The 70+ Best Purple Hair Anime Characters, Ranked By Fans

In anime, hair color is never just hair color. Green means quirky, red screams hot-headed, and purple hair usually
means one thing: you’re about to meet someone unforgettable. From gun-toting space cowgirls to quiet bookworms who
can literally rewrite reality, purple hair anime characters have become some of the most beloved icons in the
medium.

Across fan polls, tier lists, and community rankings, characters like Faye Valentine from
Cowboy Bebop, Trunks from Dragon Ball, Misato from Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Yuki
Nagato from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya show up again and again near the top of “best purple hair
anime characters” lists. Fans love them not just for their cool designs, but for their complex personalities,
dramatic story arcs, and of course, that striking violet hair that stands out in every frame.

Below, we’ll walk through why purple hair characters are so popular, highlight some of the biggest fan favorites,
and look at what makes these more-than-70 icons so memorable in anime history.

Why Purple Hair Anime Characters Stand Out

Purple is a color that sits between warm red and cool blue, and a lot of purple hair anime characters reflect that
duality. They’re often mysterious but caring, powerful but flawed, and stylish in a way that feels just a little
otherworldly. Creators lean on purple to signal:

• Mystery and depth – Stoic tacticians, secretive allies, or characters with hidden pasts.
• Unconventional beauty – Characters who break standard “cute” or “cool” molds.
• Supernatural or sci-fi vibes – Aliens, espers, ghouls, or enhanced humans.
• Morally gray energy – People who don’t fit cleanly into “hero” or “villain.”

It’s no coincidence that in fan-driven rankings and tier lists, many purple haired characters are leaders, mentors,
or catalysts for change in their stories. They’re the ones who drag the protagonist into a bigger world, challenge
their beliefs, or drop emotional bombshells at just the right moment.

How Fans Rank the Best Purple Hair Anime Characters

Because there are easily 70+ notable purple hair anime characters, most “best of” lists and polls lean on a few
shared criteria:

1. Popularity and impact – How often the character appears in fan polls, tier lists, and community
   conversations.
2. Character development – Whether they have a meaningful arc, internal conflict, or growth over
   time.
3. Design and aesthetic – Not just “they have purple hair,” but how that color is integrated into
   their outfit, eyes, and overall visual identity.
4. Role in the story – Mentor, rival, tragic supporting character, or main protagonist.
5. Memorability – Do people still talk about them years after the show aired?

Fan-driven platforms, social media threads, and anime forums are full of debates about who “deserves” the top
purple hair spot. There’s no definitive ranking, but some names are almost always present near the top.

Fan-Favorite Purple Hair Anime Characters You’ll See on Every List

Let’s highlight some standout purple hair anime characters who consistently rank high with fans. This isn’t a strict
1–70 ranking, but rather a curated slice of the larger fan-favorite pool that easily runs past 70 characters when
you include side characters, newer shows, and niche favorites.

Faye Valentine – Cowboy Bebop

If you ask anime fans to name the first purple haired character that pops into their heads, Faye Valentine is
usually in the top three. She’s sharp-tongued, chaotic, and emotionally guarded, but under all that attitude is a
woman trying to piece together a stolen past and a lost future. Her deep violet hair, retro-futuristic outfit, and
messy vulnerability helped her become a true anime icon and a perennial favorite on fan polls for best purple hair
characters.

Trunks – Dragon Ball Z & Dragon Ball Super

Future Trunks has one of the most memorable entrances in shonen history: he shows up, turns Super Saiyan, and
absolutely obliterates a villain that gave the main hero trouble. His lavender hair, sword, and serious demeanor
set him apart from the rest of the Dragon Ball cast. Fans love him for his loyalty, sense of duty, and that
bittersweet determination to fix a doomed timeline.

Motoko Kusanagi – Ghost in the Shell

The Major’s hair color varies by adaptation, but in many versions she’s known for her short, stylish purple hair.
Motoko Kusanagi is a cybernetic counter-terrorism operative wrestling with what it means to be human when your body
is mostly machine. She’s cool, hyper-competent, and philosophically fascinatingexactly the kind of character
purple hair anime fans gravitate toward in rankings.

Misato Katsuragi – Neon Genesis Evangelion

Misato’s long, dark purple hair and casual bomber-jacket style make her instantly recognizable. But it’s her messy,
complicated personality that keeps her near the top of fan lists. She’s a surrogate adult for the child pilots,
a military commander, a woman haunted by trauma, and a person trying to balance the end of the world with takeout
and beer. Fans love her because she feels painfully human in a story packed with symbolism and apocalypse.

Yuki Nagato – The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Yuki is quiet, stoic, and almost alien in her calmnessand that’s because she literally isn’t human in the usual
sense. Behind the short lavender hair and emotionless expression is an entity that can bend data and reality. Her
subtle growth over the series, especially as she begins to form her own attachments, makes her a favorite among fans
who love reserved, powerful characters.

Saeko Busujima – Highschool of the Dead

Saeko brings refined swordsmanship to a zombie apocalypse. Her long dark purple hair and calm demeanor hide a more
violent, thrill-seeking side that the series slowly reveals. Fans rank her highly not only for her design but also
because she’s dependable, protective, and honestly terrifying in the best way when things go wrong.

Kamishiro Rize – Tokyo Ghoul

Rize looks like a mysterious bookish girl with wavy purple hair, but she’s one of the most dangerous characters in
Tokyo Ghoul. Her hunger and cruel playfulness transform the main character’s life forever. Even though she
doesn’t get as much traditional “screen time” as others, her impact on the story keeps her high in fan discussions
of purple hair anime icons.

Tsukasa Hiiragi – Lucky Star

Not all purple hair characters are tragic or dangerous. Tsukasa is soft, clumsy, and incredibly sweet. Her pastel
purple hair and sleepy demeanor make her one of the most huggable characters on this list. Fans love her for being
relatableshe’s the embodiment of “tries her best” energy in a cozy slice-of-life series.

Shinobu Kocho – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Shinobu’s gradient black-to-purple hair and butterfly motif are instantly recognizable. She’s an Insect Hashira who
fights demons with a deadly smile and a calm voice. Under her gentle appearance is a burning desire for revenge and
justice. Her combination of elegance, poison-based combat, and tragic backstory earned her a permanent slot on
modern purple hair anime rankings.

Kyouka Jirou – My Hero Academia

With short purple hair, earphone jacks hanging from her earlobes, and a chill musician vibe, Jirou is a fan favorite
in a huge ensemble cast. She’s not the flashiest hero, but her sound-based Quirk, deadpan humor, and supportive
nature made her especially popular once the anime highlighted her musical talents.

Shampoo – Ranma ½

Shampoo’s bright purple hair and Chinese Amazon warrior background make her stand out in a series already full of
wild characters. She’s equal parts fierce and comedic, constantly chasing Ranma while getting stuck in her own
curses and romantic messes. For longtime anime fans, she’s a nostalgic purple haired legend.

Blair – Soul Eater

Blair isn’t technically a witch, but she’s definitely magicaland so is her hair. Her playful attitude, spellcasting
abilities, and bold character design make her a standout in Soul Eater. Fans often remember her as one of
the most fun chaotic purple hair characters, even if she’s not the main protagonist.

Izumi Kyouka – Bungo Stray Dogs

Kyouka’s pale purple hair, quiet demeanor, and tragic past make her a classic “soft on the outside, deadly on the
inside” character. She struggles with guilt and identity while wielding a terrifying ability. Her growth as she
learns to value herself and find a new family has earned her a loyal fan base.

Misaki – Another (Mei Misaki)

Mei’s muted purple hair, eyepatch, and soft voice are basically a visual spoiler that something is wrong with this
class. She’s eerie but not evil, and her presence becomes central to unraveling the mystery of the curse. Horror and
mystery fans consistently bring her up in discussions of memorable purple hair anime characters.

Anthy Himemiya – Revolutionary Girl Utena

Anthy’s deep purple hair and rose motifs are iconic in classic shoujo and psychological anime. She’s the Rose Bride,
seemingly passive and obedient, but her true feelings and history are much more complicated. Her role in the story
and her evolving relationship with Utena keep her near the top of critical and fan “best purple hair” lists.

More Purple Hair Icons Fans Love

Once you go beyond the core fan favorites, it’s easy to pass the 70-character mark. Longtime watchers and newer fans
often include:

• Yuri and Tsukasa from Angel Beats! and Lucky Star
• Rize Tedeza from Is the Order a Rabbit?
• Cornelia li Britannia from Code Geass
• Patchouli Knowledge from Touhou (for anime-adjacent and game fans)
• Various purple haired mages, espers, and rivals across fantasy and isekai series

Depending on the communityReddit polls, tier lists, MyAnimeList discussions, or YouTube ranking videosthe exact
order changes. But the pattern stays the same: purple hair anime characters show up everywhere, from ’90s classics
to the latest seasonal hits.

Why Fans Keep Coming Back to Purple Hair Characters

Even as animation trends shift, purple hair remains a reliable shortcut for “this character matters.” Fans are drawn
to the way these characters balance uniqueness and depth:

• They’re rarely boring side characters; they’re plot movers.
• They often carry emotional weight, moral grayness, or hidden strength.
• Their design practically begs for fanart, cosplay, and merch.

In other words, purple hair anime characters are the ones who stick in your brain long after the credits roll.

Personal & Fan Experiences With Purple Hair Anime Characters

Ask a group of anime fans about their favorite purple hair character and you’ll quickly learn two things:
everyone has an opinion, and nobody agrees on the “correct” ranking.

In fan communities, these characters often serve as an easy icebreaker. People will post a screenshot of a purple
haired favoritemaybe Faye lounging on the Bebop’s couch or Trunks standing in a stormy wastelandand the replies
fill up with comments like, “She was my first anime crush,” or “This guy made me obsessed with time-travel plots.”

For many fans, purple hair is tied to specific eras in their anime journey:

• Early gateway shows – Fans who grew up with series like Dragon Ball Z or
  Evangelion often say Trunks or Misato were the first characters that made anime feel deeper than
  Saturday morning cartoons.
• Teen and college years – Viewers who discovered anime later may connect more with complex
  characters like Motoko Kusanagi, Anthy Himemiya, or Shinobu Kocho, whose stories tackle identity, trauma, or
  justice.
• Comfort shows – Slice-of-life fans latch onto characters like Tsukasa Hiiragi or gentle side
  characters with soft purple hair who feel like cozy background companions.

Cosplay culture also plays a huge role in cementing purple hair anime characters as fan favorites. Purple wigs are
both striking and surprisingly versatile, so conventions are full of multiple Fays, Shinobus, and other violet-haired
characters posing for photos. Many cosplayers say they first fell in love with a character’s design — the hair,
the outfit, the silhouette — and only later appreciated just how layered their personality really was.

Ranking discussions can get intense, but they’re usually playful. Someone might insist that their niche favorite
belongs in the top 10 because “she carried the emotional weight of the entire show,” while another argues that a
side character with three episodes of screen time deserves legendary status because they were “tiny but terrifying.”
Ultimately, those debates are part of the fun. The point isn’t to crown a single winner forever, but to celebrate
how many memorable characters share that signature purple hair.

If you’re building your own “70+ best purple hair anime characters” list, the best approach is simple:

• Start with the obvious icons everyone knows and loves.
• Add your personal comfort characters and underrated picks.
• Leave room for new purple-haired legends from current and upcoming anime seasons.

Over time, your ranking will change as you watch more shows and revisit older ones with fresh eyes. That’s part of
what keeps anime fandom interesting. A character you barely noticed on your first watch might become a new
favorite later, once you understand their arc more deeply or relate to their struggles in a different way.

In the end, purple hair anime characters aren’t just a visual tropethey’re a shorthand for some of the most
complex, stylish, and unforgettable figures in anime. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just starting to explore,
chances are that at least one of your all-time favorite characters is rocking a shade of violet.