There are plenty of students out there in the anime world. Whether they live in a normal world or a supernatural one, most anime shows revolve around middle school to high school-aged characters as the leads. Thankfully, most of these characters have a great teacher there to help them get stronger and make sure they stay on a morally good path.
Anime Teachers Who Are Just Awful At Their Jobs
Teachers often appear in anime as mentors to the protagonist, guiding them on their journeys. These teachers, however, do more harm than good.
These teachers might have some unusual ways to train their pupils, but it works for them and their pupils get stronger and smarter. Whether it’s physical strength or preparing their students for the real world, the best anime teachers are legendary.
To avoid repeating the same characters, each show is going to be limited to their best teacher. However, if an anime has other memorable sensei, they will receive honorable mentions.
Updated March 22, 2025 by Mark Sammut: The Winter 2025 anime season is largely done, but it is still a bit too early to include any of its characters among the greatest anime sensei ever. That said, Medalist's Tsukasa is a fantastic coach.
This article has been expanded with galleries, along with two new entries focusing on sports.
32 Masaki Takigawa
A Calm Soul Who Helps His Students With More Than Just The Art Of The Bow
Tsurune
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 22, 2018
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Tsurune: Kazemai Koukou Kyuudou-bu
- Studio
- Kyoto Animation
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Kotoko Ayano
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
Sports anime set in high schools nearly always incorporate coaches into their stories, but they tend to be minor characters who do not do all that much in the grand scheme of things. It is not unusual for the team's captain to act more like a coach than the actual teacher. Tsurune: Kazemai High School Kyudo Club is an exception, as the show spotlights Masaki just as much as the students.
While not part of the school's staff, the shrine priest is hired to teach Kazemai High School's kyudo club, and he is extremely talented with the bow and arrow. From a technical aspect, he helps elevate the students' skills significantly, using his experience and holistic mindset to encourage them to see things a bit differently than usual. He also supports them emotionally and mentally, and he has a particularly nurturing dynamic with Minato.
31 Genji Kamogawa
A Tough Coach Who Pushes Ippo To Constantly Pursue Greater Heights In Boxing
Fighting Spirit
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2000 - 2014-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Hajime no Ippo
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- George Morikawa
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
While overshadowed by other characters with bigger personalities (case in point: Takamura), Genji is the most important contributor to Ippo's development as not only a boxer but also a person. Due to the protagonist's timid demeanor, the accomplished trainer did not see any real potential in Ippo, only for him to make a quick turnaround after watching an impressive sparring match. Stern, strict, but never unfair, Genji is exactly the type of coach that Ippo needs to succeed, and they both trust in each other completely.
In many ways, Genji is a stereotypical example of a sports coach, but he is an example of the archetype done well. Hajime no Ippo even dives into his backstory for a short while, helping to explain his unflinching dedication to being the best.
30 Akane Minagawa
Memorable For Being Horrible
Scum's Wish
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2017 - 2017-00-00
- Japanese Title
- Kuzu no Honkai
- Studio
- Lerche
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Mengo Yokoyari
- Streaming Service(s)
- HIDIVE, Amazon Prime Video
This music teacher seems like a nice woman to all of her students, but there’s more to her than meets the eye. Akane starts as a kind and clumsy teacher that all of her students adore. One of them, Mugi Awaya, falls in love with her. However, Akane is crueler than anyone could imagine. She’s aware of Mugi’s crush and toys with his emotions for the fun of it and to manipulate him.
She even starts dating another teacher, Narumi Kanai, because she knows her student, Harubi Yasuraoka, has a crush on him. Akane might be a good teacher to most of her students, but her true personality doesn’t make her a great person.
29 Naberius Kalego
A Tough As Nails Teacher Who Inadvertently Becomes Too Familiar With A Student
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2019 - 2022
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Mairimashita! Iruma-kun
- Studio
- Bandai Namco Pictures
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Osamu Nishi
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun does not focus too much on Babyls Demon School's teachers, but a couple of them get to spend some time in the spotlight. Kalego is arguably the anime's most iconic teacher, and he is at the heart of some of the show's biggest laughs. Right from his very first scene, Kalego instantly has no time for Iruma, and he is generally quite dismissive and harsh on most of his students.
Welcome To Demon School, Iruma-Kun! – 5 Strongest Familiars
Summoning a Familiar is challenging in Welcome To Demon School, Iruma-Kun as some of them are tough to tame.
All of the above is simply a setup for a laugh-out-load gag that sees Iruma accidentally summon Kalego as his familiar, which causes the teacher to transform into a small creature that could not hurt a fly. While this joke is hilarious, Kalego is otherwise not a terrible teacher, and he is generally fair.
28 Sawako Yamanaka
A Former Drummer Teaches Her Students To Rock
K-On!
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2009 - 2010
- Network
- TBS
- Directors
- Taichi Ishidate, Noriyuki Kitanohara, Mitsuyoshi Yoneda, Noriko Takao, Kazuya Sakamoto, Hiroko Utsumi, Tatsuya Ishihara
- Studio
- Kyoto Animation
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kakifly
- Streaming Service(s)
- HIDIVE
The music teacher at Sakuragaoka High School, Sawako is the advisor of the Light Music Club at the school. During her youth, she was in a metal rock band and was the main vocalist for it. This was a bit surprising to her students since she’s known for being soft-spoken and gentle. She is also the one who named Ho-kago Tea Time since the members of the band couldn’t decide on a name.
She eventually becomes the homeroom teacher of most of the band and sticks with them until they graduate. After Azusa is the only one left, Sawako helps form the new band, Wakaba Girls.
27 Nozomu Itoshiki
Gloomy, But Cares For His Students
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 7, 2007
- Japanese Title
- Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
- Studio
- Shaft
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kōji Kumeta
A high school teacher, Nozomu Itoshiki is pessimistic. He often yells “I’m in despair!” Whenever he’s upset and will try to off himself in hilarious fashion and unserious intent. Luckily for him, he fails in every attempt. Though he’s usually a negative person, he does care for his students.
Nozomu does get along with his students even though he struggles to understand their quirks and other things. Most of the girls in the class have a crush, but this is because they misunderstood what he said to each of them.
26 Yukari Tanizaki
Hilarious Even When Horrible To Her Students
Azumanga Daioh
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 9, 2002
- Japanese Title
- Azumanga Daiou
- Studio
- J.C.Staff
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kiyohiko Azuma
- Streaming Service(s)
- HIDIVE
The homeroom teacher of Class 3 has a close relationship with her students. Yukari has unorthodox ways of teaching her class and she can either be sweet or tyrant-like to them, depending on her mood. She can easily go from being encouraging and optimistic toward them or will throw or hit her students with blunt objects. But if there’s one thing she enjoys, it’s teasing Chiyo, a child prodigy who skipped five grades and is ten years old.
Best School Anime That Focus On Teachers
These shows feature the transformation of a wide range of students while also giving due attention to the educators who shape their lives.
Her relationship with her students is more casual and her students are comfortable calling her casual names like Yukari-sensei or Yukari-chan. Even some of her students have had the misfortune of being in a car with her while she drives and some of them come out scarred for life.
25 Junichirou Kagami
Uses His Interests To Make Lessons Entertaining
Ultimate Otaku Teacher
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- November 2, 2011
- Japanese Title
- Denpa Kyoushi
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Takeshi Azuma
A teacher that cares little for teaching, and is more focused on his blog and other interests. Even though he’s supposed to be teaching physics, Junichirou always manages to bring his interests into the topic of discussion. Though this sounds like a headache, it works as it makes his lessons more bearable and entertaining, and he’s able to keep focus while his students are still learning.
Despite his unorthodox ways of teaching, he inspires his students and helps them however he can. Junichirou could get just about any job he wants in the science field, but he enjoys being a teacher to his students and helping reform them.
24 Kumiko Yamaguchi
Being From The Yakuza Makes Teaching Delinquents A Breeze
Gokusen
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2004 - 2004
- Network
- Nippon TV
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Kozueko Morimoto
Coming from a Yakuza family, Kumiko might not seem like the ideal choice to be a teacher. However, putting her in charge of a class that’s full of delinquents, is a perfect choice. Despite her delicate appearance, Kumiko is strict and serious when it comes to teaching her class. Though most have given up on her class, she is optimistic and determined to make sure all of them graduate high school.
Though she and her students have a rocky start, they come to respect her and hold her in high regard. Kumiko had a lot stacked against her at first, but she refused to give up on her dream of being a teacher and on her students.
23 Henry Henderson
Determined To Make His Students Elegant
Spy x Family
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2022 - 2025-00-00
- Studio
- Wit Studio, CloverWorks
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Tatsuya Endo
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
He’s been around for a short time, but Spy x Family fans can’t help but admire this teacher. Unlike his coworker Murdoch Swan, Henderson still accepted Anya after her rough interview that ended with her crying and Loid breaking the table. He upholds the rules of Eden Academy, and isn’t afraid to throw a punch at his coworkers should they get out of line.
When teaching, Henderson is fair but firm and holds his class to the highest standards. He doesn’t care if his students come from the richest families in the world, and doesn’t give them special treatment. He expects only the best and will teach them to become the elegant students that Eden Academy is known for.