Classic anime heroes are notorious for their devotion to universal altruistic ideals. Good guys are expected to put their friends, families, or, in more extreme scenarios, the fate of the whole universe above their selfish wants.
Love for the people around them motivates anime heroes to strive for the best, reminding viewers and other characters that the world can never revolve around just one person, no matter how heroic they are. However, not all anime heroes are noble and self-sacrificial. Some of them care little about anyone except themselves.
10 Seiya Kanie
Amagi Brilliant Park
The protagonist of Amagi Brilliant Park, Seiya Kanie, spent his youth as a child actor. Early fame steadily blew his ego out of proportion. Obsessed with vanity and gifted with natural good looks, outstanding intelligence, and leadership skills, he had no choice but to become a narcissist.
Kanie wholeheartedly believes that he is better than everyone else. Unfortunately, others seldom have the arguments to pull his head out of the clouds, making it easy for the boy to buy into his larger-than-life self-image and attitude.
9 Power
Chainsaw Man
As a Blood Fiend, Power from Chainsaw Man isn’t concerned with humans’ well-being in the slightest, seeing herself as superior to both people and other Devils. Her rowdy, selfish personality was notoriously based on Eric Cartman from South Park, one of the vilest and most narcissistic characters in pop culture.
Over time, Power learns to rely on others and grows to genuinely love Denji and Aki. However, she remains repulsively self-absorbed for a long while, even when objective facts point to her incompetence and stupidity.
8 Yuga Aoyama
My Hero Academia
In a world where professional heroes have to concern themselves with the safety and well-being of others first and foremost to succeed, Yuga Aoyama stands out as a vain and selfish outlier. By far the most obnoxiously self-absorbed student in My Hero Academia‘s Class 1-A, Aoyama constantly talks about his stunning looks, superior Navel Laser Quirk, and affable elegance.
Like most externally narcissistic people, Aoyama’s flamboyant facade hides deeper insecurities. Aoyama was also born Quirkless but received a Quirk from All For One, and he’s acting as an unwilling double agent for the League of Villains.
7 Kazuya Shibuya
Ghost Hunt
Nicknamed Naru for his narcissistic tendencies, Kazuya Shibuya from Ghost Hunt is immensely confident in his abilities as a Psychic Researcher, a talent everyone reluctantly recognizes. Cold, self-centered, and intolerant to weakness, Kazuya takes pride in running a successful company at 17 and sees his abilities as objective proof of his superiority.
Most people, excluding his co-worker Mai, are afraid to challenge Naru’s authority, which feeds his already overblown ego. Yet, his personality is much more complex and nuanced than suggested by his apathetic, selfish attitude.
6 Karamatsu Matsuno
Osomatsu-San
The most egotistical of the Osomatsu-san sextuplets, Karamatsu Matsuno thinks of himself as superior to everyone around him. His brothers rarely give Karamatsu, a shut-in with no aspirations, much thought and dismiss him without hesitation.
However, outsiders’ harsh opinions don’t discourage Karamatsu from seeing himself as the coolest and most charming of the siblings, even if that belief ignores all objective facts. Karamatsu even owns multiple T-shirts with his own face printed on them, displaying to the whole world just how self-absorbed he actually is.
5 Amai Mask
One-Punch Man
Fame can easily get into people’s heads, deluding them into a severe superiority complex. So, it’s not shocking that Amai Mask from One-Punch Man grew utterly obsessed with himself, considering how much praise and admiration he receives daily.
On top of being an A-Class Rank 1 professional hero, he is a famous model, actor, and singer, making Amai Mask arguably the most popular celebrity in the world. His philosophy as a hero centers around beauty, and he even refuses to fight villains he sees as too ugly.
4 Haruhi Suzumiya
The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya
The influence of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya didn’t save its titular protagonist from becoming a controversial figure in the community. Despite being blissfully unaware of her own world-changing powers, Haruhi annoyed countless fans by acting like the most important person in the universe.
Others’ feelings barely cross Haruhi’s mind in her pursuit of an extraordinary life. Even when she showcased glimpses of empathy, her attention returned to her selfish desires just as swiftly, leaving no room to consider her friends’ desires in Haruhi’s mind.
3 Hotohori
Fushigi Yugi
Due to his royal upbringing and genuinely admirable personality, Hotohori from Fushigi Yugi deserves to act a bit vain. However, his narcissism can often get the best of him, even if Hotohori isn’t a selfish person by nature. He is the peak of ’90s shojo beauty standards, and he knows it.
Proud of his good looks, the fourth emperor of Konan loves himself above everyone else. Yet, others’ needs are still important to him, which gives Hotohori an upper hand compared to other self-centered anime heroes.
2 Haruko Haruhara
FLCL
The iconic protagonist of FLCL, Haruko Haruhara, is a difficult heroine to root for. All of her goals are purely selfish, and she never shies away from blatantly manipulating everyone around her to get what she wants.
Uncaring, unpredictable, and obsessed with her own ambitions, it’s easy to assume that Haruko only loves herself, even if she claims to be in love with Atomsk, the godlike being she chases across the galaxy. In reality, what attracts Haruko is power, and she wants to claim Atomsk’s abilities for herself.
1 Light Yagami
Death Note
For all of his talk about creating a just world, Light Yagami from Death Note barely cared about anyone but himself. Light’s god complex ended up corrupting his ideals and leading to his downfall as he grew more careless and self-assured after defeating L.
Light was never able to showcase much empathy, using people who genuinely loved him to further his maniacal plans. This obsession with power and control swiftly turns a self-centered but well-meaning student into a psychotic villain who punishes others without acknowledging his own crimes.