25 Easy Anime Characters to Draw for Beginners

How we picked these

Our random anime character generator rates all 316 of its characters by how hard they are to draw. A character counts as easy when the design has a clear outline, few accessories and simple clothes. From the easy group, we took the characters fans love most, based on AniList favourites, so you'll actually want to draw them.

The 25 easiest anime characters to draw

1. Saitama (One-Punch Man): A round head, a plain suit and almost no hair. His face is two dots and a line, so he's the best character to start with.
2. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): The straw hat does most of the work. Get the hat, the X scar and a big grin right and he reads as Luffy at once.
3. L (Death Note): A white shirt, messy black hair and dark circles under the eyes. Try his crouched sitting pose for easy practice with folded limbs.
4. Shigeo Kageyama (Mob Psycho 100): Straight fringe, simple eyes and a school uniform. His show is drawn loosely on purpose, so wobbly lines suit him.
5. Reigen Arataka (Mob Psycho 100): A plain suit, a tie and a smug face. He's great for practicing expressions.
6. Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen): Short spiky hair and a hooded jacket. The two small marks under his eyes finish the look.
7. Megumi Fushiguro (Jujutsu Kaisen): Tall spiky black hair and a plain dark uniform. Treat the hair as one big jagged shape.
8. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto): Whisker marks, a headband and spiky hair. The jacket can stay simple, and you can skip the small details.
9. Light Yagami (Death Note): Neat hair and a school uniform. His face is a good way to learn the classic anime side parting.
10. Killua Zoldyck (Hunter x Hunter): Fluffy white hair and cat-like eyes. Think of the hair as soft clumps instead of single strands.
11. Gon Freecss (Hunter x Hunter): Tall spiky hair and a simple green outfit. His shape is bold enough to work at any size.
12. Anya Forger (Spy x Family): A round face, two little horn-like hair clips and huge eyes. Her expressions alone are fun to copy.
13. Shoyo Hinata (Haikyuu!!): Messy hair and a volleyball jersey. Use him to practice jumping and action poses.
14. Tobio Kageyama (Haikyuu!!): Straight dark hair and a scowl. Sports uniforms are simple, so you can focus on the pose.
15. Kenma Kozume (Haikyuu!!): Two-tone hair that falls straight down, plus a sleepy face. There are very few lines to get right.
16. Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach): Spiky orange hair and a black robe. The robe is one big dark shape, so it's quicker than it looks.
17. Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach): Short dark hair with one strand across her face, and a simple black robe.
18. Armin Arlert (Attack on Titan): A round bob haircut and big eyes. Keep the uniform simple and leave out the straps at first.
19. Toge Inumaki (Jujutsu Kaisen): A high collar hides half his face, so you only need the eyes and hair.
20. Tony Tony Chopper (One Piece): A round hat, a small body and big eyes. Cute characters like him are built from simple circles.
21. Shikamaru Nara (Naruto): A high ponytail and a bored face. The vest is the only detail you need to get right.
22. Hinata Hyuga (Naruto): Long straight hair, pale eyes and a loose jacket, with soft lines throughout.
23. Rock Lee (Naruto): A bowl cut, thick eyebrows and a plain green jumpsuit. It's impossible to mistake him for anyone else.
24. Pochita (Chainsaw Man): A small orange blob with a chainsaw on its nose. It's about the simplest design in all of anime.
25. Natsu Dragneel (Fairy Tail): Spiky pink hair and a scaly scarf. The scarf adds movement without much effort.

What makes a character easy to draw

• A clear outline. If you can recognize the character from their shadow alone, the shape is doing the work for you.
• One standout feature. A straw hat, a bowl cut or a pair of whisker marks does more than ten small details.
• Simple clothes. School uniforms, jerseys and plain suits leave you free to work on the face and the pose.

How to practice

1. Start with the head and hair as one big shape, then add the face.
2. Copy a picture first, then try the same character from memory.
3. Set a timer. Five minutes per sketch stops you getting stuck on small details.
4. When these feel easy, move up to medium characters, then try one with armor or a detailed outfit.

Want a surprise? Filter by easy characters in the generator and roll. The View button opens a reference with a zoom, a proportion grid and a timer.