Character creation is an important part of making a show work, but it’s not easy.
Artists should avoid making their work too hard to understand, too useless, or too easy. If not, they’d risk making generic main characters for cartoons.
Giving a character glasses, or in this case, eyepatch, is a simple way to make them stand out from the rest of the group.
A simple eyepatch can make almost any character look edgy or tough, showing that they have been through pain or suffering in the past but have been brave enough to get through it anyway.
I’m sure you have a good idea of which anime characters with eyepatches are the most popular, but let me add a few more from different years and even decades.
25. Nui Harime From Kill la Kill
Studio Trigger made the anime and comics series “Kill la Kill,” which has a character named Nui Harime.
She is a member of the student council at the elite Honnouji Academy, and she is the second bad guy in the series.
Nui is an experienced fighter who can use scissors as weapons. She also shows that she is very quick and agile in battle.
Nui is known for being fun and carefree, but she is also cruel and manipulative, and she enjoys making other people suffer and feel bad.
Nui seems nice on the outside, but she is very cruel and will do anything to get what she wants. She is also very devoted to her boss, Ragyo Kiryuin, and will do anything to make her happy.
24. Hange Zoe From Attack On Titan
Hange Zoe starts her journey in the world of Attack on Titan with a lot of hope. Hange, the leader of the fourth squad, was in charge of studying titans back in season one, when not much was known about them.
But as the series goes on, Hange starts to become hard and cold because being a Survey Corps boss is not for the weak of heart.
After a dangerous task, Hange gives up their trademark goggles in favor of an eyepatch and a pair of glasses for their one good eye.
During a fight, Hange gets hurt badly when a giant changes and causes an explosion. Hange was lucky to make it through the fight, but they lost an eye in the process.
23. Gozu From Pokemon
Gozu is a figure who shows up more than once in the Pokémon series. He is a part of Team Rocket, which is known for being bad, so he is naturally a bad guy.
Gozu is one of the more scary people on Team Rocket. He is the Elite Officer of the Matori Matrix, which is a very important unit.
Even though Gozu always wears an eyepatch, there is nothing wrong with his right eye. He might have thought it would make him look like a good boss for Team Rocket.
22. Himeno From Chainsaw Man
Himeno is on a secret government team called Devil Hunters with her best friend, Aki Hayakawa. Himeno has to protect herself from bad devils because she is a Public Safety Devil Hunter.
One of the best ways to fight devils is to get their own kind to help you. If you want to use a devil’s power, you have to give them something as payment for their help.
Himeno gave up her right eye so that she could call up the strong arms of the Ghost Devil. Considering how strong the Ghost Devil was, giving up one eye wasn’t too bad of a price to pay.
21. Denji From Chainsaw Man
At the start of the show, Denji was sick and was missing a few body parts, including his right eye.
Denji’s story began with him being in a lot of debt, and he had no choice but to sell his body parts to make ends meet.
But this version of Denji only survived for the first episode of the show, because when he was merged with his little friend Pochita, he quickly got back the body parts he had lost.
20. Midari Ikishima From Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler
The first person on my list is Midari Ikishimi from Kakegurui, which is one of MAPPA’s most memorable works from the last ten years. Midari is a bit wild, which makes sense.
Midari doesn’t have to talk to show that she is sadomasochistic (but mostly masochistic):
People should stay away from the head of Hyakkaou Private Academy’s Beautification Council because of her piercings, gun, tiny but sharp pupils, and crazy facial expressions.
Why does Midari have a patch over one eye?
It’s not much.
She just used a pen to stab herself in the eye because she lost to Kirari Momobami. It’s crazy and hard, but Kakegurui fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
19. Sven Vollfied From Black Cat
Black Cat is pretty old already.
Long-term, I didn’t remember much about the main character Train Heartnet, but I still remember Sven Vollfied.
How could I not like the way he looks and acts?
The former spy, who is 30 years old, looks very nice. He wears a white suit and shoes, a red tie, a blue shirt, and black shoes.
Sven is the perfect gentleman. He always treats children and women with respect, unless doing so could put their lives in danger.
He doesn’t let bad situations get to him, and the guns and tools he makes are amazing works of magic.
Also, Sven’s eyepatch comes from a sad story:
Sven lost his right eye, but he didn’t know that a week before he died, his psychic partner Lloyd Goldwynne had already signed up to be an organ donor.
18. Kiyomasa “Crow” Senji From Deadman Wonderland
Does anyone else think his Crow Claw is really cool?
It’s like what would happen if the Pokemon Scyther was sent to (or “isekai-d” into) the harsh world of Deadman Wonderland.
His blood-red weapon, which can change shape (and length, killing his enemies in the process), looks so cool when it’s in use.
But Crow is much more than that:
This man stood up against crime when the rest of the police force gave in to corruption. Because of his fight for justice, he lost four close friends.
Even though he seems to like violence as a Deadman, it’s good to see that he still has some good in him.
Enough to help Ganta stay alive in the place that was both a jail and a theme park.
17. Badou Nails From Stray Dogs Howling in the Dark
“Stray Dogs Howling in the Dark” from “The Dogs” is almost forgotten now.
But the 2009 David Production OVA did give anime fans an interesting main character with orange hair, a patch over one eye, and a chain of cigarettes.
Even though there weren’t enough episodes to learn more about him and his adventures with Haine, the four that were shown showed that he was fun to watch.
I don’t even know what his best side is:
Is it his cute, happy self when he smokes, or does he just see a stick of tobacco?
Or is it the angry killing machine he turns into when he stops smoking?
Still, I’d like to see another movie or TV show based on the source book.
16. Nice Holystone From Baccano!
I never thought I’d find a name like “Nice Holystone” in any work of fiction, but thanks to Baccano and its great cast, I did.
Nice Holystone’s simple style is one of my all-time favorites:
She wears an eyepatch to hide the empty space where her right eye used to be. She also wears glasses to protect her hurt left eye.
Then you see her red, sleeveless top with a collar and a black band around her neck.
Also, I love the way Nice and her boyfriend, the worried gang boss Jacuzzi Splot, who shows courage when it really counts, are together.
Nice also knows how to lead well.
And when she doesn’t have to take over for Jacuzzi, you can count on her to handle all the blasts, which is why she lost her right eye in the first place.
15. K. K. From Blood Blockade Battlefront
K. K. reminds me of Pakunoda from Hunter x Hunter, which is a big plus because I think he’s pretty cool.
Like Kiyomasa Senji from Deadman Wonderland, K. K. uses her blood to kill people.
Instead of blades, her blood changes into electricity, which helps her shoot better.
But her motherly and feminine traits make her stand out (in a good way) more than her smart clothes and power.
I love how K. K. shows how hard it is for a woman to want the best for her child while also having a job she can’t just ignore, even if it means she has to skip her tasks as a parent.
K. K. is a very important part of Blood Blockade Battlefront. She is happy, kind, and cute when she is into soap shows and gossip.
14. Saito From Ghost in the Shell
Saito doesn’t look like he’s joking around, and everyone who isn’t his friend or close ally should think that, if only to protect themselves.
In fact, he’s not as much of a robot as the rest of Section 9.
But why would he want more body changes when he is already very good with guns and is pretty much a god-level sniper?
Just ask Saito for help taking out enemy shooters if you need to.
He is so good at shooting that it’s scary. Because he fought in World War IV before joining Section 9, he has a lot of combat knowledge and can figure out where other snipers are.
13. Mei Misaki From Another
Mei Misaki and the rest of Another must find it hard to be less famous than Yukari Sakuragi, whose early death scene in the series is an all-time favorite in the anime community.
But once you look past the umbrella jokes and watch the show for yourself, you’ll like Mei too.
Mei’s life was very hard. Especially since she lost her right eye and her twin sister, who she thought was her cousin, died when she was young.
So she got a doll with a fake eye that can look into dark things.
On the other hand, being left out of society is also a terrible situation for her. It’s not that she’s unlikable; it’s more like she doesn’t exist.
But the fact that she stopped the curse (temporarily) on her own shows that she is one of the most selfless characters in anime.
12. Captain Harlock From Space Pirate Captain Harlock
Captain Harlock is the oldest thing on my list and one of the oldest anime series ever. It shows that old-school character designs are still popular today.
There is a movie set in 2013, but instead of 2D animation, it is made with 3D CG.
Captain Harlock (or Herlock) is the main character in this story. He is a guy with long brown hair that looks so good with his eyepatch and cross-shaped scar that you wouldn’t want to comb it.
The space pirate is easy to like because of how he looks and acts. Many of his fans like how he thinks and acts because he has an individualistic view of life while also letting his beliefs be thought about.
He believes that people can change systems, he keeps his promises, and he cares about the lives of everyone on the crew, no matter how small their part.
Best of all, Captain Harlock doesn’t fight back when he’s being chased. Instead, he chooses to talk about the situation and try to educate others, if only because he still cares about Earth.
11. Lavi From D.Gray-Man
D.Gray-Man and what came after it D. Grey-man Hallow are separated by ten years.
And it’s a blessing for both of them to have Lavi, who is funny and (let’s be honest) pretty.
After more than 100 shows, he’s changed in more than one way. He still has his eyepatch and (mostly) nice personality, though.
In anime, it’s not unusual for a character to change from someone who tries to be uninterested in other people to someone who’s finally more comfortable around them and cares about them. This is what happens to Lavi.
But that doesn’t take away from how happy I was to see him grow.
At the end of the day, Lavi is a smart and funny guy who can make things more fun when things get dull in Allen Walker’s world.
10. Megumin From KonoSuba
Megumin is the only chunni in the group of KonoSuba.
“Chunni” is short for the Japanese word “chunibyo” (sometimes spelled “chunnibyou”), which is used to describe characters (often young ones) who have inflated ideas of their own worth, power, or knowledge.
In short, chuuni syndrome is when a character (or maybe an unfortunate real-life person) acts like they are the lead character in their own fantasy anime.
Megumin is a great example of this kind of thing. When asked about her strange eyepatch, she says with great enthusiasm that she has to wear it to hide her magic powers.
When asked if the eyepatch is a seal, she tells the truth and says she just likes how it looks and how it goes with her outfit.
9. Worick Arcangelo From Gangsta.
Gangsta. looked like it would be one of the best shows of Summer 2015, given that it was based on a comic and that Cowboy Bebop composer Tsutchie was coming back to work on it.
Manglobe went bankrupt, which made it impossible for the cartoon to be made. After that news, it’s pretty much nowhere.
Still, there is enough information to see why Worick Arcangelo (and the deaf MC Nicolas Brown) are so popular.
Here was a 35-year-old man with blonde hair pulled back into a bun and a patch over one eye. He has his own kind of charm, like how he likes to smile and seems to take life easy. This makes women notice him right away.
Plus, he remembers a lot of specifics and can read whole books with ease.
But this amazing ability also makes it hard for him to forget the worst things that have happened to him, so he has to remember every horrible detail.
8. Sofia Valmer From Jormungand
Sofia Valmer is the only female bodyguard in Koko’s Squad. She can act crazy and bloodthirsty like Midari Ikishima from Kakegurui, but she’s good with guns.
Still, she is one of the coolest non-fantasy female fighters in anime because she is so good with knives.
She won’t care if her opponents have guns:
Even though Sofia has lost an eye, she can just hack and slash them all while avoiding bullets.
Check out her fight scenes if you haven’t seen her in motion yet.
It’s amazing how frightening she is just by being there, what with her height and the fact that she’s not too skinny, but she still looks pretty.
7. Kenpachi Zaraki From Bleach
Kenpachi’s famous eyepatch isn’t just there for looks; it also hides his reiryoku (spiritual power) when he wears it.
It was made just for the captain of the 11th Division in Gotei 13 by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
Kenpachi really enjoys and loves the thrill of a good fight against a worthy opponent. For Kenpachi to get the most out of every fight, he has to hold back his full power on purpose.
If he didn’t, he would beat his opponents too fast. Kenpachi takes off his special eyepatch only for his most dangerous enemies.
6. Asuka Langley Soryu From Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
Even though her beautiful eyepatch, which looks like a pirate’s eye patch and has a tiny glow, wasn’t shown until the third episode of Rebuild of Evangelion, that was more than enough to get her to this place.
After all, Asuka is one of the best anime girls of all time.
You Can (Not) Redo shows off her charm in a big way, which no one can deny.
In Part 3, it’s not clear why she put on the eyepatch.
But there’s a good reason to think it had something to do with the terrible thing that happened to her in Part 2, You Can’t Advance. Fans just don’t know if it’s because angels messed with him or he got hurt badly.
Even so, Hideaki Anno’s surprising look for Asuka made millions of her fans all over the world happy.
I also love how it’s a reference to her famous fight at the end of The End of Evangelion.
5. Ken Kaneki From Tokyo Ghoul
In the Tokyo Ghoul series, Ken Kaneki is the main character. He is a half-ghoul.
Kaneki was hurt so badly on a date with a girl who turned out to be a bloodthirsty ghoul that he was in danger of dying.
The doctors had no choice but to put the ghoul’s organs into him, turning him into a half-ghoul.
At first, Kaneki wore a normal medical eyepatch to hide his kakugan eye and hide his ghoul side from the rest of the world.
Kaneki did, however, get his kakugan, which is a mask that covers most of his face except for his left eye.
The owner of the mask shop, Uta, tells Kaneki that his mask lets him see parts of the world that he usually can’t.
4. Rikka Takanashi From Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
Megumin’s idol is possibly Rikka Takanashi, the best chuunibyou girl in anime history. She reminds the male main character that he can’t escape the chuunibyou life.
People say that her eyepatch hides an amazing power. Even though it’s just a normal eye with a colored contact lens.
But Rikka acts this way for a good reason.
And when we find out why she acts this way, the cartoon becomes more than just a slice-of-life comedy set in a school (it is from Kyoto Animation, after all).
Even if you haven’t seen the show or movie, you’ve probably seen her picture on an anime website.
Seriously, the cute GIF loop of her hands moving in circles was all over the place back then.
3. King Bradley From Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
In the Fullmetal Alchemist story, King Bradley is one of the most important bad guys. He is a human-based homunculus.
In the manga and the 2009 cartoon remake, FMA: Brotherhood, he was called Wraith, but in the 2003 anime series, he was called Pride.
Bradley’s “Ultimate Eye,” which is marked with the Ouroboros, is hidden by the eyepatch he wears over his left eye.
Bradley can use this ability to predict his opponent’s moves and see every possible result or variable so that he can fight and beat his opponent as quickly as possible.
2. Kakashi Hatake From Naruto
Kakashi is one of the best shinobi in the whole village of Konoha. Kakashi was Naruto’s master when he first joined Team 7 with Sasuke and Sakura.
He was lazy but always there for them. Kakashi has his Sharingan now, but he didn’t always have it.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Kakashi lost an eye while saving his best friend Obito from a sneak attack.
Obito, who was from the Uchiha clan and had the Sharingan, gave Kakashi his eye to replace the one he had lost in battle.
This was his last act before he died, and it was a way for him to return his friend. Since then, Kakashi uses his Konoha forehead shield to cover his left eye.
1. Ciel Phantomhive From Black Butler
When Ciel came home one day, he found that his parents and the family dog had been cruelly killed.
Ciel and his twin brother were taken away and sold to the highest buyer because they were scared and trying to get away.
Their kidnappers were nice to the boys at first, but then they showed their true colors and started their cult’s practice of sacrificing young boys to their king.
During the sacrifice, a mystery demon named Sebastian showed up and offered Ciel a deal to help him get what he wanted and get back at the people who hurt him.
When Ciel finally agreed, he was given a seal on his right eye. The seal had more power the more noticeable it was. Ciel quickly covered it up with an eyepatch so that it wouldn’t draw attention to itself.
