Image via NHKSOJP
Updated Jul 2, 2026, 8:32 AM EDT
Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts.
Sign in to your Collider account
Stories can prove their worth in many ways, from delivering a flawless plot to entertaining the viewers with pure enjoyability and good pacing. However, another significant aspect of showcasing writing skills is character development, the technique where a character goes through a specific arc of growth, whether that be good or bad. Like all mediums, anime has its fair share of shows with excellent character development.
Every anime has character development, such as Wind Breaker and Naruto, but these ten shows are the best in that regard. This list will rank the ten anime with the best character development based on quality, quantity, believability, pacing, writing, fan opinion, and critical consensus. Every anime here has at least one character who went through a significant and noticeable change that bettered the story.
15 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' (1995–1996)
Image via TV TokyoIt may be one of the most polarizing anime series of all time, but Neon Genesis Evangelion does have some superb character development. With the world facing another apocalypse event from the angel-like aliens, humanity's last hope of surviving is in the hands of Shinji, a self-conscious teenager, one bad day away from a breakdown.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a psychological deconstruction of trauma and how it progresses. As Shinji experiences more trauma on top of what he already went through, not to mention the immense pressure and lost childhood, he slowly develops into the polarizing character that fans see. Shinji may not be a universally beloved anime character, but he and many other characters are handled well.
14 'Dragon Ball' (1989–1996)
Image via CrunchyrollThe biggest shounen anime aren't known for their character development, but sometimes shows like Dragon Ball shock everyone. Sent to Earth as a child to destroy the planet, Goku instead lived a peaceful life, spending his time training, which helped him face up against those who wanted to bring harm to him and his friends.
Battle shounen anime aren’t known for their character development, and as a whole, neither is Dragon Ball, but it has one flawless example with Vegeta. Starting as another arrogant villain, he underwent one of the best redemption arcs in anime, slowly becoming an honorable character through new interactions of kindness, hope, and need. It all comes full circle in the Majin Buu saga, where Vegeta proves himself to be a legend and a powerful Dragon Ball character.
Image via Bones Inc.It isn’t easy to become the greatest anime ever, but Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is widely regarded as the best, which means it also has strong character development. When brothers Ed and Al lose parts or all of their bodies in a taboo alchemical experiment, they set out on a quest to find the philosopher’s stones. However, all they discover is a government conspiracy.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has a little bit of everything, including character development. From Scars’s profound journey of self-discovery, hate, and redemption to many micro-doses of growth in characters like Al, Ed, Mustang, and Winry, this anime handles its characters wonderfully, including their changes throughout the story.
12 'Legend of the Galactic Heroes' (1988–1997)
Image via K-FactoryThis list features some old anime, and one of the first classics on here is Legend of the Galactic Heroes. After a century-long ceasefire between intergalactic nations, two young opposing leaders break it up, thrusting the galaxy into an operatic war of philosophies once more.
A lot of anime treats its characters as individual beings, but Legend of the Galactic Heroes portrays them as being influenced by the political environment. As the two leaders are forced to make tough decisions that question their morals and test their philosophies, they change bit by bit.
11 'Nana' (2006–2007)
Image via MadhouseJosei is an underrated demographic, with many fans never watching Nana. One girl is moving to Tokyo to reconnect and mend things with her ex-boyfriend, and another girl aims to kickstart her music career. The two of them have nothing in common, except that they share the same name and will be roommates in the near future.
Most of the anime on this list deal with character development through high-stakes battles where change is forced, but Nana is grounded in realism, making its character development more relatable and simply what we all experience as we age. Character development is earned in Nana, with characters repeating mistakes and being forced to deal with their codependency issues, making growth more rewarding.
10 'Berserk' (1997–1998)
Image via OLM-Animation StudioFantasy anime seems to be all the rage nowadays, but Berserk is a classic that might have started the trend with its iconic story. The 1997 anime highlights the Golden Age arc, one of the most renowned in anime and manga. It showcases Guts' past, from a child soldier to a mercenary in the Band of the Hawk to a broken individual who lost everything.
It's no shock to see Berserk on this list, but it may be surprising that it's so low. However, this is because the list ranks anime, not manga, which would be first. While Guts experiences the best character development in the manga, the anime still develops the character significantly. It tortures him and gives Guts everything before taking it away, going on a roller coaster of development, making Berserk a dark anime not for kids.
9 'One Piece' (1999–Present)
Image via Toei AnimationWith over a thousand episodes and still counting, One Piece is one of the longest-running anime series and naturally has lots of character development. Monkey D. Luffy sets sail to find the titular treasure and become King of the Pirates, but to do so, he must find a crew and make a name for himself. This expansive journey tests will and passion, developing many characters in the endless cast.
One Piece doesn't land on this list because of one or two great examples of development, but countless cases of decent growth that are impressive in their own right. This anime brilliantly uses backstory to develop characters and tell fans why they are the way that they are. Characters like Luffy, Robin, Sanji, Usopp, Law, Oden, and Bon Clay highlight an impressive roster of growth, delivering some of the deepest quotes in One Piece.
Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz
Which Action Hero Would Be
Your Perfect Partner?
Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn't work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
🔧John McClane
🎭Ethan Hunt
FIND YOUR PARTNER →
01
You're dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
ASomeone who already has three contingency plans running and is calmly working through all of them. BSomeone who reads the terrain instinctively and knows exactly how to use it against the enemy. CSomeone who keeps their nerve and their sense of humour when everything is falling apart. DSomeone who knows the history of wherever we are and what we're walking into. ESomeone with the right contact, the right cover identity, and the right exit already arranged.
NEXT QUESTION →
02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
AOn foot through terrain no one else would attempt — I move where vehicles can't follow. BOn a motorcycle, a cargo plane, or anything else that gets me there before I think too hard about it. CIn something that belongs to someone else — borrowed, stolen, or improvised under fire. DFirst class, with a cover identity and a gadget that does something I won't explain until it's needed. EBy whatever means are available — I've driven, flown, and once arrived by camel. The destination matters, not the method.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
You're pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
ADisappears into the environment, flanks them silently, and ends it before I've reloaded. BCracks a one-liner, grabs a fire extinguisher or a chair, and improvises something that somehow works. CProduces a gadget specifically designed for this exact scenario and uses it with infuriating precision. DPulls out a whip, a pistol, and an archaeological insight that somehow gets us out alive. ENeutralises the threat with maximum efficiency and minimum words — they were already three moves ahead.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
AA bar with terrible lighting, cold beer, and absolutely no questions about feelings. BThe finest restaurant in the city, a bottle of something expensive, and a conversation that is equal parts brilliant and exhausting. CA local dig site, a museum after hours, or a long story about why that particular artefact matters to human civilisation. DPizza. Bad TV. Falling asleep halfway through a movie neither of you were watching anyway. EA debrief that turns into three hours of contingency planning that somehow becomes the most fun you've had all week.
NEXT QUESTION →
05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
APrecise and minimal — tell me what I need to know and nothing else. Every word has a cost. BDeadpan and dry — keeping it light keeps me sharp, even when everything is on fire. CEnthusiastic and slightly chaotic — but always with useful information buried somewhere in the noise. DCalm and controlled through an earpiece, with a plan that covers every variable I haven't thought of yet. EBarely at all — silence is a language and they speak it fluently.
NEXT QUESTION →
06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
AInfiltrate their inner circle, learn everything, and dismantle them from inside out before they know we're there. BStudy the historical pattern — every villain of this type has a weakness written somewhere in the past. CGet them talking. The more they monologue, the more time I have to figure out how to beat them. DGo through them. Directly. With as much force as the terrain allows. EFind the one thing they haven't accounted for — there's always one thing — and make sure we're holding it.
NEXT QUESTION →
07
Things go badly wrong and you're captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
ACome in alone, quietly, and get me out before anyone knows they were there. BHave already been working on the extraction since the moment I disappeared — the plan is already running. CCome in loud, come in fast, and worry about the collateral damage later — I'd do the same for them. DUse every resource, every contact, and bend every rule until I'm out — they don't leave people behind. ECharm their way in somehow, bluff through the hard part, and still manage to look good doing it.
NEXT QUESTION →
08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn't replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn't know you had.
ATechnology that shouldn't exist yet and the training to use it under any conditions. BSurvival instinct so refined it borders on supernatural — and the scars to prove it's been tested. CKnowledge of history, language, and culture that makes them invaluable in places where force is useless. DThe ability to walk into any room in the world and immediately become the most trusted person in it. EStubbornness that refuses to accept a situation is hopeless — and the improvisational skill to back it up.
NEXT QUESTION →
09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
AA partner who never fully switches off — always watching exits, always calculating threats, even at dinner. BA partner who gets the job done brilliantly but has the emotional availability of a locked filing cabinet. CA partner who makes everything ten times more complicated than it needs to be — but who always comes through. DA partner who gets personally attached to every relic, ruin, and artefact we encounter, which slows everything down. EA partner who was not built for this and knows it — but shows up anyway, every time, without being asked.
NEXT QUESTION →
10
It's the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
AOne line. Absolutely dry. Delivered like the world isn't ending. Then we move. BNothing said at all — just a look that means we both already know what has to happen. CA plan I don't fully understand that somehow accounts for everything, delivered in thirty seconds flat. DA piece of historical context that reframes the entire situation and tells us exactly what to do next. ESomeone who steps forward instead of back — because that's who they've always been.
REVEAL MY PARTNER →
Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
Rambo
Your partner doesn't talk much, doesn't need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you've finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You'll never need to ask if he has your back. You'll just know.
James Bond
Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it'll take you a moment to remember what's actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You'll never be bored. You'll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar's eye and a brawler's instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn't matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you'll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren't so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
Ethan Hunt
Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you've finished reading the briefing, and the plan he's settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn't exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ
8 'Attack on Titan' (2013–2023)
Image via CrunchyrollFew anime broke the internet like Attack on Titan, whose ending marked an important time in anime history, whether fans liked it or not. When the Titans destroy his village, Eren Yaeger vows revenge but gains the ability to turn into one of the beasts. He uses his newfound power to lead humanity outside the wall and fight their true enemies, changing everyone when they learn the truth.
Many characters go through changes, including Reiner, Armin, and Mikasa, but Eren is the most notable star of the anime. His idea of freedom enslaved him from the beginning, going from someone who would kill monsters to gain freedom to eradicating humanity in order to survive. The anime brought up philosophical debates, but Eren's dark character development is why Attack on Titan is an anime series that's already a modern classic.
7 'March Comes in Like a Lion' (2016–2018)
Image via CrunchyrollNot all sports are physical, as March Comes in Like a Lion is about a shogi player's life and growth. Following Rei, who moves to avoid the pressure, he lives a reclusive lifestyle, not taking care of himself and only leaving the house occasionally. But when a new family moves close to him, they show him the kindness he needs and begin his development into a better self.
March Comes in Like a Lion isn't a complex anime with new themes or messages, but it does everything sincerely, which makes it renowned and beloved. Rei's development is a beautiful and well-paced journey accentuated by some of the best animation in anime. Overcoming this relatable issue provides a moving story and tear-jerking character development.
6 'Mob Psycho 100' (2016–2022)
Image via BonesMob Psycho 100 is a renowned anime and beloved series by the same creator of One Punch Man. Despite being the world's strongest psychic, Shigeo only wants an everyday life. But because he holds in his emotions, they explode through psychic outbursts. While he takes on other espers, he must deal with his inner feelings and suppressed emotions.
Mob has one of the best arcs for an anime protagonist, developing in a unique way compared to most shōnen. While other characters and villains grow through Mob's kindness and power, his development is the best part. When his power hurts someone he cares about, Mob holds onto his powers and, therefore, his true feelings, with the show masterfully developing him to be genuine through dramatic events.
English (US) ·