10 Anime Side Characters Who Lost the Spotlight After Strong Intros, Ranked

Nothing stings quite like an anime character who arrives with main-character energy, only to end up holding the protagonist’s jacket. But then, the plot armor thickens. Suddenly, authors pull out the narrative nerf bat. Think of Naruto’s Neji getting eclipsed by prophecy, or Todoroki from My Hero Academia getting nerfed despite having dual powerful quirks just so the main hero (Izuku) can hog the spotlight.

We’ve all felt that surge of adrenaline when a side character debuts with a broken ability or a legendary fight, seemingly destined to rival the lead. Then, those same powerhouses are suddenly relegated to the background, commenting from the sidelines. This ranking explores the most glaring examples of wasted prospects, breaking down exactly where these legends got benched and why fans are still mourning their squandered potential.

10. Seven Deadly Sins’ King Was Totally Eclipsed By Escanor’s Hype

King (Harlequin) from The Seven Deadly Sins. [Credit: A-1 Pictures, Deen]

As the Fairy King, Harlequin dominated early arcs by effortlessly petrifying threats with his versatile spirit spear, Chastiefol. He anchors the list at #10 because his combat hype was utterly vaporized by a single teammate. The moment Escanor debuted and began melting castles just by standing around, King’s tactical brilliance became background noise. Even after unlocking his Full Wings form late in the Holy War, King could never escape the literal and narrative shadow of the Lion’s Sin of Pride.

9. AOT’s Annie Spent Multiple Seasons Stuck Inside a Crystal

Annie Leonhart from Attack on Titan. [Credit: MAPPA]

Annie’s Female Titan was a terrifying force of nature, slaughtering the Levi Squad and dismantling Eren in Stohess District. She takes #9 because her active role was abruptly frozen for a decade of real-world time. After encasing herself in hardened crystal in Season 1, Isayama left her on ice through the Scout expeditions and the Marley invasion. By the time she thawed for the Rumbling, she was merely dragged along by the plot’s momentum rather than actively driving it.

8. Soul Eater’s Versatile Tsubaki Was Left as a Passive Accessory

Tsubaki from Soul Eater. [Credit: Bones]

Tsubaki could transform into multiple ninja weapons, peaking when she defeated her corrupted brother to inherit the Uncanny Sword. She ranks at #8 because her identity was entirely swallowed by her partner’s shadow. As Black Star’s power scaled to god-like proportions in the Baba Yaga Castle and Moon arcs, Tsubaki’s individuality faded. She became a silent, literal tool for his flashy techniques, losing her personal narrative agency to serve as a passive weapon upgrade.

7. Fairy Tail’s Gildarts Constantly Written Out of Script to Hype Natsu

Gildarts Clive was introduced as Fairy Tail’s undisputed ace, possessing Crash magic that literally dissolved anything it touched. He easily humbled Natsu on Tenrou Island, and his destructive power was so absurd that the citizens of Magnolia built a mechanical “Gildarts Shift” mechanism to physically split the town apart just to stop him from accidentally walking through their homes. To keep him from effortlessly solving the main plot, the narrative frequently kept him away on a legendary “100-Year Quest” or isolated from major conflicts. He ranks at #7 because he was reduced to a script gag when he’s the only S-rank mage who went toe-to-toe with the dragon Acnologia and survived.

6. DBZ’s Tien Relegated to Sweating From the Sidelines Permanently

Tien from Dragon Ball Z. [Credit: Toei Animation]

Tien Shinhan was a terrifying antagonist who broke Yamcha’s leg and defeated Goku to win the World Martial Arts Tournament. His peak relevance ended during the Cell Saga, where he used the Neo Tri-Beam to pin down Semi-Perfect Cell in a final act of badassery. After that, Toriyama completely sidelined him. By the Buu Saga and Dragon Ball Super, Tien’s role shrank to sweating in panic on the sidelines, getting quickly eliminated in the Tournament of Power by a mediocre sniper. He claims #6 because his relevance died on a spectacular high note, and that was it.

5. Black Clover‘s Leopold Vermillion Never Reached His Potential

Leopold Vermillion from Black Clover. [Credit: Xebec]

Leopold Vermillion quickly established himself as Asta’s fiery rival, later showcasing his explosive Flame Magic during the Royal Knights Selection Exam and proving he had the drive to stand alongside the Clover Kingdom’s elite. As a member of the prestigious Vermillion family, fans expected him to become one of the kingdom’s strongest Magic Knights. Instead, the spotlight shifted to Asta, Yuno, Noelle, and Mereoleona, while Leopold gradually disappeared from major battles. He lands at #4 because a few side characters were built up with so much promise, only to be quietly forgotten.

4. Jujutsu Kaisen‘s Inumaki Was Overshadowed Despite His Broken Power

Toge Inumaki instantly stood out in Jujutsu Kaisen thanks to his terrifying Cursed Speech, a technique powerful enough to immobilize or crush opponents with a single command. He shone during the Kyoto Goodwill Event and held his own against Hanami, making him one of Jujutsu High’s most intriguing sorcerers. However, after Shibuya, where Sukuna’s Malevolent Shrine cost him an arm, Inumaki was largely pushed into the background. He ranks at #5 because one of the series’ most broken abilities was rarely explored, leaving him overshadowed by flashier fighters like Yuta, Yuji, and others.

3. MHA’s Shinso Became a Benchwarmer Despite Having a Goated Power

Hitoshi Shinso nearly defeated Deku at the U.A. Sports Festival using Brainwashing, a quirk capable of stopping any villain instantly. His psychological edge made him an instant fan favorite from My Hero Academia. Fans expected him to join the frontlines after his Joint Training arc comeback under Aizawa, where Shinso even started dressing up as Aizawa. Instead, Horikoshi benched him. By the final war arc, he was used merely as a tactical light switch to manipulate Gigantomachia. He ranks at #3 because his ability was a narrative cheat code that the story deliberately nerfed him. Given his power, Bakugo, and Todoroki, was Izuku really the hero?

2. Bleach’s Chad Became A Living Meme for Wasted Combat Potential

Yasutora Sado, aka “Chad,” from Bleach. [Credit: Pierrot]

Yasutora “Chad” Sado started strong, ripping up telephone poles and effortlessly defeating Third Seat officer Tatsufusa Enjoji during the Soul Society arc. His Brazo Derecha de Gigante promised massive growth. Instead, Kubo turned him into a measuring stick for villain strength. Chad’s momentum permanently stalled in the Hueco Mundo arc, where the Espada Nnoitra Gilga effortlessly swatted him aside. By the Thousand-Year Blood War, while Ichigo rewrote reality, Chad was left off-screen fighting generic stone statues, securing his meme status. Talk about downgrading an important character, which is why Chad takes second place.

1. Naruto’s Rock Lee Went From Peak Hype to Sidelined Spectator

Rock Lee from Naruto. [Credit: Pierrot]

Lee dropped his ankle weights against Gaara in the Chunin Exams, creating one of anime’s most iconic sequences. That scene is still talked about among anime circles even nearly two decades later. He defied the odds, opening five Inner Gates through pure hard work. Sadly, after the Sasuke Recovery Mission, Kishimoto seemingly forgot how to scale him. By Naruto: Shippuden, Lee’s peak hype devolved into crying at Neji’s funeral and standing in the background during the Fourth Shinobi World War while Naruto and Sasuke gained god-like powers. He went from defining the show’s core message to a glorified cheerleader, earning first place because no character has ever been nerfed like this.

Here’s a ranking table:

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