Anime has a wide variety of characters. Some being the strongest around, while others can barely hold their own. Even the weakest characters try their best and are a vital part of their group. No matter the challenge, they keep pushing on, and with the help of those around them, they manage to come on top. But sometimes, these characters are placed on too high a pedestal.
Love them or hate them, these characters get more praise from the series and from fans than they truly deserve. Whether they constantly need rescuing and hinder other characters, or their contributions aren’t near as great as they may think, these characters are the weak links of the cast.
10 Yukiteru Is Capable Of Little On His Own (Future Diary)
Despite being the protagonist of Future Diary, Yukiteru Amano is rather pathetic. He isn’t capable of much and does more complaining than he does helping. Most of his accomplishments are thanks to Yuno’s help. Without her, he wouldn’t get very far.
Despite this, she seems to think he is the greatest and attaches herself to him. Out of the two, Yuno is the most capable by far. Yet somehow, he holds great significance in the game, despite being nothing without her.
9 Ciel Is Useless Without Sebastian (Black Butler)
Ciel Phantomhive is the master of Sebastian Michaelis in Black Butler, and the demon is at his every command. Despite the power Ciel holds with Sebastian by his side, he is comparably weak on his own. He is young and has been sickly his whole life. He is not physically strong and also suffers from asthma, which hinders him frequently in the series.
Though he is a weak person, others see Ciel as a threat and a force to be reckoned with. However, this is all thanks to Sebastian’s service. If not for him, Ciel would be like any other helpless child.
8 Ash Is Portrayed As Greater Than He Really Is (Pokémon)
In the anime series Pokémon, Ash wants to be a Pokémon Master but never comes close to this goal. He is one of the weaker trainers of the series, his companions usually developing and growing in skill much more than him. Even though he is so weak, everyone around him seems to consider him a strong opponent.
He cycles through Pokémon with every new region he enters, and his strategy is practically non-existent. But for some reason, despite his numerous faults and weaknesses, companions and enemies alike all treat Ash as one of the strongest trainers they’ve encountered.
7 Tea Can Barely Be Considered A Duelist (Yu-Gi-Oh)
Throughout the series Yu-Gi-Oh, Tea Gardner barely plays any major part, despite being one of the main characters of Yugi’s friend group. She is a pitiful duelist with weak cards. At the start of the series, she is actually one of the better players in the group. But as the others improve, she stays the same.
Any duel she has won, she barely scraped by in. Most of her wins only occur because the plot demands it. She spends most of her time as a group cheerleader, which is her most useful role.
6 Shippo Doesn’t Really Contribute Much To The Group (Inuyasha)
Shippo is a fox demon and a part of the main group in Inuyasha. He has very little use in battle, only knowing a few tricks here and there. He’s mostly a tag-a-long character, serving as a cute sidekick for the cast.
He even tends to cause problems for the group, his weakness making him a target often. One of the others ends up having to save him a lot of the time. Despite this, the group treats him as an important member as he follows them through every danger they face.
5 Simon Isn’t Much Of A Hero Before Kamina’s Death (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)
At the start of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Kamina seems far more like the hero than Simon, who hangs back in a supporting role. Simon lacks confidence in himself and has no life experience nor much desire to become stronger. He follows behind Kamina, expecting him to be the one to lead the way.
Even though Simon is more of a wimp at the start, Kamina has nothing but faith in him and believes he will be a great hero. By this point, nothing proves him right. Without Kamina, Simon is just a scared little kid. He is only able to meet this potential because Kamina believes in him.
4 Orihime Is A Typical Damsel In Distress (Bleach)
Throughout the series Bleach, Orihime remains one of the weakest characters. Her spiritual powers have great potential but always come up short. She is often kidnapped or placed in danger, with Ichigo having to go after and rescue her. She is more or less the damsel in distress of the story, even though she has formidable abilities of her own.
Her fixation on Ichigo also negates any potential to grow in personality or strength, as she focuses more on her love than anything else.
3 Iruka Is A Great Teacher But A Not-So-Great Ninja (Naruto)
Naruto has characters with amazing abilities. No matter their level, nearly all Shinobi have special techniques that set them apart from the rest. Iruka, on the other hand, is one of the most basic ninjas in the series. He is capable of simple techniques but has no ability that stands out.
Despite teaching some of the greatest Shinobi of their village, he remains at a humble chunin level and has little use outside the classroom. His ninja skills may leave something to be desired, but he is great at teaching. That is where his true talent lies.
2 Takemichi Is A Durable Weakling (Tokyo Revengers)
In the series Tokyo Revengers, protagonist Takemichi Hanagaki spends most of the time as a punching bag for all other characters. He is beaten up so many times it is a wonder how he manages to get through it. Something can be said about his endurance, as he can take more hits than anybody.
However, his lack of strength or skill in a fight leaves one to ponder why he is the hero. Despite his weakness and constantly being beaten down, he is somehow held up as a leader for the gang and is respected for his resilience, if nothing else.
1 Tuxedo Mask Hardly Does Anything To Aid The Sailor Senshi (Sailor Moon)
Mamoru Chiba is the incarnation of Prince Endymion and an ally to the Sailor Senshi in the series Sailor Moon. Despite his major role in the story, he is of little use to the girls in battle. Taking on the alias of Tuxedo Mask, he joins the fight and comes to the aid of Sailor Moon and her friends when they need it the most. However, he is usually of little help and sometimes even makes a situation worse.
He has few powers and his attacks are nothing to those of the Senshi. When he arrives on the scene, there are many times where he does little to nothing to contribute to the fight, opting instead to give Sailor Moon a quick pep talk to save the day. Despite his minimal contributions, the girls can’t get enough of him and always praise his efforts, small as they may be.
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