Komi Can’t Communicate is a popular shojo-style shonen series set in an ordinary Japanese high school, and the most popular student of all is the silent but beautiful Shoko Komi. She’s beloved as an aloof ice queen, but the truth is she’s a terribly shy and anxious gitl who’s set a personal goal to make 100 friends.
Shoko got the ball rolling when her plain but kind classmate Hitohito Tadano became her first-ever friend and helped her make more friends as well. There’s a lot to like about Hitohito, even if his classmates don’t think much of him. His fans should meet other anime characters who are the Tadano of their own story.
10 Naoto Hachioji Is Timid But Talented (Don’t Toy With Me, Ms. Nagatoro!)
Don’t Toy With Me, Ms. Nagatoro! stars the quiet but earnest protagonist Naoto Hachioji, a second-year student who has a passion for sketching and art, although he’s reluctant to show anyone his works. He tends to keep to himself, not due to anxiety, but simple preference.
For the most part, Naoto is a plain and unremarkable boy. Interestingly, the troublemaker Hayase Nagatoro took an interest in him and started teasing him to see how he would react. He’s almost like Hitohito Tadano but with some artistic talent thrown in.
9 Sota Kazama Blends Into The Background (My Senpai Is Annoying)
Sota Kazama is a supporting character in the josei anime and manga series My Senpai is Annoying. He’s a quiet but hardworking employee who just might be in love with his gorgeous and friendly co-worker, Toko Sakurai. Kazama is total kuudere, though, so he’s rather slow to express his feelings for her.
Like Hitohito Tadano, Kazama is a kind but plain fellow who doesn’t stand out in most situations, and he’s fine with that. In a sense, Toko Sakurai is his own Shoko Komi, except their budding romance is developing at a faster pace.
8 Keith Claes Is Kind But Soft-Spoken (My Next Life As A Villainess)
Keith Claes is a much sharper dresser than the plain Hitohito Tadano in My Next Life as a Villainess, but on a personal level, these two boys are quite similar. They both have a lively and sociable sister and they tend to get overwhelmed if things get too personal. Keith and Hitohito both have trouble expressing their true feelings.
Keith, like Hitohito, is a kind and compassionate fellow who will say or do anything for others — mainly his foster sister Katarina. For the most part, Keith is happy to blend into the background but he may step in if Geordo Stuart gets too friendly with Katarina.
7 Ryuji Takasu Is Surprisingly Ordinary (Toradora!)
Toradora‘s Ryuji Takasu makes a bad impression with his stern face and his scary eyes, leading everyone to believe he’s a total delinquent. People even give him their wallets pre-emptively so he won’t hit them. However, the real Ryuji is anything but a bully.
Ryuji is actually a humble and empathetic boy who always puts others first. He’s also a great cook and a supportive friend. He lives with his charming single mother, who’s quite proud of how her kind son turned out. He’d get along great with Hitohito Tadano if they ever met.
6 Raku Ichijo Tries Not To Stand Out (Nisekoi)
Raku Ichijo, the star of Nisekoi, actually has a few things in common with Ryujiu Takasu since both boys aren’t nearly as scary as people would think. Instead of having the face of a criminal, Raku comes from a whole family of them. But he seems perfectly ordinary at school.
Raku also has plenty in common with Hitohito Tadano, since they are both kind and soft-spoken fellows who try not to make a scene. Raku is a bit more assertive than Hitohito, but these guys are much more alike than not. They even both have a popular and attractive lady friend. Hitohito has Shoko and Raku has the charming tsundere Chitoge Kirisaki.
5 Izumi Miyamura Is Gentle & Friendly (Horimiya)
Izumi Miyamura is the male lead of Horimiya, sharing the spotlight with his cool girlfriend Kyoko Hori. Izumi is a plain kid at school and a stylish punk on the streets, but at home, he is also a doting big brother type. There’s more to him than meets the eye.
Hitohito Tadano doesn’t have punkish tattoos or piercings, but aside from that, he and Izumi have similar personalities. They’re kind and empathetic boys who always look out for others. Hypothetically, Izumi could have taken Hitohito’s place in Komi Can’t Communicate.
4 Futaro Uesugi Is Tadano With A Temper (The Quintessential Quintuplets)
Futaro Uesugi is the hero of The Quintessential Quintuplets, a smart but plain boy who was asked to tutor the five Nakano sisters who are all struggling with school. Futaro is up to the challenge, but the sisters really know how to test his patience. He’s not afraid to shout a bit to make his point.
Hot temper aside, Futaro is fairly similar to Hitohito Tadano. Both of them are ordinary but earnest fellows who want to help people in any way they can. Futaro isn’t the most memorable guy, but thanks to his hard work and generosity, the five Nakano sisters all developed a crush on him.
3 Iruma Suzuki Is An Ordinary Hero (Welcome To Demon School, Iruma-Kun!)
Welcome to Demon Scho0l‘s Iruma Suzuki is a hapless isekai hero who ended up in the demonic Netherworld. He was soon adopted by Lord Sullivan, who doted on him as his foster grandfather. Nothing like that happened to Hitohito or other Komi characters, but on the inside, Iruma and Hitohito have a lot in common.
Both characters are fairly ordinary but manage to impress everyone around them with their tireless generosity and kindness, and they’ve surrounded themselves with friends who are much stronger or more popular than they are. It’s a humble talent of theirs.
2 Nasa Yuzaki Is Easy To Get Along With (TONIKAWA)
There’s nothing that special about Nasa Yuzaki the rom-com hero, but that’s perfectly fine with him. He never intended to build a harem, go to another world or become a star athlete in TONIKAWA — instead, Nasa is concerned with living a responsible and safe life, and that’s exactly what he’s doing.
Nasa may be unremarkable but his kindness and empathy are strong and he aims to be a perfect spouse for his new bride, the mysterious Tsukasa. He and Hitohito know how to charm girls with small but meaningful gestures in everyday life.
1 Shoya Ishida Is Special To Shoko Nishimiya (A Silent Voice)
Unlike Hitohito Tadano, A Silent Voice‘s Shoya Ishida was once a bully. In the 6th grade, he tormented his hard-of-hearing classmate Shoko Nishimiya, prompting her to change schools. Years later, Shoya realized what a cruel person he’d been, and desperately sought a way to make amends.
Shoya, like Hitohito, is a fairly ordinary kid in high school who has a special girl in his life. Both boys are also unsure if they really deserve those girls’ affection. Notably, Shoya and Hitohito are both involved with a girl named Shoko.
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