From the sassier North American frontiersmen, to the Viking era, and even into ancient Mesopotamia, beards are always valued status symbols that significantly complement a man’s badass features. And it’s not surprising that the same goes for anime. Let me guess why you’re here: you want a comprehensive ranking of the best anime characters sporting some awesome beards. Well my friend, look no further! As usual, we have a few rules in choosing which characters get picked here. Pretty straightforward, really:
One character per series Should at least sport a fully grown chin curtain, or more Must be a bona fide badass
Let’s go!
20. Flit Asuno
Anime: Gundam Age series Starting with a rather odd entry for this list, we’re of course referring to the older & significantly more experienced version of Flit. While his experiences during his youth toughened his heart and mind, his attitude decades later evened out. Basically to become the type of seasoned commander suitable to guide the next generation. A boring turn of events? Sure. But he takes matters of his family to his heart very seriously. To the point of entrusting his very legacy to his own son.
19. Danjuurou Tobita / Gentle Villain
Anime: Boku no Hero Academia The man who was denied a future partially due to his own faults. His standard basic appearance as a gentleman thief-character already provides him an instant spot for this particular list, no questions asked. However, he earns so many attitude points that, despite his glaring limitations, could still earn a personality-based respect (or at least sympathy) of a fan or two. Additionally, he is also a very “flexible” individual for the first, original goal that he has been trying to pursue.
18. Yupa Miralda
Anime: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Yupa may seem like just your average stereotypical master/mentor type of character. But he becomes a total badass once he sets out to fulfill his own objectives. His physical prowess, in particular, is matchless by human standards. Well… he didn’t exactly played the part with he first appeared. But his skill level becomes apparent immediately after his first interaction with his student.
17. Zouroku Kashimura
Anime: Alice & Zouroku Ever heard of the typical grumpy old man with the golden heart stereotype? Yup, Zouroku falls nicely under that characterization. There’s just something impressive about him being as unfriendly as possible to people, and yet still gaining their utmost respect. Even to the point of them getting close to them socially. In fact, it’s this exact same demeanor that allowed him to efficiently deal with a somewhat capricious near-omnipotent being. And man, that beard.
16. Takeda Shingen
Anime: Sengoku Basara series A seasoned, bearded man with a very imposing figure. And an even more intimidating weapon at hand. Takeda razes everything around him with the swing of his axe, emboldening those who stand alongside with him. Despite being portrayed as a berserker-type warrior, he’s actually a brilliant strategist. At least in an individual sense. As a bonus, the fierceness of his resolve nearly matches that of the accomplishments of his real life counterpart.
15. Yuugo Tennouji
Anime: Steins;Gate Judging by Mr. Braun’s Tennouji’s build alone, you can definitely tell that this rather odd CRT TV shop owner has experienced a lot of things in life. His daughter kind of neutralizes this notion, though, in addition to his somewhat peaceful position as an apartment landlord. But beyond that rough beard, lies something that might just sway the unassuming person. Maybe a person that’s insecure enough to almost do anything in exchange for a delicate sense of acceptance and approval.
14. Precht Gaebold / Hades
Anime: Fairy Tail For someone who’s codenamed for the god of the Greek underworld, his bearded older self definitely looks like some other top Norse deity. Putting that aside, his reputation as one of the most OP combatants of Fairy Tail is unquestionable. Be it from his years of experience, his eventual mastery of true magic, or even his heart, the near-infinite source of his incredible durability. Given the chance to unleash everything he’s got, not even someone like Mard Geer would get away without at least being dealt significant harm. Is it all from the facial hair? Who can say.
13. Charles Brittania
Anime: Code Geass Depending on your perspective, and where you stand if you’re a character within the series, the Charles’ reputation may be a hero or villain. Either way, it’s undeniable that his influence is immense, with the fictional version of British Isles changing the entire history of the world on yet another level. His secret? Lelouch already knows it conceptually, though he was unaware of its existence back home for quite a good time.
12. Gendou Ikari
Anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion While not exactly a hero, Gendou’s alignment to the overall (initial) objective of his organization is quite commendable. In fact, his drive to take the necessary steps to achieve a greater goal is always intense. So intense, that Shinji near the beginning of the anime was usually just left to accept the turn of events. As for his ticket to this list, we primarily have his signature pose, as well as these fitting-but-still-rather-odd collab advertisements.
11. Asuma Sarutobi
Anime: Naruto The jounin that’s usually recognized for his facial features and affinity for cigarettes. Asuma is actually even more characterized for his laid-back attitude, something that he shares with one of his former genin. In combat, he’s one of the foremost melee experts of Konohagakure, being one of the jounin that set the standards of what a shinobi should aspire to. So when he finally decides to fight, every shred of his easy-going behavior is nowhere to be found.
10. Master Roshi
Anime: Dragon Ball series If you’re even remotely familiar with original anime from decades ago, then you must have already encountered the legendary Turtle Hermit in some form or another. One of the most prominent characters of the series’ early era, he’s famously known as the person who taught the Kamehameha. But more importantly, he’s far better known for his lecherous antics, a running gag that actually contributes to his somewhat badass image. And contributes to quite a few memes, too.
9. Jet Black
Anime: Cowboy Bebop Cool, level-headed, always focused. As a former police officer, Jet is also well-disciplined, an attitude that’s highly valuable when maintaining his ship and the odd motley crew. His background also gives him the fighting chops when the time comes to apprehend any criminal for some hard-earned Woolong. And if you watched this back in the day, then you remember his beard.
8. Marshal D. Teach / Blackbeard
Anime: One Piece There are lots of badass bearded dudes in One Piece. But we couldn’t do the series justice if we skipped the OG beard-themed pirate, who’s of course inspired by the real life dude. Getting a read on this dude isn’t quite easy. Blackbeard may be very cunning and cruel in one instance, and turn into a megalomaniacal fool in another. Regardless, his crewmates respect him dearly. Even if his existence to the bigger world remains largely hidden.
7. Van Hohenheim
Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist Starting out as a relatively innocent and curious man, his cruel past forces him to slowly accumulate knowledge… before one fateful encounter finally built his resolve to face the entity that started it all. He’s of course the one and only father of Edward and Alphonse. His coolness factor doesn’t only come from his ageless beard or god-level alchemy skills, but also from his personality and individuality that brought him and Trisha together… which is something that he seems to have passed onto his two sons.
6. Juuzou Okita
Anime: Space Battleship Yamato Ah yes, the iconic captain of that legendary space battleship. As far as character development goes, he’s more than just the stereotypical sacrificial hero. But he’s molded so much by his tough circumstances, that he still ends up firmly in the spot regardless. Oddly enough (or perhaps not?), this bearded geezer does have a few very, very subtle tendencies. Generally towards more comedic “old man” stereotypes, though you probably won’t catch him red-handed anytime soon.
5. Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto
Anime: Bleach The “wise, old man” of the Soul Society, Genryuusai is as Japanese as one Shinigami can get. For starters, he has a very strong sense of organization and tradition. He greatly appreciates valor, hard work, and determination, even to the point of admiring these traits in his opponents. Strange? Well, not as strange as you think. This guy aAbsolutely abhors traitors. And of course, he’s known for his love of tea ceremonies. Okay, his bearded may look more Chinese than Japanese at times. But the rest of my points still stand! And really, this guy’s beard is a knock out no matter what.
4. Jigen Daisuke
Anime: Lupin III To deny the awesomeness of Jigen’s beard and guns, is to deny reality itself. Being the two most instantly noticeable features of the character, they’re elements that practically make him iconic to many fans. And he’s not just some gunsman, either. He’s the absolute, definitive best marksman within the series. You’d probably have less faith in Lupin’s wild escape tactics than Jigen’s shooting skills, no matter how utterly farfetched and hopeless the situation may be.
3. Joseph Joestar
Anime: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure While the hot-headed younger version has himself may seem charming, the more mature and calmer Joseph amps up his attractive enigmatic features even further. In his maturity, Joseph also develops some “evolved reactions” to less favorable situations. As for his combat prowess, it’s as diverse as ever. Despite relying on one single tool and one primary capability. Quite unsurprisingly, his comedic tendencies in misdirection and mishandling situations are still very much present. Even with his dandy beardy-aged self.
2. Iskandar
Anime: Fate/Zero By far one of the most popular servants in the entire Fate series by sheer personality and attitude alone, Broskandar basically overflows with charisma. There probably isn’t a single person, regardless of gender, that isn’t drawn to his absolute alpha-dude charm. After all, the real-life historical figure is just as influential to people in general, as well. Oh, and don’t forget about his awesome skills as a servant! The beard is just the icing on the cake.
1. Isaac Netero
Anime: Hunter x Hunter Isaac’s wily antics, positive attitude, relative unpredictability, backstory, and age-born wisdom already make him a notable character by default. But put his mastered combat skills together with all that, and you get one of the (al)most unstoppable characters of his own series. Make no mistake, however. Netero is not a hero, nor anything relatively noble. But top everything that he has with his signature old man beard, and you get the instant number one for this list.
