In anime, whenever a guy wears glasses you’re just waiting for him to push them up, with the light shining over them, and say something witty. Or at least a “yare yare”. We’ve already ranked some of the best girl choices for anime ladies with glasses. So here we’re going to be looking at the best bespectacled bad boys that anime has to offer.
20. Klaus Lunettes
Anime: Black Clover
I definitely wasn’t too fond of this guy once he was introduced, as he just seemed like your typical noble character that’s around to annoy other characters and get punched now and then.
But to my surprise, he got quite an upgrade. Specifically one of the biggest bromances with Asta.
I don’t know why, but the fact that he cares so deeply for Asta, the Black Bulls, and of course his own squad, all while also trying to act cool and collected… it’s just adorable and always fun to see.
19. Yukio Okumura
Anime: Ao no Exorcist Yukio is such an overachiever that he managed to be a teacher to his own brother. His older brother to be more precise. He’s a very one and done type of dude who likes to stick by the books and excel in every aspect of his field. Compared to his more rowdy and headstrong brother, he does come off as less interesting. But as the series progresses we see their relationship is the backbone of the entire plot. He has his scummy moments, he is still human after all. But overall he’s a sweetheart who just happens to also be a badass if needed.
18. Tenya Iida
Anime: Boku no Hero Academia
Ah the class rep character, always an interesting find.
Iida sticks to the basic formula of keeping everyone in line, abiding by the rules, and giving utmost respect to the teachers.
However, at times his personality is so over-the-top that it’s impossible to take him seriously. As he’ll literally act as if he’s landing a plane while just pointing towards the cafeteria.
With the Stain arc we saw a more raw and rebellious side to Iida. But he has hardly allowed for his emotions to take over in the same way since that incident.
17. Ranpo Edogawa
Anime: Bungo Stray Dogs One of the few characters whose power actually relies on his glasses. I mean, it does, but also doesn’t. You know what I mean if you watched the series. But whenever a case needs to be solved he’ll throw those bad boys onto his face and boom, the case has been solved. Showcasing an admirable Rick and Morty fan level of intelligence, Ranpo is one of the most important assets the team has. And his quick thinking has helped them in many sticky situations.
16. Joujirou Takajou
Anime: Charlotte This character fills a very similar hole in my heart, similar as Iida, although for slightly different reasons. He’s also a tight-laced school president type of a character. However it’s not his over-the-top nature that gives me the giggles, but rather his power. You see, he has the ability to move at incredible speeds. However, he can’t change his direction once he gets going. And the only way to stop is to hit something. So just seeing this serious character launch into the wall over and over again never ceases to get a laugh out of me.
15. Kinrou
Anime: Dr. Stone If you aren’t caught up on your prehistoric technology then this one might come as a shocker, as Kinrou’s glasses were actually a very important plot point. The man is another example of a by the book type, which I’m realizing is most of them on this list. But he’s also an excellent fighter. And he was excellent even before he knew that the world’s not supposed to be in 480p. So when Senku finally gave him the glasses, the man went from strong to strongest in a matter of seconds.
14. Shizuo Heiwajima
Anime: Durarara!! Finally, someone who doesn’t follow the rules! Shizuo is the polar opposite of everyone I’ve listed so far. He’s just a man with a short temper and the muscle of god. He’s probably best known for throwing vending machines around town in anger. And getting hit by a truck, getting up, then throwing more vending machines in even more anger. In the few moments where he’s not blowing his top, we see that he’s quite the caring individual. Especially in regards to his brother, who just wants to be of service and protect those he cares about.
13. Leorio Paladiknight
Anime: Hunter x Hunter (2011) I just love Leorio. He’s such a genuine and loving guy. During the exams, he might have come off as a loudmouth who only wants those dollar bills. But that fades away quickly as we learn his motive behind the money. Unfortunately, he takes a hiatus for the majority of the show. Until the last arc where he absolutely steals the spotlight. The teleport punch felt so deserved, and his reunion with Gon has to be one of the most touching anime moments I had the pleasure of seeing.
12. Escanor
Anime: The Seven Deadly Sins When we first see Escanor he’s in his “night form”, a scrawny little guy with glasses who doesn’t want any trouble, but is always willing to help. He just looks like such a lovable goof. I’m almost sad that this form doesn’t get more screen time. But then big daddy Escanor comes into the picture with “Hail to the king” blaring in the background, his shirt ripping at the seams, and the glasses fall off. I guess mister pride over here is too good to wear glasses when he’s in his bulk form. Hmph, typical.
11. Shino Aburame
Anime: Naruto This guy used to be so cool. A quiet, mysterious dude with glasses and a hoodie that covered most of his face. And when it was time to fight, boom. A million bugs come from all directions, he’s five steps ahead of his opponent, victory secured, he says something cool and then leaves. In the sequel that should not be named he’s very nice. I can respect that. But also he’s a complete wuss who gets soloed by a genin, so consider my boy sufficiently massacred.
10. Kaoru Yamazaki
Anime: Welcome to the N.H.K. Finally, a true man of taste! Kaoru is as otaku as it gets, with his entire room being covered in anime girls. His computer constantly blasting anime music, too. And his main goal in life being to design an idol game. Or at least, that was his goal after getting chummy with Satou. He’s definitely passionate about his craft, as I doubt even priests yammer about the bible as much as this man talks about his anime girls. But it all comes from a good place. A respect for the medium and whatnot. And by the end of the series, we see that he’s more than capable of living a different life. But he will still hold onto that passion from the past.
9. Kazuma
Anime: Noragami Aragoto Besides Yukine, Kazuma probably had the most distinct personality of all the shinki. Particularly because his relationship to Bishamon was not always so simple. Sometimes he had to lie and go behind her back for her own good. He’s also one of the few characters that gave Yato the time of day, as he knew his name was tarnished for the wrong reasons. As a shinki, he isn’t very strong on his own. But added to any multi-shinki operation and he’s beyond strong, as he can perfectly align them all and help everyone be at maximum efficiency.
8. Shinra Kishitani
Anime: Durarara!! Shinra and Celty’s relationship is perhaps one of the most wholesome stories I have seen. Sure, it’s not always perfect. And Shinra even kept a pretty big secret from Celty. But it’s obvious there is never any malice. Shinra is the type of character who will profess his love every chance he gets, and always be truthful about it. Even if his taste is a bit unorthodox. He’s an underground doctor so it’s not like he’s a saint by any means. But how can you not love a character who loves so strongly?
7. Nobuchika Ginoza
Anime: Psycho-Pass The character progression this man has seen can only be compared to that of Akane, despite his supportive role. He starts off as the glasses-wearing classic. A by-the-books character who lashes out on any reckless behavior. Then we learn his backstory and how he came to be like this, and we feel sorry. Then we learn who his father is, and we have mixed feelings. And his father just had to do that thing where he would do anything for his baby boy, and we cried. Gino is such a well-crafted character who offers so much more than meets the spectacled eye.
6. Kusuo Saiki
Anime: The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. At least I can’t say Saiki is a stickler for the rules, as what rules could ever account for this godlike esper? So he kind of makes up his own rules, all for the purpose of people not knowing of his powers and getting off his back. He achieves mixed results, as to his dismay everyone is drawn to him and just can’t let him be. He was happy to have so many friends a few times. Other times it was a good thing he had his rules in place. Otherwise he would have teleported them all into space or something.
5. Sakamoto
Anime: Sakamoto Desu ga? If God truly was one of us, he would be Sakamoto. It’s not unusual for the titular character to be better than everyone else. But Sakamoto really makes a mockery out of everyone who happens to share his screen time. He’s proficient at everything, looks good while doing anything, is liked by everyone, and can befriend anyone. The show starts off with his bullies falling in love with him, after all. And don’t get me started on the milfs. They really just want to jump his bones.
4. Jin
Anime: Samurai Champloo I feel like anyone would look like a straight-laced person next to Mugen. The man is like a walking anarchy. Jin is a legendary samurai who travels alongside Mugen and Sakura, I mean Fuu, as they search for the sunflower samurai. He’s serious about 90% percent of the time, only occasionally breaking out of character and indulging himself with Mugen over some drinks. Or some ladies. It really depends on the night they’re having. He’s the more caring one of the two. But that hardly means anything when you’re a samurai with hundreds of corpses on your hands.
3. Itaru Hashida
Anime: Steins;Gate I love super hacker(you know how you should pronounce it) Itaru. Partly because he’s kind of the backbone of the group, when you think about it. As none of the inventions would have been possible without him. And partly because he’s usually so laid back, every burst of emotion he feels carries so much weight. Whether it be anger at Okabe or just the most touching moments with Suzuha. He’s both physically and mentally such a well-rounded character that I find it very difficult to say anything bad about the lad. Nice glasses too.
2. Yuusaku Kitamura
Anime: Toradora! Yuusaku would make for an excellent assassin. I mean, no one seems to ever hear him approaching, and he’s everywhere all the time. Aside from his possible career path, he fits snugly in the president category. Only this time he’s a vice president. That is, until he pulled a Stan on everyone, that I really did not see coming nor is it something you see quite often with the archetype. He’s generally kind, a bit goofy, a bit dense, and usually very funny, although not always intentionally. Still lovable.
1. Kamina
Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Hands down one of my favorite characters of all time. Not just in Gurren Lagann but in all of anime, and certainly in the category of “guys with glasses”. Kamina is a loudmouth who refuses to bow under the very foot of life. He’s constantly struggling to move up, but also taking everyone he cares about along with him. His capability to boost morale and aid other people’s mental growth is second to none. And before long, even the enemy held him in high respect. He’s the only character to ever make me unironically wish that a show had Dragon balls or something, that’s how hard his absence hit.
