The Most Iconic Deaf Anime Characters

Summary

• Deaf anime characters like Yuki and Bojji prove strength and kindness can shine.
• Characters like Shoko and Nicolas show how forgiveness and resilience can help overcome past trauma.
• Hyakkimaru and Princess Hinoto demonstrate that deafness doesn’t define one’s ability to protect and communicate.

While the world of anime is huge, there are hardly any characters who have disabilities. The industry is slowly making changes to include more characters with them, but it could take some time before they’re regularly seen. It’s even rarer to see characters who are deaf, but anime shows and movies like Ranking of Kings and A Silent Voice have proven it can be successful.

There are very few deaf characters in the anime world and even fewer who have had a large impact. However, these characters show that just because they can’t hear doesn’t mean they’re not strong. They don’t let their hard of hearing stop them from showing how strong they are or showing kindness to others who haven’t been kind to them.

Updated on February 17, 2025 by Mark Sammut: Deaf anime characters are very rare, even more so than blind characters. For example, the Winter 2025 anime season does not include any shows that cover this concept/theme, and the same could be said for Fall 2024 and nearly every other seasonal lineup. Still, there are a few anime that not only introduce deaf characters but focus specifically on them.

1

Shoko Nishimiya

A Kind Girl Who Forgives Her Bully And Helps Him With His Own Issues

While she has received more competition in recent years, Shoko Nishimiya is still arguably the most iconic deaf anime character, thanks to both Koe no Katachi‘s popularity and the fact that she is just plain old likable. A Silent Voice is purposefully hard to watch at times, with the opening half focusing on bullying and the lasting impact these actions can have on both the victims and the perpetrator. Attending a new elementary school, Shoko finds herself bullied by most of the class, especially a boy named Shoya. Her deafness makes her an easy target since she struggles to communicate and connect with others, despite very much wanting to strike a bond with her classmates. She is reduced to her disability by the other students, and then they blame her and solely Shoya to get out of feeling any responsibility for their actions.

As Shoko grows older, she becomes a lot more self-hating, showing traces of depression and suicidal thoughts stemming from her isolation. She begins to blame herself for situations that were beyond her control, especially once she develops feelings for Shoya after seeing his attempts to right his past wrongs. Shoko could have easily come across as a one-note character or a device to fuel Shoya’s growth, but she is a well-defined figure who carries the story’s emotional heart.

2

Yuki Itose

A Sweet Girl Who Opens Up After Making Friends At University

Yuki is a shy 19-year-old girl with congenital hearing loss. Even though she wears hearing aids, she uses sign language to talk, and lip-reading and text messages to understand what others are saying. Despite her timid nature, Yuki attends a public university at the request of her mother. She struggled to adjust at first, but she has made a few friends from it.

After meeting Itsuomi Nagi, Yuki finds herself wanting to explore the world more. She begins opening up a little more and helps Itsuomi learn Japanese Sign Language by drawing him a guide. Though she still needs help in most situations, Yuki doesn’t let this stop her from getting a job and hanging out with her friends regularly. Overall, Yuki is living a pretty normal life, and has a pretty healthy social life with supportive friends who help whenever she needs it.

She also has a friend named Madoka who is also deaf and uses sign language. When Yuki is looking for a job, she struggles to find one that is fine with it. She contacts Madoka and her friend is more than willing to help. Madoka tells her to contact her aunt who hires Yuki to work for her. Thanks to Madoka’s aunt, Yuki is able to be a little more independent and earn her own money so she can travel with Itsuomi.

3

Bojji

A Young Boy Who Sets Out To Prove He’s Strong Despite Being Deaf And Mute

This tiny but mighty hero proves an anime can have a deaf protagonist and be successful. Because of his small size and being deaf, many people believe Bojji isn’t fit to rule the kingdom, and that his half-brother should take the throne. Bojji doesn’t let this affect him, and still dreams of being a great king like his father. He is known to be kind, and he can read lips, so he knows what people are saying. He’s hardworking, intelligent, and empathetic, and would’ve made a great king.

However, many in the kingdom believe he’s dumb, and voted to have his brother be king because of his disability. Even though he was heartbroken, Bojji didn’t let this stop him from going on a journey to prove his worth. He proved that he is more than fit to be king, and is a lot stronger than he looks.

He proved his strength to everyone in the final battle and defeated his father in the final battle. What he lacks in physical strength, he makes up with his speed and tactics. Had his father not taken his strength at birth, it would’ve been unquestionable that Bojji should be the next king. However, Bojji showed that he could do the job despite lacking strength and his disability.

4

Nicolas Brown

A Man Who Gets Annoyed At Others For Not Knowing Sign Language

This is one man who definitely doesn’t let his hearing disability stop him from being a “handyman” for the mob. While most characters would see their disability as a nuisance and apologize to other people, Nicolas makes it clear that he finds the people he’s talking to a nuisance for not knowing sign language. He hates having to accommodate others who can’t sign to him, even though he can read lips.

Having grown up in a rough environment, Nicholas usually keeps to himself and comes off as aloof, even to those closest to him. He gets easily irritated, but he isn’t a terrible guy. Nicolas does small acts of kindness like playing Nina, and helping Alex, and will occasionally pick on others with a dark yet good sense of humor.

5

Princess Hinoto (X)

A Blind, Crippled, And Deaf Princess Who Uses Her Powers To Communicate

Princess Hinoto is a dreamseer who is not only deaf, but also blind, mute, and crippled. The only way she can communicate with anyone is through her telepathic powers. With her seer powers, she sees the future in her dreams and the events have always come true. She does have a dark side that takes over for a good chunk of the series, but the dark side has a good reason for this possession.

After seeing her own death at the hands of Kamui, the dark side wanted to destroy him and the Dragons of Heaven. However, Hinoto herself stopped her dark side in the dreamscape, but it meant killing herself. This was the only way to end the dark side’s possession of her, showing she was willing to sacrifice herself to save everyone around her.

6

Hyakkimaru

Defends Others With His Enhancements Despite Not Having Any Of His Senses

Hyakkimaru had the misfortune of being born to a lord who had made a deal with demons. In return for the safety of their land, Hyakkimaru’s body parts were given to them. As a result, he had no skin, eyes, nose, arms, legs, or ears. Luckily, he was saved by Jukai, who became his father figure and made new body parts for him. Though he couldn’t hear, Hyakkimaru’s Soul Sight and Telepathy abilities were more than enough for him to be able to see and hear others.

He does get his ears and hearing back, but it is overwhelming for him at first. Having not heard anything all his life, the sounds can be a bit too much for him and cause him to lose control. But he does learn to control himself, and adjusts to having his them back, along with other body parts. It’s understandable that getting any of his senses back would be a shock for him, since he’s never had them before.

7

Nao Saito (Psychic Detective Yakumo)

A Young Girl Who Can Sense The Emotions Of Everyone Around Her

The young cousin of Yakumo. Nao has been deaf since birth and lives with her adoptive father, Isshin, at a Buddhist temple. Though she’s unable to hear, Nao does have the special ability to sense the feelings of everyone around her. She’s also one of the very few people that Yakumo feels comfortable around since many have made fun of him because of his eye.

After Isshin passes away, Nao is taken in by Kazutoshi (one of the main characters) and his wife. Since he and his wife Atsuko couldn’t have kids, they drifted apart, but Nao helped mend their relationship and the three of them became a loving family.