Summary
One of the best parts of watchinganimeis seeing characters do things that we would never be able to do ourselves. Sometimes, in order to reach those new heights, characters need a boost that goes deeper than training or powers can get. That’s where we get so many half-human hybrid characters who get their abilities from their non-human aspects.
Whether they got their half-human status from their parents, or from some encounter that permanently changed their biology, these characters have secured their place as anime’s most iconic half-human characters.
10Choso
Jujutsu Kaisen
This character is one of the “Death Painting Wombs,” which were created by an evil sorcerer taking advantage of a woman able to give birth to human and cursed spirit hybrids. Because of this, he has a flesh-and-blood body but also the powerful cursed technique of Blood Manipulation.
He was also able to exist as a cursed object for longer than an average human lifespan before again taking on a human form. The more we see of him, the higher his laid back but ultimately protective personality gets himin the popularity rankings.
9Ryūko Mato
Kill La Kill
Born fully human, Ryūko became a hybrid after an experiment her mother did on her as a baby to fuse her body with Life Fibers, an alien organism. Since she’s a fusion, she’s not only stronger, faster, and more durable than humans, but can heal from injuries that would kill anyone else, making her a formidable fighter.
As the protagonist, we get to see her fiery personality and extra-human abilities on full display. And who couldn’t pick that iconic outfit out of any anime lineup?
8Denji
Chainsaw Man
Another character that started off fully human, Denji didn’t stay that way for long. When he was killed, his pet, who was secretly the Chainsaw Devil, became his heart, making him half-human and half-devil. With these powers, he can turn into a superhuman version of himself that sprouts chainsaws and can heal almost anything.
Despite being a hybrid, Denji remains incredibly human, so much so that his human wants and desires define what it means for him to be Chainsaw Man all together, making him relatable even in an atmosphere of ultra-violence.
7Rei Ayanami
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Rei is a complex character because, well, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a complex series. She’s a clone of the protagonist’s mother, in part. She’s created from a Seed of Life, Lilith, in part. She’s got multiple bodies, and she’s re-created multiple times even after death.
It’s this very complexity, her struggle with what it is to be “human” at all that makes her such a popular character in the series. It’s difficult to name another character like Rei in all of anime, besides the ones that are emulating her.
6Eren Yeager
Attack On Titan
Injected with the titan serum, Eren Yeager becomes both titan and human, gaining the ability to switch between those two forms. While this ability is hardly unique in the series (it’s the basis of all Titans),Eren’s particular Titan formisof upmost importance to the events of the series.
Without getting into spoilers, we can confidently say that this character takes us places we didn’t expect to go at the beginning of the manga, and that is by no means a bad thing. For that reason, he stands out even among the other half-humans that populate his world.
5Rin Okumura
Blue Exorcist
Not only is Rin the son of a demon, he’s the son of the King of all Demons, Satan himself. This gives him increased physical abilities and also grants him the use of several other inhuman powers, like pyrokinesis. To truly give us the best of both worlds, he also has a demon form alongside his human form.
Rin is everything you could ask for in a shonen protagonist: he’s powerful, loyal, intense, sworn to defeat evil, and yet still manages to find the time to have silly moments. That makes both halves of him equally satisfying to watch.
4Ken Kaneki
Tokyo Ghoul
After suffering an attack by a ghoul, and having one of her organs transplanted into him, Ken Kaneki’s normal life drastically changes. He becomes a half-ghoul hybrid, which gives him extra-human physical abilities while cursing him to struggle with the need to consume human and ghoul flesh.
In this case, his hybrid state is not only a way to bring this character into the dark world of ghouls, but also a way to set up an internal struggle between his kind human side and his more aggressive and cruel ghoul side. It’s the evolution of this struggle that makes this character so popular.
3Trunks
Dragon Ball Z
As the son of the legendary Vegeta, and the iconic inventor Bulma, Trunks had our attentionbeforehe showed up with a sword! Though he isn’t in the entire run with the main cast, and he isn’t nearly as important as the half-human Gohan, he’s central to some of theshow’s darkest and most emotional arcs.
His half-Sayian bloodline gives him access to the same power-ups as his father, which means he can go Super Saiyan with the best of them. Ultimately, though, what makes himsomemorable are his design and backstory.
2Ichigo Kurosaki
Bleach
Ichigo was born to a mother who is a sub-classificaition of human (Quincy), and a father who is a Shinigami. What this boils down to is a protagonist with a superhuman body and Shinigami powers, which is already pretty cool.
Using this foundation, he goes on to become a Soul Reaper, fighting evil spirits. By the end of the series, and through an accumulation of abilities, Ichigo is more than just half-and-half, but his epic journey still earns his place as one of the best(initially)half-human anime characters.
1Inuyasha
Inuyasha
One of the best-known half-human characters in anime, Inuyasha is also a half-dog demon, which gives him his unique appearance (and a lot of fun dog-like personality traits). He has enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and healing abilities. More importantly, he also comes equipped with a set of claws.
Like a lot of hybrid characters, Inuyasha’s hybrid status drives the plot, as he has to contend with being both too human and too demon at different times. This tension is at the heart of his incredible character arc, which is still winning over viewers today.
