Many anime series fall under the fantasy genre, giving creators free rein regarding character design. They use it to their advantage, making characters as old or young as they please with bold appearances. Some characters like Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach and Zeref Dragneel from Fairy Tail do not look their age despite being positively ancient.
There are all kinds of characters in anime who experience longevity because of their supernatural dispositions or some external substance, like the Devil Fruits in One Piece. Of these diverse heroes, villains, and everything in between, some are more than a hundred years old, thriving in their respective universes.
This article contains spoilers from the Chainsaw Man manga.
10 Sebastian Has Been Around For A While (Black Butler)
Black Butler follows Ciel Phantomhive, a young boy who makes a Faustian Deal with Sebastian Michaelis, a demon possessing great power. Sebastian helps Ciel avenge his dead parents and twin brother while working as his butler.
While Sebastian's appearance is that of a young man in his late 20s or early 30s, he is much older than that. Although the mangaka hasn't revealed his actual age, fans have calculated his age to be between 160 and 660 years, with a maximum limit of 700 years of age, from the contextual evidence in the manga.
9 Senku Survived Petrification For Thousands Of Years (Dr. Stone)
Senku Ishigami is the chief protagonist of Dr. Stone. The anime picks up from the point when Senku and his friends become reanimated, 3,700 years after the entire world was mysteriously petrified. A science enthusiast and unrivaled genius, Senku strives to rebuild civilization from scratch and make it even better than it was before.
Senku was 15 when tragedy struck the Earth, making him 3,715 years old. While petrified, no one seemed to age, retaining their memories, emotions, and personalities from before they turned to stone.
8 Master Roshi Is A Mere Human (Dragon Ball)
The Dragon Ball franchise has dominated the game, manga, and anime industries. Of the many unique characters the series features, human and divine, Master Roshi is the most lovable teacher. He lives alone on an island with an anthropomorphic turtle and rarely takes on students.
In Dragon Ball, the Turtle Hermit's age is 300 years, making Master Roshi around 340 to 350 years of age by the conclusion of Dragon Ball Super. Master Roshi lives a long and comfortable life despite being a mere human and not a divine being like Beerus.
7 Yamamoto Is The Founder Of The Gotei 13 (Bleach)
Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto was the Gotei 13's first division captain and the captain-commander of the entirety of the Gotei 13 in Bleach. A man who adheres to his convictions, Yamamoto, abides by the rules and laws of the Soul Society.
As the oldest captain, Yamamoto, is said to be around 2100 years of age or more. Virtually immortal, he received the nickname "Founder of the Gotei 13" after he returned from hell. Over the years, Yamamoto's loyalty to the Soul Society has deepened to the extent of him putting his life on the line.
6 Muzan Is The Infamous Demon King (Demon Slayer)
Demon Slayer has arguably some of the best animation in contemporary shonen anime. The series follows Tanjiro Kamado, who lost his family to a demon attack, and is on a journey to save his only surviving sibling and turn her back into a human. As a Demon Slayer, Tanjiro comes across many demons.
Tanjiro's chance encounter with the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji, further strengthens his resolve to defeat all demon-kind. Muzan takes on many forms from a young man much akin to the late Michael Jackson, to a young boy no older than 10-years-old. Despite these youthful forms, Muzan is more than 10,000 years old.
5 The War Devil Is Positively Ancient (Chainsaw Man)
Fujimoto Tatsuki's Chainsaw Man has made a lot of noise since the manga's second part was released. The second part features the War Devil, who makes a contract with a dying high schooler, Asa Mitaka, to further her goals. Humans' collective fear is what makes the devils in Chainsaw Man exist.
The phenomenon of war has been around since the dawn of time. As humanity progressed, so did the intensity of warfare. The War Devil is several centuries old and is on a mission to fight and hopefully defeat the Chainsaw Man, making all devils cower in fear.
4 Sukuna Is The Oldest Character In The Series (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen has brought a refreshing perspective to shonen anime. From the serious Kento Nanami, who treats his jujutsu sorcerer work as a 9-to-5 job, to the more carefree Gojo Satoru, this anime features a broad array of characters.
Of the many cursed spirits fans enjoy watching in this anime, Ryomen Sukuna has the biggest fan following. Sukuna's estimated age is over 1000 years. The jujutsu world accepts him as the most ancient and, therefore, the most potent cursed spirit, taking steps to keep him in check.
3 Nero Is A Powerful Anti-Bird (Black Clover)
Black Clover is a fantasy magic anime that follows Asta on his journey to becoming the Wizard King. When he joins the Black Bulls under Captain Yami, a bird called Nero accompanies Asta. Nero is Secre Swallowtail, a servant of Prince Lemiel Silvamillion Clover, the first Wizard King of the Clover Kingdom, whom she sealed in a statue using her immense sealing power.
Swallowtail, in their bird form, is 500 years old. However, on returning to her human form, she appears as a 17-year-old girl and joins the Black Bulls alongside Asta and Noelle.
2 Black Zetsu Has Been Around Since Kaguya's Time (Naruto Shippuden)
Naruto features one of the most brutal wars in anime. Madara instigates the Fourth Ninja World War to take over the shinobi world and reform it according to his morals. However, it turns out Madara was only doing Black Zetsu's bidding. Black Zetsu is the visceral proof of Kaguya Otsutsuki's will.
Black Zetsu is a formless entity built to survive for years on end and ensure the revival of his creator, Kaguya. While his exact age is unknown, Zetsu is thousands of years old. During the events of Naruto Shippuden, Black Zetsu manifested as Madara's will, making it possible for him to start the war.
1 Esidisi Of The Flame Is The Second-Highest Ranked Pillar Man (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is one of the most outstanding anime with flamboyant heroes and terrifying villains. Fans are excited to witness the upcoming seasons of the anime. Of the many villains already seen and defeated in the series, Esidisi of the Flame is a worthy contender.
Assumed to be approximately 92,000 years old, he is the second-strongest Pillar Man after Kars, the designer of the Stone Mask. Esidisi, along with the other Pillar Men, fights JoJo and other Ripple users to seize and use the omnipotent Red Stone of Aja.
