Sometimes, what sets characters of hit anime apart from each other are their unique designs, and sometimes anime characters get too iconic enough that even tiny details such as their glasses become a focal part of their personality. And while a lot of anime characters with glasses end up being the stereotypical geniuses of a show, some of them end up having more personality than what fans could expect.
To those screaming about glasses supremacy, just which anime glasses reign supreme in showcasing the amazing personalities of the characters wearing them? And how did these glasses help these characters shine in their shows, even if some of them aren’t part of the main cast?
8 Kei Tsukishima – Haikyu!!
It’s one thing to be known for wearing glasses, and another to be known for wearing them in a sports anime - and about volleyball, no less. Such is the state of Kei Tsukishima from Haikyu!!. In the show, he served as one of the starting middle blockers for the Karasuno High boys volleyball team and was the only member in the cast to wear glasses during matches.
Kei is known for his signature smirk, something that earned the ire of both teammates and rivals. He’s extremely blunt and proud, often enjoying moments of becoming an annoyance to his rivals. However, he’s one of the more developed characters in the cast, as it’s revealed his arrogance masks his inferiority complex - something he slowly comes out of throughout the series. Kei’s glasses are dark and thick and are often strapped around his head during matches.
7 Rize Kamishiro – Tokyo Ghoul
When someone wears glasses, they often give a vibe that they’ll help the character in their journey, become a form of comic relief, or even become a part of their love triangles. This isn’t the case for Rize Kamishiro of Tokyo Ghoul. Behind her innocent appearance, flowing purple hair, and red-framed glasses is a Ghoul infamous even amongst her own kind. Nicknamed Greed, Rize is a threat even to other Ghouls because of her brutal eating habits. And when she died before the start of the series, her organs being transplanted to protagonist Ken Kaneki had her consciousness become an active part of his life as well.
Rize remains just as brutal to Kaneki as she was during her life. Ever driven by her hunger, Rize is a constant temptation for Ken to give into his Ghoulish desires and start a rampage. Despite her beautiful appearance augmented by her glasses, Rize is proof that characters with glasses aren’t always who they seem.
6 Denki Kaminari – My Hero Academia
While some could argue that Denki Kaminari is more of a side character compared to his companions like Deku in My Hero Academia, his slick lightning-themed outfit remains a delight to look at. Remaining as energetic as his lightning-based Quirk, Denki loves making himself cool to the point of being reckless. However, he’s equally just as caring to his classmates, and often gets easily stressed in distressing situations.
Denki gets serious when the job needs to get done, however, and his outfit represents that. He wears a black jacket and black pants with white zig-zag patterns and a wristband gadget for his Quirk. More importantly, he wears a headset with blue-tinted glasses - a defining costume accessory that isn’t often worn by his other peers. While his visor serves as more of an accessory than a necessary visual aid, they do give his lightning-themed aesthetic a sense of completion.
5 Shino Aburame – Naruto
Glasses often demonstrate a sign of genius, and Shino Aburame is an example of such from Naruto. Serving as one of the members of Team Kurenai, Shino is an insect specialist - having mastery over controlling insects to do various tasks for him. It’s this rather unnerving technique, combined with an overcoat that covers his mouth and a pair of black sunglasses, that make him rather iconic throughout the series. While some could argue that Kabuto Yakushi is the more recognizable character with glasses, Shino remains iconic with his getup.
True to his nature, Shino’s black round glasses are a perfect representation of his personality. Reserved and tactically inclined, Shino remains quiet at most times and serves as the more strategic center of their team. This is consistent throughout the series, where Shino becomes more of a reconnaissance expert throughout Part 2 and even becomes a teacher in the Ninja Academy in the Boruto sequel - all with different iterations of his glasses.
4 Aizen Sosuke – Bleach
If there are any iconic villain fans remember from Bleach, it’s probably Aizen Sosuke. Oddly enough, fans might recall his more usual appearance: white-clad, hair slicked back, with one strand flowing to complement his everlasting smirk. However, what’s probably more horrifying is his original appearance: bearing the insignia of the 5th Division as he served as its captain, wearing the white overcoat with his neck-length hair and signature brown glasses.
It’s this rather innocent appearance that made it such a surprise that Aizen led the coup against the Gotei 13 in Soul Society simply to acquire more power through the Hogyoku. At that precise moment, Aizen removes his thick-framed brown glasses in order to reveal the smirk he’s always wanted to hide. And it’s Aizen’s “glasses-removal” moment that remains a shocker even to new Bleach fans.
3 Saiki Kusuo – The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.
More often than not, encountering an all-too-powerful psychic from an anime means that person is up for a lot of action. Not Saiki Kusuo. In The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K., Saiki and his desire for a normal life are plagued by bizarre situations that often force him to use his powers. These comedic situations are compounded further by the fact that, despite his possession of extremely powerful abilities, he’s nowhere near interested in actively using them.
Saiki is already iconic enough for his design. After all, his pink hair and odd antenna would already denote his “important” status in a world where everyone else looks mundane. However, what’s more, iconic would be his sunglasses - possessing a thick white frame and green lens.
2 Yoko Littner – Gurren Lagann
While Gurren Lagann is known more for its intense (and oftentimes absurd) mecha fights, deuteragonist Yoko Littner remains one of its recognizable characters. Aside from her rather skimpy biker-themed outfits, it’s her trademark long red hair, her sniper rifle, and especially her orange sunglasses that define her appearance.
Although Yoko doesn’t wear her orange sunglasses all the time, she does wear them when she needs to set a “mood.” She’s often accompanied by these glasses whenever she does cool stunts. And for an anime characterized by its sheer over-the-top action, a character with glasses seems just the right fit for a mecha pilot.
1 Gendo Ikari – Neon Genesis Evangelion
If there’s someone who could possibly be hailed as a person with the most iconic glasses in anime, it would be the signature glare of Gendo Ikari and his glasses whenever they reflect light. Serving as one of the most important supporting characters (or perhaps, an antagonist) in Neon Genesis Evangelion, it’s Gendo Ikari that leads NERV and was instrumental to the creation of the Evangelions - machines designed to save the world from Angels.
Characterized as having a rather conflicting relationship with his son, the protagonist Shinji, Gendo Ikari is known for being both caring and arrogant. Not hesitating to manipulate his own teenage son and other children into manipulating machines to save mankind and for his desires, Gendo remains an enigmatic character in the series. His trademark sunglasses have round-shaped lenses with a red filter.