Characters who get most of the spotlight tend to rank towards the top of popularity polls. However, there are also characters who do not get nearly as much screen time as the main characters yet garner a surprisingly significant amount of love from fans.
The stories and personalities of these side characters contribute to the overall narrative and plot in ways that the other characters do not. There are also characters who fade away earlier than expected or do not play a bigger part despite their important roles. Unfortunately, their lack of screentime does not satisfy fans who wish they would appear more often.
10 Illumi Zoldyck’s Mysterious Character Captivates Fans (Hunter x hunter)
Illumi in Hunter X Hunter establishes an intimidating presence as soon as he removes his disguise during the final stage of the Hunter Exam. He is one of the first characters to display Ren to the audience, and when viewers see him using it for the first time, they immediately know that Illumi is someone other characters should fear.
The dynamic between Illumi and his brother, Killua, also adds an interesting element to the show and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops over the course of the story. Additionally, his lack of emotion renders him quite mysterious and captivating at the same time.
9 Akira Sendoh’s Personality & Basketball Skills Are Unique (Slam Dunk)
Akira, the ace of Ryonan High School’s basketball team, has a distinct personality that diversifies the cast of Slam Dunk. Unlike most other characters, Akira does not become irritated when first encountering the chaos that Sakuragi brings everywhere he goes during the scrimmage between Ryonan and Shohoku High School.
Akira actually expresses his excitement for Sakuragi’s potential despite being on different teams. Additionally, he also possesses a unique playstyle, as he uses his intelligence to outsmart opponents and mixes up his moves to keep them on their toes.
8 Dracule Mihawk Shows Off His Overwhelming Power (one piece)
Dracule’s introduction in One Piece showcases his awesomeness by highlighting the immense power gap between him and the other characters. During the Baratie arc, he slices Dong Krieg’s ship in half with ease. Because Mihawk holds the title of greatest swordsman in the world, Roronoa Zolo challenges him to a duel, but completely fails despite his prowess as a swordsman.
However, Mihawk spares him, since Zolo’s grit and courage impress him. His first impression neither falls in the category of a hero nor a villain and thus renders him an intriguing character for fans to be curious about.
7 Shisui Uchiha’s Story Has A Quick & Unfortunate Ending (naruto)
Despite playing a prominent role in the story of the Uchiha clan’s downfall, Shisui is rarely mentioned in Naruto‘s manga. His screen time in the anime is not anything significant either, as he mostly appears in filler episodes. Nevertheless, fans admire him for his aspirations for peace in the shinobi world and for serving as a mentor for another popular character, Itachi Uchiha.
He proves that he has high potential as a shinobi with Kotoamatsukami, a genjutsu that can control others’ minds, and his skill with the Body Flicker Technique. Danzo’s schemes to eliminate the Uchiha lead to Shisui’s downfall, leaving fans unsatisfied and hungry to see more of him on screen.
6 Genos Is Everyone’s Favorite Disciple (one-punch man)
Genos’s fierce appearance masks the humorous side that fans love in One-Punch Man. He decides to become Saitama‘s disciple even though Saitama does not express enthusiasm about having a disciple. Additionally, he writes down everything that Saitama says and studies his master’s behavior in minute detail.
In other words, Genos goes above and beyond for Saitama to the most extreme extent, adding humor to his character. He studies and trains as hard as possible to be one of the best heroes in the world, and fans enjoy seeing his journey to attain his goals.
5 Minato Namikaze Never Sees His Son Grow Up (naruto)
Minato is renowned for his ability to use the Flying Thunder God Technique, which allows him to outspeed the fastest characters in Naruto. However, he does not showcase this cool ability as much as viewers would like, as he lacks screen time. Outside of his fight with Obito and his participation in the Fourth Great Ninja War, he does not have much of the spotlight.
Sacrificing himself against Kurama shortly after Naruto is born, he is absent for the entirety of Naruto’s childhood. Further, although Orochimaru resurrects him in his Edo Tensei form during the war, he says farewell to Naruto as soon as the war ends.
4 Kurapika’s Unique Backstory Is Intriguing (hunter x hunter)
As the Kurta clan’s last survivor, Kurapika brings a unique backstory in Hunter X Hunter. Unlike the other main characters, he lost his whole family because the Phantom Troupe hunted them down. He not only has a unique backstory, but also a special ability that his eyes grant him. Whenever he experiences extreme emotions, his eyes turn scarlet, and his strength and Nen abilities become dramatically stronger.
In addition, his bond with Leorio over the course of the first season brings significant development to his character. This development renders him a likable character since he learns how to work with others, as he helps Leorio retrieve his badge during the Hunter Exam.
3 Speed-o’-Sound Sonic Always Embarrasses Himself
Speed-o’-Sound Sonic does not fit the typical villain’s image in One-Punch Man. Instead of instilling fear in Saitama, he consistently embarrasses himself. He claims to be Saitama’s arch-rival, but Saitama couldn’t care less. Because speed is the source of his pride, he feels the need to prove that he can outspeed Saitama.
Saitama effortlessly reacts to his speed and knocks him out with a single blow, and this drives him crazy. Nonetheless, the stark contrast between his persistent efforts and Saitama’s apathetic nature adds a humorous element to the story.
2 Usopp Incorporates Humor Into Fight Scenes (one piece)
The liar and sniper of Luffy’s crew never fails to surprise fans with what they least expect during One Piece fights. In doing so, Usopp plays a crucial role in adding a comedic element to fight scenes. Usually, anime fights have a palpable sense of danger and seriousness.
What fans love about Usopp is that he lightens the severity of the situation with his ridiculous tactics that somehow work in the end. His fight with Luffy over the Merry Go in the Water Seven arc is a case in point. Usopp attacks with rotten eggs, thereby reducing the intensity of the situation by incorporating humor.
1 Rukawa Is A Fierce Competitor (slam dunk)
Rukawa Kaede plays the role of the rival to Slam Dunk’s main character, Sakuragi Hanamichi. Rukawa’s cool and calm personality represents the antithesis of Sakuragi’s impulsive and loud personality. As the ace of Shohoku High School’s basketball team, he sets the bar high for Sakuragi from the start.
He does not back down when Sakuragi becomes angry and loses control of himself either. For instance, one time during practice, after Sakuragi deliberately throws a basketball at him, Rukawa throws it right back at him. All in all, he is everything viewers want in the main character’s rival.
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