10 cowardly anime characters, ranked most to least fearful

Cowardly anime characters can be found in nearly all anime. These characters cannot face tough and daunting situations and either run the other way or have someone else step in for them. Many times, it is this trait of theirs that leads to casualties and damage on their side.

Some of them later improve themselves as they undergo character development or face an eye-opening situation, while others remain as they are and pretend to be brave and daring, only to hide the insecurities below. As such, here is a list of cowardly anime characters that many will recognize, ranked from most to least faint-hearted.

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinion.

Ranking the most cowardly anime characters from most to least faint-hearted

1) Hercule Satan

Hercule Satan (Image via Toei Animation)

Kicking off this list of cowardly anime characters is Hercule Satan from Dragon Ball. Despite proclaiming himself to be the strongest fighter on Earth, Hercule turns tail and runs away every time he sees himself get overpowered.

Unlike the Z Fighters, he cannot wield Ki and merely acts as Earth's champion while Goku and co. do the work. Early on in the series, he even attempts to discredit their victories and label it as his own, further emphasizing his cowardly nature.

2) Minoru Mineta

When speaking of cowardly anime characters, one cannot help but think of Minoru Mineta from My Hero Academia. For quite a substantial bit of the series he has proven himself to be cowardly and unable to face tough and daunting situations. This pairs alongside his perverted behavior when it comes to girls.

He openly admits he's scared and doesn't hide it. Unlike his classmates, his reasons for becoming a Pro Hero aren't as noble. He prefers staying in the background and letting stronger classmates take the lead. However, as the series goes on, he overcomes this and grows into a respectable Hero.

3) Sekke Bronzazza

Black Clover's Sekke Bronzazza is a character made mostly for comic relief and right from the beginning secured his place on this list of cowardly anime characters. On the outside, Sekke puts himself forward as very self-confident and arrogant event. But all this is a mere facade. He uses this fake exterior to compensate for his weaker and more timid inside.

During the course of the series, Sekke has preferred to run from dangerous sitatuons rather than face or help against it, throwing himself into comedic bits instead. To his unfortunate luck, he gets appointed as the King's Guard at some point in the story. Sekke seems to lack even a shred of bravery despite making it as a Magic Knight.

4) Zenitsu Agatsuma

A much-loved character from the Demon Slayer franchise, Zenitsu Agatsuma is a fitting addition to this cowardly anime characters list. Introduced as one of the individuals interested in joining the Demon Slayer Corps, Zenitsu was scared out of his wits during the selection process.

Despite making it through, he has been a little wimpy and fearful during missions, often freezing in fear. But all this is only when he is awake, i.e., he becomes a totally different person when he falls asleep with fear. As the series progresses, Zenitsu's character undergoes a change and he gets a grip of himself, unlocking his potential as one of the strongest corps. members and not among cowardly anime characters anymore.

5) Grey

A bit of a surpring entry, but nonetheless an inclusion, Grey from Black Clover too makes this cowardly anime characters list. She did not begin the series by veiwed as cowardly. Thanks to her magic that allowed her to shapeshift, she doned a different form and lived contently.

However, when her true form was revealed, she was shown to be extremely shy, timid and nervous. That was the point things changed for her character - she was so scared and shy of people seeing true form that she wasn't even able to hold a proper conversation with anyone, including her Guild-mates.

6) Shinji Ikari

We can exclude Shinji Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion when listing cowardly anime characters. Like Usopp, his case too is a little complicated. After all, he is just a kid. It is not extraordinary for him to be afraid when faced with all-out war. His outbursts and timid personality differentiate him from other protagonists.

As such, viewers might feel that his cowardice can be unpleasant. But then again, Shinji only seeks love and for himself to be acknowledged. He does not hide the fact that he is terrified and it is this very fact that makes him human.

7) King

Another unmissable name on this cowardly anime characters list is King from One Punch Man. Labelled as "The Strongest Man on Earth", he is actually just an ordinary citizen. He unintentionally gained a ton of credit for heroic acts that Saitama performed. This has led to him striking extreme into villains' hearts, causing them to surrender as soon as they see him.

But in reality, King is only calm and intimidating on the exterior. Inside, he is as cowardly as ever. Putting up such a facade made him so comfortable that he has no issues keeping it up, fooling likely everyone who encountered him.

8) Usopp

One Piece's Usopp also finds himself on this list of cowardly anime characters. Sniper and one of the Senior Officers for the Straw Hats, Usopp was the 4th member to join the Pirate Group. But his case is a little more complex than others on this list.

While Usopp does seem to naturally more on the timid end of things, he has shown immense bravery when backed up against a wall. That is exactly when Usopp becomes a lot more dangerous than he first seems to be. His cowardly nature can be seen as one of his defining traits, but that does not hold him back aiding his fellow crew members in any situation.

9) Kobeni Higashiyama

Another that comes to mind when speaking of cowardly anime characters is Chainsaw Man's Kobeni Higashiyama. From the very onset, she showcased nervousness and uneasiness. Then, during the Eternity Devil Arc, her anxiety and fear got the better of her and she attempted to hand Denji over to the Eternity Devil to escape its clutches.

Even later on, following a run-in with the Hell Devil, she quit Public Safety and began to work in a restaurant. But even there was yanked back into the world of Devils and Devil Hunters. But there are 2 major points here - First, Kobeni displays breathtaking battle ability when needed and second, Kobeni's behavior in the series is likely the most human element in the bizarre world of Chainsaw Man.

10) Ritsu Sohma

This list of cowardly anime characters would be incomplete without Ritsu Sohma from Fruits Basket. He has been shown to fickle, faint-hearted and overly apologetic. Ritsu being sweet and rather effeminate brings the other characters and viewers alike to develop a liking to him despite him being a little too loud at times.

Again, this nature of Ritsu's sometimes leads him to him freezing up due to his own anxiety, making him to either agonize and apologize or turn tail in shame. We don't see a lot of his character during the series, but his development is shown in the backdrop. Although he is quite timid, he learns to find a way around his anxieties and make himself comfortable in his own skin and with others.

Final Thoughts

Cowardly anime characters are generally woven into different stories for a comedic element. Their reactions to unsettling situations help lighten the mood a little and do not make things seem as grim as they look.

As mentioned in the introduction, some characters change and awaken a bit of courage, contributing in some way to the main storyline, while others continue as they are and fulfill their role as comedic relief. This is not to say that these characters are any less important to a series, but rather play their part differently.