The 22 Kindest Anime Protagonists Who Would Give You The Shirt Off Their Backs

If Tanjiro had become a hateful person after losing his whole family to a demon attack, that would have been understandable. But instead, he retains his kind and loving nature, and focuses his energy on trying to help his sister Nezuko become human again. Supporting his sister and his allies would be nice enough, but Tanjiro takes it a step further. He actively empathizes with most of the demons he fights, even though they've caused serious harm. This doesn't stop him from eliminating them as needed, but he often shows them care and compassion in their last moments.

Would you swallow a withered finger that you were told contained cursed energy that would probably end your life? Most people wouldn't, even if it was their only chance to save their friends' lives. But that's what Yuji Itadori does without a moment of hesitation. He cares a whole lot more about helping others than he does about saving his own skin. Not only that, but he even has empathy for his enemies. While most sorcerers are content to destroy Curses without a second thought, Yuji acknowledges that they can have emotions, and is troubled by the fact that he has to destroy them. He's just an extremely good boy.

Part of why Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero is because he's a hopeless All Might fanboy. But the other reason is that he genuinely cares about helping and protecting others, and this is the best way he can think to do so. Even when he knows he isn't strong enough to defeat an enemy, he still puts himself in the fray because there's someone in front of him who needs his help. He's even willing to sacrifice glory for someone else's well being, like when he talks Todoroki through an emotional issue while the two of them are actively in combat - had he not done that, he could have probably beaten Todoroki. He rarely holds grudges, which is why he cares deeply about Bakugo despite Bakugo treating him poorly. Overall, this kid just wants to do what's right.

Tohru Honda is a study in what happens when you're nice to everyone except yourself. She makes it her mission to handle the various problems of the Sohma clan. Even when it's something really serious like abuse, she does her best to be there for all of them. She doesn't believe that she deserves the same care that she gives others, so she runs herself ragged and ends up really suffering. Her eventual husband, Kyo, has to practically force her to take care of herself and accept other people's attempts to help her.

You might think that one of the most powerful psychics in the world would be power-hungry or full of themselves. Not Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama. All this kid wants is to make friends and lead a normal life. He doesn't see non-psychics as lesser than he is, and he's super nice to basically everyone. He's also super forgiving. While he's upset with his mentor Reigen for pretending to be psychic, he sees that Reigen is still a good person who cares about him, and forgives him for the betrayal.

Talk no Jutsu gets a lot of criticism in the fandom, but it's actually an important cornerstone of Naruto's personality. Instead of simply defeating his enemies, Naruto tries to understand where they're coming from. After empathizing with their motives and emotions, he's often able to make them see that they were wrong to resort to violence. The fact that Naruto didn't become a villain himself is another testament to his kindness. As a child, Naruto was completely ostracized because of the Nine Tailed Fox sealed into his body. A lot of people would seek revenge on the people who treated them poorly, but all Naruto wants is to protect his village and be loved by the people in it. The fact that he endured similar problems to many of the series' villains but chose kindness instead is what makes him so good at getting through to them.

Underneath all of his squabbling with Kageyama, Shoyo Hinata is just a really, really nice kid. While his deeds aren't as fantastical or dramatic as some of the characters on this list, he always shows up for his friends. Whether it's supporting them on the volleyball court or helping them with their emotional issues, he's always there to provide some enthusiasm and inspiration. He seems to be especially helpful towards anxious people like Yachi and Kenma, since even though his personality is radically different from theirs, he knows how it feels to be nervous.

When Emma finds out that she and her fellow orphans are being raised as meat for a race of demons, she doesn't even consider trying to escape on her own. Despite the fact that her chances of survival are a lot higher if she doesn't include multiple small children, she is determined to protect everyone no matter what. Her friend Ray is skeptical and insists that she can't do it, but Emma insists - and she succeeds. She's a real testament to the sheer power of kindness. And stubbornness. That's an important ingredient, too.

Because of her long, straight black hair and her similar-sounding name, Sawako Kuronuma's classmates think she's as creepy as Sadako from The Ring. That is, until they actually get to know her. It turns out that Sawako is a total sweetheart. She's a hardworking, reliable person who always puts others' needs before her own. Since she's shy around people, it can be hard for her to make the human connections she desperately wants, but with help from Kazehaya, Ayane, and Chizuru, she's eventually able to come out of her shell.

Iruma Suzuki really doesn't seem like the type of person who would thrive in the demon realm, but that's exactly what happens to him. After his parents sell him to a demon, he ends up as the beloved grandson of Lord Sullivan, the principal of Babyls Demon School. There, he encounters demons who he thinks are going to eat him, but who end up becoming his friends. He's constitutionally unable to turn down requests for help, so he quickly ends up helping just about everyone in the school - even once dressing up like an idol in order to help out a friend in a bind. With his friendly demeanor and constant kindness, it's really no wonder everyone likes him so much.

Luffy isn't exactly the nicest or most considerate person in the world. He has no issues whatsoever with issuing insults whenever they occur to him, and he has a tendency to break people's things and steal their food. But what he lacks in manners, he makes up for with total devotion to his friends. Whether it's fighting dangerous pirate crews or declaring war on the World Government, Luffy will risk everything for the people he cares about.

At first glance, Asta seems like a simple guy whose main personality trait is screaming. But as the series progresses, it becomes clear that he's deeper than that. Asta strongly believes that everyone - even his enemies - deserves safety and protection. That's why he ends up helping his opponents on more than one occasion - to him, they're still people and they still deserve help. But while he has a forgiving attitude, he still expects the enemies that he helps to work hard to make up for what they've done. He's kind, but he's no softie.

Jonathan Joestar starts the series as a strong but gentle person who gives everyone a fair chance. This ends up including Dio Brando, his adoptive brother. Even though Dio does everything from roasting the family dog in an oven to poisoning his father in pursuit of power. While Jonathan doesn't exactly forgive Dio for these things, he still manages to summon brotherly love for Dio in what appears to be his last moments. That takes some serious benevolence.

Vash is a pacifist. In his case, that means that no matter what happens, he refuses to take a human life. This is easier said than done, since his twin brother Knives Millions desperately wants him to unite with him against humankind. Considering the fact that humans use Vash's species - Plants - as energy sources, it'd be understandable if Vash did join Knives. But Vash sees humans as worthy of protection, and does everything he can to keep them safe - even if it means making major personal sacrifices.

Takeo Gouda might look intimidating, but he's actually a genuinely nice person. His appearance is why he doesn't usually get credit for his kindness - that and the fact that he has a strong sense of justice that causes him to get mad when other people don't act right. But he's an incredibly sweet person who treats his girlfriend Yamato like a princess. He's also willing to make sacrifices for her - before the two start dating, he thinks she's interested in his best friend. Despite his love for Yamato, he tries to get the two of them together because he thinks it's what will make them both happy. Basically, he's a lesson in not judging people by their appearance.

It takes some serious kindness and professionalism to destroy your own career in order to save a life. That's exactly what Dr. Kenzo Tenma does when he decides to operate on a young boy in place of a wealthy politician. He knows that if he doesn't, the child will die, so he listens to his conscience. Unfortunately for him, this not only tanks his career, it also results in saving a child who would grow up to become a mass murderer. While most people would simply wash their hands of the situation, Dr. Tenma takes it upon himself to find and stop his former patient. Why? Because it's the right thing to do.

Madoka is reluctant to become a magical girl at first, but when she finally does it, she makes the biggest sacrifice imaginable. She sees that none of her friends' wishes worked out, and that the consequences of becoming a magical girl is far steeper than anyone realized. She could have stayed out of it, but she wants to save everyone from their horrible fates. So she uses her wish to prevent every magical girl in every timeline from transforming into a witch, eliminating the need for anyone to become a magical girl. To do this, she has to sacrifice her life as a human being. That's some serious caring.

After Katarina Claes is reincarnated into an otome game as the series' villainess, she's determined not to meet the villainess' awful fate. Instead of making enemies of her love rival Maria - and Maria's various suitors - Katarina decides to make friends with all of them. With her sweet, if somewhat air-headed personality, this ends up being pretty easy. Now, instead of everyone being in love with Maria, everyone is in love with Katarina - including Maria herself. Kindness goes a long way.

Bojji's kingdom is always doubting him and his skills due to his inability to hear or speak, but that doesn't matter to him. Bojji has always dreamt of being a great king and he won't let anything crush his spirits no matter what. He is intent on facing his insecurities and growing himself to become a leader than anyone would be proud of. Sometimes Bojji is kind to a fault, putting other people and their well-beings above his own. He's incredibly empathetic and caring towards everyone around him - which is what makes him one of the most beloved anime kids of all time.

Emilico's job is to be the “face” for Kate, a member of the Shadow family. The Shadows have pitch black, featureless bodies, which means that if they want to appear in public, they need someone who looks more human. Emilico is supposed to completely intuit and mimic Kate's feelings and intentions, and act like a proper member of the illustrious clan. This is tough for her, but she cares a lot about getting it right. Still, she often fails because she's required to hurt someone else - including Kate. When she finds out that the Shadow family has some dark secrets, she becomes even more determined to protect her friends. For Emilico, her desire to make everyone happy is more important than her social standing.

Kobato is supposed to collect a jar of konpeito (starlike candies) that appear whenever she heals someone's emotional problems. When she fills the jar, she gets to go to an unspecified but very important place. Every time she learns about something she can help with, she jumps at the chance. But it's not just out of a selfish desire to collect more konpeito. Actually, she sabotages her own efforts by spending a lot of time helping individuals with deep and complex problems, instead of solving a long string of shallow problems for a faster reward. For Kobato, other people's happiness is more important than achieving her stated goals.

Skip and Loafer is an anime well-known for it’s sweet and wholesome moments, so it’s only appropriate that it’s protagonist is the human embodiment of those things. When Mitsumi Iwakura moves from a small rural town to the bustling city of Tokyo, it's expected that she would face hardships and struggles when readjusting. Instead of letting the stress get her down, Mitsumi is ever the optimistic and remains more thankful for the new opportunities than anything else. If her “glass-half-full” mentality isn't enough, she's noted for being incredibly communicative with those around her. She is always willing to hear others out on their thoughts and opinions, as well as concisely communicate her own. Mitsumi is able to learn from her own experiences to better herself - even if they had been mistakes at first. Everyone in her life sees the positivity that she radiates as this anime's sunshine character and we can totally see why.