5 anime characters who went zero to hero (& 5 whose journey was the opposite)

Anime characters often amaze fans with their dramatic transformation, whether they rise from anonymity to greatness or fall from grace into ruin. These storylines are engaging and transformative, showing the range of ambition, patience, and results of their actions.

This list includes anime characters who start with nothing and become great heroes through determination and hard work, showing how ordinary individuals can achieve extraordinary achievements. Some characters are ranked based on how they faded from importance in the series, even though they never lost their heroism. Due to their ambitions and mistakes, illustrating how the mightiest of all falls can lose their perception of their worth.

Let's explore five anime characters who grew from a blank slate to become heroes and five who started as heroes and fell from grace.

Disclaimer: This list is ranked in no particular order and contains the writer's opinions. Readers' discretion is advised.

Simon and four other anime characters went zero to hero

1) Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia)

Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, was born in a world where everyone has a special power called Quirks. However, he was one of the guys who lacked Quirk. Regardless, he dreams of becoming the number-one hero, like his idol, All Might.

Midoriya's life dramatically changes when he meets All Might, the world's greatest hero. Seeing Deku's determination and passion, All Might chooses him as his successor and passes on his Quirk, One For All. With this, Midoriya can inherit All Might's amazing strength, but it also needs intense training to control.

Midoriya's story is a classic tale of growing from nothing to becoming a hero, proving that anyone can achieve great heights with determination and the right support.

2) Asta (Black Clover)

Asta is an orphan boy who lives in the Clover Kingdom, where magic is everything. He is different from others because he lacks any magical powers at birth - this thing makes him stand out in a society that gives much importance to wizards. However, Asta wants to be the Wizard King - the strongest sorcerer in all of the Kingdom.

Asta's life takes a big turn when he receives a grimoire with five-leaf clover and swords for anti-magic. These special swords have the ability to nullify magic, thus providing him with an effective tool in combating every kind of mage and making him one of the anime characters who goes from zero to hero.

Asta is also very dedicated to his dream. He does not have magic power, but he trains hard for a long time to become strong and skilled in fighting. Asta becomes part of the Black Bulls, an unusual group often made fun of and laughed at by the Magic Knights squads. In numerous fights and tasks, Asta's persistence, hopefulness, and effort gain him respect from both those anime characters who are the same as him and those who are higher than him in rank.

3) Simon (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)

Simon, an anxious and introverted boy, lives in an underground village. In this place, anime characters think the world above them doesn't exist. Simon works as a digger every day. He uses his drill to make the village tunnels bigger and wider. Simon appears weak and unimportant because he lacks self-confidence and often gets overlooked by his daring adoptive brother Kamina, the main character of the story Gurren Lagann.

Simon's life is altered when he uncovers a little glowing drill bit and a massive robot face hidden beneath the ground. With Kamina's inspiration, Simon commands the small mecha that they call Lagann, and together, they make their way to reach the surface world.

On the outside, they confront different dangers, like beastmen who control bigger mechas known as Gunmen. Kamina and Simon team up with Yoko, an expert fighter, to establish Team Gurren. Under Kamina's guidance, Simon starts discovering his own power and bravery bit by bit and becomes one of the anime characters who went from zero to hero.

4) Saitama (One Punch Man)

Saitama (Image via Madhouse / J.C.Staff)

Initially, Saitama is just a normal guy who lives in a city filled with monsters and supervillains. He was jobless and often felt depressed. His physical form and look are average as well. Saitama feels empty or without direction most of the time, which makes him even more dissatisfied with life's offerings around him.

After escaping from the attack of a crab monster, Saitama makes up his mind to become a hero "for fun." He does 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats and runs 10 kilometers daily. He eats three meals and hasn't used air conditioning or heating for three years.

Saitama's victory over the Deep Sea King, a strong rival who had beaten many heroes before earned him respect from characters like Genos. The fight between Boros and Saitama highlights his matchless power because Boros is an alien conqueror with great strength. Meeting Garou, the Hero Hunter who had beaten a bunch of S-Class heroes, makes his position as an unmatchable power even more certain.

5) Thorfinn Thorsson (Vinland Saga)

Thorfinn Thorsson, being the young child of Thors, is a well-known Viking warrior. His father decides to live in peace in an isolated village in Iceland. Thorfinn looks up to his dad with admiration, and he, too, dreams of becoming an excellent fighter like him. But everything changed one day when his father got killed by Askeladd.

To properly battle Askeladd, Thorfinn decides to be part of his crew. With Askeladd as his leader, Thorfinn transforms into a very capable warrior. He fights in many places across Europe. But still, sad about the death of his father, he starts to feel lacking a reason for fighting.

He thinks very deeply about his revenge, which was not successful. Thinking inside oneself and suffering changes a person. Thorfinn is encouraged by his father's beliefs. When he meets people who want peace, he changes from wanting revenge to having a new dream: making a peaceful settlement in Vinland, looking for something meaningful, one of the anime characters who becomes a hero from nothing.

Rock Lee and four other anime characters who went hero to zero

1) Yamcha (Dragon Ball Z)

In Dragon Ball, Yamcha's character develops greatly. He conquers his fear of women, develops feelings for Bulma, and becomes an important person on Goku's team. However, when Dragon Ball Z starts, the Saiyans (Goku, Vegeta, Nappa) come in, and the story moves towards extraterrestrial dangers. This reduces Yamcha's importance because his courage is insufficient to face these new, stronger enemies.

The death of Yamcha from a Saibaman during the Saiyan invasion signals a shift in events. Even though he returns to life after, this situation highlights his lesser strength compared to the fresh dangers. In the story's development, Yamcha's character changes from being one of the main anime characters to more of a supportive role.

2) Rock Lee (Naruto)

Rock Lee was first presented in the Chunin Exam arc. His fight with Gaara during this time is one of the most memorable scenes where he displays his strength, speed, and commitment to open the Inner Gates - an outlawed method that greatly increases his abilities but with huge risk.

After battling with Gaara, Lee undergoes surgery to fix his wounds. This recovery phase keeps him out of the main events and reduces his screen appearance. Lee comes back in the story when they go on a mission to bring Sasuke home, demonstrating his regained power. However, his role is limited compared to the other major anime characters in the arc.

3) Kuririn (Dragon Ball Z)

Kuririn started as a rival and then turned into Goku's closest friend. He also trained himself in martial arts under Master Roshi and became very powerful. During fights against bad guys such as the Red Ribbon Army or King Piccolo, he played important parts, showing his bravery and cleverness as a fighter.

Kuririn fights bravely against the androids and Cell, taking on important support positions such as turning off Android 18. He grows personally by falling in love with her and getting married, where his character becomes more complex beyond just fighting.

The role of Kuririn in fighting is reduced when other stronger anime characters appear. He is there but not crucial in battles against big villains such as Majin Buu. He turns his attention toward family life, getting married, and having a baby which lessens his participation in the main line of action.

4) Chad (Yasutora Sado) (Bleach)

Yasutora Sado, better known as Chad, who is among the closest friends and classmates of Ichigo Kurosaki, has a big and strong appearance. Chad's powers from another world appear when Ichigo turns into a Soul Reaper. His skills become visible in his right arm, changing into an armored arm that can give powerful hits.

Even though Chad gets a power-up during the Arrancar and Hueco Mundo Arcs, his importance in battles diminishes. He has difficulty fighting against the Espada, the high ranked Arrancars. He is typically overpowered by Ichigo, Uryu, or Soul Reapers, who are more powerful than him, making him one of the anime characters who went hero to zero.

5) Kakashi Hatake (Boruto)

Kakashi Hatake (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Kakashi, the jonin leader of Team 7 - Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Kakashi has a Sharingan that lets him copy any jutsu he sees, which got him his nickname "Copy Ninja Kakashi." He is skilled in ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu. His Chidori and other strong abilities place him among the most powerful ninjas in the series.

With the growing importance of Naruto and Sasuke's powers and stories, the series concentrates more on their progress and the main fights linked to them. In Boruto, Kakashi becomes a mentor for the new era. He shows up less often and acts more like an advisor to other anime characters than participating in battles actively.

In conclusion

Anime characters frequently introduce unexpected alterations, moving from obscurity to prominence or slipping into insignificance from being well-known. The stories can be quite enthralling, illustrating the power of aspiration, perseverance, and the outcomes of their actions.

People who have achieved notable successes due to their efforts or those experiencing a tragic fall because they made bad decisions - these storylines show how complex character changes can be.