10 shonen anime protagonists who don't hesitate to kill

The sheer number of shonen anime protagonists raises the question of whether or not any of them are killers. Most shonen heroes either don't engage in bloodshed or exterminate their enemies only when they have no other choice. Some protagonists, such as Naruto and Goku, are prone to giving second chances if warranted, while others don't participate in the killing game.

Meanwhile, some shonen anime heroes do not hesitate to kill at all. Whether in the case of Eren's vendetta against the Titans or Amuro's killing of Zaku pilots, there are more than a few protagonists who don't hesitate to have other's blood in their hands. As such, this article covers 10 shonen anime protagonists who never falter from executing their opponents, whether human or not.

Disclaimer: The article will contain spoilers for the anime profiled. It is also reflective of only the author's opinions.

Light, Denji, and 8 other shonen anime protagonists that don't hesitate to slay their enemies

1) Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

An obvious first choice is the current omnicidal Eren Yeager from the shonen anime Attack on Titan. The omnicidal part is the Rumbling, but even before that, he wasn't hesitant to slay the massive Titans. It made sense there since they were giant, inhuman monsters that killed his mother and destroyed his hometown.

However, the intention doesn't change even when faced with human enemies. He killed several of Kenny's gun-toting henchmen, then went on to execute many more after the timeskip. The combination of Historia's memories and access to Ymir messed up his thinking, which conditioned his ambition to destroy the world.

2) Light Yagami (Death Note)

Light Yagami (Image via Studio Madhouse)

Light Yagami's god complex makes it less surprising to believe that he's not hesitant to kill anyone. In fact, the megalomania he develops upon acquiring the Death Note in the series is perfectly representative of his status as a killer.

Since his first couple of homicides, Light has never hesitated to kill using the Death Note. In fact, executing becomes a go-to method to deal with people if Light can't manipulate them. This leads to quite an impressive body count, including a team of FBI agents and L. While the shonen anime protagonist gets what he deserves in the end, Light holds firm that he is justice and vengeance incarnate as Kira until his dying breath.

3) Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)

Kenshiro (Image via Tetsuo Hara/Shueisha)

The famous catchphrase "You are already dead" is apt when describing Kenshiro. Considering the Mad Max-style dystopia in which Fist of the North Star takes place, the fact that Kenshiro possesses a killer instinct shouldn't surprise anyone.

Kenshiro is a practitioner of the Hokuto Shinken martial art, specializing in destroying an opponent from the inside out. While Kenshiro possesses the killer instinct necessary to liquidate somebody, he only attacks those who hurt the innocent. He may not hesitate to kill, but even he has standards.

3) Denji (Chainsaw Man)

Given that Denji's opponents are mostly Devils, it is not surprising that the main protagonist of the shonen anime Chainsaw Man isn't afraid to kill. It helps that his enemies are mostly inhuman since he's proven reluctant to kill any human being he comes across.

In battle, he's downright ruthless with his chainsaws, often leaving opponents in gallons of blood and gore. Denji may come off as a dunce, but he usually finds some crazy solution to whatever problem he has to face. This is all for the sake of giving him a comfy life, but he is pretty kind despite his bad luck.

4) Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)

Speaking of insanely unlucky but kind heroes, Tanjiro Kamado of Demon Slayer is never hesitant to slaughter a demon. Sure, he's sympathetic and the sweetest person alive, but that doesn't make him weak or hesitant. He will rumble with demons, break a bully’s arm, and will not take abuse lying down.

However, this doesn't entail that he follows a reckless approach to fighting. His intellect and strategizing has saved him more than once. Moreover, the shonen anime hero doesn't gloat or prolong the suffering of the demons while killing, which only proves that he is sympathetic towards them. He kills but is not heartless about it.

6) Rimuru Tempest (That time I was Reincarnated as a Slime)

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Most isekai shonen anime protagonists have no qualms about killing people at all. There's no shortage of these heroes, from Kirito to Rimuru Tempest. The latter is a unique variation since this shonen anime protagonist was reincarnated as a basic slime monster. Not much of a threat upon first glance, but he attained godhood in the series.

Throughout That Time I was reincarnated as a slime, Rimuru's go-to solution to nearly everything is to kill it before it affects him. Moreover, several characters don't count on basic slimes being threats and see them as easy experience fodder, which is why his homicidal actions make sense.

7) Akame (Akame Ga Kill!)

Being raised in a world under a despotic empire is already a reason to learn how to defend yourself. Doubly so, when one is brainwashed into a special assassination program as early as Akame was. She developed quite a reputation before becoming one of the deadliest assassins in the anime.

The titular protagonist is considered the dread of the Empire in the shonen anime Akame Ga Kill!. She is a strong-willed killer who never hesitates. Additionally, her assassin training allows her to go toe-to-toe with people like Esdeath, and her sword is known to kill in seconds because of a special poison that it is coated in.

8) Clare (Claymore)

Another person who appears stoic but is a whirlwind of emotions is Clare from Claymore. Her backstory is tragic since her older brother turned into a youma, ate their parents, and then she got exiled from her village only to be captured and abused by another youma. It's rather surprising she didn't mentally break down after everything, probably due to Teresa.

Clare seems like the stoic type but has temper issues. If anyone causes harm to her loved ones, she goes berserk. Rigaldo discovered it the hard way after killing Pieta squad captains and going after Miria when she diced him to pieces.

9) Amuro Ray (Mobile Suit Gundam)

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Amuro Ray, the original protagonist of the shonen anime Mobile Suit Gundam, has quite the body count, which one wouldn't necessarily expect. He's fierceless when it comes to killing or self-defense. For someone who is involved in the One Year War because he is the only one who can pilot the original Gundam and later went through major PTSD, he is surprisingly well-adjusted.

Amuro is not the perfect example of a ruthless warrior since he sometimes shows hesitancy while trying to kill somebody. He only shoots when it's Char or someone already gunning for him, as Ramba Ral and several Zeon soldiers can attest. However, when he is inside the Gundam, he is known as The White Devil to Zeon, an unstoppable force with a body count similar to Char.

10) Speed Racer/Go Mifune (Speed Racer)

Before anyone dismisses this shonen anime protagonist as a joke, consider the following about Speed Racer's titular character. Mifune is not only an excellent racer in the Mach 5 but also an extremely accurate marksman. He has had no trouble exterminating people just to win a race or when a malicious person tried to harm him.

That being said, he does put the needs of others before himself and will abandon the race if someone is in trouble. However, when push comes to shove, or when someone calls him a coward or a bad racer, Mifune goes full throttle into killing intent. He has chased enemies down, gunned down bad guys, caused death by lava, and has often had his hot temper get him into risky situations.

Here's our top selection of 10 shonen anime protagonists who are not only brave fighters but also incredible killers. Let us know which of the aforementioned characters has been your favorite.

Edited by Priya Majumdar