As one of the most far-reaching and influential countries on the planet, the British have carved quite a specific niche in the world of fiction. Often seen as confident, well-mannered, and arrogant, the British villain is an entire trope in itself, popularized by series likeJames BondandA Clockwork Orange.
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While anime mostly focuses on characters from its home country of Japan, there are several series that turn their eyes to the world stage, and feature characters from all over the world, the UK included. It might be easy to forget their nationality, but not only are there a lot of iconic British anime characters, but some of anime’s biggest characters are also British themselves.
7Diana Cavendish – Little Witch Academia
Little Witch Academiatakes the “magical high school” concept popular in anime to fun places, with the protagonist, Akko being completely unable to use magic at the start of the series. As with any such plot, there had to be an overachieving foil to keep her on her toes.
This role is filled by Diana, the daughter of an old-moneyed, influential dynasty, and a star student. While the two start off as enemies due to their vastly different origins, Diana eventually grows to be a reliable friend and ally to Akko.
6Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing – Hellsing
Taking the name of the famous mythical monster hunter Van Helsing,theHellsingseriesfittingly portrays a world where vampires and monsters are in an ongoing conflict with humans. While the vampire Alucard is easily the most popular character from this series, his current master, Integra is quite well-known as well.
As the last surviving member of the Hellsing family, Integra took up the mantle of director of the Hellsing organization, the main anti-monster force in the series. She takes her job seriously and is shown to be not only smart but fearless as well. She also happens to be quite patriotic, and loyal to Britain’s crown.
5Mari Makinami – Evangelion
Evangelionis without a doubt one of, if not the best-known anime of all time. While the original run of the series ended long ago, recent years have seen the release of theRebuild: Evangelionmovie projects, which sought to retell the original story and have introduced new characters such asMari Makinami.
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Mari is introduced as another Eva pilot, and the ‘fourth child’ to go with Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. Unlike her three comrades, Mari is not hesitant at all to pilot an Eva and seems to actually enjoy the process immensely, even talking to the mechs during and after fights. She is also somewhat obsessive, particularly towards the Eva mechs.
4Arturia Pendragon – Fate
IntheFateseries, servants are historical figures brought forth to serve masters and fight on their behalf. Despite only being subordinates, the servants end up being some of the most popular characters in all ofFate, and none of them prove this harder than Arturia, or as she’s better known, Saber.
Based on King Arthur, a famous figure from British mythology, Arturia is fittingly very knightly and wields the famed sword, Excalibur. She’s taken on a life of her own over the years, appearing in many differentFateproperties, and becoming the face of the series to most onlookers.
3Dio Brando – Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventureis easily one of the most international anime series around. The series even began in Victorian England with the struggle betweenJonathan Joestar and his adoptive brother Dio Brando.
While Jonathan is the protagonist ofJojo’s first part, Dio has taken on a life of his own due to his appearance inJojoPart 3:Stardust Crusadersand his lasting influence on theJojoseries as a whole. Dio is a character defined by charisma, so much so that he remains relevant even inJojoPart 6, despite having been dead since Part 3.
2L – Death Note
When it comes to shows that are suitable for newcomers to anime,Death Noteis often brought up due to being a grounded, theatrical detective story. One of the stars of that story isthe genius detective known simply as L.
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While his investigation into the death note and its owner Light Yagami keeps him in Japan for most of the story, he actually originates from England. He was raised in a special orphanage for gifted children, aiding in his development into the master investigator he is, and one of the best-known characters in anime history.
1Lelouch vi Britannia – Code Geass
Juggling the roles ofa protagonist and a villainsimultaneously is a rare feat for a fictional character, but very compelling when done right. Due to how well he pulls it off, Lelouch has easily become one of the most recognizable characters in anime history, andCode Geassremains a well-known and iconic anime series to this day.
Born the 11th son of the emperor of Britannia, Lelouch would have been consigned to historical irrelevancy, but his keen intellect and desire for revenge drove him to overthrow his father. He then later orchestrated a plot to make himself the center of hatred for all of humanity so that his death might usher in a period of peace.
Lelouch has achieved many accolades over the years, winning several character polls, and cementing his popularity in the anime world.
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