Black Anime Characters: Female and Male

Anime features characters from all kinds of backgrounds. Black and dark-skinned characters often stay in your head because they stand out visually and bring a strong presence to the story.

This list is not only about main characters, but also about supporting roles that fans remember because of their design, energy, or backstory. Those are often the figures that make an anime unforgettable.

Depending on how strictly you define the category, the selection can include black, dark-skinned, and sometimes Afro- or Indian-inspired characters. If you are interested in the broader topic of black people in Japan, we also have a separate article about that.

Let us take a look at the list.

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Michiko Malandro and Afro Samurai - two standout characters

Michiko is the protagonist of Michiko & Hatchin, an anime set in Brazil. The character is Afro-Latin and her design was inspired by the R&B singer Aaliyah.

She is one of the few black protagonists in anime and stands out not only for her look, but also for her sharp attitude and clear personality.

Afro Samurai is a home run from the name alone: the character stands for style, toughness, and a very striking silhouette. That also fits our article about Yasuke, the black samurai of Japan.

Black characters in Hunter x Hunter

In Hunter x Hunter, two figures stand out in particular: Canary, the apprentice maid of the Zoldyck estate, and Squala, who appears in the Phantom Troupe arc.

Both characters won fans over quickly, even though they appear only briefly. That is probably because of their design and the role they play in the story. Squala stays memorable despite the short screen time.

Canary also stands out because of her appearance and personality. She is exactly the kind of character you see once and instantly remember.

Black female anime characters

We already mentioned two female characters in this article, Michiko and Canary, but there are many others worth naming here. Below is a list of some of the most notable black female characters in anime:

Yoruichi Shihouin - One of the most well-known black figures in anime, very strong, charismatic, and featured in the major shounen Bleach.

Edward - One of the protagonists of Cowboy Bebop, a wonderful, skilled, and very intelligent girl, a hacker and technology lover.

Sister Krone - One of the caretakers at the orphanage in Yakusoku no Neverland, and despite her intimidating presence, she remains a memorable character.

Kaolla Su - A foreign character with an Indian-like appearance from Love Hina. Her personality and energy stand out immediately.

Here are some other well-known female characters:

• Ikumi Mito - Shokugeki no Souma;
• Abigail Jones - Great Pretender;
• Aoi Asahina - Danganronpa;
• Sakura Oogami - Highschool of the Dead;
• Rakshata Chawla - Code Geass;
• Karako Koshio - Deadman Wonderland;
• Hayase Nagatoro - Nagatoro;
• Muru Muru - Mirai Nikki;
• Urd - Ah! Megami-sama;
• Paninya - Fullmetal Alchemist;

Black male anime characters

After Squala and Afro Samurai, it is worth looking at other male figures that are often mentioned in this context:

Scar - One of the fan-favorite antagonists in Fullmetal Alchemist, with a tragic backstory that deals with prejudice and war in the world of alchemists.

Hattori Heiji - A popular character from Detective Conan. Although he is Japanese from Kansai, he has dark skin, which he says comes from his grandfather.

Agil - One of the characters from Sword Art Online. His real name is Andrew Gilbert Mills, showing that he is an African-American foreigner in Japan who owns his own bar.

Hinweis: Many characters in this kind of list stand out because of their silhouette, posture, and face. It is not the hairstyle alone that makes them interesting, but the whole presence they bring.

Below you can find more male anime characters:

• Lord Genome - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann;
• Ren Akatsuki - Fairy Tail;
• Yasutora Sado - Bleach;
• Killer B - Boruto; Simon Brezhnev - Durarara!!
• Dutch - Black Lagoon;
• Phil - Yakusoku no Neverland;

Large list of black anime characters

To wrap things up, here is a larger list of black anime characters that fans keep mentioning:

• Yoruichi Shihouin - Bleach, 
•  Killer Bee - Naruto Shippuden 
•  Afro Samurai - Afro Samurai 
•  Canary - Hunter x Hunter 
•  A (Fourth Raikage) - Naruto Shippuden 
•  Darui - Naruto Shippuden 
•  Huey Freeman 
•  Muhammad Avdol 
•  Tier Halibel - Bleach 
•  Aokiji 
•  Michiko - Michiko to Hatchin 
•  Riley Freeman - The Boondocks 
•  Karui - Naruto Shippuden 
•  Omoi - Naruto Shippuden 
•  Kaname Tōsen 
•  Agil - Sword Art Online 
•  Sid Barrett - Soul Eater 
•  Dutch - Black Lagoon 
•  Mila-Rose 
•  Sol Marron - Blackk 
•  Ay (Third Raikage) 
•  Rock Lock (Ken Takagi) - My Hero Academia 
•  Kilik Rung 
•  Allura 
•  Ishizu Ishtar - Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters 
•  Uub - Dragon Ball GT 
•  Villetta Nu - Code Geass 
•  Simon Brezhnev - Durarara!! 
•  Ninja Ninja - Afro Samurai, Afro Samurai: Resurrection 
•  Ogun Montgomery - Fire Force 
•  Daz Bones - One Piece - Alabasta Arc 
•  Marik Ishtar - Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters, Yu-Gi-Oh! 
•  Carole Stanley - Carole & Tuesday 
•  Atsuko Jackson - Michiko to Hatchin 
•  Sister Krone - The Promised Neverland 
•  Iris - Pokémon 
•  Miyuki Ayukawa 
•  King Bakura - Yu-Gi-Oh! 
•  Tiona Hiryute - DanMachi 
•  Love Aikawa - Bleach 
•  Philly the Kid - Canon Busters 
•  Karako Koshio - Deadman Wonderland 
•  Sandaime Muramasa 
•  Alex Benedetto 
•  Abengane - Hunter x Hunter 
•  Bob Makihara - Tenjho Tenge 
•  Young Blak - Blokhedz Mission G Animated Web Series 
•  Lenora - Pokémon 
•  Onyankopon - Attack on Titan 
•  Charon - Fire Force 
•  Urd - Oh My Goddess! 
•  Mana - Yu-Gi-Oh! 
•  Angie Yonaga - Danganronpa 
•  Edelgard - How Not to Summon a Demon Lord 
•  April - Darker Than Black 
•  Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst - Zero no Tsukaima 
•  Jerso - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 
•  Amalia Sheran Sharm 
•  Kaz Kaan 
•  Jackie Tristan - Bleach 
•  Bear Walken - Gungrave 
•  James Ironside 
•  Garterbelt - Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt 
•  Pyunma/Cyborg 
•  Anthy Himemiya - Revolutionary Girl Utena
•  Musa Karama - Run With The Wind 
•  Kuro von Einzbern - Fate Series 
•  Mahad - Yu-Gi-Oh! 
•  Satoshi Batista - Michiko to Hatchin 
•  Domino Walker - Cowboy Bebop 
•  Abdul Hakim 
•  Claudia Grant - Robotech 
•  Tom Tanaka 
•  Phil - Digimon Adventure 
•  Brock - Pokémon
•  Chocolove McDaniel 
•  Akagi Takenori - Slam Dunk 
•  Archer Emiya Shirou - Fate Series 
•  Akio Ohtori - Revolutionary Girl Utena 
•  Enrico Pucci 
•  Robert Jebediah Freeman - The Boondocks 
•  Jan Valentine - Hellsing 
•  Squala (Hunter x Hunter) 
•  Nathan Seymour - Tiger & Bunny, Tiger & Bunny 
•  Tiziano (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure) 
•  Nagatoro-chan 
•  Hibina 
•  Abigail Jones 
•  Davi - Michiko to Hatchin 
•  Louis Machungo

Is there a character you think absolutely belongs on this list? Which black or dark-skinned anime character stays with you the most?