10 best anime characters like Guts from Berserk

Guts, the iconic protagonist in Berserk, stands out as one of anime's most renowned anti-heroes. He endures a traumatic early life that scars him deeply - having been born from a corpse and abused as a child soldier. Recruited into Griffith’s Band of the Hawk mercenaries, he finally finds purpose.

However, Griffith’s sacrifice of the Hawks in the occult Eclipse ritual leaves him bereft once more. Surviving sacrificial slaughter after watching his lover Casca's assault, he loses an eye and arm. Embracing vengeance, he gains the Dragonslayer sword and curses Berserker Armor to aid his quest.

With his gruesome backstory, fatalistic personality, and savage fighting style, Guts resonates as an iconic Byronic antihero in dark fantasy. This list explores 10 of the best anime characters similar to him for those craving more edgy and intense shows.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and is not ranked in any particular order.

Kenshin Himura, Thorfinn, and 8 anime characters like Guts

1) Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin

Kenshin Himura (Image via Studio Gallop, Studio Deen)

Once a deadly assassin during the Bakumatsu era, Kenshin seeks a peaceful life as a wandering swordsman during the Meiji Restoration in Rurouni Kenshin. However, his past catches up and he gets embroiled in strife once more.

Like Guts, violence, and trauma define Kenshin’s early life and leave lasting scars. And though now pacifistic, his fighter skills still see use in defending the innocent. With his red hair, lithe build, and reverse-blade sword to limit fatalities, he cuts a distinct figure in combat with elite precision and velocity.

Kenshin’s constant internal battle between violence and peace makes him an intriguing Byronic hero. Driven by regret and a desire for a normal life, he embodies an anti-hero in recovery yet never fully freed from his ghosts.

2) Killua Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter

After being a part of an elite family of assassins, Killua leaves that life behind for friendship with Hunter aspirant Gon Freecss. But coated in blood and living as a weapon since birth, his upbringing haunts him. Ruthless reflexes, immunity to poisons, inhuman strength - abilities honed by torture endure.

Though only 13, his murderous talents leave bodies in his wake. His gentle nature around Gon contrasts deeply with his matter-of-fact brutality when facing threats. This inner conflict paired with lethal skills makes him akin to Guts.

And his expertise means he enters fights with advantages despite his youth. While his ruthlessness has softened thanks to Gon's friendship, he unleashes vicious instincts when loved ones are harmed.

3) Kiritsugu Emiya from Fate/Zero

The lead Master of Saber in the Fourth Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu’s backstory lays the groundwork for his reality-bending crusades. Despite excelling as an assassin and mercenary, trauma, regret, and despair around his violent acts mount inside.

To pursue his dream of world peace, he strives for the Grail unflinchingly, willing to commit any atrocity for this perceived greater purpose. His tortured past and resulting stoic yet volatile demeanor echo Guts strongly.

And though his fighting style differs as a guns-and-explosives specialist, his formidable skills yield many violent confrontations. The show provides fascinating explorations of his mental strains and increasingly questionable methods too.

4) Naraku from InuYasha

This shape-shifting demon masterminds events throughout InuYasha in pursuit of increasing his own power. Once human, betrayal and rejection warp him into a hostile force of evil. This origins tale around weakness-producing malevolence makes him a multifaceted villain.

While not a physical fighter on Guts’ brawny level, his cunning and cruel machinations torment the protagonists persistently.

Between controlling monstrous extensions of himself and heartlessly manipulating others, he brings harrowing adversity reminiscent of the Eclipse disaster from Berserk. For those seeking a darker, more calculating brand of villainy, Naraku fits perfectly.

5) Koko Hekmatyar from Jormungand

An arms dealer leading a squad of elite bodyguards, Koko runs weapon smuggling operations while avoiding endless adversary strikes. Her charisma and wits let her navigate a world of killers and monsters adeptly.

Haunted by a traumatic past tied to war and violence, she maintains a principled mission beneath her trafficking efforts too. Koko’s formidable combat abilities coupled with her deeper purpose and complex character development mirror some of Guts’ qualities.

And like Guts with the Hawks Mercenaries, she handles threats alongside loyal followers, forging bonds between outcasts. For those wanting gun battles and collectivist action punctuated by ideological questions about violence means versus ends, Jormungand delivers spectacularly.

6) Akira Fudo/Devilman from Devilman Crybaby

Akira Fudo/Devilman (Image via Science SARU)

When demonic forces attempt to possess humans en masse, Akira’s childhood friend Ryo helps to fuse Akira with a demon. This gives Akira the power to fight while retaining his human soul. But the power comes at a great cost with the demon Amon threatening to subsume Akira’s very self.

The body horror and anguish Akira endures echo Guts’ pain after the Eclipse. His clinging to his identity through inner turmoil mirrors Guts’ reliance on rage to avenge what he’s lost too.

Akira’s literal inner demon also offers interesting overlaps with The Beast that dwells in Guts. And as fights overwhelm him, the thin line separating his self-control from explosive violence thrills and disturbs.

7) Askeladd from Vinland Saga

The charismatic yet brutal leader of a Viking mercenary group, Askeladd excels as a fighter and tactical mastermind. But beneath his status and skill lurks a man damaged profoundly by trauma that drives him toward a quest for vengeance.

When honor duels erupt, his swordplay shows speed, power, and lethal precision resembling Guts’ aggressive form. Askeladd’s group dynamic and ruthless displays in pursuit of his goal mirror the Band of the Hawk’s functionality for violence as well as Griffith’s ambition.

His sharp wits and multifaceted character development around violence and loss enhance Vinland Saga with thought-provoking substance. Those wanting Viking-tinged tragedy and gory swordplay need look no further.

8) Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop

Spike’s criminal past as part of the Red Dragon Syndicate comes back to threaten the eccentric bounty hunter crew he’s now in. This lanky martial artist uses handguns and martial arts fluidly in gritty fights.

And while generally laidback, his sardonic personality overlays deep pain about those he’s lost that emerges when pressed. The phenomenal sword and gunplay scenes coupled with his bitter backstory drenched in blood make Spike highly resonate with Guts’ skillset and wounds.

Spike’s slim physique belying lethal talents also echoes Guts exceeding expectations for raw power. And session by session, Spike’s traumatic memories emerge to add complexity as he faces off against former partners.

9) Thorfinn from Vinland Saga

Though starting Vinland Saga embracing violence in pursuit of revenge like Guts does, Thorfinn slowly transforms over its course. After retaliation leaves him directionless, he embraces pacifist ways, turning enemy hate toward understanding.

Through character growth and interaction with more virtuous figures, Thorfinn inches from malice toward redemption’s possibility. For those wanting poignant transformations around violence’s trauma, Thorfinn hits hard.

His gradual rejection of vengeance for humanitarian goals makes him a unique case among anti-heroes. The scenes conveying his internal anguish and anger remain raw and captivating even as he makes progress in quelling his inner demons.

10) Itadori Yuji from Jujutsu Kaisen

Despite his athleticism and friendly demeanor, Itadori finds himself suddenly embroiled in exorcising deadly curses after swallowing the rotting finger of the powerful Ryomen Sukuna. This act grants him great power but also the violent impulses of Sukuna himself which Itadori struggles to suppress.

Like Guts, Itadori is fundamentally principled but must contend with an inner primal force threatening his identity. Seeing friends imperiled also ignites his protective fury fueled by Sukuna’s might. Jujutsu Kaisen captures many battles where this fine line between self-control and explosive potential adds gripping action.

Itadori’s increasing closeness with the darkness he wields makes him fascinating as a character, as he fights to protect the innocent.

Conclusion

Guts resonates as an iconic anti-hero across decades for his rich backstory, savage fighting, and complex characterization. For fans enamored by these traits, the characters above offer more fantastical, modern, or historical spins showcasing similar qualities across anime genres.

Through the shared threads binding all of them, exciting shows emerge exploring layered philosophies around violence, trauma, morality, and what it means to fight monsters without becoming one yourself.