pride: 10 anime characters who are puffed with pride

Anime characters who are extremely proud often stand out due to their inflated sense of self-esteem and dominancey. Driven by their abilities, repute, or past successes, they ooze confidence and arrogance, which could either be a strength or a glaring flaw.

Ranging from classic antagonists with narcissistic dispositions to protagonists whose determination is fueled by ego, prideful characters bring drama and tension to their stories. Characters such as Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z), a warrior proud of his Saiyan heritage, or Gilgamesh (Fate series), the demigod with an ingrained superiority of a king, tread a fine line between confidence and vanity.

Pride can be empowering but also blinding to one's own limitations or weakness, eventually leading to a humbling situation or downfall altogether. On that note, here's a list of anime characters who are puffed with pride and have no shame in showing it off.

Disclaimer: This article contains the opinion of the author.

Anime characters puffed with pride

1) Escanor - The Seven Deadly Sins

The Lion Sin of Pride kicks off this list of extremely proud anime characters. He was a case of "looks can be deceiving". Appearing cowardly and frail at night, Escanor undergoes a massive change when the sun rises. He sees himself above all creation and believes that there is no one worthy enough to oppose him.

Escanor and his pride are nearly limitless. But then again, he is more than capable of doing justice to the title bestowed upon him and back his considerably bold claims. Even with all the bragging, Escanor is actually quite powerful, as seen often in the story. With his power, he can afford to boast ever so often, as only a handful come close to matching him.

2) Gilgamesh - Fate series

When discussing anime characters with puffed chests, one cannot leave out Gilgamesh from the Fate series. In this regard, he stands in a separate class altogether. He was summoned as a heroic spirit in aiding his master contend in the Holy Grail War.

But he ended becoming his summoner's master simply because Gilgamesh cannot and does not like to be told what to do. He cannot stand people looking down on him and there are harsh consequences for those who dare to do so. Initially, it seemed as if Gilgamesh's strength would be in the realm of the other servants.

However, that wasn't the case - he was truly the most powerful of the heroic spirits, single-handedly winning the Holy Grail War.

3) Vegeta - Dragon Ball

Again, when speaking of extremely prideful anime characters, Vegeta from Dragon Ball is a necessary inclusion. The Saiyan Prince of the Planet Vegeta, he was sent to Earth as part of the Frieze Force to conquer. But an encounter with Son Goku made him turn over a new leaf and he became one of the Z Fighters.

Vegeta underwent a ton of character development, but one thing that remained constant was his Saiyan Pride. Often making references to it throughout the course of the long-running series, Vegeta fights in the same way, i.e., never backing down and never admitting defeat whatever be the cost.

4) Veldora Tempest - The Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

Veldora Tempest from Reincarnated As A Slime is one of those anime characters who takes pride in destruction. His reputation as a legend preceeds him as the mere mention of his name is regarded as a bad omen. Veldora goes so far as to tell people that they are honored to even speak with him and survive.

He goes even further by calling the most powerful entities of the series "insects" that are not worthy of his consideration. But him being able to say such things is backed by his immense strength. In the series, he stands as one of the most powerful beings by quite a margin. Veldora is able to talk down to an enemy and then proceed to crush them immediately after.

5) Mereoleona Vermillion - Black Clover

Mereoleona Vermillion (Image via Pierrot)

Anime fans will definitely understand the inclusion of Black Clover's Mereoleona Vermillion in this list of prideful anime characters. Introduced a fair bit into the story, fans quickly warmed up to Mereoleona thanks to her energy, strength and pride.

She boasts about her strength boldly and subtly, making onlookers well aware and will happily take on anyone who questions it. Even if the odds are not in her favor, Mereoleona keeps her smile and pride intact, using her extreme firepower to even the odds and win. There are very few who can actually match her.

6) Katsuki Bakugo - My Hero Academia

Super popular when mentioning extremely proud anime characters is Katsuki Bakugo from My Hero Academia. He began as a loudmouth, yelling at anyone and everyone and disliking at being told what to do. Bakugo has no issues showing off his strength for all to see and praise him as the best.

He is unafraid to face any sort of challenge, regardless of how intimidating the issue might be. That said, Katsuki Bakugo has shown himself to be truly powerful and underwent a lot of development. Though he yells and revels in his strength a lot, Bakugo is quite a talented student, as acknowledged by many.

7) Inosuke Hashibira - Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba's Inosuke Hashibira also finds himself on this list of extremely proud anime characters. His pride stems from his wild beginnings, being raised by boars and in the forest. Thanks to his strength, survival instincts, and combat ferocity, he often brags about his abilities, confident in his superiority over most of his peers.

His pride is exhibited through him repeatedly issuing challenges to other, especially Tanjiro. It is also visible in his refusal to accept help or show vulnerability. Initially, he found it tough to work as part of a team, mostly relying on sheer force and base instincts.

But his journey showcases that his pride is not arrogance, but the fruit of his harsh upbringing and life. With time, he becomes humble and a team player, yet retaining his pride which drives him and his resilience in combat.

8) Dio Brando - Jojo's Bizarre Adventures

Dio Brando (Image via David Production Co.)

Dio Brando from Jojo's Bizarre Adventures is one of the most notoriously vain anime characters in existence. His enormous vanity is deep-seated in his immense power, slyness, and hunger for dominance over others. Dio exhibits a superiorty complex from the very beginning, proclaiming that he was destined for greatness despite his humble origins.

Such pride fuels his hunger for power, ultimately leading to him becoming a vampire. He heavily backs his own superiority and his interactions with others are testament to this fact. Dio believes he is above everyone else, treating them as mere tools. His iconic dialogue, "I reject my humanity, JoJo!" exudes pride.

This great sense of vanity turns is a double-edged sword - blinding him to the loyalty and resolve of his opposers, the Joestar family in particular, to whom he loses eventually. His inflated sense of self defines his character and makes him a memorable villain.

9) Griffith - Berserk

Griffith of Berserk cannot be excluded from this list of egotistic anime characters. He stands as a quintessential example of the same, spurred on by his undying ambition and belief in his own destiny. From day one, Griffith has displayed charisma and confidence, viewing himself as the savior of the world.

His vainity stems from his desire to create a kingdom and rule as monarch, everyone else present playing the role of mere tools to him, including his closest ally, Guts. But like Dio, his pride acts as both his strength and his weakness. His relentless ambition does give him great things.

But it also ends up blinding him to the emotional bonds he forged with other characters, especially Guts. Guts' departure shatters his pride and he makes catastrophic decisions. His deeds highlight his pride not being confidence, but a worrying need for control and superiority, which leads to nothing but destruction.

10) Donquixote Doflamingo - One Piece

Donquixote Doflamingo (Image via Toei Animation)

Donquixote Doflamingo from One Piece concludes this list of anime characters embodying extreme pride. His status as a Celestial Dragon previously coupled with his incredible strength fuels his pride. It seems to be stemming from his belief in his superiority to others, considering himself a God above all else.

He had a troubled childhood, witnessing his noble family being torn apart. But he went to extremes and chose to become a tyrannical monster. His fall from grace as a Celestial Dragon was not enough to dampen his high and mighty attitude, ruling Dressrosa as a tyrant and viewing his subjects as pawns.

Furthermore, Doflamingo is a master of the String-String Fruit, using his powers to heartlessly destroy anyone who threatens his position. Him being overconfident and unwilling to acknowledge his own shortcomings leads to him misjudging his opponents, such as Monkey D. Luffy, resulting in his defeat.