Almost as much as anime fans love conversations about which anime characters are the strongest, making sweeping statements about which characters are the weakest in any given series is an equally popular pastime.
As the medium of anime deals with such a wide range of genres and settings, there are a lot of possible options for which particular characters could be considered to be amongst the weakest.
It goes without saying that certain mascot characters, animals, and children could easily be considered weaker than the various demigods that would dominate anyone’s list of strongest anime characters. Whilst we’ve considered some of these ‘obviously’ weak characters, we’ve also chosen some that could still be considered strong, but in the context of their series can be seen as particularly lacking.
Of course, we’re also not issuing any judgment here: what these characters may lack in physical strength or overall power, they more than make up for through wit, wisdom, or even just sheer entertainment value. Even if they’re not the strongest, many of these characters are still deserving of your respect.
Yamcha (Dragon Ball Z)
I’m sure this first numbered entry on the list is likely to upset some people, if the comments of our Top 10 Strongest list are anything to go by. I’m fully aware that Yamcha would still pose a formidable threat to many characters, but remember, I’m considering the context of the universe they’re in as well as how they match up against these other characters on this list. Because we’re going in ascending order, being number 10 means he’s still the strongest character here!
Unfortunately, Yamcha’s death and subsequent uselessness in the early episodes of Dragonball Z have made him a bit of a laughing stock amongst fans of the series for quite some time. Although Yamcha shows off some martial talent and initially appears as quite a challenge in the original Dragon Ball manga, the latter part of the series highlights that he’s weak compared to many of the series’ Saiyans and Villains.
Jacuzzi Splot (Baccano!)
The classic anime Baccano! deals with a lot of ‘tough customers’, from the infamous ‘rail tracer’ serial killer to immortal gangsters vying for power in the anarchic social backdrop of the 1930s. Jacuzzi Splot is one of the series’ many characters, and unfortunately, he doesn’t make much of a case for himself as a particularly strong character, despite leading his own nefarious gang.
Given the non-linear nature of Baccano!, you may spend a long time wondering how Jacuzzi ended up in this position at all, considering his tendency to faint, cry, and shiver at the sight of any danger. Although he’s sometimes able to dig into a hidden reserve of bravery, cowardice is second nature to Jacuzzi, often carried through all kinds of dangerous gangland scenarios by his much more competent and level-headed partner in crime, Nice Holystone.
Buggy The Clown (One Piece)
If any One Piece character was going to make this list, it’s Buggy The Clown, a character that’s such a consistent joke in the long-running series that fans are always concocting both serious and tongue-in-cheek theories on their potential hidden powers, because so far, Buggy hasn’t shown they’re capable of much.
Initially introduced as the villain for the very first arc of One Piece, Buggy The Clown has continued to pop up throughout the series in flashbacks and cover page stories. Although he has a pretty interesting Devil Fruit Ability which allows him to detach their limbs, it’s not shown to be particularly effective against many of the series’ stronger pirates: not only were they fairly easily defeated by a very unseasoned Luffy as he was just setting out on his journey, Buggy has also been outpaced by other members of his former crew: the legendary Roger Pirates.
Buggy unfortunately hasn’t lived up to the legacy that being in such a crew might suggest: the other Roger Pirates apprentice Shanks has gone on to achieve many great things as one of the four emperors, whilst Buggy is left in the dust, trekking on as a comic relief character.
Mumen Rider (One Punch Man)
Mumen Rider seems like a really great guy. Clearly, this is a man with a heart of gold and a hero’s mindset. Mumen Rider never gives up in spite of the odds. This is heartening mainly because the odds always seem fairly stacked against him. As a member of the Hero’s Organisation with no specific powers other than good cycling skills and a whole lot of politeness, Mumen Rider may be physically weak, but he certainly has an incredibly strong willpower.
Mumen Rider is fascinating mainly because they’re the antithesis of One Punch Man’s Saitama, a self-proclaimed hero for fun and our very-own VGKami nominated strongest anime character of all time. What Mumen Rider lacks in physical strength, he more than makes up for in his willingness to do the right thing at great personal cost. Mumen Rider has motivation: something even Saitama himself sorely lacks.
Udon Ise (Naruto)
Udon is arguably one of the weakest, if not the weakest character in the Naruto universe. This is true at least in his initial incarnation, before the show’s time skip. As the designated leader of Team 5 whilst in the academy, Udon places noticeable strain on the team dynamic due to a repeated inability to master basic ninjutsu techniques.
Although he gets a lot stronger after the time skip, eventually learning how to transform his own mucus into powerful water-based limbs, Udon is a great example of a character that exists to serve the role of a weak character. We see Udon struggling with the same obstacles that we see the main cast endure, offering the audience a stark contrast between the characters who will ‘make it’ as a ninja and the ones that won’t. Although Udon eventually finds his stride, he stays struggling for long enough to make it onto this list.
Rokuro Okajima (Black Lagoon)
Rokuro, or ‘Rock’ as he’s often known, is one of those characters that makes me ask myself the question: ‘What exactly is he doing here?’. For a character in a series that often revolves around high-octane action like Black Lagoon, Rokuro cares more about the administrative side of being a pirate over the fisticuffs, firefights, and ferocity.
Of course, Rock isn’t without talent, and he certainly brings a lot to his crew outside of his (lack of) physical strength or power. On his own though, he’d probably struggle to match up against most of the other characters on this list.
Kyon (The Melanacholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
If you’ve ever seen The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, you might want to argue that Kyon is indirectly incredibly powerful, due to the influence he has over Haruhi, or perhaps due to his knowledge of the true nature of Haruhi’s club members. If I bought into such semantic arguments, I probably wouldn’t have included him on this list.
Kyon is a very likable and often relatable character. Unfortunately, not unlike many other characters on this list, Kyon is essentially ‘just a guy’ with no particularly remarkable qualities. He’s nice, fairly intelligent, and certainly very resourceful. His best skill is being able to problem solve pretty quickly, but he’s not exactly a bastion of physical strength or martial skill. Despite frequently finding himself in extraordinary circumstances, he is little more than ordinary himself.
Metapod (Pokémon)
A strange inclusion at the number three spot, perhaps, but think about it for a second. Metapod is useless. Absolutely useless. Not unlike a Magikarp, their only real purpose is to evolve into a slightly better Pokémon. But at least Magikarps evolve into a Gyarados. What does a Metapod get you? Maybe a Butterfree. Disappointing, to say the least.
Oolong (Dragon Ball Z)
We’ve already had an iconic Dragon Ball character on this list and it’s time for another: Although Yamcha is certainly weak when compared to the Saiyans, Oolong is a character that is easy to declare as much weaker than Yamcha. If it comes down to pure physical strength and the application of said strength, Oolong might be beaten out by every other character that’s lower on this list. If it came to a battle of wits, Oolong might also be beaten out by every other character that’s lower on this list. Yes, even Metapod stands a chance.
Oolong is one of the few Dragon Ball characters that’s pretty much never seen in a fight. They’re also pretty misogynistic, rude, and cowardly. They’re weak in almost every sense of the word, which earns them a spot on this list, even if they’re a very minor character in the show.
Kon (Bleach)
For many popular anime series, there’s a ‘mascot character’ just like Kon. Their placement at the number one spot on this list may be shocking to some: perhaps too harsh to some and maybe too lenient to others.
Ultimately, Kon’s placement at the top of this list is a symbolic placement. In the same way that Kon serves a decidedly meaningless existence in their series Bleach, they are one in a multitude of similar characters: an iconic example of a character that is inserted into a series to simply have a cutesy design and nothing more. In the context of Bleach, Kon’s stuffed animal body makes it a pretty easy target. It also makes it exceptionally weak.
Kon takes the number one spot because it makes sense. It’s a stuffed animal. Everyone else on this list probably stands a fair shot against it, after all.
