10 berserker anime characters like Broly from Dragon Ball

Anime characters like Broly and why (Image via Toei Animation).
Anime characters like Broly and why (Image via Toei Animation).

Anime characters like Broly from Dragon Ball and other berserker anime characters are some of the most common tropes in the battle shonen genre. This is because many fans love characters who go berserk and fight like savages, often struggling to differentiate between friend and foe. This makes a very compelling narrative tool for creating chaos and adding a bit of unpredictability.

In that regard, there are several anime characters, like Broly, who tend to go berserk as they engage in battle. They get very angry due to an emotional reason or simply lose control as they power up. Therefore, here are, in no particular order, ten anime characters like Broly from Dragon Ball and why they fit this category.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.


10 anime characters like Broly from Dragon Ball and why they are that way

1) Guts (Berserk)

The most prominent example of anime characters like Broly (Image via Young Animal).
The most prominent example of anime characters like Broly (Image via Young Animal).

There is no denying that Guts might be the best example out there when it comes to berserker anime characters. Not only because his series is called Berserk, but also because he embodies the very nature of violent rage. This is something that comes out in full force in some of his fights.

It makes a lot of sense, though, since Guts has been struggling and dealing with tragic events from the moment he was born. His anger and berserker-like nature add to the perseverance of the character, especially as he learns to temper his emotions as the series progresses.


2) Zaraki Kenpachi (Bleach)

One of the most obvious examples of anime characters like Broly (Image via Studio Pierrot).
One of the most obvious examples of anime characters like Broly (Image via Studio Pierrot).

The most ironic part of Zaraki Kenpachi, when compared to most anime characters like Broly, is that he isn't an actual berserker. A lot of people usually assume that he is a berserker, given his reputation in the series. However, he actually doesn't like killing his enemies because he wants them to grow strong and fight them again. This shows a level of calm and insight that most people won't associate with him.

However, most of that is thrown out of the window when he unleashes his Bankai. This is shown during the battle against Gerard Valkyrie in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, when Zaraki activates his Bankai and goes berserk. He cuts the powerful Quincy with one slash of his blade.


3) Tony Tony Chopper when using Monster Point (One Piece)

It is very rare to see Chopper being compared to anime characters like Broly because of his pleasant and peaceful personality. However, all of that changes with his Monster Point transformation. That transformation was introduced during the Enies Lobby arc, as he takes several of his Rumble pills and turns into a monster who can't distinguish between friend and foe.

It was one of the most shocking moments in One Piece and one of the most celebrated Chopper moments, as no one saw this transformation coming. However, during the two-year timeskip, he gained full control of the Monster Point, which has led to some fans feeling that it became a lot less impactful.


4) Pannacotta Fugo (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Fugo is one of those anime characters like Broly (Image via David Production).
Fugo is one of those anime characters like Broly (Image via David Production).

There is no denying that Fugo makes perfect sense when it comes to berserker anime characters, as his rage issues are his defining character trait. His family abandoned him due to these issues, and in the anime adaptation, David Production added that he was expelled from college. The expulsion was because he beat a teacher to a pulp after they tried to abuse him.

With a lot of understandable pent-up anger, his Stand, Purple Haze, makes it more logical that he is one of those anime characters like Broly. This Stand expels poison through smoke that can hurt people regardless of whether they are friends or foes, fully symbolizing Fugo's state of mind when he is angry.


5) Goblin Slayer (Goblin Slayer)

One of the best examples when it comes to anime characters like Broly (Image via Liden Films).
One of the best examples when it comes to anime characters like Broly (Image via Liden Films).

Most berserker characters, especially those anime characters like Broly, tend to lose control when their rage takes over. However, the case of the Goblin Slayer is different in the sense he holds tremendous hate for goblins since they ravaged his village and murdered his sister when he was a helpless kid.

In that regard, he constantly searches for the goblins and goes berserk, much like other anime characters like Broly. It is a total display of violence and desire for revenge, which is one of the biggest selling points of the series as a whole and why people enjoy this protagonist so much.


6) Gon Freecss (Hunter X Hunter)

One of the most well-constructed anime characters like Broly (Image via Madhouse).
One of the most well-constructed anime characters like Broly (Image via Madhouse).

Something that makes Gon stand out from other anime characters like Broly is that his berserker moments were slowly built throughout Hunter X Hunter. All of it, finally found its zenith against Pitou during the Chimera Ant arc. It was one of the seminal moments of the series and one that a lot of fans consider the peak of Gon's character in the entirety of the manga.

As the story progresses, Gon becomes a bit more violent, but readers and viewers see the full shape of his growing rage when Kite is murdered by Pitou. Once Gon discovers that Kite was fully dead and Pitou couldn't revive him, he loses what little peace of mind he had. He also sacrifices the entirety of his Nen to reach his full potential to destroy the Chimera Ant without mercy.


7) Shin-Ah (Yona of the Dawn)

One of the most peculiar examples of anime characters like Broly (Image via Studio Pierrot).
One of the most peculiar examples of anime characters like Broly (Image via Studio Pierrot).

The most interesting part of Shin-Ah when it comes to being compared to anime characters like Broly is that they are very similar in their quiet moments. They don't speak much and are often very caring to those they love, even if it's not shown a lot throughout their respective series.

However, Shin-Ah does fit in the section of the berserker anime characters when he uses his powers as one of the four Warrior Dragons. As he was born with the eyes of the dragon, he can paralyze and create hallucinations in anyone he sees. This can result in him going berserk and attempting to make his victims suffer more than they deserve. It often requires Yona's caring nature to stop him from going further.


8) Kagura Yato (Gintama)

One of the most interesting anime characters like Broly (Image via Broly).
One of the most interesting anime characters like Broly (Image via Broly).

Kagura could be one of the most surprising yet logical examples of anime characters like Broly from Dragon Ball. The main reason is that her behavior throughout most of Gintama makes her berserker rage all the more notorious and shocking. The behavior came into full display during the Yoshiwara in Flames arc of the series.

Shinpachi, one of her closest friends, is about to die at the hands of one of the antagonists, Abuto. That is when Kagura, a member of the Yato tribe, loses it and goes on a rampage against this enemy. It showed how powerful Kagura really is but also displayed a degree of lost control and rage that surprises audiences even to this very day.


9) Naruto before befriending Kurama (Naruto)

Naruto losing control while fighting Pain (Image via Studio Pierrot).
Naruto losing control while fighting Pain (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Most Naruto fans are already familiar with how the protagonist befriended Kurama and managed to reach the full potential of his powers. However, there was a long period of time in the series when they were not on good terms. That was an era of the manga where Naruto could be compared to anime characters like Broly since he would go berserk and lose control of his sense of self.

Perhaps one of the best examples of this was when fighting Pain in Konoha as the latter hurt Hinata Hyuga and Naruto lost control, with Kurama almost taking over his body. It was a scene of mayhem and destruction, reminiscent of berserker anime characters in general.


10) Musashi Miyamoto (Vagabond)

Among the most bizarre choices when it comes to anime characters like Broly (Image via Kodansha).
Among the most bizarre choices when it comes to anime characters like Broly (Image via Kodansha).

It might be sacrilegious to compare a character like Musashi from Vagabond to Broly and claim they are similar, but they do have some points in common. One of the most prominent examples is that they are naturally strong from the moment they are born, and this puts them in extreme circumstances. For Musashi's, it meant being around his father and his village, and Broly's being the Saiyan race.

During the early volumes of the Vagabond manga, Musashi has a very notorious mean streak that gets violent the more he fights. This is fairly similar to Broly in the most recent interpretation of Super. Sure, Musashi's character work and writing are very different from the one applied to Broly, but they do have some similarities.


Final thoughts

There are a lot more anime characters like Broly out there and there are a lot more berserker anime characters in the medium. However, these are some of the most prominent because of the popularity of their respective series and how they connect with the Dragon Ball character in terms of similarities.


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