Who is your favorite “Chuunibyou” character? 3rd place: Takasugi Shinsuke from Gintama, 2nd place: Takanashi Rikka from Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, 1st place is… <2025 Edition>
Anime! Anime! conducted a reader survey titled “Who is your favorite ‘chuunibyou’ character?” We are now announcing the results.
Black Friday in 2025 falls on Friday, November 28th. Originating as a massive sales event the day after Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November) in the United States, it has steadily gained popularity and become a familiar fixture in Japan in recent years.
The term “Black Friday” naturally brings to mind characters associated with “black” in the context of “chuunibyou,” or eighth-grade syndrome. These characters come in all sorts of variations, from those who deliberately drink black coffee despite disliking it, to those who self-proclaim themselves as practitioners of dark magic. They are characters who exude intense individuality within their respective stories.
With this in mind, Anime! Anime! conducted a reader survey asking, “Who is your favorite ‘chuunibyou’ character?” We received 152 responses during the survey period from November 8th to November 13th.
The demographic breakdown showed approximately 35 percent male and 65 percent female, indicating a predominantly female participation. As for age, around 50 percent were under 19, and about 20 percent were in their 20s, highlighting a strong engagement from younger audiences.
Table of Contents
■ Are Bandages a Must for Chuunibyou Characters?
1st Place
The top spot goes to Kaidou Shun from Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan, garnering approximately 20 percent of the votes.
Kaidou Shun is a second-year high school student who refers to himself as “The Jet-Black Wings.” He claims to be constantly battling the evil secret society, Dark Reunion, and wears red bandages on his arm to seal his immense powers. Readers shared comments such as “I’ve never seen a boy who’s so fully committed to his chuunibyou tendencies! While his words and actions can be a bit embarrassing, the gap between his ‘cool’ facade and his genuinely kind, caring nature is pure moe” and “He’s a high school student who tries too hard to act chuunibyou. His desperation to maintain his persona, coupled with his timid yet compassionate side, is truly endearing.” It’s his kindness hidden beneath the chuunibyou exterior that resonated with voters.
One reader praised, “His special move, ‘Judgment Knights of Thunder,’ is practically legendary. In the main story, it even has its own theme song!” The accompanying music that plays during his appearances is also highly regarded. In fact, a digital single featuring only “Judgment Knights of Thunder” was released this year to commemorate Kaidou Shun’s birthday on October 3rd.
2nd Place
Coming in second is Takanashi Rikka from Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, with about 10 percent of the support.
Takanashi Rikka is a first-year high school student who claims to wield the “Jaou Shingan” (Wicked Eye). Her eye patch over her right eye and bandages on her left hand are her iconic trademarks. Fans praised her with comments like “She’s the quintessential chuunibyou heroine, creating elaborate special moves and incantations, wearing an eye patch and colored contacts, and unnecessarily giving German names to things. What makes her cute is how she stumbles and gets flustered when her fabricated settings are questioned” and “Because she names her foldable umbrella ‘Schwarz Sechs Prototype Mk.II’ and uses it as a weapon.” Her full-throttle chuunibyou antics clearly captured many hearts. Many readers also mentioned, “This series was my first encounter with the term ‘chuunibyou,’ and it’s how I learned what it meant when I was in junior high.”
3rd Place
Taking third place is Takasugi Shinsuke from Gintama, securing roughly 7 percent of the votes.
Takasugi Shinsuke is a dangerous individual who leads the armed group Kiheitai. His striking appearance, with bandages wrapped around his head and his left eye hidden, is instantly recognizable. Readers offered comments such as “He has an ambition to destroy the world, and Gin-san even called him a chuunibyou. Despite that, his charisma makes it understandable why people are drawn to him,” highlighting his significant presence as one of Gintama‘s key characters. Another fan noted, “In 3-nen Z-gumi Ginpachi-sensei, his bandages were replaced with an eye patch, and he became a delinquent attending an abacus school, which was hilarious.” It seems he maintains his unique worldview even in the currently airing spin-off series.
■ Other Mentions!
For Ainamono Juushi from Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-, a fan commented, “The gap between his cool, chuunibyou mode when he’s nervous and his naturally adorable mode is the best! It’s almost like he’s a completely different person.”
Regarding Tsushima Yoshiko from Love Live! Sunshine!!, a reader said, “She calls herself the fallen angel Datenshi Yohane and refers to her fans as her Little Demons. It’s a classic routine for her to correct anyone who calls her by her real name, Yoshiko, with a firm ‘Yohane!'”
About Megumin from Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, a fan shared, “Her introduction, ‘Waga na wa Megumin! Arc Wizard wo nariwai to shi, Bakuretsu Mahou wo ayatsuru mono’ (My name is Megumin! I am an Arch Wizard, specializing in Explosion Magic), is peak chuunibyou. The bandages and eye patch suit her perfectly.”
Akabane Karma from Ansatsu Kyoushitsu also received votes, with a reader stating, “I burst out laughing when he was given the codename ‘Chuuni-han’ (half-chuunibyou). It’s said that he looks down on chuunibyou from an even higher vantage point, but hasn’t quite ascended beyond it himself. Yet, his skills as an assassin are undeniable, and he’s active in many situations.” This title has a theatrical film set for release in 2026.
This survey saw a wide range of characters, both male and female, making it into the rankings. Many votes were also cast for characters who, while not strictly chuunibyou, possess elements reminiscent of chuunibyou characters, such as having unique eyes or wearing bandages.
Be sure to check out the top 20 on the next page!
■ Top 10 Ranking
[Who is your favorite “chuunibyou” character?]
- Kaidou Shun Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan
- Takanashi Rikka Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!
- Takasugi Shinsuke Gintama
- Megumin Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
- Uchiha Sasuke NARUTO -Naruto-
- Ainamono Juushi Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-
- Akabane Karma Ansatsu Kyoushitsu
- Cid Kagenou (Shadow) Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute!
- Okabe Rintarou STEINS;GATE
- Hiei Yuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho
(Response Period: November 8th, 2025 – November 13th, 2025)
Next Page: Ranking up to 20th place revealed
Click here for other ongoing survey themes! We want to hear your thoughts. ＞＞https://animeanime.jp/special/1898/recent/
*This survey is part of an awareness study regarding readers’ current interest and attention to anime works and characters. The results are not intended to determine superiority or inferiority among any characters or works. We hope this article can serve as an opportunity to discover new works or characters, or to deepen understanding and interest in them.
《Takahashi Katsunori》
