Typically, anime heroes are supposed to be well-trusted and loved in their communities. After all, countless heroic deeds are bound to win the favor and respect of their recipients whether or not it was sought after.
However, some anime heroes are not trusted by their comrades for a relatively good reason. Whether taking morally dubious actions or being simply unstable, a handful of heroes have proven less than reliable. As a result, they may struggle against the same people they intend to help since their assistance is always received with distrust, derision, and palpable tension.
10 Meliodas (The Seven Deadly Sins)
The Seven Deadly Sins‘ Meliodas was not trusted among Liones for a good reason. As the son of the Demon King, many could not overlook his lineage or the fact that he had once waged war on his father’s behalf.
This mistrust was further exacerbated when Fraudrin possessed Hendrickson and defamed Meliodas as a traitor. Consequently, the Sins were forced into hiding for a long period of time, and Meliodas needed to regain the faith of Britannia from the ground up. His inappropriate treatment of Elizabeth hardly made him seem innocent.
9 Eustass Kid (One Piece)
One Piece‘s Eustass Kid did little to inspire faith from his allies. Having received his bounty from hurting innocent people, he assisted in Kaido’s defeat not to save Wano but for what he stood to personally gain.
Throughout the Onigashima conflict, Eustass repeatedly reminded Luffy’s coalition that they were not actually friends or partners. He claimed that they simply happened to have the same goal at the same time. As a result, Luffy parted ways with him on much less amicable terms than he did with his longtime friend, Trafalgar Law.
8 Naofumi (The Rising Of The Shield Hero)
At first, Naofumi’s defamation made him a sympathetic character in The Rising Of The Shield Hero. Wrongfully accused of assault, he needed to win the faith of commoners through numerous acts of heroism.
While Naofumi may not actually have done anything to Myne, he partook in other questionable behaviors that rendered the distrust around him worthwhile. For example, he was an active purveyor of the slave market and purchased his most reliable allies. Naofumi’s Rage Shield also makes him far less stable than usual, which means that he needs to compromise his composure in order to fight effectively.
7 Eren Yeager (Attack On Titan)
Even in his heroic years, Attack On Titan’s Eren Yeager has never been particularly trustworthy. His rage and obsession with destroying his enemies have resulted in hare-brained schemes that place allies in critical danger.
Due to Eren’s indecision when facing Annie Leonhart, Levi’s entire team died for nothing. In a similarly irresponsible situation, he visited Marley on his own, knowing that the Scouts had no choice but to help him. Should they have left him to die, the Attack and Founding Titans would have been relinquished to enemy hands, rendering Paradis incapable of defending itself.
6 Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
The heroes of Avatar: The Last Airbender were not quick to trust Zuko even after he became a hero. Having been hunted by him for a significant part of the series, they could not be certain his actions weren’t a desperate ploy from Ozai himself. This was especially true since Zuko contributed toward Iroh’s capture.
Zuko did little to ameliorate matters when he accidentally burned Toph’s feet. All the same, he proved instrumental in defeating Azula during the final episodes of the series. In the end, Zuko was fully rehabilitated as a hero and ally.
5 Maine (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners)
While Maine was well-liked by the crew of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, they began to distrust him toward the end of his life. Maine had been so desperate to stay relevant that he refused to relinquish his implants despite the creeping effects of cyberpsychosis.
By the time the Edgerunners were attacked, Maine had become so unstable that it was difficult for him to distinguish between friend and foe. With his final breath, he told David to run and took the crew’s remaining pursuers with him in a fiery inferno. Maine may not have been morally upstanding, but he died selflessly.
4 Alucard (Hellsing)
As an ancient vampire with no compassion toward humans, the distrust Hellsing’s Alucard faced was understandable. Many of Integra’s subordinates questioned using him as a weapon, considering he called upon many of the same dark and mysterious powers as London’s enemies.
Fortunately, Alucard did not care about the persecution he faced; to the contrary, he found it amusing. So long as Integra remained alive and capable of supplementing Alucard’s thirst for blood, he remained a loyal and seemingly indestructible servant. In the end, he proved that even monsters could be used as a force for good.
3 Mayuri (Bleach)
Mayuri is not a good person, but his connection with Bleach‘s Soul Society rendered him a hero by default. To his credit, his scientific advancements have been a massive boon to the shinigami, and he saved both Uryu and Renji in the battle against Szayel Aporro Granz.
All the same, Mayuri’s practices have rendered animosity warranted. For example, he experimented on Quincies, sometimes even torturing them to death. Mayuri even treated his own assistant as disposable and cared little for the allies caught in the effects of his Zanpakuto.
2 Cavendish (One Piece)
Cavendish is a needlessly extravagant and unjustifiably boastful man who loves to be at the center of attention in One Piece. After the Straw Hats saved Dressrosa, he agreed to join their Grand Fleet as one of its most powerful members.
While Cavendish isn’t exactly treacherous by nature, a dark spirit resides within him that takes control whenever he falls unconscious. While enhancing Cavendish’s abilities, this spirit is openly sinister and does not distinguish between allies and enemies when making its attack. As a result, Cavendish must be kept at arm’s length, should he be trusted at all.
1 Sasuke (Naruto)
Sasuke Uchiha had a troubled history with the heroes of Naruto. While beginning his shinobi career as a valued member of Team Seven, his obsession with revenge eventually compelled him to betray Konoha.
For years, Sasuke attacked whoever he felt was necessary when bringing him closer to satiating his vengeful appetite. Naruto may have eventually been able to rehabilitate him via their second battle at the Valley Of The End, yet many shinobi did not forget Sasuke’s crimes or trust him as quickly. Remorseful for his actions, Sasuke understands public perception and usually keeps his distance from others.
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