- Anime Characters
Pink-haired characters are popular in anime, but not all are equally loved. Here are our favorites and why they're so great.
ByTrent Cannon
Apr 3, 2023
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If there's one great truth in this world, it's that pink hair looks absolutely adorable on anyone. No wonder it's so prevalent in anime!
While many of the best pink-haired anime characters are girls, there are plenty of guys who can rock the look as well. From important figures to whimsical supporting characters, pink hair can lend cuteness and levity to even the most serious "must protect at all costs" heroes.
Here are my picks for the best anime characters with pink hair and why you'll love them as much as I do.
10. Mei Hatsume (My Hero Academia)
In the world of My Hero Academia, most people are born with some sort of special ability (called Quirks). These superpowers range from sweating explosions to having a long tail, and most kids dream of using their Quirks to become professional superheroes.
Mei Hatsume has a different dream: she just wants to make cool equipment. She's part mad scientist and part sidekick, so you never really know what she's going to do next.
But one thing's for sure: her gadgets help most of the main cast perform the heroics the show is known for. My Hero Academia wouldn't be the same without this awesome pink-haired character's support!
Related: The Coolest Quirks in My Hero Academia That Are Really Useful
9. Zero Two (Darling in the Franxx)
She's playful and dangerous in equal measure, which makes Zero Two hard not to love. In fact, she's one of the most popular characters in the entire Darling in the Franxx series.
Her pink hair might make her look cute, but she's ruthless when it comes to stamping out the giant monsters that threaten what's left of humanity. Behind her mischievous smile, there's a heartbreaking tragedy that you'll uncover slowly as the show plays out.
Related: The Most Sexualized Anime Characters Ruined by Fan Service
8. Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen)
When Jujutsu Kaisen first starts, Yuji Itadori is already a powerhouse of a fighter. For reasons that aren't really explained, he's got near-superhuman strength and toughness.
Once he becomes host to the powerful Curse named Sukuna, his life becomes even more interesting. Over the series, Yuji slowly grows into the world of Curses and the Sorcerers who eliminate them, all while keeping his upbeat and friendly attitude.
It's rare for a male anime protagonist to have pink hair, but Yuji is one of the best examples of it.
7. Natsu Dragneel (Fairy Tail)
You'd be forgiven if you assumed Natsu Dragneel was a typical shonen anime protagonist at first glance, but he's far from that.
Natsu has flame-based magic and a wild personality, but the story of Fairy Tail offers a crazy mix of chaotic action and emotional depth that gives this wielder of Dragon Slayer Magic much room to grow.
Natsu is one of the best male pink-haired anime characters because of how much he changes throughout the show's run without any of those developments feeling forced or unnatural.
Related: The Most Heroic Animes With Brave and Selfless Characters
6. Mina Ashido (My Hero Academia)
It might not be fair to include Mina Ashido on this list, given that it's not only her hair that's pink—her entire body is pink!
But that doesn't change the fact that she's such a bright and vibrant character in the My Hero Academia world.
She isn't the best student and she occasionally gets distracted while on training missions, but she makes up for it by having the sickest dance moves in Class 1-A.
5. Saiki Kusuo (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K)
Saiki Kusuo was born with incredible psychic powers, but with that great power also comes great boredom.
He can read minds, turn people to stone, and even alter time. That makes the average day at school incredibly predictable, day after day after day, and there are no surprises in his life. But that's okay.
Saiki just wants to live a normal life—like enjoying his favorite dessert in peace—but his oddball friends keep getting in the way.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is one of the funniest and most out-there animes you'll ever see, and a lot of that comes down to the greatness of this pink-haired protagonist at the center of it all.
4. Sakura Haruno (Naruto)
From the very beginning of Naruto, Sakura Haruno has been one of the show's most important characters.
She's smarter than most ninjas her age—especially Naruto and Sasuke—and she can come up with new strategies on the fly. Later, after the narrative time skip, she has the physical strength to break mountains. Later still, she develops world-class medical skills.
Even when she's outmatched, she's never scared to dive into the fray if it means keeping her friends and her home safe. Sakura is a pink-haired girl who can give you a proper beatdown if you cross her.
Related: The Most Hated Anime Characters Who Are Simply the Worst
3. Nurse Joy (Pokémon)
Every Pokémon trainer has been in this situation: after a long string of fights against other trainers, your team needs to get patched up.
That's when you go see Nurse Joy at the nearest Pokémon Center, who will make sure your Pokémon get the best possible care.
She's kind and warm—even if she constantly rebuffs our boy Brock's advances—and can't stand to see any Pokémon in pain. Those are all excellent qualities and her pink hair is just the cherry on top.
2. Mitsuri Kanroji (Demon Slayer)
Even in the middle of a war against demons, you can always use a little love. In Demon Slayer, Mitsuri Kanroji is the Love Hashira, which means she's one of the most skilled members of the Demon Slayer Corps.
With her pink hair and obsession with love, it would be easy to write her off as a vapid, shallow character. However, Mitsuri is also one of the physically strongest individuals in all of Demon Slayer.
She can destroy mountains with her bare hands while smiling so casually. If you enjoy your anime girls adorable yet strong enough to break you in half, Mitsuri should be at the top of your list.
1. Anya Forger (Spy X Family)
The Forgers make for one of the most unusual families in anime history.
The father figure Loid is a spy who's trying to gain access to one of the country's most influential families. The mother figure Yor is a highly skilled assassin who works for a shady organization. The family dog is cute and dopey but can see the future.
And then there's the daughter figure Anya Forger, who can read people's minds but can never let anyone know that she can. Anya was an orphan so she desperately wants to stay as a family unit with Loid and Yor, even if neither of them is her biological parent.
There are plenty of big action sequences in Spy X Family, but Anya is the heart of the show who glues it all together. She's so young and naive, yet she tries her hardest to build a real family in all the chaos.
Most of all, she's just so darn cute. It's hard to think of an anime character who's cuter than she is, which explains why Anya Forger is one of the most beloved pink-haired anime characters of all time.
Read next: The Best Anime Families, Clans, and Bloodlines, Ranked
