Quiet characters have one of the most interesting dispositions in anime because they find other ways to express themselves in an otherwise primarily vocal medium. They might prefer to let their actions speak for them or try to avoid criticism by hiding their thoughts from others.
There are a number of reasons why an anime character may not want to or be able to verbalize their thoughts. However, no matter why they shy away from the spotlight, the fact that these characters rarely speak adds a sense of mystery, endearment, or intrigue that makes them stand out from the crowd.
1 Kusuo Saiki - The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.
Kusuo Saiki from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. is an incredibly powerful psychic who learned to communicate telepathically with others by the time he was 14 days old. He knows pyrokinesis, teleportation, and many other skills that give him the potential to fix or destroy the world.
Despite this, he mainly keeps to himself since he doesn’t want to draw attention to his powers. Saiki uses his telepathy to speak with his friends and loved ones often, but the rare moments when he uses his mouth to talk are truly memorable for them.
2 Megumi Yamamoto - Special A
Special A is an underrated shojo anime where the top seven students at Hakusen Academy have special privileges as long as they maintain their grades. Although all of the top students at the school have eccentric personalities, Megumi Yamamoto stands out from her other brilliant peers in part because she uses a notebook to communicate with the people around her.
Megumi writes in a notebook because she doesn’t want to strain her vocal cords. Singing is an important part of her life, and she worries that speaking would jeopardize her ability to follow her passion. Talking is no small task for Megumi, but she sings for her friends to show that she cares.
3 Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka - Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club has some hilarious moments, but there is one thing that it doesn’t take lightly. The members of the host club have to appeal to their guests by leaning into the most charming parts of their personalities.
Mori is the club’s designated “wild” or “strong and silent” type, so it is very fitting that he prefers to let his actions speak for him. Even outside the clubroom, Mori’s kindness and compassion for others explain why he is such a popular host.
4 Chané Laforet - Baccano!
Chané Laforet is the devoted daughter of an immortal man. No matter what kind of trouble her father gets into, Chané tries to protect him and the secret of his immortality. She is an intense, passionate character who learns to accept the kindness of others too late in her life to be able to express it verbally.
Chané used to be able to speak when she was young, but when her father revealed his immortality to her to test her devotion to him, she asked that he take away her voice. Chané speaks just a few lines in Baccano!, using her actions to say the rest.
5 Toge Inumaki - Jujutsu Kaisen
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Toge Inumaki could be one of Jujutsu Kaisen’s most dangerous sorcerers since his cursed speech technique can control the body and actions of his opponents. However, Inumaki must always choose his words carefully since he isn’t immune to the effects of his own technique.
When Inumaki isn’t in battle, he prefers to speak in code using the common rice ball ingredients so that he doesn’t accidentally curse himself or his classmates. The sorcerers in Jujutsu Kaisen have all kinds of skills, but the way that Inumaki’s technique influences his communication is most certainly memorable.
6 Nyu - Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is one of the most well-known horror anime of all time. Many of its characters have dark pasts and secrets that they struggle to accept, including Nyu, who is part of a psychic and often violent species known as the Diclonius.
Nyu forgot her identity and lost the ability to speak when she suffered from amnesia. Her name comes from only sounds that she makes throughout the series. As Nyu lives alongside others, she learns her friends’ names and a few other phrases that help her communicate without revealing the most twisted parts of herself.
7 Komi Shouko - Komi Can’t Communicate
Komi Can’t Communicate is a well-known slice-of-life anime about Komi Shouko’s social anxiety and desire to make friends. Komi wants to be able to speak to those who approach her, but her anxiety makes it difficult for her. For better or worse, she is also quite popular at school because of her good looks.
Although Komi often stutters and shakes when trying to talk to others at the beginning of the series, she can write messages and speak when she is alone. Luckily, she meets compassionate people who help her practice speaking in and outside school. Komi may never be the most talkative person, but she does become more comfortable around others.
8 Kanao Tsuyuri - Demon Slayer
Although Kanao is a strong fighter when she meets the other young demon slayers, there is a noticeable distance between their personalities and abilities to make decisions. The main character of Demon Slayer is driven by his sense of purpose and passion, while Kanao seems distant, apathetic, and indecisive because of her traumatic childhood.
Kanao never spoke before being adopted into the Demon Slayer Corps and continued to have difficulty speaking after officially joining the other demon slayers. To help with her indecisiveness and other struggles, Kanao often flips a coin she received as a gift. She even uses it to decide when to speak. In a passionate show like Demon Slayer, Kanao’s quiet nature and indecisiveness make her a great contrast to the other characters.
9 Rei Ayanami - Neon Genesis Evangelion
Rei Ayanami is one of the least expressive characters in Neon Genesis Evangelion. She prefers to be direct when she speaks to others and often remains in a cryptic silence. Rei understands and accepts her role as a pilot for the Evangelion units, even as the other pilots wish for simpler lives.
At first, her quiet personality and attitude toward Evangelion units that brought the series to fame may separate Rei from the other Neon Genesis Evangelion characters. However, as she carefully chooses her words and friends, she becomes more than a mysterious, isolated girl to a select few.
10 Kisa Sohma - Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is one of the most renowned shojo series in the world. Many of its characters have painful pasts that they want to heal from in order to live happier lives, including Kisa Sohma: a young girl cursed with the spirit of the Tiger from the Chinese Zodiac.
Her curse gave her a distinct appearance that her classmates used to bully her for, and when they weren’t mocking her, they ignored her. Due to their relentless, cruel words, Kisa stopped speaking until she found people who accepted her and encouraged her to reopen herself to the world. However, when Kisa does talk, she is still a shy and quiet character.