While there are several anime tropes that one can witness while watching a series, one that happens to stand out the most is when an unpopular guy becomes popular, as he is surrounded by a group of people who are either enamored by his charm or acknowledge his strengths or accomplishments.
While most series have the protagonist become popular over time, here we have picked the anime in which the protagonist was nowhere near popular at the beginning and managed to become popular due to their own efforts, some miracle, or being noticed by that one special person.
Lookism, Naruto, and 8 other anime where an unpopular guy becomes popular
1) I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World
I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World follows protagonist Yuya Tenjou, an obese boy who is ruthlessly bullied all his life. That's when he finds a mysterious door to another world that allows him to take back the results of his experience back to the real world.
In this fantasy world, Yuya manages to level up, lose a lot of weight, and become attractive, following which he became very popular in the real world. Women would be enamored by his looks and would often stare at him when he would pass by.
2) Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! follows the lives of Hana Uzaki, who decides to hang out with her upperclassman Shinichi Sakurai, who was previously very active but is now lonesome. Thus, Uzaki spends time with him to make sure that he is not alone.
However, as time passes by, Sakurai becomes more active and starts working out, leading to him slowly becoming popular. Uzaki, who had started developing feelings for him, starts worrying if some other girl would sway him away from her.
3) Black Clover
Black Clover follows the story of Asta, a peasant boy with no magic in a world where everyone has it. Due to the fact that he was a powerless peasant, he was very unpopular when he joined the Magic Knights.
However, soon after, Asta starts becoming popular as he showcases his strengths and courage to fight the strongest mages. This leads to several girls having a crush on him, while his peers, even from other Magic Knight Brigades, root for him.
4) Tokyo Revengers
Tokyo Revengers follows the story of Hanagaki Takemichi, a man in his mid-twenties, who was very unpopular. He previously had a girlfriend and a group of friends in a gang. However, he drifted away from them in an attempt to run away from the delinquent life.
After learning that his ex-girlfriend passed away, Takemichi happens to time loop back to when he was in middle school and decides to climb up the ranks of the gang and protect his girlfriend, during which he becomes popular.
5) Rent a Girlfriend
After 20-year-old Kazuya Kinoshita goes through a tragic breakup, he rents a girlfriend out of desperation. This girl happens to be the S-tier beauty Chizuru Ichinose, being with whom makes Kazuya very popular. While he decides not to rent a girlfriend again, a series of events lead him to rent Chizuru repeatedly.
Soon after, Kazuya catches the eye of Ruka, who wants to become Kazuya's girlfriend. Later, another girl, Sumi, who is Chizuru's colleague, also starts to develop feelings for Kazuya.
6) Lookism
Lookism follows the life of Park Hyung Suk, a chubby boy, for whom being bullied, being name-called, and being beaten are everyday things. Later, when he unexpectedly transfers schools in the hopes of starting anew, an opportunity arises in front of him.
Hyung Suk becomes the owner of two bodies, as when he falls asleep in one body, he wakes up in the other. Fortunately for him, his other body is tall, handsome, and strangely athletic, which immediately leads to him becoming very popular.
7) Naruto
Ever since Naruto was a child, he was admonished by everyone in his village, leading him to live a very lonesome life. Thus, to become acknowledged by everyone, he decides to become the Hokage.
While the journey was long and hard, Naruto becomes a strong shinobi and defeats the Akatsuki leader Pain, soon after which he became very popular. He later plays a vital role in the Fourth Shinobi World War, which lead to him eventually becoming the Seventh Hokage.
8) Horimiya
In Horimiya, the protagonist Izumi Miyamura was previously is considered to be very boring as he lives under the noses of his peers.
However, after he meets Kyouko Hori, he starts to open up to her and eventually becomes her boyfriend. As expected, due to Hori's popularity, Miyamura also starts getting popular while making several friends, with whom he can behave like his true self.
9) Fruit of Evolution
Fruit of Evolution follows the story of Seiichi Hiiragi, who gets constantly bullied due to his somewhat undesirable appearance. One day, a man claiming to be a god hacks Seiichi's school's intercoms and transports the students to another world.
In the new world, Seiichi arrives at a location deep in the forest, where he discovers a strange fruit known as the "Fruit of Evolution," which causes him to become the pinnacle of human coolness, eventually leading to him becoming popular.
10) Chivalry of a Failed Knight
Chivalry of a Failed Knight is an anime where an unpopular guy becomes popular as the story focuses on Ikki Kurogane, the sole F-rated Blazer in the Hagun Academy to become Mage-Knights. Here, he happens to have a duel with A-rated Blazer Stella Vermillion, which he ends up winning.
Soon after, Ikki starts to become popular as his powers and talents are finally recognized by his peers. Meanwhile, the women around him started to feel attracted to him due to his powers.
These were our picks of anime where an unpopular guy becomes popular. If you feel like some other anime should have made the list, do comment down below.