Today I am turning my attention to the narcissistic characters of the anime world. I’m going to clarify, this is not just a list of narcissists though. It’s pretty easy to make a character narcissistic. What is difficult is to make the audience actually like the self-loving individual.
So who would you have put on a list of narcissistic characters from anime?
Please Note – There are spoilers below. You have been warned.
Honourable mentions this week go to Claire Stanfield from Baccano and Kurama from Kamisama Kiss. Kurama kind of failed to make the list because even though he seems self-absorbed he just doesn’t have the confidence of a true narcissist. Not like those who made the list below.
A more recent honourable mention goes to Takato from Dakaichi. He’s the best kind of narcissist. One with an inferiority complex.
Number 5: Kazuya Shibuya from Ghost Hunt
The guy is nick-named Naru the Narcissist within a day of Mai meeting him. He is completely convinced he is brilliant (not helped by the fact that compared to the company he keeps, he is). Kazuya is 17 years old and running his own company. He hunts ghosts for a living. Not to mention, while the other spiritualists may not approve of his methods they have to approve of his results and track record.
However, just when you start really hating they guy, you get some more insight into his life and his personality. Honestly, the show just wants you to like him (given it is mostly narrated by Mai and she clearly does like him) and it does a good job of helping you see past his narcissistic exterior. At times.
Number 4: Loki from Fairy Tail
I know that there’s a whole other side to this character, but focussing on how he is when Lucy first meets him, he is a womanizing narcissist. The later character arcs for Loki do a lot to make you empathise with him and understand him, and he also just develops beyond the shallow existence he was living, but he is still definitely a narcissist.
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Number 3: Seiya Kanie from Amagi Brilliant Park
This one is too easy. The guy loves himself. A grown up child star who completely believes he is amazing. I really wouldn’t want to meet him after the events in the series because I am certain that while he has grown emotionally in some ways, his success will just make him more of an unbearable narcissist. But that is why he is on my list. Because he does grow and develop throughout the series so even though you still don’t much like him, you want him to succeed. I found that was some very affective writing that made me actually want him to win.
Number 2: Yumichika Ayasegawa from Bleach
We could just look at his picture and realise, yep, this guy is definitely a narcissist. Even his seat number (fifth seat) was chosen because he didn’t want to take the third seat from his friend and he liked the number 5 more than 4. Really? And this guy won’t even fight against ugly people unless they really annoy him. He is so incredibly vain. You have to laugh when his hair, outfit or face get messed up. It’s just too perfect.
Number 1: Alex Louis Armstrong from Full Metal Alchemist
I couldn’t resist this one. Yes, there are greater narcissists in the world, but none of them as lovable. And that is why Alex Louis Armstrong tops out my list. True, it is only his physical appearance and alchemy that he is self-absorbed with and he is well aware of his limitations in other areas (hard not to be with so many people willing to point that out).
There’s just something completely charming about him even as he is completely crazy. While I think more of him in the series would have been a bit hard to swallow, his appearances were regularly marked by humour or sweet and touching moments that made his character all the more memorable.
So, who did I miss? Share your thoughts on the narcissists of the anime world below.
Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
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Karandi James
