10 anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man

Anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man are an archetype that has been quite prominent in the battle shonen genre, which is that of one main character usually being quite stoic and serious while contrasting with the protagonist's more uplifting and extroverted personality.

In that regard, Aki also fills another archetype, and it is that of the avenger, since he joined Public Safety to kill the Gun Devil, who was the one who took the life of his family.

It is also worth pointing out that a lot of anime characters like Aki are defined by the fact that they are consumed by their desire for revenge. Aki is consumed by his desire for revenge and, ultimately, makes a lot of wrong decisions in Chainsaw Man— something that is quite common among most of these characters and their respective journeys.

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 Aki from Chainsaw Man and why they are similar

1. Kurapika (Hunter X Hunter)

Kurapika is one of those anime characters like Aki (Image via Madhouse)

When it comes to anime characters like Aki and the archetype defined for being consumed by revenge, Kurapika from Hunter X Hunter is one of the best examples in that regard. The entirety of his character arc is revenge, and that defines most of his journey throughout the story, even going as far as moving away from the likes of Leorio, Gon, and Killua, despite being friends.

Kurapika's clan was murdered by the Phantom Troupe and decided to train and become a capable Hunter so he could hunt them down and kill them. That is similar to Aki's character arc in Chainsaw Man, as they both chose a career out of a desire to avenge their families, although audiences are yet to see how Kurapika's story is going to pan out.

2. Hiei (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Hiei as seen in the Yu Yu Hakusho anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

As mentioned earlier, anime characters like Aki fill certain archetypes in the medium and a prominent trait is that they tend to be serious and quiet. Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho fills a similar role in Yusuke Urameshi's group, oftentimes doing things on his own and being the most reserved individual among the main cast.

It is also worth pointing out that both Aki and Hiei took some time to connect with their respective groups and even more to admit it. That is a prominent aspect of their character arcs, although Hiei had a much more positive conclusion and Aki's case was a lot more tragic.

3. Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto)

Sasuke is a perfect example of anime characters like Aki (Image via Studio Pierrot)

In this case, it is fair to say that Sasuke is not one of those anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man but rather the other way around. It is fair to say that Sasuke is one of the most prominent avenger characters across the medium.

As most anime fans know, Sasuke's family was murdered by his older brother Itachi, and the former chose a path of revenge. For the vast majority of Naruto, he is consumed by revenge, although he eventually chooses the right path. He is also quite similar to Aki in terms of looks and personality since they are both very serious and quiet.

4. Ikki (Saint Seiya)

Ikki as seen in flashbacks of Saint Seiya Omega (Image via Toei Animation)

When it comes to anime characters like Aki, Ikki from Saint Seiya is an underrated example. That is mostly because this character and this series are not that known in the younger generations but his archetype of the reluctant antihero is a major trend in most battle shonen series.

Ikki went to the Death Queen Island as a kid against his will to train to become a Saint and was put through a lot of awful circumstances, including the abuse of his mentor, Guilty, and the death of his loved one, Esmeralda. This fueled Ikki's hatred, killing Guilty, and earning the Phoenix Cloth and power over the Black Saints of the island.

He decided to go back to Japan and go up against the Kido Foundation, which belonged to Mitsumasa Kido, the man who forced him to become a Saint. He was consumed by hatred and desire for revenge during the vast majority of the earlier arcs of the series, although he went through a redemption arc thanks to the other Bronze Saints, which is different from Aki's arc, although in a more positive direction.

5. Yuno (Black Clover)

Another one of those anime characters like Aki (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man usually share his quest for revenge and the tragic nature of said quest, but Yuno's case is a bit different. They have different contexts and motivations but they do have similar physical appearances and personalities, which is why the Black Clover character is on this list.

Yuno is one of those anime characters like Aki because he fills in the role of the stoic and serious deuteragonist, often sharing a major contrast in personality to the Black Clover protagonist, Asta. That is a clear similarity to the way Denji and Aki were throughout the first part of Chainsaw Man.

6. Megumi Fushiguro (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Megumi as seen in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime (Image via MAPPA).

There is no denying that Megumi Fushiguro is often mentioned as one of those anime characters like Aki and that is because of the series they are a part of. Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen came out during similar times and have similar elements as urban battle shonen with some dark fantasy elements, which is why these two characters are often compared.

Aki and Megumi have similar appearances, they are both serious and introverted and are also consumed by their goals. In that regard, the two of them end up having tragic results because they are obsessed with their goals, and make a lot of wrong decisions in the process.

7. Jean Pierre Polnareff (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Polnareff fighting Vanilla Ice in the anime (Image via David Production)

It is clear to see that Jean Pierre Polnareff is one of those anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man because he is fully determined by his quest for revenge. It was revealed during the third part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Stardust Crusaders, that his sister Sherry, was abused and murdered by a criminal who worked for Dio, which prompted Polnareff to train and search for revenge.

It was through Polnareff's obsession for revenge that he thought for a period in the story that he got Muhammad Avdol killed because of it. However, he not only gets his revenge in the story but also grows from it and becomes a much more complete and mature person.

8. Trafalgar Law (One Piece)

Law is one of those anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man (Image via Toei Animation)

Trafalgar Law became one of the Straw Hats' main characters during the New World portion of One Piece and that is where people got to see that he is one of those anime characters like Aki. A very prominent similarity is that they are both quiet and reserved, although they are also prone to being annoyed by the group they become a part of.

Furthermore, Law wanted to take down Donquixote Doflamingo because of the trauma the latter had caused him and all the abuse he went through because of it. It is not too dissimilar to Aki's quest for revenge against the Gun Devil, although they end up having different results.

9. Genos (One Punch Man)

Genos has a lot of similarities to Aki (Image via Madhouse)

It might be difficult to see that Genos is one of those anime characters like Aki but there are some notorious similarities. One of the most prominent is their serious and stoic personalities who are often challenged a bit by their partners in their professions during most of the story, Saitama and Denji.

On the other hand, Genos is also searching for the monster who destroyed his family and is training without end to achieve that goal. He is one of those anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man because they have similar goals and personalities throughout their respective journeys.

10. Guts (Berserk)

Guts is one of those anime characters like Aki (Image via Young Animal)

It is easy to see that Guts is one of those anime characters like Aki because most of his journey in Berserk is defined by his desire for revenge. His former Band of the Hawk leader, Griffith, sacrificed him and the rest of the group to become a demonic entity known as Femto, with Guts barely surviving and wanting to get even because of this unforgivable revenge.

Aki and Guts are defined by their respective traumatic events, although the latter manages to get more perspective and decides to focus on his loved ones, such as Casca. However, they both make mistakes throughout their respective series, and their lives are defined by tragedies.

Final thoughts

There are more anime characters like Aki from Chainsaw Man but these are some of the most prominent. That is because they share similar character arcs and personalities, plus the fact that they are part of important and popular series in the medium.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay