The power of friendship is a common theme in anime. And why shouldn’t it be? Having friends is awesome! But there are some anime characters who aren’t about that lifestyle. What you see as an opportunity for human connection and shared joy, they see as a potential obstacle to their goals or a sign of weakness. A few have become fan favorites over the years, and so we’re gonna run down 10 anime characters who want nothing to do with your group hugs. Sasuke Uchiha Series: Naruto RELATED: Which Naruto Character Are You Most Like? Sasuke is the patron saint of refusing your handshake. When he arrives on the scene in Naruto , he has to pretty much be forced to work as a team with Naruto and Sakura to form Team 7, and even still, his focus on avenging the death of his family and the Uchiha clan overshadows everything else. It inevitably takes him down a pretty dark path, and his redemption only comes thanks to the only thing more powerful than a Sasuke frown: a Naruto smile. Sasuke's attitude might have made him a bit of a lone wolf in the Hidden Leaf Village, but it made him a hit in the Naruto fandom. Every headband, hand symbol and cosplay you see is a testament that sometimes, you can’t help but root for adolescent angst. Eustass Kid Series: ONE PIECE RELATED: Anime to Watch if You Like One Piece There’s a lot of ONE PIECE characters who don’t want to vibe with Luffy, but it’s hard to find one that outright loathes the idea that he’s associated with the Straw Hat pirate more than Eustass Kid. From the very beginning, Kid has an attitude that screams, “I’m gonna make it to the top and I don’t need you to help me climb.” Even when that’s demonstrably untrue (without Luffy and Trafalgar Law, he’d probably still be in Kaido’s prison), he always maintains his position. Would being better at choosing friends have led him to having a few less chilling defeats? Maybe. Would his persistent bad mood be improved with a couple more pals to hang out with? Definitely. Haruka Sakura Series: WIND BREAKER RELATED: Which Bofurin Member Are You Most Like? When Sakura first shows up in Makochi, he’s a delinquent who definitely stays on brand. Anyone in WIND BREAKER who attempts to show him kindness is rebuffed, and even when he joins a group of like-minded ruffians at Furin High School, he still doesn’t quite fit in. He wants a position of power that reflects his physical strength, and the other guys want him to… help protect people? Ummm, okaaaay. Bofurin, though, has worn down Sakura’s prickly exterior just a little bit. Being essentially forced into a “hero” role will do that to you… even if you clearly want to help people (we see you, Sakura). But still, don’t expect Sakura to give you a casual high-five. We’re still not quite there… yet. Heero Yuy Series: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing RELATED: Which Mobile Suit Gundam Anime Should I Watch First? Look, there’s nothing special about a Gundam protagonist being a little off. If they’re not complicated at the beginning, then trust me, something horrific and traumatizing IS coming. But Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ’s Heero Yuy is a special kind of distant. He’s not a fan of showing emotion and keeps a straight face when other Gundam protagonists would be having a series of breakdowns. Heero is so detached that he even has a code about when it’s alright for other people to show emotions. Yeah, deep down, the kid is alright (and he certainly knows his way around a giant robot), but he’d probably make a better first impression if he gave the hint that something, anything , made him happy. Or maybe not, since his aloof personality still pulls others in. Katsuki Bakugo Series: My Hero Academia RELATED: 40 My Hero Academia Quotes Worth Remembering If Bakugo is known for anything, it’s his temper. At the beginning of My Hero Academia , he hasn’t yet come to terms with the fact that heroes are not only symbols of strength, but of maintaining peace. The classroom setting, where you’re forced to work together with other aspiring heroes-to-be, only exacerbates Bakugo’s explosive tendencies, and he typically takes out his frustration on Deku. That said, Deku still sees Bakugo’s good side, and honestly, the entire class doesn’t seem threatened by his outbursts as the series progresses, passing it off as Bakugo being Bakugo. Even Aizawa sees the good that lurks under all the shouting and fireballs. Bakugo’s not a bad kid; he’s just a lot to deal with sometimes. There’s a difference… right? Hiei Series: Yu Yu Hakusho RELATED: Anime to Watch if You Like Yu Yu Hakusho It’s hard to pick the loner-iest loner in Yu Yu Hakusho , considering that the series begins with a protagonist, Yusuke Urameshi, who only knows how to connect with other teenagers by beating them up or insulting them. But Yusuke makes some leaps in that department as the series goes on. Hiei, though? Yeah, Hiei will work on your team, but he doesn’t really want to. He and Kuwabara spend a hundred episodes on the same side, and Hiei probably likes him even less by the end of the series. It makes sense then that, in the final episode, when the cast all gather to laugh and play at the beach, Hiei remains alone and on patrol in the demon world. Lonely, potentially violent work? That’s Hiei’s idea of a good time. Group photos? You’ll have to drag him over kicking and screaming. Piccolo Series: Dragon Ball franchise RELATED: Dragon Ball Quiz: Are You a Dragon Ball Expert? It’s hard to make friends with the person who murdered your dad, even if your dad was intent on trying to conquer the world. So all of Goku’s general good-naturedness has no effect on the stone-cold Piccolo, who only wishes (at first) to defeat Goku and everyone involved with taking down his father. The timeskip to Dragon Ball Z has improved his mood very little, and he joins Goku in the fight against Raditz mostly out of spite against Raditz rather than any bond he has with Goku. What causes him to open up? Gohan. Piccolo's time with Goku’s son melts his hardened exterior and then melts his even harder interior to find the loyal soul of a fellow warrior underneath. Still, he'd much rather keep to himself, which, somehow, makes him a great babysitter. Don’t worry, though. The role of “Doesn’t play well with others” is instantly transferred over to Vegeta. Seto Kaiba Series: Yu-Gi-Oh! RELATED: Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Is Worthy of a Duel It’s pretty easy to be a loner when you’re convinced that the rest of the world can't measure up to you. The only thing that Yu-Gi-Oh! 's Seto Kaiba has to keep him company is his own pride. He doesn’t even believe in the heart of the cards! That’s a prerequisite for being the main character, my dude! Luckily, Kaiba is cool enough to stay in the warm embrace of the fandom, even if he pushes most of Yugi’s attempts to be buddies aside. Just leave him to his riches, his beloved little brother Mokuba, and his collection of Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards, and he’s set. Sousuke Sagara Series: Full Metal Panic! Full Metal Panic 's Sousuke Sagara wasn’t dealt a good hand in life when it came to making friends. His tumultuous, war-stricken childhood has left him with hair-trigger paranoia and a tendency to lash out at anything that makes him uncomfortable. His secret assignment to protect Chidori Kaname only made him even more at odds with people, and the reaction to his actions was often “DUDE, WHAT IS YOUR DEAL??” However, both Kaname and a handful of others begin to see a different side of Sousuke, and while he’ll never be the life of the party, he at least gets the chance to show that he’s not just an irritable action hero. Iyami Series: Mr. Osomatsu RELATED: 10 Memorable Gifts Given in Anime You can count the number of characters that aren’t tremendous oddballs in Mr. Osomatsu on a single finger. However, the oddest of them is Iyami, a character who spends most of his life scheming, stealing and trying to undercut everything the ‘Matsu brothers attempt. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t try to grift someone or act generally unpleasant to be around. I’m not trying to say that someone deserves to remain friendless for the rest of their lives, but I do think that Iyami might have better luck in getting people on his side if anyone could stand to be around him. Honorable Mention: BLUE LOCK RELATED: Top BLUE LOCK Moments That Have Made Our Jaws Drop (So Far) If you want an entire anime series full of characters who aren’t here to make friends, might I suggest BLUE LOCK ? Here, every new character seems to outdo each other in the friendless behavior department, but that’s to be expected in such an aggressive, Battle Royale style setup. The fact that they have to work together, while knowing there can be only one , adds to the intensity. Seriously, take your pick on this one. Yoichi Isagi? Shoei Barou? Rin Itoshi? Yes to all.
