Anime and manga characters come in various shapes, sizes, and appearances. It’s not uncommon to see characters portrayed as giants with heights of over 190 cm, and some as small as 149 cm like Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. On average, the height of male anime characters ranges from 161 to 180 cm, depending on their age. In comparison, the average height of adult men in Japan is 171.8 cm, while for women, it is 158.6 cm. This means that male anime characters with a height of 160 cm or less are below average, while female anime characters are above average. Height does not hinder them from being total badasses, though. Here are the top 7 shortest anime and manga characters that are total badasses:
7. King – The Seven Deadly Sins
Foto: YouTube
King is a beloved fairy in The Seven Deadly Sins. He is known as a man of two worlds. On one hand, he is destined to become the Fairy King. On the other hand, he is a member of the Seven Deadly Sins squad led by Meliodas. He represents the sin of sloth. Although he tends to use plant-based magic in battles, he doesn’t enjoy fighting. He is more of a lover than a fighter. He and his giantess of a girlfriend, Diane, eventually get married, and hopefully, he won’t have to fight anymore.
6. Ryuko Matoi – Kill la Kill
Foto: Kill la Kill Wiki – Fandom
Ryuko Matoi, a shounen heroine from Kill la Kill, seeks revenge for her father’s death, no matter the cost. She’s also well-equipped with her weapon of choice, a pair of scissors, and constantly upgrades her outfit to match her newfound strength. The outfits are a major component in the fighting system of the series. Her small stature doesn’t hinder her from facing off against a powerful villain, her own mother, Ragyo Kiruin.
5. Juzo Suzuya – Tokyo Ghoul
Foto: YouTube
Unlike Ken Kaneki, Juzo Suzuya, a CCG investigator in Tokyo Ghoul, revels in violence and action. It’s partly due to being raised by a ghoul foster mother, where he had to fend for himself against other orphans brutally, resembling that of an animal’s behavior. He has a physical ability and killing instinct that he uses effectively as a dangerous investigator for CCG, despite his size. He also has a quinque resembling a sickle that he named Jason, just like Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th.
4. Muichiro Tokito – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Foto: YouTube
Muichiro Tokito, the youngest Hashira member in the Demon Slayer Corps, appears aloof and preoccupied in his thoughts, reflecting his past trauma of losing his twin brother, leading him to become distant and vengeful. But that doesn’t mean he can’t do anything. In fact, at the age of 14, he became the youngest Hashira member after only two months of training, thanks to his intelligence. Muichiro proves to be a formidable opponent, despite his dreamy appearance.
3. Nobara Kugisaki – Jujutsu Kaisen
Foto: The News Fetcher
Nobara Kugisaki is one of the three first-year students at Tokyo Jujutsu High in Jujutsu Kaisen. She uses voodoo magic with her straw dolls and nails to take down her opponents from a distance. She can also attack her enemies directly with her hammer and nails if she needs to. Nobara believes that being a female sorcerer, she has to manage to maintain her gracefulness and yet be rough enough to meet society’s standards. Her reasoning stems from the traditional male-dominant world of sorcerers, where women such as Maki and Mai experience discrimination.
2. Chuuya Nakahara – Bungou Stray Dogs
Foto: Bungou Stray Dogs Wiki – Fandom
Chuuya Nakahara is one of the popular characters in Bungou Stray Dogs. He is an Executive of the Port Mafia and has the ability to manipulate gravity. Although he may not be the shortest, he is still very short, which doesn’t stop him from being a total badass. His fighting skills and abilities with his gravity-controlling techniques make him a formidable adversary.
