10 most selfless anime characters

Selfless anime characters are interesting because they can define a character’s motivation and backstory while leading to good moments in their respective series. People love characters willing to sacrifice things for the greater good and help society or their loved ones because it is a trait many people would want to share.

In that regard, there are a lot of selfless anime characters who are deserving of being celebrated and getting the recognition they deserve. On that front, this list doesn’t rank any of the characters because being selfless is a complicated variable to gauge or quantify, but they all deserve a moment in the spotlight to celebrate who they are and what they have done.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for all the selfless anime characters on this list and their respective series.

Ten selfless anime characters

**1. Jonathan Joestar (*JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure***)

One of the most selfless anime characters out there (Image via David Production).

Jonathan was the first protagonist in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and the lead of the first part, 1987’s Phantom Blood. While many people consider Jonathan as the least interesting JoJo in the franchise thus far, there is no denying he is one of the most selfless anime characters.

It’s fair to say that Jonathan went through hell during his youth with his adopted brother, Dio Brando, and never succumbed to the dark or betrayed his principles. He was always willing to help others and even tried to stop Dio when JoJo himself was just a regular guy. If it weren’t for him saving Erina and the baby in the boat at the end of Phantom Blood, the entire franchise wouldn’t have happened.

**2. Kazuma Kuwabara (*Yu Yu Hakusho***)

One of the most underrated when it comes to selfless anime characters (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Kazuma Kuwabara cannot be ignored in a discussion surrounding the most selfless anime characters, and there is a simple reason behind that: he is the physical embodiment of being selfless. This trait is shown from the very beginning of Yu Yu Hakusho when he tries to score good grades and not get into fights to help his frined keep his job, which says a lot.

Once Kuwabara joined Yusuke Urameshi in the latter’s supernatural affairs, he was never one to back down and was willing to do whatever it took to help. There is an argument to be made that his peak was during the Dark Tournament arc, as he was willing to sacrifice his life against Toguro so Yusuke could have the motivation to win.

He is not only one of the most selfless anime characters out there but also one of the bravest and a true man among men, as Kazuma himself would say.

**3. Inoue Orihime (*Bleach***)

Bleach's most selfless character (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Orihime doesn’t have the best reputation among anime fans: many people consider her annoying, a damsel in distress, and someone who lacks agency. While it is true that Inoue was never a fighter and sometimes needed to be saved, she is also one of the most selfless anime characters. She was always willing to help others no matter the circumstances.

She could be classified as Bleach’s war doctor, heading to the battlefield and trying to heal everybody, no matter their affiliations. Her kindness was particularly shown during the Arrancar arc, where she was willing to heal some of Aizen’s assistants who had bullied and abused her, showing her degree of compassion.

It is worth pointing out that Orihime was abused by her parents, and her older brother, who was the one taking of her, eventually died and became a Hollow. So, her being selfless is not something she does out of being handed an easy life but comes from genuine empathy.

**4. Tony Tony Chopper (*One Piece***)

Chopper is very similar to Orihime as they are two of the most selfless anime characters, which is also a direct result of them having gone through a lot of hardship. Both humans and reindeer rejected the Straw Hats' doctor after he ate the Human-Human Devil Fruit, making him feel like a monster and an outsider.

So, despite having gone through a lot of rejection and pain, Chopper still chooses to help and care for others, arguably shown at his peak during the Thriller Bark and Punk Hazard arcs. This arc is where Chopper sees how other doctors use innocent people for their own gains, which makes him angry because medicine should be used to help others.

**5. Shiryu (*Saint Seiya***)

Saint Seiya is a series that celebrates brotherly bonds and friendship, but very few characters embody that theme as well as Dragon Shiryu. During the first arc, the Galactic Wars, he initially started as a foil for the main character, Seiya. However, as he had to deal with a heart problem, it was the protagonist himself who kick-started it again, leading to Shiryu feeling indebted to him.

The first example of gratitude is Shiryu giving some of his blood to fix Seiya’s Pegasus Saint Cloth and later fighting by his side. This man blinded himself to save his friends and sacrificed himself to defeat Capricorn Shura at the tail end of the Sanctuary arc. He is one of the most selfless anime characters of all time and one of the most underrated.

**6. Asta (*Black Clover***)

The thing about Asta is that he is often compared to Naruto and treated as a clone, which is why people don’t often analyze his character from a more neutral perspective. He is one of the most selfless anime characters and a good example of being kind of others no matter how you are treated.

Asta is a commoner and is often bullied and mistreated by others for having no magic, but he still wants to help others. He never abused the physical strength he gained through training and is always there to help, whether a regular civilian, a member of the Black Bulls, or anyone else. In many ways, he is the physical embodiment of being selfless in the Black Clover series and one of the most selfless anime characters out there.

**7. Mirio Togata (*My Hero Academia***)

A very special case among selfless anime characters (Image via Bones).

Imagine working and training all your life to achieve a certain goal and then having everything taken away, and you do it without flinching because it is meant to help someone else. This was what Mirio Togata, most commonly known as Lemillion, did in My Hero Academia to help Eri during the Overhaul arc.

Mirio had worked during his teenage years to become a very capable hero, but as he was trying to save Eri, he was shot by a bullet that would erase his Quirk, his special powers, for the rest of his life. While he eventually got his powers back (fittingly, thanks to Eri), Mirio never flinched and even smiled to comfort Eri.

Mirio is one of the most selfless anime characters out there, and his performance in the Overhaul arc is one of the best aspects of My Hero Academia.

**8. Yuji Itadori (*Jujutsu Kaisen***)

This is an interesting situation because Yuji’s selfless nature seems to go against everything in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe and even what his fellow sorcerers taught him. The Jujutsu society appears to be ruled by selfish individuals who prefer validating their egos instead of focusing on helping others. Good people, like Suguru Geto, and, to some degree, Nanami Kento, are eventually broken.

Despite all the tragedies and hardships Yuji has seen in the series, he continues to help others and maintains his values. He may have become more serious, but still wants to help, protect, and be there for others. This trait may be one of the reasons Ryomen Sukuna hates him so much: they are direct opposites.

**9. Leorio (*Hunter X Hunter***)

This was a no-brainer for reasons siilar to the ones explained in Yuji’s section. The world in Hunter X Hunter is deeply flawed because most Hunters being battle-crazed or obsessed with their own goals. In a world where people seem obsessed with their goals and ambitions, Leorio stands out as one of the most selfless anime characters in the business.

Leorio wanted to become a Hunter to make enough money to help others in need and become a doctor because his friend died when he was younger. This memory is something that plagues him even to this very day in the series. The way he defended Gon from his father Ging, going as far as landing him a hit, is something that goes to show how selfless Leorio is.

**10. Adam (*Record of Ragnarok***)

He is the father of humanity and a man who fought the gods out of love for his children and not because of hatred or a selfish desire for survival. Adam stood out on the battlefield against Zeus simply because he loved humanity and wanted to defend his children, as any good father would.

Adam is one of the most selfless anime characters and is shown throughout his battle against Zeus, which says a lot about the kind of person he was. This is also why he became a fan-favorite in the Record of Ragnarok series.

Final thoughts

There are many more selfless anime characters who deserve all the credit they can get. They have qualities that make the world a better place, whether in fiction or in real life. They are also amazing characters who give hope to people, and they deserve all the love they can get.