Summary
Animeis full of cute characters who dress in colorful outfits and have bright pastel hair. However, there also are anime characters that sport a darker style, creating a stark contrast against their fellow cutesy companions. In darker anime, such asDeath NoteorVampire Knight, it’s more common to find characters that dabble in the darker side of fashion, and with gothic lolita being a popular style in Japan, it’s no wonder that it’s also commonly seen throughout anime.
While certain characters may not necessarily be goth, they definitely fit into the gothic aesthetic, and some are even part of the alternative scene themselves. The characters inNanaare even involved in the punk music scene, making them relatable to those within the alternative sphere in real life, too.
Updated January 21st, 2025, by Mara Cowley:Goth fashion has always been injected into anime, decking out characters in the most amazing and cool outfits to help cement them as iconic. Most anime is littered with characters that opt more for pastel color palettes and tooth-achingly cute outfits, as opposed to the black corsets and lace fingerless gloves thatgoth anime girlsare more drawn to. The goth subculture has been a hot topic for years now, with new waves of fans discovering the music scene and buying their first black eyeliner pencil all the time. Those gothlings who are also part of the otaku scene will undoubtedly be thrilled to see themselves represented, with this article including some of the bestgoth anime charactersof all time.
After a group of unknown attackers murders his parents andCielis sold into slavery, he makes a deal with a demon to save himself from the true monsters. They form a pact, and the demon becomes the titular Black Butler in the Phantomhive manor, Ciel bearing the contract symbol on his right eye as proof of the bargain he struck.
A moody and morose young man, Ciel’s dark attire almost rivals his dark attitude. He often sports dark clothes that match the Victorian period, and have a Victorian gothic element to them. Combined with forming pacts with demons and the like, Ciel is also gothic in the nature of his character.
The Gate in question refers to a portal in Tokyo that opened to another world, from which legions of soldiers and monsters stormed Earth and immediately laid siege to Tokyo. Humanity reacted with great force, quickly subduing the enemy forces thanks to modern weaponry.
One of the characters fighting on behalf of Japan isRory Mercury, one of the 12 apostles to Emroy. With his domains being those of war, death, violence, and darkness, this already gives a gothic flair to Rory, and this is before seeing her appearance, which involves a black and red gothic lolita outfit and a huge halberd she uses to cut down her enemies without any mercy. On the battlefield, Rory is a force to be reckoned with and one to fear. Her inherent love for death also lends her character further darkness.
Poor Viktor is inflicted with a devastating curse as a child, one that causes him to kill everything he touches. As a result, his mother sends him off to live alone, with only his butler and maid,Alice, to keep him company. A sweet love blossoms between him and Alice, which only makes the curseeven sadder, as even an accidental touch would cost her his love.
As a maid, Alice does treat those she serves with respect, even if she is not above teasing Viktor, but she still prefers darker clothing, wearing a long black dress and even putting on a pair of fishnet tights underneath. While this may not be the most traditional maid attire, it does lend Alice a certain edge to her aesthetic that makes her an honorary goth.
Fruits Basket
This supernatural slice-of-life anime depicts 13 people who alltransform into one of the Chinese zodiac animalswhile under duress. The main character, Tohru, is navigating this fantastic scenario, and feels motivated to help ease their pain.
Saki Hanajima, or Hana as she is known by some, is one of Tohru’s best friends, and likely the one that stands out the most. She has her own unique style that borders on the strange and unusual, an aspect that also appears in her personality. She is mysterious, aloof, and often intimidates others just by her aura alone. She has powers that can detect other peoples' waves and can also send out her own, which she has to learn to control.
5Stocking (Panty And Stocking With Garterbelt)
An Angel With Devilish Fashion
The Anarchy sisters, Panty andStocking, were onceangels residing in heaven, until their antics one day getsthem kicked out of heaven to Daten City. There, they are charged with the holy mission to kill the evil spirits that attack this city. They transform their namesakes into weapons they can use to fight evil to earn their way back to heaven, but are constantly side-tracked by men and snacks.
Stocking is obsessed with snacks, always searching for her next sugary sweet. She also has an affinity for goth fashion, as demonstrated through most of her outfits on the show. Her normal clothes, for example, definitely owe their roots to the gothic lolita style.
6Black Rock Shooter (Black Rock Shooter)
Surrounded By Mystery, Goth In Aesthetic And Nature
School friendships can sometimes be difficult to navigate, fraught with falling out over the smallest things. This is true for Yomi and Mato, with the former becoming jealous as Mato befriends someone else. When Yomi goes missing, Mato sets out to find her, entering a strange world and encountering the titularBlack Rock Shooter.
With one glowing eye, plenty of black leather, and an aloof, mysterious nature, Black Rock Shooter is one cool goth girl who steals the show whenever she is on-screen. She merges with Mato, becoming the main character, to the joy of fans.
As a succubus,Mariais not a character to take lightly, even if her usual small stature makes her look like the least intimidating character in the entire show. But one thing is for certain: Maria Naruse is a goth icon.
She might not be as well known as other anime goths such as Misa Amane, but Maria’s wardrobe speaks for itself. In all of her forms, black is an ever-present color, and she can even sprout wings and horns, which is something most goths wish they were capable of. Her overall aesthetic, and the strength she has from beingthe daughter of Demon Kingand succubus make Maria a stand-out character in this anime.
8Hannah Annafellows (Black Butler)
Stands Out From The Crowd Due To Her Impeccable Taste
Black Butleris a veritable feast for goth anime fans, asthe Victoriangoth aesthetic is present throughout the show, modeled by the fans and seen in many of the backdrops. While there are debates to be had over the best goth in the series, there is one character that would likely have very few fans fighting in her corner, which would be doing her an injustice:Hannah Annafellows.
Hannah is a devoted maid to the Tracy household and is normally garbed in custom, traditional maid outfits that have heavily influenced Lolita fashion. Even when she is not in uniform, Hannah is seen decked out in other iconic gothic outfits, marking her as one of the most fashionable characters in the anime, which is a tough feat to pull off inBlack Butler.
The main villains of the hit Studio Bones animeFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodwere the homunculi, beings made by Father, and named after the seven deadly sins, each of them being the embodiment of said sin.
One of these homunculi isLust, a dangerous foe, smart and ruthless as she follows Father’s orders. While she may not be as typically goth as some other anime characters, her long black dress, elbow-length gloves, long black hair, and red eyes are very typical of goth anime characters. One thing is for certain, Lust is one of the most iconic anime villains of all time, capturing the hearts of viewers with her evil antics fans can’t help but love.
In this supernatural action anime, meisters are trained to transform into weapons capable of stopping evil creatures from becoming kishin. Once the main antagonist, Medusa, is dealt with, her sister,Arachne Gorgon, the head of an organization fittingly called Arachnophobia, enters the scene.
With her spider-like appearance and her name, which is a reference to two different figuresfrom Greek mythology, Arachne is as gothic as they come in terms of her overall aesthetic.
