Have you ever gone to a concert hoping to finally see your favorite band member in real life, and during one of the songs, the lowkey bass drummer caught your heart instead? Well, that’s exactly how it works in anime, too. While the main characters are fun to follow around, sometimes the guy in the corner with the bright red hair just steals all your attention.
Suddenly, you start cherishing those few minutes of screentime. And God forbid there’s an episode named after them! (We know what this really means). Anyway, here are six characters who overshadowed the protagonist so hard that they basically became the fan favorite (and sometimes the reason people even watched the show).
L from Death Note
As interesting as it was to follow Light’s delusional self, L is the one who kept us glued to the screen. From the moment he appeared, crouched in his weird position with bags under his eyes and that sweet tooth, fans were hooked. While Light had the charisma of a self-righteous god-complex villain, L had the brains and eccentric charm that made him likable. We just had to learn more. His cat-and-mouse battle with Light was the true core of the show, and when L left the story? Many fans argue the series lost its spark. Even now, my TikTok For You Page has yet to forget L.
Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan
Eren may be the protagonist of Attack on Titan, but Levi Ackerman is the series’ unofficial mascot. The calm, collected, Titan-slashing powerhouse has some of the most jaw-dropping fight scenes in anime, like when he annihilated the Beast Titan in Season 3. Fans replay that scene like it’s a sports highlight reel. But the main reason he went viral? Levi is obsessed with cleaning. As weird as it is in an action-packed anime, Levi is just so relatable that fans can’t help but love him. At one point, he even won Newtype’s “Best Male Character” award multiple years in a row. And in cosplay culture? Levi is still one of the most cosplayed anime characters worldwide.
Greed/Ling from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
When it comes to FMAB, Edward and Alphonse are obviously central, but the duo of Greed and Ling Yao rightfully stole the fandom’s attention. Ling starts as a cocky prince searching for immortality, but when he becomes the vessel for the Homunculus Greed, things get interesting. Fans loved the chaotic clash between Ling’s ambition and Greed’s rebellious streak, which evolved into a surprisingly emotional “shared body” dynamic. Their banter, their growth, and ultimately, their sacrifice gave FMAB one of its most memorable arcs. Even to this day, fans constantly cite “Greed/Ling’s arc” as one of the best in the entire show, with some calling it “the emotional peak” of FMAB. Greed’s goodbye at the end left most of the fandom teary-eyed.
Makima from Chainsaw Man
Now here’s a case where the “side character” arguably hijacked the entire narrative. Denji may be the protagonist of Chainsaw Man, but the real buzz was around Makima. From her first introduction, she had an aura of control, mystery, and, let’s be honest, terrifying waifu energy. Now this is where it gets interesting. While Makima is revered among many, she’s also questioned for her weird dynamic with Denji. You may or may not like it, but Makima is a genius puppet master in the show. Fans were constantly obsessing over her motivations, her powers, and her unsettling “dog” dynamic with Denji. Whether you loved her or hated her, you couldn’t stop talking about her.
Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto
So, 2027 will mark almost 20 years of this whole Naruto vs. Sasuke debate. Since the days we were glued to the screen watching Naruto fight Sasuke on our (now retro) TVs, the conversation still hasn’t stopped. While the dynamic these two had fueled the entire show, Sasuke as a character on his own is captivating enough. His broody, revenge-driven personality kept us hooked, like that one guy that won’t text you back but you can’t help waiting for. His powers, his tragic backstory with Itachi, and his constant back-and-forth between friend and foe made him the emotional core of the series. At one point, he was so popular in Japan that Kishimoto himself admitted Sasuke was the hardest character to write because of fan expectations. Even today, many fans say they watched Naruto “for Sasuke and Itachi, not Naruto.”
Gojo Satorou from Jujutsu Kaisen
We couldn’t help but save the best for last. Best as in the hottest topic in anime in decades. And who may this person be? Queue up Usher’s “Daddy’s Home” and enter Gojo Satoru, the internet’s white-haired husband. Okay, we promise we’re not like those obsessed fans… we’re built different. The way Gojo combines overpowered abilities with a goofy, cocky personality makes him the perfect blend of mentor and fan service. His domain expansion scenes practically broke the internet, and fans are so obsessed that entire subreddits and TikToks are just Gojo fan edits. As a result, no one can hear Usher’s song or the phrase “yowaimo” without referencing thousands of TikToks.
L gave Death Note its tension, Levi made Attack on Titan iconic, Greed/Ling gave FMAB its heart, Makima made Chainsaw Man unforgettable, Sasuke carried Naruto’s emotional weight, and Gojo turned Jujutsu Kaisen into a global phenomenon. At the end of the day, side characters prove that sometimes the spotlight belongs to whoever steals our hearts, our memes, and our timelines.
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