7 anime characters who went viral in 2024

Anime characters who went viral in 2024 can come in a lot of shapes and sizes but the most notorious are those who managed to transcend the walls of the medium. Some characters got to a point where they were making videos questioning their morality and others answering, such as the case of Frieren in her titular series.

Other anime characters who went viral for less complex reasons, managed to do so due to their manga ending, similar to Deku and My Hero Academia. Be as it may, all of these characters have had a moment of massive online intention this year and is for a variety of reasons.

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

7 anime characters who went viral in 2024 and the reasons why

1) Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End)

Frieren was one of the anime characters who went viral (Image via Madhouse).

Frieren is one of those anime characters who went viral because of a wide variety of reasons, the first one being the success of the series. Many fans didn't have this property on their radar when the anime came out. They were pleasantly surprised with the old elf's journey as she made new comrades and friends while dealing with the pain of the passage of time.

The animation quality of Madhouse, one of the greatest anime studios of all time, was also a huge selling point. This viral element was also certified because of the several memes that have come out of this series. These included Frieren's funny expressions, Fern's pout when she is sad, and several other things that have reached other communities.

Another reason why Frieren has become one of the anime characters who went viral in 2024 is because of the way she handles demons. Her lack of empathy and ruthless nature toward demons, while extremely justified by the story itself, has divided viewers on the matter. They have even gone as far as having fans debating this topic on YouTube essays.

2) Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen)

One of the most popular anime characters who went viral (Image via Shueisha).

Sukuna is one of the anime characters who went viral because the Jujutsu Kaisen manga ended this year and he was at the center of it as its main villain. While that is not reason enough to get people's attention outside of the series' community, the King of Curses gained a lot of notoriety because of what was known as the "Sukuna cycle."

This cycle was the dynamic of the final arc as one or two characters would fight Sukuna at a time, give him some difficulties, and then get defeated as another shows up, repeating the sequence. The manga had this dynamic for over a year and has been criticized as the main reason the series lost a lot of quality in the readers' eyes.

When Yuji Itadori defeated Sukuna, the general reaction was that of relief because the cycle had ended. There is no denying that this character has been one of the most popular villains in recent years but there is an argument to be made that he overstayed his welcome in the series.

3) Izuku "Deku" Midoriya (My Hero Academia)

One of those anime characters who went viral for all the wrong reasons (Image via Shueisha).

2024 was a big year for the My Hero Academia since it had the seventh season of the anime, You're Next! movie, and the ending of the manga. When it comes to the latter, the ending made the protagonist, Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, one of the anime characters who went viral this year because of his conclusion.

Originally, as per chapter 430 of the manga, Deku lost his powers and had an eight-year time skip where he was working as a UA teache. Meanwhile, his former classmates were heroes, giving him a special to go back to the field. This made the character go viral as a lot of people thought he was depicted as a loser and was even the target of memes portraying him as a McDonald's worker.

However, once chapter 431 came out, which was part of the last volume, it drew Deku in a much better light. It shows that he loves teaching and has a lot of importance, his friends are present, and starts a romantic relationship with Ochaco Uraraka. This made the character go viral once but for much better reasons this time around.

4) Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura/Okarun (Dandadan)

Two anime characters who went viral (Image via Science SARU).

Dandadan has been one of the most popular series of the year, so is no surprise that its protagonists, Okarun and Momo Ayase, are among the anime characters who went viral. Whether it's debates over fan art, online discourse about their characterization and their story's quality, or simply the fact that people love them as a couple, they have been quite prominent on the internet these last few months.

They are placed together because that is where their characters truly shine. Momo's assertiveness and Okarun's kind-hearted nature make them endearing to watch separately. However, they have very good chemistry together for tender and comedic moments. This is emphasized time and time again throughout the series.

There is also the fact that their relationship is the main focus of the story, even surpassing plots and arcs that involve aliens and spirits. Not a lot of battle shonen anime put a lot of emphasis on romance as the main focus, hence this duo has gone viral so many times recently.

5) Shidou Ryusei (Blue Lock)

Another one of those anime characters who went viral for the wrong reasons (Image via 8Bit).

Blue Lock itself went viral for all the wrong reasons in 2024 because of the poor animation quality of 8Bit Studio during its second season. While the first outlet of this franchise made it quite beloved, this second installment has failed to live up to the expectations because of extreme deadlines and low wages for the staff.

However, if there are anime characters who went viral for really bizarre reasons, one of them is for sure Shidou Ryusei. The talented striker of the Blue Lock project joined Japan's Under-20s at the petition of star midfielder Sae Itoshi, with the former dealing against his former teammates with two marvelous goals.

During the celebration of the second goal, though, Shidou went on a monologue about how scoring goals was like fertilization and he was making babies as a striker. It was a bizarre statement to make and people online picked it up, adding to the several comments on how any of this has to do with people.

6) Goku (Dragon Ball)

Definitely one of the anime characters who went viral in 2024 for tragic reasons (Image via Toei Animation).

While Goku has enjoyed a lot of attention this year because of the Dragon Ball Daima series, that is not why he is one of the anime characters who went viral. It's because of the passing of his author, Akira Toriyama, on March 1, one of the biggest losses that the entire industry has suffered in decades.

Toriyama's credentials are known by everyone as he is the creator of Goku and the entirety of Dragon Ball, with this franchise having surpassed the barriers of anime and manga decades ago. This was very telling when even presidents and governments took their time to pay their respects to this legendary and influential mangaka.

When it came to celebrating Toriyama's legacy, Goku's face was everywhere and made a lot of sense. He is arguably the most popular anime character of all time and the author's most celebrated creation, so this year was a moment to remember the best moments of this franchise and honor Toriyama's invaluable contributions to the world of storytelling.

7) Ayumu Fujino (Look Back)

An underrated choice for anime characters who went viral (Image via Studio DURIAN)

There is no denying that Fujino is one of the most underrated anime characters who went viral this year because of the surprising success of the movie Look Back. Based on a one-shot manga written by Chainsaw Man author Tatsuki Fujimoto, this story tells her journey of losing inspiration with art and also dealing with loss.

She is a school student who shows great talent and promise for art and eventually forms a partnership with another student, Kyomoto. However, as the story progresses, Fujino's love for manga wavers as Kyomoto passes away and she has to learn to cope with that, eventually finding passion once more.

There were no controversies or real-life tragedies that made Fujino one of the anime characters who went viral in 2024 but rather the sheer quality of the film. It reached out to people who don't usually consume the medium of anime and enamored most viewers, which is certainly impressive.

Final thoughts

There are definitely other anime characters who went viral in 2024 but these are some of the most notorious examples for the aforementioned reasons. Not only are they a part of prominent franchises with a lot of commercial success but they also managed to reach beyond the typical anime communities in great fashion.

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Edited by Madhur Dave