8 memorable anime monsters, ranked

Human beings tend to be the most common characters in anime, but there are also plenty of memorable monsters to discuss as well. The only main difference here is that these characters are clearly not human. Some of them look like animals, while others look oddly humanoid.

Either way, they're discernible monsters of some kind. Looks can be deceiving here, as some creatures are much kinder than they look. Likewise, a few of these characters are far more vicious than one would think at first glance.

Note: For the sake of this list, anything that isn't blatantly human is fair game.

Ranking eight of the best monsters in anime

8) Kyubey (Madoka Magica)

A cute cat-like monster might be hard to take seriously as a main antagonist, but it makes more sense for those that watch Madoka Magica. Bizarrely enough for an antagonist, Kyubey seeks to prevent the death of the universe.

He tricks the main cast into becoming Puella Magi and plans to make some of the magical girls die for the sake of this goal, which is where the real villainy lies. The intrigue of the character and his design has made him a popular character, especially since looks are deceiving in this case.

This anime character isn't technically evil, either, just completely apathetic.

7) Shenron (Dragon Ball)

Regular Shenron (Image via Toei Animation)

The concept of gathering all of the Dragon Balls to get a wish is simple yet cool at the same time. As far as anime dragons go, there aren't many candidates more iconic than Shenron. He is the one who grants the wish, so long as the wish is within his power.

Shenron is not to be confused with Super Shenron, who is summoned by Super Dragon Balls. Likewise, there are several more Shenrons, but the original one is still the most memorable one.

6) Dark Magician (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Dark Magician is a Normal Monster that largely served as Yugi's deck master at the beginning of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. Unsurprisingly, that meant it got a whole archetype revolving around it, including the stupidly popular Dark Magician Girl.

However, none of that would have been possible if Dark Magician wasn't such a cool card in the anime. If Yugi needed a random card to help him win a duel, there was a good chance that it would be the original Dark Magician.

5) Dracula (Castlevania)

Promotional art featuring the iconic character (Image via Mua Film)

The Castlevania video game series is awesome, but this listicle will focus solely on the anime. Considering the fame of the character outside of video games and anime, there's a good chance that the reader already has an idea of who he is.

For those that don't know, he's a legendary vampire born from the rumors associated with Vlad Ţepeş. The Castlevania anime makes him the father of Alucard and shows how he grew to hate humanity after they treated his lover, Lisa.

After some shocking twists, the series eventually ends with Dracula and Lisa on their bed as they look forward to their future.

4) Ryuk (Death Note)

A frightening, but iconic look (Image via Madhouse)

This strange-looking Shinigami certainly has the personality of a monster. He willingly brought the Death Note into the world out of sheer boredom. Several lives are lost to that book, including the main protagonist, Light Yagami. Ryuk succeeds in being entertained by Light's attempt at getting rid of criminals, which unfortunately corrupts the poor kid.

Although Ryuk is one of the more humanoid-looking monsters on this list, there is still an aura of creepiness to his design. Unlike some other creepy creatures, Ryuk is still around, doing who knows what.

3) No-Face (Spirited Away)

A simple yet incredibly iconic design (Image via Studio Ghibli)

Studio Ghibli films are usually legendary masterclass movies that every serious anime fan should watch. The most famous one is arguably Spirited Away, which featured the monster that readers can see above this little paragraph.

No-Face is a very strange shadowy creature with a simple mask and an enormous appetite. He often mimics what he eats, as evident when he expresses the negative emotions of characters like Aogaeru. By the end of the movie, he spits those spirits out and lives happily with Zeniba as her apprentice.

No-Face is ultimately a fascinating character that isn't evil per se, even if he does have an ominous look about him.

2) Chopper (One Piece)

Chopper Sensha (Image via Toei Animation)

This reindeer ate Hito Hito no Mi to become a strange humanoid-reindeer hybrid. Most anime fans should recognize his cute mascot-like design, but he actually has several other forms:

Arm Point
Guard Point
Horn Point
Jumping Point
Kung Fu Point
Monster Point

All of these forms radically change his appearance, although it is worth mentioning that he tends to prioritize some forms (like Kung Fu Point) over others. Considering that One Piece is one of the most popular anime in the world, it's reasonable to say that Chopper has cemented himself as one of the most famous monsters in the industry.

1) Pikachu (Pokemon)

Most Pokemon could realistically be put here, but the most iconic one of them all is Pikachu, bar none. Unsurprisingly, Pikachu has also played the most important role out of any Pokemon in the anime, particularly because it was Ash's first Pokemon.

Ash's Pikachu was rebellious at first, often shocking Ash for not much reason. That all changed when Ash risked his life for Pikachu, which then led the electric rodent to become much kinder to his trainer. It is also worth mentioning that there are technically several Pikachu in the anime, some of which have completely different personalities from Ash's Pikachu.

This electric mouse has become a household name worldwide, making it a strong contender compared to the more niche options from the previous entries (that are largely only relevant in anime communities).

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective.