force protagonist Haruhi Fujioka into being one of their members simply because she broke one of their vases. She’s mocked the whole time she’s there and is put in increasingly distressing scenarios with the other members.
Additionally, none of the characters (besides maybe Haruhi) display any real growth. There are moments here and there that will highlight one of the Hosts, but nothing concrete about them changes in any meaningful way. Ouran High School Host Club may be a classic, but it lacks character development and writing.
8 Kiss Him, Not Me
Kae Serinuma wants nothing more than to see her favorite BL ship on TV. She has no interest in any other person, nor does she care about her own love life. Even when four of her male classmates show interest in her, Kae wishes they would pair up with each other instead.
Kiss Him, Not Me has a fun concept for a show, but three of the boys’ focus on Kae’s weight dampens the anime’s charm. Plus, they all pressure Kae into dating them, even though she constantly rejects them throughout the story. Kiss Him, Not Me’s characters portray bad messages for fans who watch the show.
7 My Love Story!!
My Love Story!! features one of the most heartfelt romances in anime. Takeo Gouda and Rinko Yamato seem perfectly matched as fans watch their love unfold. Unfortunately, things did not always go so smoothly for Takeo.
Audiences are shown several flashbacks of Takeo’s life where girls rejected him simply because he looked different. Even when Yamato begins dating him, the other girls make fun of Takeo and tease Yamato about him. Thankfully, their love is stronger than gossip, and the two share many happy days together, free from anyone else’s opinions.
6 Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is one of the few shows that benefits from a terrible cast. All the characters in this anime are flawed in some way, creating tension and drama that fuels the story. Though this narrative choice is interesting, there is no denying that Fruits Basket’s characters — especially the Sohmas — are some of the worst.
From the onset, Shigure Sohma is creepy at best when it comes to Tohru Honda. Akito has also had a chokehold on all the Zodiac members for years, which makes them lash out in various ways throughout the anime. These characters have many faults, but most overcome them by the end.
5 Maid Sama!
Maid Sama! is an intriguing anime about Misaki Ayuzawa’s attempts to hide her part-time job as a maid at a café, only to be discovered by her irritating classmate, Takumi Usui. Much to everyone’s chagrin, rather than being courteous of her wishes, Usui takes every chance he can to tease her. He even shows up at her work every day, which bothers her.
Although Usui is supposed to be the love interest, he doesn’t act very gentlemanly and has a weirdly possessive attitude toward Misaki. The other characters aren’t any better, since they are either objectifying others, teasing their friends, or praising Usui for his unnerving behavior.
4 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is the story of a broken group of friends all looking to move on after the death of Meiko “Menma” Honma. However, when Menma’s ghost starts haunting Jinta Yadomi, the Super Peace Busters are forced to get back together to discover how to send Menma on to the other side.
Unfortunately, as five years have passed since her death, many unresolved feelings boil closer to the surface when the friends reunite. All the grief, pain, and jealousy the friends have felt is not so politely revealed. Though they do makeup by the end, the Super Peace Busters had to air their grievances with each other before they could finally help Menma.
3 Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Madoka Kaname and her friends all decide to become magical girls when a strange, but adorable creature promises them each one impossible wish. One by one, the girls give in to temptation, but they soon learn they got something way darker than what they bargained for.
The girls are regularly pitted against each other, and even fight former magical girls in the form of witches. Plus, Kyubey is extremely manipulative and doesn’t care at all about the fragility of human life. Puella Magi Madoka Magica turns the magical girl genre on its head to deliver some of the most harmful characters in shojo.
2 Wolf Girl & Black Prince
Wolf Girl and Black Prince is a divisive anime due to Kyoya Sata’s entire personality. When asked to pretend to be Erika Shinohara’s boyfriend, he only agrees on the condition that she act like his personal pet. Shockingly, she agrees to this, sparking an uncomfortable story that somehow develops into a romance.
Not only does Kyoya generally treat Erika with disrespect, but he deigns to “promote” her to his girlfriend as if he has any authority over her. Unfortunately, Erika caves and the two become a real couple. Their disturbing dynamic and manipulative situation makes them too problematic to be enjoyable.
1 Banana Fish
Banana Fish is a unique shojo anime for its dark story and irredeemable characters. While Ash Lynx is good at heart, he does many bad things due to his situation and his need to discover the true meaning of “Banana Fish.” Additionally, the man who has trapped Ash all these years — Dino Golzine — is downright despicable.
Though Banana Fish is well known for its captivating, somewhat disturbing story, its focus on criminal behavior makes it hard for audiences to truly like any of the characters. Much of the cast has done disastrous things that are unforgivable in fans’ eyes.
