6 Anime where The Main Character Is Brawn over Brains

Many shonen anime share a common trait in their main characters: they often appear a bit dim-witted but possess remarkable hidden talent. These protagonists tend to show a sweet and lighthearted side, yet they become fierce and determined when it’s time to fight.

Fans enjoy characters who can make them laugh and take on any challenge with sheer strength. A touch of humor during intense battles adds a fun dynamic to the story. Here, we’ve ranked six main characters who truly embody “brawn over brains.”

6 Asta

Black Clover

Asta is an energetic and hyperactive kid who struggles to express his feelings politely. Orphaned as a child, he was raised in a church in Hage Village. In a world where magic is everything, Asta was unique because he possessed no magic power.

At the age of 15, he obtained a rare five-leaf Grimoire and became a member of the Black Bulls, a group within the Magic Knights.

Despite his loud and occasionally annoying tendencies, Asta has a kind heart and loves to express his feelings openly. However, his enthusiasm often gets the better of him, and his constant shouting can wear on those around him.

Asta isn’t the sharpest when it comes to processing information, as he relies more on his muscles than his mind, which often leads to amusing moments.

5 Taiju Oki

Dr. Stone

Taiju is one of the main protagonists in Dr. Stone and the best friend of the genius scientist Senku. Alongside Yuzuriha, he was sent to Tsukasa’s empire as a spy for the Kingdom of Science. Thanks to his buff physique and immense strength, he was accepted into Tsukasa’s group without suspicion.

Despite his imposing appearance, he hates fighting. Whenever he hears about a fight breaking out, he rushes to stop it, often putting himself in harm’s way.

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Friendly and determined, he loves any task that requires brute strength. His unwavering resolve makes him a valuable ally, but his refusal to fight back, even when enduring blows can come across as foolish.

4 Naruto Uzumaki

Naruto series

Part of the Big Three, the Naruto series is beloved by fans across the globe. Naruto Uzumaki, an orphaned boy who was left in the care of Hiruzen, the Hokage at the time. As an infant, the Nine-Tails Beast was sealed inside him, granting him an immense amount of chakra.

Despite being seen as a cursed child by the villagers, Naruto never let despair take over. Instead, he resolved to become Hokage so he could earn the respect of everyone around him.

As a child, Naruto was mischievous and loved causing trouble in the village. His loud mouth often got him scolded, but he would always retort by declaring his dream of becoming Hokage one day.

While he lacked the brains to develop new techniques or refine existing ones, he improvised by tweaking his Shadow Clone Jutsu into a comical transformation he called the Sexy Jutsu.

3 Monkey D. Luffy

One Piece

One Piece

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Hiroaki Miyamoto , Konosuke Uda , Junji Shimizu , Satoshi Itō , Munehisa Sakai , Katsumi Tokoro , Yutaka Nakajima , Yoshihiro Ueda , Kenichi Takeshita , Yoko Ikeda , Ryota Nakamura , Hiroyuki Kakudou , Takahiro Imamura , Toshihiro Maeya , Yûji Endô , Nozomu Shishido , Hidehiko Kadota , Sumio Watanabe , Harume Kosaka , Yasuhiro Tanabe , Yukihiko Nakao , Keisuke Onishi , Junichi Fujise , Hiroyuki Satou

Cast

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  Mayumi Tanaka

  Monkey D. Luffy (voice)

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  Kazuya Nakai

  Roronoa Zoro (voice)

• 

  Akemi Okamura

  Nami (voice)

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Stream

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As the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy is the perfect example of brawn over brains. While incredibly strong, Luffy is also one of the kindest people you’ll find.

His thoughts often revolve around food, and when facing non-human foes such as huge fish, he tends to see them as potential meals rather than a threat.

Luffy wants to become the King of the Pirates just like Gol D. Roger. However, he struggles to process too much information at once, often becoming overwhelmed.

Though his strength makes him a great opponent, his mind is perpetually preoccupied with food.

2 Ichigo Kurosaki

Bleach Series

Bleach

Release Date

2006 – 2022

Network

Funimation

Showrunner

Tite Kubo

Cast

• 

  Johnny Yong Bosch

  Ulquiorra (voice)

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  Michelle Ruff

  Ryūsei ‘Kenryū’ Kenzaki (voice)

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  Stephanie Sheh

  Ugaki (voice)

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Stream

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In the Bleach series, Ichigo Kurosaki became a substitute Soul Reaper after Hollows attacked his home. Impulsive, he never stops to think things through, instead diving headfirst into danger to confront threats directly.

As a teenager, he was short-tempered, stubborn, and often acted on his emotions. Driven by a need for revenge against his enemies, he would relentlessly pursue justice. In friendly battles, his sharp tongue came out as he taunted opponents for their perceived weakness.

Not exactly the smartest in the room, Ichigo often struggled to grasp complex ideas. Whenever his friend Uryu shared something intellectual, it would frustrate Ichigo, sometimes leading to outbursts of anger.

Important information often had to be explained to him in much simpler terms by his friends. While his lack of patience and understanding could be frustrating, his courage and determination always shone through,

1 Son Goku

Dragon Ball Series

Dragon Ball Super

Release Date

2015 – 2017

Showrunner

Tatsuya Nagamine

Directors

Tatsuya Nagamine

Writers

Tatsuya Nagamine , Akira Toriyama

The Dragon Ball series is renowned for its intense fight scenes. Goku, the main character, is beloved by anime fans for his unique personality that sets him apart from other Saiyans. Kind-hearted and polite, he possesses an unwavering love for training as he strives to become the strongest fighter.

Goku’s simple-mindedness, however, often gets in the way. He has a knack for forgetting important details and missing obvious clues. His naivety is so pronounced that the God of Destruction, Beerus, tricked him into believing that Monaka, a mere deliveryman, was stronger than him.

To make matters worse, Goku even fought Beerus disguised as Monaka and still didn’t realize the truth. His mix of innocence and sheer determination makes him a humorous character.

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