The fantasy worlds depicted in manga and anime are home to a host of peculiar characters, who possess supernatural abilities in a variety of forms. One such category consists of characters who have lived extremely long lives, with their existences stretching back millennia into the past, even if their outward appearances do not indicate it.
Having seen the world change across countless centuries, these individuals are usually extremely powerful in their own realities, and possess wisdom accumulated through uncountable life-changing experiences. Although their allegiances and motives may not always prioritize the collective good of the world, they are intriguing to watch in any case. With this in mind, here are a few manga characters who are thousands of years old.
5 Muzan Kibutsuji (Demon Slayer)
Age: 1000+ Years – The Immortal Demon King
He is the progenitor of all demonkind in Demon Slayer, and the most powerful demon of them all. Muzan is consumed by the pursuit of transcending his fear of death, to become a truly eternal being. While his longevity and strength proved that he was not too far from achieving these objectives, Muzan always had to protect himself from the Sun, his only real weakness.
His attempts to achieve this involve finding the Blue Spider Lily — which may have been the original source of his demon powers — and creating more demons in the hope that one of them will overcome his weakness towards sunlight. He is ruthless, calculating, and intensely driven towards his goals. He executes subordinates without hesitation if they fail to meet his expectations.
4 Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End)
Age: 1000+ Years – The Elven Mage From The Hero Party
As the mage of the Hero Party who vanquished the Demon King and liberated the world from his tyrannical rule, Frieren is exceptionally skilled and intelligent. She played a huge role in developing humanity’s system of magic. Trained by the Great Mage Flamme, Frieren has acquired innumerable spells throughout her travels over the years.
However, her extended lifespan has made her somewhat distant and aloof to others, since she does not perceive time in the same way they do. That being said, Frieren does have a compassionate and caring side to her, as seen in how she continues to treasure the bonds she has forged during her life.
3 Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto (Bleach)
Age: 2000+ Years – Captain-Commander Of The Gotei 13
Having founded the Gotei 13, Genryusai was the Captain of its First Division and the Captain-Commander who presided over all Shinigami in Soul Society within the world of Bleach. His tenure in this position lasted more than two millennia. During this time, Yamamoto was feared as the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society, wielding his fire-type Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka.
He was responsible for training innumerable Shinigami over the years, including Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku, who went on to become Captains themselves. While his immense power is more than enough to take on the vast majority of opponents, Yamamoto’s wisdom and intelligence ensure that he is never seen in any sort of distress. He responds to most situations calmly, unless his sense of honor and justice is provoked.
2 Meliodas (The Seven Deadly Sins)
Age: 3000+ Years – The Leader Of The Seven Deadly Sins
While he may look like a young adolescent boy, Meliodas is actually a demon that has been around for more than three thousand years. As the leader of the Seven Deadly Sins, he is a powerful combatant. His fearlessness, jovial nature, and sense of justice have defined his extremely long life in more ways than one.
For the most part, he remains calm and composed, never fazed by even the most difficult circumstances. However, this takes a turn whenever his friends or companions are harmed in any way. In such cases, Meliodas is prone to bouts of extreme rage and will stop at nothing to defeat those who incur his wrath. He can be cruel, violent, and sadistic in such situations, which only adds to how he is so feared throughout the world of The Seven Deadly Sins.
1 Kars (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Age: 102,000+ Years – Strongest Among The Pillar Men And The Ultimate Thing
Kars the leader of the Pillar Men, creator of the Stone Masks, and the one responsible for letting vampires loose across the Earth in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. He is a being of unparalleled longevity, who devoted his life to transcending his mortal form. For this purpose, he created the Stone Masks, which had the potential to grant his race immortality and invulnerability to the Sun when combined with the Red Stone of Aja.
Unfortunately, Kars was forced to wipe out most of his own race after they began to grow tired of his ambitions. He spent a significant portion of his remaining life seeking out the Red Stone of Aja. After years in hibernation beneath the Colosseum, Kars and the other Pillar Men were roused from their slumber by the Nazis, which allowed him to resume his quest. Eventually, he succeeded in his goal and became a near god-like being. Ultimately though, he was thwarted by Joseph Joestar, who sent him into outer space.