Many fans assume the only important parts of a good anime are the story and the character development, but what those characters look like is just as important. They need to be memorable and easily recognizable. Anyone familiar with character design knows the silhouette test, which determines how easy it is to recognize a character just by their silhouette.
The most iconic anime characters are popular because of their stories, but they also have fantastic designs that set them apart from every other anime character. The designs do not have to be complicated to be great, and the simpler designs have grown to be the most memorable and loved in the eyes of the fans.
Updated by Alexandra Locke on June 14, 2023: Anime protagonists shine with an iconic piece of clothing, jewelry, or an entire outfit. Sometimes the trinkets or clothes are significant in some way, but it is not always the case. These protagonists and their gear have become so iconic that what they wear has become synonymous with their franchises.
15 Yuji Itadori’s Pink Hair & Uniform (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Despite being a normal teenager, Yuji Itadori is plunged into the world of Sorcerers and Cursed Spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen. After he consumes one of the dreaded Sukuna’s fingers, Itadori spends the rest of the time training and fighting to surpass his superiors. Itadori sports pale pink hair as well as bright red shoes that make his dark school uniform pop.
Itadori’s uniform is also the only one with a red hood, making it even more unique than the others. While every person’s uniform is different in some way, Itadori’s stands out as the one with the most color. His bright hair and accented outfit perfectly match Itadori’s spunky personality as he energetically dispatches Cursed Spirits.
14 Tanjiro Kamado’s Haori & Hanafuda Earrings (Demon Slayer)
Outside of his black Nichirin sword, Tanjiro’s most prominent possessions are his green and black checkered haori and his Hanafuda earrings. Tanjiro’s haori has become synonymous with his character. While other Demon Slayer cast members have their own unique haori, Tanjiro’s stands out for its pattern.
However, Tanjiro’s most significant pieces are his Hanafuda earrings. Not only are they distinctive for their depiction of the rising sun, but Muzan Kibutsuji was almost disposed of by a man with Hanafuda earrings. Tanjiro’s earrings are the most significant trinkets in the Demon Slayer community.
13 Luffy’s Straw Hat (One Piece)
Luffy’s outfit changes slightly throughout One Piece, but the important elements that make him who he is have always stayed the same. His straw hat is not just the name of his pirate crew; it is a recognizable piece of his design that even viewers who do not watch One Piece are familiar with.
Sandals do not make sense for running around and fighting, but they are a necessary piece of his outfit that fans could not imagine Luffy abandoning. No matter how much Luffy’s art style changes, his core design has always stayed the same, which is what fans love about him.
12 Izuku Midoriya’s Homemade Costume (My Hero Academia)
Izuku Midoriya has only ever dreamed of becoming a hero in My Hero Academia—so when Midoriya was accepted into U.A. High School against all odds, Inko immediately set to work to create her son’s ideal hero costume. Since his acceptance, Midoriya’s hero costume has gone through many iterations, but some key features from the first design remain the same.
The two bunny ears to represent All Might’s hair stay constant, the costume is always green to match Midoriya’s hair, and he always wears red shoes. Midoriya has been in so many scrapes that his costume has become almost as iconic as All Might’s in the hero world. However, it would not have come to fruition if not for a mother’s love.
11 Jotaro Kujo’s Uniform & Hat (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Jotaro Kujo is the first in a long line of the Joestar bloodline to have a Stand and tussle with the infamous DIO. Although he does not hold the Joestar name, he has one of the most iconic looks in the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anime.
Jotaro’s military-inspired, augmented school uniform goes hand-in-hand with his no-nonsense personality. No one is quite sure how his hat and his hair have meshed into one mass, but he still pulls off the look. The gold chain and button accents draw audiences’ eyes to his piercing glare as he balks against his mother and fights back DIO‘s minions.
10 Spike Spiegel’s Suit & Popped Collar (Cowboy Bebop)
Spike Spiegel is a bounty hunter on the ship, Bebop in Cowboy Bebop. Spike’s criminal past and knack for fighting have made him the ideal bounty hunter. Among Spike’s best aspects are his looks. Despite his job, Spike wears rather formal attire: a blue suit with a yellow, popped-collared shirt.
Spike also wears a thin, loosened tie that gives him an effortless look. Spike’s wild hair is as much a signature of his style as his clothes. As one of the smoothest-talking, suave anime characters, Spike’s design meshes perfectly with his personality. Anime enthusiasts may not have seen the show, but they still know who Spike is by his design alone.
9 Naruto‘s Orange Jumpsuit (Naruto)
Naruto‘s outfit is loud for a ninja, but it perfectly suits his determined and obnoxious personality. The ninja headband is recognizable to non-anime fans, especially since it is so important to his character development and design.
A question that often pops up among Naruto fans is whether the markings on Naruto‘s face are real whiskers or just markings. Accordingly, they have become the most important element of Naruto‘s character design. Even when Naruto changes his color scheme in Naruto Shippuden, his jumpsuit and “whiskers” are just as recognizable and iconic.
8 Yugi’s Spiky Hair (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
The characters’ designs in Yu-Gi-Oh! are over the top, but that is what makes the characters so recognizable. This is especially true for Yugi, whose colorfully spiked hair stands out against the rest. Yugi mostly wears his school uniform during the series, but even his simple outfit can stand up against the silhouette test.
Yugi has a character design that stands the test of time. Even though his style is very 1990s and early 2000s, it does not seem outdated. Yugi is just as cool-looking to fans now as he was back when fans were watching episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! every Saturday morning.
7 Usagi’s Sailor Uniform (Sailor Moon)
A person does not have to be an anime fan to instantly recognize Usagi’s Sailor Moon costume. It is not just the colorful outfit and likeness to the traditional Japanese sailor-style school uniform that makes her design so iconic.
Sailor Moon has a beautiful art style that uses flow and length to give the characters a unique look. Usagi’s long legs may not be realistic, but they are what make her design stand out. Her meatball hairstyle may get her teased by Mamoru during the series, but the simple pigtails are incredibly cute and suit her perfectly.
6 Kagome’s Simplicity (Inuyasha)
Kagome from Inuyasha is one of the many anime characters that wear their school uniform most of the time. However, any anime fan can instantly recognize someone dressed as her regardless of how simple her outfit is.
Every part of Kagome’s design should make her a generic character. She has black hair and brown eyes like many other anime characters, but it is the combination of all her simple features that make her stand out. The fact that even Kagome can be recognized by her silhouette shows how perfectly designed she is.
5 Goku’s Super Saiyan Form (Dragon Ball)
Dragon Ball has a very recognizable art style, especially when it comes to the main character Goku. He has rippling muscles and a bright color scheme that perfectly suits his strength and lively personality. Even the logo on Goku’s gi is iconic for fans who love wearing the logo on T-shirts and other fandom clothing.
Unlike other anime characters, Goku has multiple designs that are just as iconic as his base character design. Anyone even remotely familiar with Dragon Ball can recognize Goku in his Super Saiyan form and his normal form, which shows how amazing his design is.
4 Ash’s Red Hat (Pokémon)
Pokémon has tons of characters, but the one everyone remembers most is Ash. Just like Luffy, Ash has an iconic hat that everyone recognizes whether they have watched the original Pokémon series or not.
Ash’s appearance is not overly unique, but the combination of his simple appearance and his unique outfit is what has made him stand out over the years. Ash made fingerless gloves cool, and not many anime characters can say their character design has influenced real people’s style choices.
3 Vash The Stampede’s Mysterious Intimidation (Trigun)
Vash from Trigun is a light-hearted and kind person, which is completely opposite to his character design. His glasses and coat give him a mysterious and intimidating appearance, especially when he is showing off how amazing his gun skills are.
Even though Vash’s looks do not match his appearance, this is actually what makes his design so iconic. It reflects the suffering he has gone through as he is seen as someone he is not by others. The remake of Trigun does an amazing job of revamping Vash’s iconic design, even in 3D.
2 Faye’s Femme Fatale Look (Cowboy Bebop)
Every member of the Bebop crew in Cowboy Bebop has great character designs, but Faye is the most iconic by far. She is sexy but not overly sexualized, which is something most anime fails to do with female characters.
The color combination of her outfit is very ’90s, but instead of looking dated like most anime of the time, she has a retro look that is very appealing to most people. Faye’s design is simple, but that is what makes it stand out, especially when fans cosplay her iconic look at conventions.
1 Ed’s Red Cloak (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Compared to all other anime characters, Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has the coolest style. His red coat is easily recognizable to most anime fans, but it is not the only part of his design that makes him iconic.
Ed’s metal limbs are perfectly detailed, which make him feel more real. Ed is iconic for his style, but he is the best-designed character in anime because the most important parts of his character are believable and affect his character development.