But sometimes you just want an unapologetically enthusiastic character. You know the ones: they’ll stop at nothing to try and make the room around them smile, even if it ends up having the opposite effect. Bubbly anime characters are all over the place. And they take many different forms. Their unstoppable energy makes these characters some of the cutest ones in anime. And here’s our picks for the bubbliest of them all.
10. Rikka Takanashi
Anime: Love, Chuunibyo, and Other Delusions This Chuuni girl is a well of endless energy and youthful optimism that causes her to develop the delusions of grandeur that she clings to. Most of these are totally harmless, as all she wants to do is live life excitingly – even if it means her coming across as bizarre in other people’s eyes. But no matter what, she holds on to the energy she has from the very beginning, infecting others to be able to let loose and be a little childish themselves every once in a while.
9. Yui Hirasawa
Anime: K-On Yui has to be one of the prime examples of energy in anime. She’s a girl who loves having fun, and is constantly refueled by her addiction to candy. Granted she may be lazy when it comes to school, causing her to be an underperforming student… but that doesn’t stop her from being a lively personality. And in K-On she brings a new and original energy to the band, serving as the frontman who inspires the rest of the band to play at their best.
8. Aladdin
Anime: Magi Kids like Aladdin are the kind of people who can make you really just smile, whether it’s their naivety, or the feeling of happiness that they just radiate. Aladdin is constantly faced with a lot of threats that could scare any other kid away But he faces these threats with a smile and a golden genie-filled flute. He’s the light that constantly pushes Alibaba forwards in their quest together, and serves as his emotional battery no matter the obstacles they face.
7. Chika Fujiwara
Anime: Kaguya-Sama: Love is War Being the ultimate love detective, Chika Fujiwara is nothing short of adorable. Her energy watching Kaguya and Shirogane adds a layer to the show that makes you root for the romance even more. Though she’s not one of the people directly involved in the romantic relationship, she certainly makes it a lot more fun. Her personality compliments Kaguya and Shirogane’s more serious ones, constantly bringing life to every scene that she’s in.
6. Luffy
Anime: One Piece The unwaveringly optimistic captain of the Straw Hat Pirates has a lot of reasons to feel more grim. He’s gone through a lot in his life, practically having no consistent parental figure. But despite the hardships he’s always ready to wear a smile to inspire his entire crew, so they can achieve all of their goals. Luffy’s the prime example of a shonen protagonist’s energy affecting so many people even beyond his own crew – and even above his own power level. You can’t help but want to root for his success. Because you can tell that even when he’s reckless, he’s a damn fine leader.
5. Ryōta Kise
Anime: Kuroko’s Basketball Easily being the most upbeat and happy member of the Generation of Miracles, Kise’s personality is quite different to the rest of his contemporaries. Even when constantly being dunked on by other members of the team, he wears a smile on his face whenever faced with any challenge. And while he may not be the leader, it’s hard not to feel the infectious nature of his love for competition always bleeding throughout the show.
4. Hajime Shinoda
Anime: New Game! Hajime is the most unapologetic dork in the entire company in New Game. She’s hyper, extra, and never hides her passion for work or her hobbies. In an office space that’s oftentimes more subdued in its environment, it’s always fun to have a character that’s able to bring so much light. Hajime has a collection of all sorts of toys and figurines that she loves to show off, and even incorporates them into her work on animations by swinging swords around to understand how she wants to animate. Talk about a kid at heart.
3. Mirio Togata
Anime: My Hero Academia Mirio is a sweet boy who loves helping people above all else. He gives very little regard to what people think of him, which is good, considering his quirk often leaves him clothes-less. He’s a beacon of hope for many people in UA, oftentimes resembling All Might in both appearance and demeanor. This optimism makes even Deku feel like he needs to step up his game if he’s going to be a worthy successor to All Might. But Mirio (being supportive as he is) already believes in Deku. Even after tragedy strikes and he loses access to his powers, he still maintains optimism that one day he’s going to be a great hero.
2. Edward
Anime: Cowboy Bebop This is the enthusiastic little hacker aboard the Bebop, and a fountain of youthful energy, adding a very different vibe to the crew of the Bebop after she shows up. Compared to the rest of the cast (who are all adults with much more sour/laid-back demeanors) Edward is constantly showing what a smile & a lot of hacking talent can do for the crew. And even though she’s a little weirdo who revels in that fact, she never comes across as annoying to me, just as someone who really loves doing what they do.
1. Mako Mankanshoku
Anime: Kill la Kill Mako is the definitive cheerleader in all of anime. She is a bastion of bubbly-ness. And she’s in Ryuko’s corner no matter what, doing whatever she has to do to make sure she succeeds. Mako quite literally stops the story for a few moments occasionally, just to give a rant about how great her friends are, and the power of friendship and all that. There’s really no characters that radiates positivity in the way that Mako does. Her over the top mannerisms and cartoonishly animated personality (and person) are such a joy to watch. There are very few anime characters that make me smile simply by seeing them in frame, but Mako is definitely one of them.
