Welcome back! This is another merged birthday series featuring your favorite anime characters born in August, including the first and second half of this month, creating an exciting and diverse lineup.
There are various factors drawing fans to a particular anime series. These may be the art style, genre, music, and/or storytelling. However, character development probably tops the chart of reasons why most fans follow anime. The trove of diverse characters makes it difficult in creating a list of twenty amazing entries.
A lot of time and care went into assembling this month’s post. The result is an evenly balanced catalog of anime personalities who, according to their creators, are born in August. As you review the post, please feel free to let me know if I overlooked one of your favorite anime or manga characters. Leave a comment below and let me know your picks.
Top Anime Characters Born in the First Half of August
Tadaomi Karasuma
- Birthday: August 15
- First Anime Appearance: Assassination Classroom Ep. 1 “Assassination Time” (2015)
Codename ‘Da Densest’, Tadaomi Karasuma is a special agent for Japan’s Ministry of Defense. He instructs and watches over students in Kunugigaoka Junior High School’s Class 3-E in their efforts to assassinate Korosensei.
Before coming into the Ministry of Defense’s employ, Tadaomi was an elite airman in the Japanese Air Force. His physical strength and professionalism gained him the respect of his fellow airmen. Tadaomi’s qualities and teaching ability made him the perfect candidate for Class 3-E’s mission. Married to Irina Jelavić, he is a bit dense when it comes to matters of love.
Initially, Tadaomi Karasuma comes off as someone whose focus is on the government’s mission and less on the personal growth of his students. His perspective changes over the series to become someone who genuinely wants his young charges to be successful. His narrative draws fan interest, which becomes the basis for why Tadaomi Karasuma has longevity on polls ranking favorite anime characters.
Sanae Dekomori
- Birthday: August 8
- First Anime Appearance: Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Ep. 3 “The Hectic… Twintail” (2012)
The agent of the eye of the wicked lord, Sanae Dekomori is a high school girl and one of the anime’s notable supporting characters. She is academically gifted and a founding member of the school’s Far Eastern Magic Napping Society of Summer Club.
This petite ‘magical warrior’ sports long blonde twin tails tied at their ends by bags of candy. A chūnibyō at heart, Sanae deploys her twin tails or the Mighty Mjolnir Maul to attack ‘Fake Mori Summer.’ Yuuta Togashi, the series’ male protagonist, often refers to her as ‘Mischievous Dimwit.’ She also shows a tendency to refer to herself in the third person. Despite her mannerisms, Dekomori is a caring person and cares for her friend’s well-being.
Sanae Dekomori plays the perfect foil to Yuuta Togashi and Shinka Nibutani. Her character serves to demonstrate that being a responsible person does not mean giving up on your true self. Dekomori’s comedic charm is reason enough to become a fan favorite for August.
Hawk
- Birthday: August 6
- First Anime Appearance: Nanatsu no Taizai Ep. 1 “The Seven Deadly Sins” (2014)
Meliodas’ traveling companion, Hork or Hawk is a talking pig-like creature from Purgatory. ‘Captain Leftovers’ is the first animal to grace our series. His story begins with the Demon King sending him to the Living World to spy on Meliodas. He meets up with Meliodas and after a brief argument, the pair decides to open a restaurant. Hawk works at ‘The Boar Hat’ tavern by cleaning up food leftovers. His special ability is using the power of Transpork. This skill allows Hawk to absorb any eaten magical power.
Hawk is a popular character in the Seven Deadly Sins anime. Energetic and carefree, this demon pig serves as the series’ heart and soul. His contribution to the story and character interaction has made Hawk a favorite among fans.
Himiko Toga
- Birthday: August 7
- First Anime Appearance: Boku no Hīrō Akademia Ep. 31 “The Aftermath of Hero Killer: Stain” (2017)
An archetypal yandere, Himiko Toga is the only living female member of the League of Villains and the series’ primary antagonist. Her cheerful exterior masks a deeper psychopathic yearning to inflict pain upon others.
How the Creepy Demon Child arrived at being a serial killer is a bit of a mystery. There is nothing known about her family or place of birth. Himiko’s criminal behavior becomes more effective through the use of her Transformation Quirk. This ability allows her to transform into a lookalike of another person, including the ability to copy their voices. She augments this trait by using combat knives and a blood-sucking machine to dispatch opponents.
Himiko Toga is a popular villain within the My Hero Academia universe, which is surprising given her brutality within the story. The ability to draw fans into liking a despicable villain serves as a credit to the series writer Yōsuke Kuroda to stay true to Kohei Hirikoshi’s vision.
Aqua
- Birthday: August 1
- First Anime Appearance: Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! Ep. 1 “This Self-Proclaimed Goddess and Reincarnation in Another World!” (2016)
The goddess of water, Aqua is one of the three main characters within the KonoSuba narrative. She is responsible for convincing Japanese people to reincarnate into the Fantasy World. Satou Kazuma tricks her into becoming his regrettable, travel companion.
A bit of a pampered princess, Aqua is one of the least effective of Kazuma’s adventuring party. He often refers to as the Useless Goddess. Her self-centered approach to life is evident when she attempts to appease her followers by performing great feats but efforts go poorly due to an inflated ego. Aqua and Kazuma often argue and point out each other’s flaws but the pair actually care for one another.
The success of KonoSuba rests on the interactions of the series quartet. Along with the series’ popularity, the Goddess of Debt has also become well-liked. Fans need only look at her guest appearance in Weathering with You to understand Aqua’s status as a favorite.
Kyoka Jiro
- Birthday: August 1
- First Anime Appearance: Boku no Hīrō Akademia Ep. 5 “What I Can Do for Now” (2016)
A talented musician, Kayoka Jiro is a petite, emotionally complex girl in Class 1-A at U.A. High School. She is the only hero-in-training whose champion name, Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack, is the same as her quirk. Her Earphone Jack Quirk employs the sound of her heartbeat to create a violent tremor attack. She can use this quirk to surveil her surroundings. Her abilities resulted in a seventeenth-place outcome on the Quirk Apprehension Test.
In her free time, Kyoka is a rock singer and musician. A bassist, she is a skilled instrumentalist and her singing is described as ‘husky, but heavenly.’
Kayoka Jiro is one of the first Boku no Hīrō Akademia characters developed by Kohei Horikoshi. He drew inspiration while traveling home and listening to music through headphones. His imaginative take on hero design has given us one of the U.A. High School’s best support characters in Kayoka Jiro.
Faye Valentine
- Birthday: 14 August 1994
- First Anime Appearance: Cowboy Bebop Ep. 3 “Honky Tonk Women” (1998)
Wanted for grand theft, Faye Valentine lives in a sanctuary among Bebop’s rascals. The ‘Queen of Hearts’ is a cunning but arrogant bounty hunter who loves leisure over the grind.
Seventy-seven years old, her youthful appearance is a product of being in cryogenic sleep. She revives fifty-four years later to discover a universe turned on its head. Her strange new environment causes her to use her charms to exploit others. Her selfish lifestyle begins to unravel after she reviews a Beta tape of her childhood. Faye comes to view the Bebop crew as a surrogate family.
Faye Valentine is an homage to the classic noir movie Femme Fatales. She is intelligent, mysterious, and sexy, with hints of vulnerability. Faye uses her assets to navigate and overcome a world dominated by powerful people. Her narrative arc is why fans recognize the ‘Queen of Hearts’ as a great supporting character in the Cowboy Bebop universe.
Related: Top 20 Best Anime Girls With Green Eyes
Taiga Kagami
- Birthday: August 2
- First Anime Appearance: Kuroko no Basuke Ep. 1 “I am Kuroko” (2012)
A first-year student, Taiga Kagami plays for Seirin High’s basketball team. His imposing stature combined with raw athletic talents has catapulted him to the team’s ace and power forward.
Born in Japan, Taiga spent his formative years in the United States. The cultural transition was isolating until his introduction to the game of street basketball. He would become a monster on the court under the coaching of retired WNBA player Alexandra Garcia. Returning to Japan, Taiga’s talents have people referring to him as “The Miracle who did not become one of the Miracles.”
Although a bit shōnen trope-ish, Taiga Kagami’s arc is about personal growth on and off the court. This compelling journey is the reason why so many fans continue to rank Taiga as a favorite anime sports personality.
Tsunade
- Birthday: August 2
- First Anime Appearance: Naruto Ep. 83 “Jiraiya: Naruto’s Potential Disaster!” (2004)
An ancestor of the Senju and Uzumaki clans, Tsunade is one of the Legendary Three Ninjas from Konohagakure. She is a powerful kunoichi (female ninja) and skilled medical-nin, whose skills are invaluable as Konoha’s Fifth Fire Shadow or Fifth Hokage.
Tsunade is the granddaughter of Konoha’s First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. As his first grandchild, Hashirama overlooked the young girl’s nonconformist approach to life and love of gambling. These scruples would continue into Tsunade’s adult life. Her life force and physical energy are strong enough to heal legions of shinobi, which was useful in the battle against Obito Uchiha.
Naruto is an expansive shōnen environment with over two hundred great characters. The ability to rise to the surface of this massive field of awesome personalities is pretty remarkable. Tsunade’s well-earned distinction as a fan favorite is why she beats out most anime characters born in August.
Yato
- Birthday: August 10
- First Anime Appearance: Noragami Ep. 1 “A Housecat, A Stray God, and a Tail” (2014)
Over 1000 years old, Yato or Yaboku is a minor calamity god and one of the series’ three protagonists. His mission in life is to rebrand himself so others may worship him.
Yato and his sister grew up in the care of their manipulative father, Fujisaki Kouto. The father’s devious nature caused the young lad to believe that murdering others and causing mayhem was a game. He would come, with Sakura’s assistance, to view humanity and the world as beautiful.
Alongside Hiyori Iki and Yukine, Yato sets out to challenge himself and society’s perceptions. His ultimate goal is to have society forgive him of past misdeeds. The story of Noragami is very much an exploration of the philosophical understanding of the true self. The anime presents this theme quite well in Yato’s journey of self-discovery. This is something we all struggle with within our daily interactions.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that anime fans pick Yato as one of their favorite characters born in August.
Top Anime Characters Born in the Second Half of August
Guren Ichinose
- Birthday: 28 August 1996
- First Anime Appearance: Seraph of the End Ep. 1 “The World of Blood Legacy” (2015)
Guren Ichinose is a Lieutenant Colonel within the Japanese Imperial Demon Army and squad leader of the Guren Squad. A Namanari, he is able to summon two demons to fight off the vampire horde taking over Japan.
Trained to fight vampires, Guren’s first conflict comes while attending the First Shibuya High School. He uses a combination of mystical spells and swordsmanship to repel the menace. His abilities lead him to enlist in the Japanese Imperial Demon Army to become the leader of the Vampire Extermination Unit’s Moon Demon Company. Guren is able to use the demon weapon, Mahiru-n-Yo to handily defeat the vampire leaders ‘The Great Mikaela’ and Krul Tepes.
On the surface, Guren Ichinose comes off as a lazy individual. This idle façade masks his strategic approach to engaging vampires and superiors. Countless times, he proves himself to be a caring and capable leader. Guren Ichinose’s combination of leadership style and fighting prowess has earned him a spot as an August fan favorite.
Shino Asada
- Birthday: 21 August 2009
- First Anime Appearance: Sword Art Online Ep. 2:1 “The World of Guns” (2014)
Username Sinon, Asada Shino is a skilled virtual reality gamer in both Gun Gale Online and Alfheim Online MMO environments. She plays these first-person shooter games as a mechanism to cope with personal trauma.
There were two tragic events shaping Asada’s childhood and exploration of MMO gaming. These incidents were an accident that took her father’s life and experienced an armed robbery that resulted in a bystander’s death. Frightened by the world around her, Shinkawa Kyouji suggested that she overcome her trauma by playing Gun Gale Online.
Asada has become a proficient sniper, adopting the ‘Sniper’s Creed’ of ‘One Shot, One Kill’ as her motto. Her marksmanship earned her co-winner of the third Bullet of Bullets alongside Kirito.
Asada Shino is an emotionally complex, supporting character within the Sword Art Online universe. Her character provides inspiration for overcoming personal hardship. Asada’s contribution to the franchise has made her one of our favorite anime characters born in August.
Emma
- Birthday: 22 August 2034
- First Anime Appearance: The Promised Neverland Ep. 1 “121045” (2019)
A caring and extroverted child, Emma is the protagonist of The Promised Neverland anime and manga. She is one of the smartest children living in the sinister Grace Field House. Emma and her fourteen foster siblings were under the care of the House’s caretaker, Isabella. Corralled into the plantation setting, Emma’s athleticism and intelligence made her ‘premium quality goods.’
Her inquisitive nature would uncover Grace Field House’s true purpose behind its foster classification system. Fugitives from the farm, Emma assumes the role of her foster sibling’s guardian. Her ultimate desire is to locate William Minerva so he can lead the children to safety.
Emma is a popular character, with both anime and The Promised Neverland series fans. She is actually the 8th most popular anime girl with green eyes according to MAL. She is motivated and uncompromising in her dedication to care for her siblings. A child herself, Emma demonstrates the qualities that make her a great central character and fan favorite.
Ritsu Tainaka
- Birthday: 21 August 1991
- First Anime Appearance: K-On Ep. 1 “Disband the Club” (2009)
A source of hilarity, Ritsu ‘Ricchan’ Tainaka is a student at Skuragaoka Girl’s School and president of the school’s Light Music Club. This charismatic girl prefers engaging in activities over casual conversation.
Ritsu is not academically gifted but finds success in music and physical activities, such as Physical Education. Blending her sporty nature with athleticism, she is the Light Music Club’s Ho-kago Tea Time band’s drummer. She favors playing rock music and idolizes the drum abilities of Keith Moon. Her bandmates describe Ritsu as someone who will go the extra mile for her friends. Ricchan’s dogged determination led to the survival of the Light Music Club at Skuragaoka.
Ritsu Tainaka is an honest character, who never betrays her personal motivations and friendships. In many respects, she is the heart and soul of the Ho-kago Tea Time band. Her authenticity as an individual is the reason why so many fans like President Ritsu as a character.
Mephisto Pheles
- Anniversary: August 28
- First Anime Appearance: Blue Exorcist Ep. 2 “Gehenna Gate” (2011)
The King of Time, Mephisto Pheles is the mysterious Principal of True Cross Academy. A powerful demon king, he delights in creating chaos among the exorcists. A wayward traveler, Mephisto roamed Assiah for eons before linking up with the Vatican and True Cross Academy. He has used various names along the way but his true identity is Samuel.
The trickster sees his surroundings as a personal game where people are ripe for his sacrificial amusement. His yearning for bedlam serves as motivation for enrolling the story’s protagonist in the Academy. A bit peculiar, Mephisto loves Japanese culture and proudly refers to himself as an otaku.
Anime and manga are chock-full of characters whose primary goal is to manipulate people and delight in the ensuing chaos. Sprinkle in a bit of finesse, the trickster and their motivations will elevate the story’s narrative and sometimes overshadow its protagonist. Mephisto Pheles is one such character, which is why he lands on our August birthday list.
Temari Nara
- Birthday: August 23
- First Anime Appearance: Naruto Ep. 20 “A New Chapter Begins: The Chūnin Exam!” (2003)
Temari Nara is a highly intelligent kunoichi, who specializes in long-range combat techniques. Her fighting style employs a Japanese war fan or ‘tessen’ in tandem with her Wind Release abilities.
Temari is the eldest child of Karura and the Fourth Kazekage. Raised in the Village Hidden by Tree Leaves, the family’s status made it difficult for Temari to make friends among her peers. In spite of her ranking, neither she nor her younger brother were able to become a jinchūriki. A military strategist, she would successfully lead the Fourth Division during the Fourth Shinobi World War. Following the war, Temari would marry Shikamaru Nara and give birth to a son.
Temari once stated, “Sacrifice is an inevitable part of missions… Didn’t you receive emotion training?” A warrior at heart, her stoic philosophy, and fighting prowess are captivating. This shōnen fighter has a well-deserved fan base who have chosen Temari Nara as one of their favorite characters born in August.
Shinya Kogami
- Birthday: 16 August 2084
- First Anime Appearance: Psycho-Pass Ep. 1 “0101 Crime Coefficient” (2012)
Shinya Kogami is an anti-hero and the anime’s first-season protagonist. Addicted to nicotine, this skilled detective serves as a Tactical Advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Operations Department.
Shinya is highly intelligent and methodical, with a strong sense of humor. These traits become a necessary asset for his survival as one of the Criminal Investigative Department’s Inspectors, and later as one of its Enforcers. His risky and obsessive investigative style would take a toll on his well-being. He would eventually leave the Public Safety Bureau to become a mercenary aiding oppressed populations in Southeast Asia. Upon returning to Japan, Shinya would join the Japanese government’s anti-terrorism efforts.
‘Be gentle to others, but strict with oneself,’ Shinya Kogami’s motto perfectly encapsulates his approach to career and life. He undertakes the herculean task of protecting colleagues from physical and mental harm while sacrificing his own health. His desire to shelter others from harm is relatable and is one of many reasons why fans recognize Shinya Kogami as a favorite anime character.
Tomoe
- Birthday: August 19
- First Anime Appearance: Kamisama Kiss Ep. 1 “Nanami Becomes a God” (2012)
Over 628 years old, Tomoe is the abandoned shinshi of the land god’s dilapidated shrine. He is a powerful white-haired fox yokai. His cunning and physical power make Tomoe attractive to the gods and yokai.
The fox yokai was a companion of the demon king. Akura-ou and Tomoe thrived off their love of chaos and death. Critically wounded, Tomoe would come under the care of the land god. Mikage is able to heal Tomoe’s physical and spiritual wounds. He loathed humans until Mikage blessed Nanami Momozono to become the new land god. Tomoe would come to deeply care for the human land god.
Whether fictional or not, life’s journey is about the growth of character. Tomoe’s story fully embraces this sentiment. His interpersonal interactions force him to evolve his worldview. Tomoe’s evolution and serious but funny interactions with all make him one of the most iconic anime characters born in August.
Renji Abarai
- Birthday: August 31
- First Anime Appearance: Bleach Ep. 15 “Kon’s Great Plan” (2005)
The ‘red pineapple,’ Renji Abarai is the dynamic lieutenant of the Sixth Division in the Gotei 13. He is sometimes judgmental but his intentions are good. This trait is especially true when it comes to his initial impressions of the story’s protagonist.
A childhood friend of Rukia Kuchiki, Renji grew up in the Soul Society without a family. Streetlife offered little option for the young Shinigami, so he enrolled at the Shin’ō Academy. Upon graduation, he became a member of the Fifth Division before transferring to Kenpachi Zaraki’s Eleventh Division. Renji’s primary weapon of choice is his zanpakutō Zabimaru or ‘Snake Tail,’ which evolves into the Bankai Sōō Zabimaru or ‘Twin Kings Snake Tail.’
Tite Kubo’s Bleach established some of shōnen’s most unique and iconic characters. The fans’ ability to wade through the torrent of extraordinary personalities is noteworthy. Renji Abarai’s unwavering loyalty is reason enough for anime fans to place him on our list of favorite characters born in August.
Nate ‘Near’ River
- Birthday: 24 August 1994 (reference) / 24 August 1991 (anime) / 24 August 1997 (live-action)
- First Anime Appearance: Death Note Ep. 26 “Renewal” (2007)
The true successor of L, Nate River heads the Special Provision for Kira. His unorthodox criminal investigative style leads to the Japanese Task Force’s unmasking of Kira’s true identity.
An orphan, Near, grew up in the Wammy’s House in the English town of Winchester. He is one of the three gifted investigators sent to examine the strange deaths of world criminals and enemies of Kira. An analytical mind, Near chooses to play board games and build puzzles in seclusion. The adverse result is his inability to emotionally connect with peers. This is demonstrated when he remarks, “If you can’t win the game if you can’t solve the puzzle, you are just a loser” upon hearing of L’s death.
Manga artist, Takeshi Obata believes Near is the smartest character within the Death Note universe. Death Note fans might find it hard to argue Obata’s viewpoint. Nate River’s well-earned admiration is why he is our favorite anime character born in the second half of August.
