Anime Characters With Visual Impairments

There has been no lack of spectacular anime characters produced over the years, with anime shows unafraid to confront controversial topics, even exploring the psyches and philosophies of the worst villains in anime history. It is no surprise, then, that they have no compunction in writing and creating nuanced, complex blind characters and how they navigate their respective worlds due to their physical disability.

From Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Toph Beifong to Demon Slayer’s Gyomei Himejima, these characters have backbones of steel and the determination to move beyond the limitations presented by their blindness. So, without further ado, here are several blind anime characters that have proven truly exceptional.

10 Toph Beifong

Avatar: The Last Airbender & The Legend of Korra

Toph Beifong, once known as The Blind Bandit, is one of the greatest characters ever written in anime. Sassy and blunt, Toph fought tooth and nail to become the Earthbending prodigy we first see in the second season, overcoming her disability by learning to ‘see’ using her Earthbending skills.

Not only did she create Metalbending during her time in The Last Airbender, but she went on to establish the Republic City Police. A hard taskmaster and an excellent Earthbending mentor to both Avatars Aang and Korra, it is no wonder that she can still easily outdo her opponents in her later years.

9 Admiral Fujitora

One Piece

One Piece’s Admiral Fujitora, also known as Issho, is one of the strongest and most revered Admirals in the Marines. He possesses an extremely strong moral compass, with the determination to root out all forms of evil. He was not born blind, however. He chose to blind himself due to all the heinous things he’d seen in the world. Extreme is putting it lightly, to say the least, but Fujitora keeps true to his beliefs.

Fujitora handles himself exceptionally well in battle, using his sharper-than-sharp senses to combat his opponents. Armed with the ability to control gravitational forces after eating the Devil Fruit Zushi Zushi no Mi, Fujitora is a titan on the battlefield, one that even gives his enemies pause.

8 Gyomei Himejima

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

As tall as a tower and as strong as an ox, Demon Slayer’s Gyomei Himejima is arguably the most powerful Hashira in the show. Known as the Stone Hashira, Gyomei became blind due to a high fever he suffered during childhood.

However, his keen senses, reflexes, impressive physical strength, and proficiency with Stone Breathing have even allowed him to keep up with the likes of Muzan Kibutsuji. Although he’s undoubtedly one of the best in his field, Gyomei is emotionally sensitive and loyal to those he values most.

7 Kaname Tosen

Bleach

One of the best antagonists in Bleach, events in Kaname Tosen’s life pushed him down the unfortunate trajectory toward his demise. He was jaded due to the injustice Soul Society dealt to his murdered friend, allying himself with Aizen because he believed it was the route that would result in the least deaths.

Kaname was willing to do anything in pursuit of that goal, his notions of justice and desire for revenge guiding him to commit the worst injustices himself. Blind from birth, Kaname uses his spiritual power to navigate his surroundings and his expert swordsmanship and mastery over his spiritual abilities to combat his enemies.

6 Saigiku Jono

Bungo Stray Dogs

Debuting in Season 4 of Bungo Stray Dogs, Saigiku Jono is a member of the Hunting Dogs, a security branch of the Yokohama Military Police made up entirely of elite ability users. Don’t let his serene facade fool you, however, as Saigiku is a ruthless interrogator known for his skill at getting his prisoners to swiftly cough up valuable information.

The rest of his teammates rely on his extra sharp hearing to locate their target, with Saigiku even able to gain insight into other people’s emotions. His Priceless Tears ability allows him to disintegrate and slip into the smallest cracks unnoticed and makes him practically invulnerable to all manner of physical attacks.

5 Yomotsu Hirasaka

Mirai Nikki

A vigilante and Twelfth diary owner, Yomotsu Hirasaka is a clever, though batty and unpredictable character. Yomotsu has an obsession with justice and battles crime by using his Justice Diary, which can foretell future crimes. Aside from that, his diary is also able to hypnotize others, which he uses to obtain his doppelgangers.

Yomotsu’s blindness seems not to hinder him from emulating his favorite heroes in costume and deed, but in actuality, he believes that justice is a lie due to the injustice of his disability.

4 Uzu Sanageyama

Kill La Kill

One of the main protagonists of Kill la Kill, Uzu Sanageyama is a member of the Elite Four, who voluntarily sewn his eyes closed. Although he eventually regained his sight, Uzu changed his outlook and became dedicated to improving his skills.

With his bamboo sword as his primary weapon, Uzu developed sharper senses to compensate for his blindness and is a proficient swordsman. When donning the Goku Uniform, his strength and speed increase exponentially, making him a beast on the battlefield.

3 Nizou Okada

Gintama

A demented assassin and serial killer, Nizou Okada just loves to see the world burn. His blindness motivated him to kill others, claiming to be able to perceive a bright light in his victims at the moment before death, pushing him to kill more as a result.

Allying himself with a fanatical group also hell-bent on total annihilation, Okada got his hands on the Benikazura, a bio-mechanical sword that eats away at his sanity in exchange for enhanced fighting abilities. Consumed by the parasitic sword, it was up to Gintoki to put him down like the mad dog he was.

2 Nunnally Lamperouge

Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion

Unlike the other characters in this list, Nunnally Lamperouge is no expert fighter. Younger sister to the main protagonist, Lelouch, Nunnally not only suffers from blindness but is also paralyzed. Although her paralysis was due to a tragic incident in her childhood, her blindness was simply a psychological condition forced upon her by her father’s Geass.

Nunnally is kind and gentle at her core but can be surprisingly cold-blooded, not hesitating to launch bombs at her brother to accomplish her goals. Ultimately, she is driven by her love for her brother and the desire to be with him always.

1 Shion

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku

A man with a tragic past, Shion is a samurai who was born blind and learned to ‘see’ through sensing waves in the world around him. An executioner and loyal member of the Yamada clan, Shion was charged with guarding the criminals sent to a mysterious island to obtain the Elixir of Life as penance.

Deft with the blade, Shion exhibits kindness, humor, and discipline, especially when teaching students the way of the sword. He also has a strong sense of justice, swearing to avenge his student’s death at the cost of his own life.