More often than not, fighting is serious business in fiction, often a matter of life and death for the combatants involved. With those kinds of stakes in mind, joy isn’t exactly the first thing that fans would expect when opponents fight one another, but for some anime characters, it’s painted all over their faces.
Whether it’s the thrill of battle, a thirst for violence, or even just the way they look, these anime characters can’t help but smile even in the most intense fights. It’s said that some people smile through the pain, but in the case of these anime characters, it’s something else entirely.
10 Hisoka Is Always On The Search For An Amusing Challenge (Hunter X Hunter)
Hisoka Morrow from Hunter x Hunter had something of an eerie presence to start with and much like his clown-like appearance, he is the sort to play games, though definitely the violent and deadly kind. Hisoka’s bloodlust makes him always on the hunt for a strong opponent who could entertain him, and he won’t let go of whoever interests him until he grows bored.
For Hisoka, violence is how he has fun, and it’s more fun when the opponent is worth his time. However, if whoever Hisoka has set his sights on falls short of his expectations, he won’t hesitate to murder them.
9 Seryu’s Twisted Sense Of Justice Allows Her To Enjoy Her Kills (Akame Ga Kill!)
There’s having a sense of justice and then there’s Seryu Ubiquitous’ twisted version of morality in Akame ga Kill! While she may talk a big game about good and evil, Seryu’s a cold-blooded killer who uses these things to justify her cruelty. To Seryu, it’s all black and white; only her views are the right ones and anyone who disagrees is evil.
While Seryu sees herself as a hero for carrying out her vicious killings, it’s clear she really enjoys causing pain and death. As such, she smiles and laughs all the way through any fight she and her little dog, Koro, get into.
8 All Might’s Smile Is Part Of Being The Symbol Of Peace (My Hero Academia)
Super strong and unbeatable in his prime, All Might stood at the top of the hero rankings for many years in My Hero Academia. As the Symbol of Peace, All Might saves lives and fights villains with a big smile on his face, partly as a way to put the citizen’s minds at ease and partly to honor his mentor who believed that the strongest people can always smile.
Rarely was All Might ever without his signature smile, only losing it in the direst of moments. Most will always remember All Might not only for his amazing feats and dramatic flare, but also for being able to smile through practically anything.
7 Ladd Has A Wicked & Insatiable Bloodlust (Baccano!)
For Ladd Russo from Baccano!, his job as a hitman was a dream come true. Ladd has a bloodlust that can never be satisfied, and he’s not afraid of showing it. He practically always has a sick and twisted smile on his face no matter how much blood he’s drenched in.
Killing is Ladd’s entertainment, his way of living life freely, and he enjoys himself to the fullest no matter what violent act he performs. There’s worshipping death, and then there’s just being in love with it the way Ladd is.
6 Revy Is The Lagoon Company’s Deadliest Member For A Reason (Black Lagoon)
Black Lagoon’s Lagoon Company is the prime choice for dirty deeds. No matter what kind of business they’re hired for, danger and death aren’t far behind, and for those instances, the Lagoon Company has their gunslinger, Revy, ready for action.
Short-fused, cynical, and vicious, Revy has no trouble killing whoever gets in her way, and more often than not, she rather enjoys the chaos and destruction. Revy experiences glee fighting and killing whoever she has to (or wants to) as the Lagoon Company’s one-woman army.
5 Korosensei Has A Near-Permanent Smile At All Times (Assassination Classroom)
Class 3-E of Kunugigaoka Junior High School are tasked with a seemingly impossible task at the start of Assassination Classroom, killing their new tentacled homeroom teacher, Korosensei. Impossibly strong, impossibly fast, and able to regenerate lost limbs quickly, Korosensei stays a step ahead of his students at all times with a smile on his face.
In truth, Korosensei used to be human, and after tragedy as well as being experimented on, Korosensei chose his more recognizable and happier appearance to seem more friendly. As such, even when he’s angry, Korosensei almost never stops smiling even in the most deadly of situations.
4 Alucard Knows Exactly Just How Powerful He Really Is (Hellsing)
Alucard is the most powerful vampire in the world of Hellsing and the Hellsing Organization’s strongest weapon against the forces of the undead. Being that he is nigh unstoppable, Alucard has no trouble with any enemy that crosses paths with him, which he handles without hesitation and with extreme cruelty.
Through a combination of Alucard’s ego and love of carnage, he is often smiling and laughing during fights. Even when he’s being torn to shreds, Alucard puts himself back together and humiliates his opponent by ripping them apart twice as hard, grinning all the way through.
3 Shinra Smiles When He’s Nervous (Fire Force)
Everyone has their own reactions and coping mechanisms in response to stress or trauma, but Shinra Kusakabe’s coping methods haven’t made life any easier in Fire Force. After witnessing the fire that took his mom and brother from him, Shinra developed a condition that causes his face to tense up into a smile whenever he’s distressed or nervous.
This extends even in battle, as Shinra will even be smiling in his most intense battles. While it may seem creepy on the surface, Shinra can’t really help it. However, that hasn’t stopped people from labeling him as a devil for that wicked toothy grin of his.
2 Gin’s Smile Adds To His Unsettling Aura (Bleach)
Former 3rd Division Captain of the Gotei 13 and collaborator with Sosuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru from Bleach is a hard man to read. Smug, passively aggressive, and manipulative, Gin’s presence can be rather unsettling to many, and he’s not only aware of it, but it actually amuses him.
Gin is almost never seen without his signature mocking smile, adding to that strange and untrustworthy vibe he gives off, only ever dropping it the few times he’s been surprised or angered. Gin’s the kind of person who can read people’s emotions easily, but keeps his own well-hidden.
1 Luck’s Not Called “Smiling Battle Maniac” For Nothing (Black Clover)
The Black Bulls from Black Clover have some strange and unorthodox members, giving the squad a reputation for being made up of misfits and weirdos. Luck Voltia is no exception to this, as this battle-maniac is always raring to go for a fight with whoever he feels like fighting, all while looking as happy as a kid in a candy store.
Even when Luck’s opponent has been beaten to near-death, Luck still has that playful grin plastered across his face. For Luck, fighting and winning is just too much fun, and he’s having the time of his life.
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