How to Rank Anime Characters: Choose Criteria That Make Sense
To rank anime characters, choose the cast and version you are judging, then define one criterion before placing characters into tiers. Favorites, writing, design and power answer different questions. Use consistent tier definitions, allow ties and leave unfamiliar characters unranked instead of guessing.
Choose a cast and a stopping point
A useful ranking starts with a boundary. Decide whether you are comparing one show's main cast, characters from a particular season or a selection from several series. State which version counts: anime only, a named season or material up to a chosen episode. That boundary makes comparisons easier to explain and helps readers judge spoiler risk.
Include characters you know well enough to assess. If your experience differs across the cast, acknowledge that difference. Watching one character's full arc and only another's introduction gives you different amounts of information.
Choose the question your ranking will answer
Use one primary criterion for a board. If you want to compare favorites and strength, make separate rankings or explain each separately. Otherwise, a placement can mean different things for different characters.
| Criterion | Question | Useful basis | Boundary to keep clear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favorites | Who do I enjoy most? | Personal attachment, scenes and relationships | Enjoyment is not fighting ability |
| Writing | How well does the character work in the story? | Motivation, development and consistency within your scope | Disliking a personality is not the same as weak writing |
| Design | How effective is the visual design? | Silhouette, costume, expression and fit with the setting | Compare the designs rather than thumbnail quality |
| Power | How capable is the character under these rules? | Shown abilities and constraints in the chosen version | Define the setting and avoid assuming unseen abilities |
Give each tier a usable definition
irank starts with S, A, B, C and D rows, and allows custom tier labels. Define the letters before filling them. The following is an example rubric for personal favorites, not a universal scale or an existing community ranking.
- S: Among my strongest favorites in this cast.
- A: Characters I strongly enjoy, with a clear reason for that attachment.
- B: Characters I like, although they are not major favorites.
- C: Characters I have mixed feelings about or rarely connect with.
- D: Characters I get little enjoyment from within the stated scope.
Calibrate a few placements before sorting everyone
Choose one character you can confidently place near the top, one near the middle and one lower down. Explain each using your chosen criterion. These become reference points for the rest of the cast. If all three explanations use different standards, revise the rubric first.
For a hypothetical favorites board, Character A might be a strong favorite, Character B someone you like and Character C someone you rarely connect with. A new placement should fit those definitions. This example describes a method; it makes no claim about actual characters or their community positions.
Allow ties and leave unfamiliar characters unranked
Several characters can share a tier. You do not have to force a difference you cannot explain. If you intend left-to-right position within a row to matter, say so when sharing the board; otherwise readers may interpret the order differently.
Keep unfamiliar characters outside your scored tiers and explain that you have not assessed them. Do not use D as shorthand for characters you have not watched. Limited knowledge and a low opinion are different judgments. Return to those entries when you have enough context to apply the same criterion.
Explain choices without surprising readers with spoilers
A short explanation helps most at a disputed placement or tier boundary. State your criterion, name the relevant trait or story role and explain why it affected the placement. Avoid claims about every version if you judged only one season.
For spoiler-sensitive discussion, start with broad reasons such as motivation, chemistry or development. If a specific reveal is necessary, tell readers which material the explanation covers before describing it. Keep major reveals out of an otherwise general ranking introduction.
Invite discussion about the criteria
When sharing, ask a focused question: which placement would someone change under the same rules, and why? A disagreement may come from a different criterion or viewing scope. Compare those assumptions before arguing about a letter.
A community average can add another perspective, but it does not prove a personal favorites board is wrong. Individual irank character ratings are separate from your ranked board.
Choose images that match your intended cast
Check a template's actual images before ranking. irank's published curated sets are Project SEKAI, Ensemble Stars, Genshin Impact and Sanrio; they are not a library of every anime cast. If your intended cast needs your own images, uploading them requires an account. Existing public template images can be ranked and exported as a PNG without signing in.
Frequently asked questions
Should favorites and strongest characters use the same ranking?
Use separate criteria and preferably separate boards. Personal enjoyment and strength under defined rules can produce different placements for the same character.
Do I need to fill every tier?
No. Apply your definitions consistently instead of assigning characters just to fill rows. An empty tier can reflect how your chosen cast fits the rubric.
How should I handle characters I barely know?
Leave them outside the scored tiers and explain the gap in your knowledge. Do not assign a low score merely because you lack context.
What if people disagree with my ranking?
Check whether they used the same criterion and viewing scope. Ask for a specific reason, then reconsider placements when that reason fits your stated rules.