Plenty of fantastic anime like Bleach will be returning in 2023, but it will also be the return of some old anime characters that many fans could go without.
No matter how good an anime is, a bad character can make or break a story for the viewer. Not everyone will agree on who the best and worst characters of a series were, but fans on Reddit have made their voices heard on characters that weren't just bad: they were characters so bad that they ruined an entire anime for the viewer.
Near (Death Note)
After one of the greatest rivalries in anime between Light and L came to a close, Death Note took a huge nosedive in the opinion of many fans. Near, the replacement for L, felt the heat of fans of the beloved character.
BaronBones was quick to answer: "Easy. Near from Death Note." Many s felt the same. Near is not necessarily any sort of terrible or incredibly obnoxious character. Sadly, his true flaw was simply that he could never match up to L as an antagonist to the dastardly Kira.
Ash (Pokémon)
Ash and his Pikachu are still the protagonists of the hit anime, currently finding themselves in the middle of the Pokémon Masters 8 tournament arc, where they're set to face Stephen Stone in the first round.
Reddit Benoxxxx replied to a comment mentioning Ash by saying: "I love Ash, but when I think of [what a] Pokemon anime could be..." The sentiment was reciprocated by many viewers. Ash isn't necessarily a bad character, but 20 years with the same protagonist can stagnate a story. There have been rumblings that the franchise may move on from Ash if he wins the Masters 8 this season.
Akatsuki (Log Horizon)
Akatsuki is the deuteragonist of Log Horizon, an isekai anime similar to Sword Art Online. A former college student, Akatsuki made a tall male avatar character in Elder Tale to make up for her real-life persona being under 5 feet tall.
Jirekianu had strong thoughts about Akatsuki. In their words, she's "bland, has the depth of a water droplet on a countertop, and her character development is practically non-existent." Many fans feel the same about Akatsuki, criticizing her stagnation despite being such an important character in the story.
Misa (Death Note)
Death Note is famous for both some of the best and some of the most grating characters in anime history. On the more obnoxious side for many is Misa, who is hopelessly in love with Light Yagami.
FistofFacePalm left with a simple not: "Misa Amane destroyed Death Note for me." While Near's issue for many was trying to replace the irreplaceable, Misa's problem for her detractors is adding something unnecessary to the story. Her crush on Light is almost unbelievably obsessive to the point of detracting from the story.
Hercule Satan (Dragonball Z)
Many fans adore Hercule Satan's comedic energy and the later relationship he forms with Buu. He's one of the most human and normal characters in all of Dragon Ball, and he's surprisingly useful compared to stronger Z-Fighters.
However, Alex5ch and many similar-minded fans don't feel the same about Hercule. Their answer, "Mr. Satan, from DBZ... Never understood why so many shows try to implement an idiot." It's undeniable that Hercule is perhaps unrealistically dismissive of the idea of magical powers in the DBZ world, and his goofiness can be obnoxious to some viewers.
Excalibur (Soul Eater)
Many anime have adorable magical mascot characters like Pikachu or Kuriboh to help promote the show. Excalibur from Soul Eater is, unfortunately, certainly not one of them.
Reddit walmartmoneyguy was especially harsh on Excalibur, typing: "every episode with more than 5 minutes of him I usually skipped. The manga versions of his stories are just as bad in my opinion." Many Soul Eater fans feel the same way about Excalibur, a character so ridiculous they feel out of place even in a world as wacky as Soul Eater.
Shinji (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Shinji Ikari is the protagonist of Neon Genesis Evangelion. He's a young boy placed in the difficult situation of piloting a dangerous mech to help save the world. However, his timid personality is considered grating to many viewers.
CynicalEffect commented on the show: "I would have enjoyed it if I should stand the main character. However, that's a big if and I ended up dropping it after the first film." The dislike for Shinji's timid personality is well documented in anime communities, with "get in the mech Shinji" being a popular gag to poke fun at the protagonist's frequent lack of initiative.
Bakugo (My Hero Academia)
The headstrong Bakugo is the childhood rival of the show's protagonist, Midoriya. He's an incredibly gifted hero who is arguably the strongest in all of class 1-A, even ahead of Midoriya and Todoroki.
masterqif commented that Bakugo ruined the show for them, but many fans in the comments were quick to come to his defense. Aprem said in response: "I'll grant that Bakugo is an irritant, but I think his role is important. Bakugo is certainly one of the more unique rivals in anime, and the show wouldn't be the same without him either way.
Usopp (One Piece)
One of the major characters of One Piece, Usopp is known by fans as the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates and arguably the closest thing to a normal human among the group of misfits.
Aerith_Hawkeye comments: " I know he's a fan favorite but the first time I tried to watch One Piece many years ago I just couldn't stand Usopp." They aren't the only fan with this opinion, and Usopp's early crying and whining is certainly perceived negatively by much of the community. However, many do view him as one of their favorite characters in the series too.
Orihime (Bleach)
The helpless love interest is one of the worst anime character archetypes, and for many fans, Orihime from Bleach is no exception. Though she has incredible healing and shielding powers, Orihime is kidnapped for much of Bleach.
Reddit -Zenaire- commented that they "still liked Bleach, but she definitely made parts hard to watch." Another commented on her "limited vocabulary," a joke on how seemingly every other line of hers is just repeating Ichigo's name over and over. Orihime is, however, the main cause of the arc of one of the show's best characters: Ulquiorra.