Summary
- Character developments in anime show transformative growth from flawed beginnings to admirable outcomes.
- Inspiring progress is seen in characters like Koro Sensei, Usagi Tsukino, and Gon throughout their respective series.
- The evolution of characters like Tobio Kageyama, Sung Jin-Woo, Thorfinn, and Shigeo Kageyama reflect personal growth and change.
There are many significant character developments across anime. You may not like some characters at their start, however many of them turn out to be better by the end of the series, and the improvement in their personalities and abilities might change your initial thoughts about them.
A lot of them were weaker at the start of the anime, but their strength and courage allowed them to reach greater heights. Witnessing their moment of breakthrough is always exciting..
As the list discusses significant developments in anime, there are spoilers between each entry.
7
Koro Sensei
Assassination Classroom
Koro Sensei was a ruthless serial killer, but his life as a teacher changed both him and his students. He didn’t care much about other people’s lives, and even abandoned his disciple, but after he was captured and used for experimentation in a lab, he got closer to a young scientist who was also a teacher.
The students cared only about killing Koro Sensei at the start of the series, but we can see their bond becoming stronger with many events.
By getting to know her, Koro Sensei learned more about the feeling of compassion and honored her final wish by becoming a teacher to her students. Koro Sensei became an ideal educator and focused on both the learning and well-being of young teenagers.
6
Usagi Tsukino
Sailor Moon
Usagi referred to herself as a crybaby at the start of the series, and she didn’t like facing difficulties. In battles, if she found herself cornered by enemies she used to cry and tried to run away. With the support of other Sailors, Tuxedo Mask, and her cat Luna, she was able to become a brave Sailor by the end.
During the battle with Pharoah 90, she was willing to sacrifice herself to save the Earth. In the final arc, everyone she loved was removed by Galactica, but she stood her ground and even faced her demons.
5
Gon
Hunter X Hunter
Gon was weak at the start of the series, but he gradually improved his control over Nen after studying under various masters. Gon is easy to trust others, and doesn’t hesitate to team up with even Hisoka for the sake of his goal in the Greed Island. However, Gon’s aloof personality took a darker turn during the Chimera Ant Arc.
When Neferpitou took the life of one of his allies, he became much more vengeful and barely listened to Neferpitou when she kept asking him to wait while she healed a young human girl. He yelled at Killua and refused to listen to him. This leads him to snap into a new form which he uses to mercilessly attack the helpless chimera.
4
Tobio Kageyama
Haikyu
Kageyama was popular in a bad way, as the ruthless king who doesn’t care about his teammates during a match. He often used to lash out at them for not performing better, and barely took their playstyle into consideration. However, things changed for him as he befriended Shoyo in Karasuno.
There are many notable character developments in Haikyu including Hinata and Tsukishima.
Kageyama realized that he could not fight alone on the volleyball court. To become better at the game, he needed to consider the type of toss his teammates wanted. By adapting to the playstyle of the Spikers in the team, he became an excellent Setter.
3
Sung Jin-Woo
Solo Leveling
Sung Jin-Woo was an E-rank Hunter who barely got through dungeon campaigns. His lack of strength often left him in danger, which almost resulted in his death on multiple occasions. Despite being weak, Sung Jin-Woo wanted to improve for the sake of his sick mother, which led him to gradually become stronger.
Unlike any other Hunter, Sung Jin-Woo unlocked a mysterious power which led him to level up as he fought enemies. His strength now rivals those of S-rank Hunters. Not only his strength, but his personality, also became a lot more confident and stern. He doesn’t forgive traitors, and we have seen him dealing with them brutally.
2
Thorfinn
Vinland Saga
Thorfinn was overcome with the feelings of rage and revenge when his father was killed at the hands of Askeladd. He devoted his entire teenage years to his quest for vengeance. He was devoid of any mercy until Askellad died, after which Thorfinn realised he needed a new purpose in life.
After Thorfinn was enslaved, he didn’t care much about life, but as he met new people, he tried to find new meaning to his existence. He became a much kinder person, almost exactly like his father. Unlike his past self, Thorfinn sought peace and used force only when it was necessary.
1
Shigeo Kageyama
Mob Psycho 100
Shigeo Kageyama had strong psychic powers, but still wanted to get stronger physically. He didn’t think of himself as anyone special, and was easily tricked by others.
The internal conflict that Shigeo faced often became a cause for him to lose himself and cause disasters. At the end of the series, Shigeo becomes more able to express his emotions instead of hiding them. While being physically fragile at the start, he later becomes a key member of the Body Improvement Club.
