Over the years, anime fans have been introduced to a variety of character archetypes that are present throughout the medium, and one of the most popular types are those that exude immense aura. Fans love a cool and collected character, especially when they're the main characters of the story. Naturally, not everyone can pull off the trope adequately.
Only a few anime series, some old and some new gen, have managed to nail their main character and made them wildly popular through their aura and cool personality.
Sung Jinwoo
Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling is definitely a character with a ton of aura. After all, the main reason he is as popular as he is is thanks to his cool persona and his overpowered ability.
Jinwoo, for the most part, only has aura-filled moments. He rarely has times when he isn’t looking cool and collected, at least since his awakening to the System. Jinwoo is the definition of an overpowered main character, and he rarely loses or even struggles in battles. His fight against the Ant King has definitely made him one of the coolest new anime MCs.
Lelouch vi Britannia
Lelouch vi Britannia has cemented himself as one of anime’s most iconic main characters ever. He is the main character of Code Geass, and naturally, is the central highlight of the show.
Lelouch is a genius, and he uses his Geass power to its full extent. His planning and final sacrifice make him one of anime’s main characters with the most aura. The fact that he is still actively talked about even now, almost 20 years after Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion’s ending, is proof of that.
Eren Yeager
Eren Yeager wasn’t always the coolest main character. During the first seasons of Attack on Titan, he was often overlooked and overtaken in popularity by side characters with more aura, such as Levi Ackerman or Erwin Smith.
This, however, changed after the timeskip. With the Marley story unfolding, and with Eren at his peak, his popularity really took off. Many believe Eren lost some aura with his ending, but for the most part, he remains incredibly memorable.
Frieren
Frieren leads the story of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Aside from Jinwoo, she’s definitely the new-gen main character with the most aura. Frieren, being an elf who has lived for a very long time, is quite nonchalant for the most part.
She’s cool and collected, and in a battle, her aura is almost unmatched. In her battles against the likes of Aura, she has made herself iconic and unforgettable. Fans can’t wait for her return in Season 2.
Jotaro Kujo
Jotaro Kujo is the blueprint for a main character with an insane amount of aura. He is one of many Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure main characters, but he’s the most popular of the bunch for a reason.
Throughout Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 3, he’s the main character to follow, especially when he fully taps into Star Platinum and takes on Dio head-on. Even in subsequent Jojo Parts, he’s still an amazing side character to have around.
Light Yagami
Light Yagami is the protagonist of Death Note. Unlike most other main characters with a lot of aura, Light isn’t actually a fighter. When it comes to strength, he’s just a regular human.
However, Light is one of anime’s biggest geniuses, and with the Death Note in his hands, he’s one of the most dangerous characters ever. His wits have made him iconic as he tussles with another genuine, L.
Thorfinn Thorsson
Thorfinn is the main character of one of the most beloved Seinen series out there, Vinland Saga. Thorfinn’s life was flipped upside down when his father, Thors, was brutally killed while protecting him. This changed Thorfinn fundamentally as he sought revenge. In Vinland Saga Season 1, Thorfinn could definitely be described as a main character with a ton of aura.
However, in Season 2, he matures and rediscovers himself. While he loses his edgy side, he becomes an even more interesting main character and a true warrior.
Guts
Guts remains one of the most iconic seinen main characters of all time, and that is despite Berserk failing to get a decent anime adaptation.
Berserk is quite a dark series, and Guts suffers greatly through it all. However, despite all that, Guts remains one of the coolest main characters ever seen. His battles and ruthlessness make him one of anime’s most aura-exuding main characters.