In real life, white hair usually means you’re old. In anime and manga, though? Characters who have white hair tend to be overpowered . They’re far from deteriorating health and deep-set wrinkles, and the last thing you want to do is make an enemy out of them. When you think of a white-haired anime character, a handful probably come to mind. Maybe Archer from Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] , Hitsugaya from Bleach , or newcomers like Hajime Umemiya from WIND BREAKER . Heck, even anime characters with half-white hair are cool, like My Hero Academia ’s Shoto Todoroki or, well, Haruka Sakura from WIND BREAKER . What can I say, white-haired characters are popular for a reason! Below are my favorite characters with white hair who don’t mess around when it comes to their strength (and if you don’t see one on this list, they’re probably an honorable mention!) Gintoki Series: Gintama I have to start this list with my all-time favorite anime series, Gintama , because Gintoki Sakata is my GOAT. I know his hair is more silver than white, hence the “gin” in his name and the title, but it still counts, right? Gintoki is a samurai who runs the Yorozuya, where he takes on odd jobs with his younger employees (read: found family), Shinpachi and Kagura. On the surface, Gintoki doesn’t take anything seriously and doesn't want to do anything unless money is involved. But he’s got a softer heart than you think; he’ll go to extreme lengths to protect the people he cares about. One reason why I love Gintoki as a character is that he’s a regular guy. Compared to the aliens and other non-human species he encounters, Gintoki is still a strong character. He doesn’t have fancy powers, just sheer strength and endurance from his former years as a war veteran. The best part is, he’s not on a journey to get stronger; he just wants to live earnestly while forming special bonds with people in the city. Gintoki is a jokester most of the time, but when it gets serious, he doubles down! Ken Kaneki Series: Tokyo Ghoul RELATED: Why the Ending of Tokyo Ghoul's First Season Mattered No anime boy has ever gotten the short end of the stick as badly as Ken Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul . After turning into a ghoul from a date gone horribly wrong, Kaneki learns to live as one among other ghouls. He has adopted many names, such as Eyepatch and Centipede, but his mask, which is a lipless mouth, distinguishes him as a character. During his pre-ghoul era, Kaneki was a timid bookworm. As a ghoul, he manifests different personas as a trauma response to his changing environment, with the color of his hair changing based on these personas. While character hair color is sometimes simply a design choice, Kaneki’s represents his mental state and inner turmoil. He goes from being a human (signified by his black hair) to a ghoul (white hair), and somewhere in between, he sports black roots and white tips via Haise Sasaki. There’s also a more scientific reason why Kaneki’s hair turns white, but when observing his character throughout the show, the changes can be seen as symbolic. Kaneki is a complex character, and one of the reasons why I enjoy Tokyo Ghoul is the psychological exploration of these characters. Nice Series: TO BE HERO X RELATED: How TO BE HERO X Tackles Heroism If you haven’t watched TO BE HERO X , you’re missing out on one of the most unique donghua that’s changing how we interact with media. From switching up animation styles to the narrative structure of the story, TO BE HERO X is a critique of how society quickly changes its perception of heroes and why too much power doesn’t always lead to anything good. One of the first heroes introduced is Nice, and while I don’t want to get into spoiler territory, his backstory reveals that he’s more than his perfect appearance. Nice is the epitome of his name: the hero who’s kind, has charming looks, and seems reliable. But as we all know, people can put up a facade, especially when it comes to advertising heroes to the public and how they should be perceived. It’s how heroes gain their powers, through a Trust Value system determined by how much people believe in them. There’s another white-haired hero who ranks at the top: X. Since he’s central to a lot of the characters and plot points in the show, I can’t say much about him either! Just know that these heroes aren’t always who they appear to be. Lu Guang Series: Link Click RELATED: Why Link Click Cannot Be Missed Another donghua (can you tell I watch a lot of them?) that should be your next watch is Link Click . Our white-haired deuteragonist, Lu Guang, can see everything that happens in a photo within 12 hours of it being taken. His partner, Cheng Xiaoshi, can dive into photos and take over the body of the photographer by clapping his hands. They work at Time Photo Studio, where they help clients find closure with the subject of the photo. Lu Guang is more level-headed than Cheng Xiaoshi, constantly reminding the latter that when diving into photos, he should follow three rules: he mustn’t stay longer than 12 hours, he should listen to Lu Guang’s directions, and the past and future should remain untouched. Of course, rules are meant to be broken, and Lu Guang eventually finds himself in hot water. Link Click is full of suspense and mystery; with any story involving time travel, something’s bound to change — for better or worse. Rudo Series: Gachiakuta RELATED: Gachiakuta and the Importance of Anger Gachiakuta is a recent favorite watch, mainly because of the character designs. While our protagonist, Rudo, does stand amongst some pretty spectacular Cleaners, he’s the star of the show with a powerful ability that can go berserk if it remains unchecked. He’s an angry child, but he has every right to be — his guardian was murdered in front of him, and then he was falsely blamed for it. He paid for crimes he didn’t commit and lost a loved one on the same day, getting banished to the Ground. Anytime a white-haired character with red eyes appears on screen, you know they shouldn’t be messed with. Rudo’s eyes turn red when he uses his ability, which lets him turn any trash into a powerful vital instrument. That said, he knows his emotions can do more harm than good if uncontrolled. Just like any other protagonist who’s learning more about his limits, Rudo wants to overcome his weaknesses so he can protect his friends. That's because Rudo cares deeply, whether it’s for people close to him or the objects he picks up. Seiko Ayase Series: DAN DA DAN RELATED: DAN DA DAN Episode 3 Recap, "It’s a Granny vs. Granny Clash!" It’s come to my attention that there aren’t enough white-haired female characters, especially older ones. Thank goodness we have Seiko Ayase from DAN DA DAN , a grandmother who has the white hair for her age but none of the wrinkles. Despite Seiko’s youthful appearance, she proves she’s a wise adult. For example, when Okarun wants to repay the Ayases for their hospitality and for helping him with his powers, Seiko tells him to pay it forward by helping others out. If you’re a yokai or some other supernatural being, you don’t want to go up against Seiko. She’s a seasoned spirit medium who performs exorcisms and can also handle hand-to-hand combat. More often than not, the kids have to rely on Seiko when they encounter strong enemies. She seems to be the only reliable adult in the show so far, though she tends to meet the same immature levels as her high school-aged granddaughter, Momo. Satoru Gojo Series: JUJUTSU KAISEN RELATED: Which JUJUTSU KAISEN Character Are You? It’s impossible not to mention the one and only Satoru Gojo from JUJUTSU KAISEN when it comes to white-haired anime guys. He’s a fan-favorite with god-like powers who's known as the strongest sorcerer in the world, and the show constantly reminds you of how formidable he’d be if he were on the enemy’s side. Gojo has the prettiest blue eyes in all anime, often hidden by a black blindfold. As the first person to inherit Limitless and Six Eyes, Gojo can control immense amounts of cursed energy and manipulate metaphysical space. He's determined to train the students at Tokyo Jujutsu High to become powerful sorcerers and has a soft spot for them, but for others, he’s a menace. In his younger years, Gojo was obnoxious and cocky, and later on, he’s still the same. He’s the strongest sorcerer after all, so who can blame him? Seishiro Nagi Series: BLUE LOCK RELATED: The Best BLUE LOCK Quotes to Lock on To What is it with lazy and unmotivated characters who become incredibly strong once pushed into awakening their powers? Seishiro Nagi from BLUE LOCK is a prime example of this, though his power, or Ego, comes from his natural talent on the soccer field. Nagi ranks as one of the top players in Blue Lock and is always sought after by others of the same level. He’s an all-rounder: good reflexes, fast, and has synergy with his teammates. With all that said, Nagi couldn't care less about going pro. Off the field, his lethargic demeanor and manner of speech indicate his lack of motivation for anything as grand as being a professional soccer player. After meeting other Blue Lock players, including Yoichi Isagi, he finds it within himself to become a better soccer player after experiencing defeat. He grows more determined the further along he gets in Blue Lock and forms more meaningful friendships with his teammates outside of Reo Mikage. Gabimaru Series: Hell's Paradise RELATED: Hell's Paradise Creator Yuji Kaku on Why Unpredictability is Important in Manga Another white-haired character you don’t want to make an enemy of is Gabimaru from Hell's Paradise . He’s an elite shinobi assassin who’s been handed over to the authorities to be executed after being betrayed by his village because he no longer wants to be a murderer. He’s feared by many because of his ruthlessness, and many call him Gabimaru the Hollow. But since getting married to Yui, who’s shown him kindness and empathy, he begins to regain his human side and gradually loses the apathetic killer side that the village leader trained him to become. Before his execution, Gabimaru meets Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, who invites him to search for the Elixir of Life on an island called Shinsenkyo, or Divine Paradise, in exchange for a pardon for his past crimes. The more time Gabimaru spends with Sagiri, the more he opens up and embraces his emotions. He’s still focused on the mission and wants more than anything to reunite with his wife, but eventually, he strips himself of the Gabimaru the Hollow name and wants to be known only as Gabimaru. Frieren Series: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End RELATED: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and the Beauty of Age Occasionally, you come across OP characters who show off their strength… and then you see ones like Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End who couldn't care less about being perceived as such. Frieren’s aloof, which sometimes gives her an air of mystery to those who don’t know her, but she’s also not a morning person, which is super relatable. Despite her magical prowess, Frieren is a bookworm, always searching for grimoires. She’s also a mentor to Fern, a powerful mage in the making, but the latter tends to act more like the adult. Frieren's an elf, so she’s lived for a very long time and has no sense of how fast time can pass for humans. That’s why when Himmel the Hero dies, she mourns his death and how she never bothered to get to know him while he was alive. She goes on a journey with Fern and Stark to Aureole, hoping to speak to Himmel one last time. Frieren reminisces about her time with Himmel and the rest of her party often, showing that despite being a powerful mage, she’s more interested in getting to know humans better. Still need more white-haired anime characters? Don't worry, we made room for some honorable mentions! Jiraiya Series: Naruto / Naruto Shippuden Killua Series: Hunter x Hunter Sesshomaru Series: Inuyasha Image via Hulu Tengen Uzui Series: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Soul Series: Soul Eater Hatsuharu Series: Fruits Basket Near Series: Death Note Image via Netflix Nene Yashiro Series: Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Asta Series: Black Clover Emilia Series: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-
