7 Anime MCs Better Than Goku

There may not be another main anime character more famous around the world than Goku. In the decades since its first chapter, Dragon Ball has become one of the most famous manga and anime series, and as a result, people from all over the world know the series' leading man.

But many other anime MC's have come since Goku first came on the scene. As great and iconic as he is, you could argue that these anime protagonists are just better written.

Gintoki Sakata

On the surface, Gintoki might seem like another goofy, fun shonen protagonist. He has his fair share of quirks, and his unique personality helps drive quite a few Gintama's absurdist comedy. But there's more to Gin and the series than well-executed comedic moments. Underneath it all, Gin stands as one of the more interesting shonen protagonists.

Although Gin comes across as something of a layabout and can be quite immature at times, there are many times throughout the series that show a different, more grounded version of the character. Gin has faced adversity, and there are times throughout the series where he has to face his past. Although they are often shown for comedic effect, you can tell that Gin truly cares about Shinpachi, Kagura, and the rest of his inner circle. He doesn't necessarily have some big goal to pursue or anything like that; he's just a normal guy who cares about the people around him and likes to read Jump.

Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama

Saitama may be the most famous of ONE's protagonists, but one could argue that Mob is the more interesting one. At first, Mob seems like a very typical shy, lonely character. He doesn't look that interesting and doesn't do much, if anything, to stand out. But that's all by design. Although Mob seems unremarkable, he is actually an incredibly powerful psychic.

Most people would let it give them a bit of an ego, but Mob shows an unwillingness to trust his psychic abilities. He joins the school's Body Improvement Club and wants to grow through hard work rather than just taking care of his psychic abilities. Mob's psychic abilities are incredibly advanced, but he doesn't let them affect how he acts or how he treats people. Having so much power from a young age, Mob was forced to be reserved, and a great deal of it Mob Psycho 100 sees Mob becoming more comfortable with himself, making him a great down-to-earth character despite his overwhelming power.

Haruhi Suzumiya

Goku may be the most famous anime protagonist out there, but there was a time in the mid-2000s when Haruhi Suzumiya seemed to be the next big thing. Haruhi may not be the force of nature she was two decades ago, but she's still a great character.

Haruhi comes across as incredibly bossy at times and can be insensitive at times. But she is also incredibly caring and loyal to her friends in the SOS brigade. She always attacks what she and the rest of the club do with an energy and enthusiasm that you can't help but admire. Can she be a bit much sometimes? Sure. But that's part of the fun.

Intestines

Is there a character in anime more tragic than Guts? Berserk is not for the faint of heart. Its world is cruel and unforgiving and often shows us how helpless people can be in the face of terrible adversity and unfortunate circumstances. Its main role is no different.

The Golden Age Arc does a great job of establishing Guts as a character alongside key members of the Band of the Hawk such as Casca, Griffith, Judeau, Pippin, Rickert and Corkus​​​​ The arc shows us Gut's tragic past, how it shaped him into the lone mercenary we meet at the beginning of the series, and how his relationship with the Band of the Hawk helps him develop into a more three-dimensional character. Guts tries to make his own way and finds the will to live his life in a way that he sees as worth it. Of course, certain events lead to Guts becoming a damaged, revenge-driven character. The difficult journey he embarks on, alongside the obstacles life has already thrown at him, is why Guts is such an interesting character, and why fans have been rooting for him all these years.

Spike Spiegel

Spike is definitely one of the coolest anime characters out there. But behind all the charm and old-fashioned cool, there's a deeply damaged, fantastic character that serves as its heart and soul Cowboy Livepage

It's easy to see Spike's appeal as a protagonist. He's a cigarette-smoking, gun-wielding martial artist who remains cool and collected in the most dire of situations, and has a laissez-faire attitude that you can't help but admire. But Spike is a much more damaged character than he initially appears to be. Beneath his nonchalance is a traumatic past rooted in loss and regret. Spike kind of just lingers, unable to let go of the past. When you see it, his carefree, lazy personality goes from charming to tragic. He is not a traditional hero. Although he appears to be a decent person, Spike does not do things with a strong sense of justice in mind and instead does what he has to do to get by.

Edward Elric

It's hard not to feel for the Elric brothers. Orphaned at a young age and abandoned by their father, the boys' lives were already tragic enough before a misguided, grief-motivated attempt to bring back their dead mother scarred both Edward and Alphonse Elric physically and mentally.

Edward's journey throughout the series is a big part of why Full metal alchemist is such a great show. He's still very immature, but he's had to shoulder so much and has already learned so many hard life lessons that he has the kind of insight and perspective that not many skilled characters he's shown have. The guilt he feels over his and Al's accident lingers for most of the series, making him feel like he has to shoulder the burden alone, eventually forcing him to let others in and accept help.

Eren Yeager

Eren is arguably the most controversial anime protagonist out there, and that's exactly why he's such a great MC. We started out as a sneering, angry underdog and watched Eren face trial after trial, navigate the Titan threat, mysteries beyond the Wall, and later the truth behind Paradis' past.

Anime and manga fans know how this goes, with Eren playing the role of villain towards the end of the series and committing the most heinous act humanity has ever seen. While most anime protagonists are good, just human, Eren's morals are much more gray. He has blood on his hands, and while some understand his motives and why he did what he did, others cannot see past his transgressions. The conversation surrounding Eren's actions continues to this day, which shows what a well-written character he is.