40 best anime traps: ultimate list of characters who defy stereotypes

Anime is full of characters who challenge expectations, and the best anime traps are perfect examples. Characters like Astolfo (Fate/Apocrypha), Felix Argyle (Re: Zero), and Hideri Kanzaki (Blend S) blur gender lines and surprise viewers. They prove that anime is not afraid to break stereotypes in creative and memorable ways.

Key takeaways

• The best anime traps challenge gender norms and defy stereotypes.
• They add depth, humour, various series, and unexpected twists to anime stories.
• These characters highlight the creativity and inclusivity of anime culture.
• Their impact proves that personality and storytelling matter more than appearance.

Best anime traps

These anime traps defy traditional gender norms and captivate audiences with unique and enigmatic charm. Below is a list of 40 anime traps, featuring some of the most famous ones from various anime series.

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40. Kashima Yuu

Kashima Yuu is a character from the Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun anime. Kashima is one of the most popular traps of a charismatic high school student known for her androgynous appearance and charm. While identifying as female, she often takes on traditionally masculine roles in school plays.

39. Hideri Kanzaki

Hideri Kanzaki is a character from the anime and manga series Blend S. He loves cross-dressing and wishes to become an idol. Hideri is initially introduced as a girl but later reveals that he identifies as male. The character presents himself femininely and often cross-dresses.

38. Mare Bello Fiore

Mare Bello Fiore is a character from the anime Overlord. He is a dark elf and one of the loyal servants of Ainz Ooal Gown. While Mare's gender is officially male, his androgynous appearance, clothing, and gentle demeanour contribute to his unique character design.

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37. Izumi Miyamura

Izumi Miyamura is a character from the anime and manga series Horimiya. Initially known for his quiet and unassuming demeanour, Miyamura's character is revealed to have a more intricate personality outside school. His design includes piercings and tattoos.

36. Aoi Futaba

Aoi Futaba is a character from the anime and manga series You're Under Arrest. Aoi is a transgender woman who works as a traffic cop. The series explores Aoi's experiences and challenges as a transgender individual working in a male-dominated profession.

35. Shirogane Naoto

Shirogane Naoto is a character from the video game and anime series Persona 4. He is a skilled detective and a member of the Investigation Team in the game. Initially, Naoto's gender is ambiguous, leading to mystery and confusion among other characters.

34. Xianming Lin

Lin stars in the Hakata Tonkotsu anime. He wears women's clothing to feel more connected to his sister, Qiaomei. Additionally, he takes pleasure in applying makeup. Lin is not concerned about conforming to societal expectations or gender stereotypes.

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33. Idia Shroud

Idia Shroud is a character from the mobile game and anime Disney: Twisted-Wonderland. Idia is a student at the Night Raven College and possesses magical abilities. The character is known for his reclusive and introverted personality.

32. Femto

Femto is one of the best trap manga series, Berserk. Known initially as Griffith, he transforms into the demonic entity Femto. As Femto, Griffith plays a major antagonistic role in the series, and his complex character is integral to the dark and mature themes explored in Berserk.

31. Kenjiro Hato

Kenjiro Hato is one of the famous anime trap characters from the anime and manga series Genshiken. Hato is a university student who initially presents as female but later reveals that he identifies as male.

30. Yukimura Kusunoki

Yukimura Kusunoki is a character from the anime and light novel series The Devil is a Part-Timer! (Hataraku Maou-sama!). Yukimura initially serves the Hero Emilia but later becomes an employee at MgRonald's, a fast-food restaurant in modern-day Tokyo.

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29. Hideyoshi Kinoshita

Hideyoshi Kinoshita is a character from the anime and light novel series Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts (Baka to Test to. Hideyoshi is a high school student and one of the main characters in the series. Hideyoshi is known for his androgynous appearance, which often leads to confusion about his gender.

28. Gasper Vladi

Gasper Vladi is a character from the anime and light novel series High School DxD. Gasper is a young vampire who can manipulate time by freezing it within a specific area. Gasper is initially portrayed as extremely shy and socially anxious, often avoiding direct eye contact with others.

27. Saika Totsuka

Saika Totsuka is one of the best anime with traps from the My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU anime. Totsuka is a member of the school's tennis club and is known for his androgynous appearance. Despite his masculine hobbies, he is known for his gentle and kind personality.

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26. Velouria

Velouria is a character from the Fire Emblem: Fates. A Wolfskin unit video game. Velouria is a shapeshifter with wolf-like features. In the game, Velouria can potentially be recruited as an ally. Her character design and background contribute to the fantasy elements of the series.

25. Pico

Pico is a character from the anime Pico series. Pico is a young androgynous character who navigates complex relationships and experiences. The series explores themes of love and identity.

24. Jun Watarase

Jun Watarase is an anime character from Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl. He is initially introduced as a male high school student but transforms into a girl after a supernatural event.

23. Kino

Kino is the main character in the Kino's Journey anime. Kino is a traveller who explores different countries and cultures. Kino's gender is intentionally left ambiguous in the series, and the character is often referred to with gender-neutral pronouns.

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22. Charlotte Dunois

Charlotte Dunois is among the famous anime trap characters from Infinite Stratos. Initially introduced as a transfer student, Charlotte is revealed to be a male who cross-dresses to attend the all-female Infinite Stratos Academy.

21. Johan Liebert

Johan Liebert is a character from the anime Monster. He is a central antagonist in the series, introduced as a mysterious figure. His character is deeply complex, and exploring his past reveals aspects of his identity that contribute to the psychological thriller elements of Monster.

20. Kikuchi Makoto

Kikuchi Makoto is a character from The iDOLM@STER anime. Makoto is a member of the idol group 765 Production and is initially introduced as a tomboyish girl. However, she later reveals that she identifies more with being a girl.

19. Shiota Nagisa

Shiota Nagisa is a character from the anime Assassination Classroom. Nagisa is part of the main cast of students tasked with assassinating their alien teacher, Koro-sensei. Nagisa is known for his androgynous appearance and gentle demeanour.

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18. Afuro Terumi

Afuro Terumi, also known as Aphrodite, is a character from the Inazuma Eleven anime. Afuro is a highly skilled soccer player who initially presents as a boy. Despite his masculine appearance, Afuro's true gender identity is revealed later in the series, adding depth to his character.

17. Shidou Mariya

Shidou Mariya is a character from the Maria†Holic anime. Mariya is the series's main antagonist and is initially introduced as a beautiful, refined young man. However, it is later revealed that Mariya is, in fact, a cross-dressing boy who enrols in an all-girls school.

16. Ruka Urushibara

Ruka Urushibara is a character from the anime and visual novel series Stein’s Gate. He is a childhood friend of the protagonist, Rintarou Okabe. The character wishes to be female and later acquires a special D-Mail device that alters the timeline, leading to changes in his gender.

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15. Ed

Ed is a character from the Cowboy Bebop anime. A highly skilled hacker and member of the Bebop crew, Ed is initially introduced as an androgynous child with a quirky personality. Ed's gender is intentionally left ambiguous in the series, contributing to the character's carefree nature.

14. Souta Takanashi

Souta Takanashi is one of the main characters from Working!! (Wagnaria!!) anime. He is one of the main characters and serves as a waiter at the Wagnaria family restaurant. The character is also a cross-dresser who often dresses up in waitress clothes.

13. Ikuto Tsukiyomi

Ikuto Tsukiyomi is a character from the anime and manga series Shugo Chara! Ikuto has a slender face and body that gives him a feminine look. His expression also adds to this confusion and plants doubts in the minds of the viewers about his gender.

12. Kyuubei Yagyu

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Kyuubei Yagyu appears in the anime Gintama. They are neither male nor female, and their gender identity is a recurring theme throughout the series. They are skilled swordsmen and members of the Yagyu clan, a family of elite swordsmen.

11. Yuki Sohma

Yuki Sohma is a character from the anime and manga series Fruits Basket. He is a member of the Sohma family, a clan cursed to transform into Chinese zodiac animals when hugged by someone of the opposite gender or under great stress. He is calm, reserved, and polite, earning the nickname "Prince Yuki".

10. Umio Sonoda

Umio Sonoda is a character from the Umineko When They Cry anime. Umio is introduced as a mysterious and gender-neutral character with a calm and composed demeanour.

9. Rui Hanazono

Rui Hanazono is an anime trap character from Fruits Basket. Assigned male at birth, Rui is introduced as a student at Kaibara High School. Rui is part of the student council and initially presents as a boy.

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8. Asuramaru

Asuramaru, also known as Ashera Tepes, is a character from Seraph of the End (Owari no Seraph). Asuramaru is a powerful demon weapon and is initially introduced as a Cursed Gear, a weapon wielded by the series' protagonists to combat vampires.

7. Hime Arikawa

Hime Arikawa is a character in the Princess Princess anime. Assigned male at birth, Hime is forced to cross-dress and participate in his school's princess program, where boys dress as girls to boost morale.

6. Migurie Minna

Migurie Minna is a trap anime character from the Sekirei anime. She is a Sekirei, a humanoid extraterrestrial being with unique powers, and is part of the Sekirei Plan. Also known as Matsu, Migurie is highly intelligent and serves as the strategist for her Ashikabi.

5. Haku

Haku is a character from the Naruto anime. He is initially introduced as a skilled and mysterious ninja who serves as an antagonist. While appearing male, Haku's true gender is revealed later in the series. He is known for his exceptional combat skills.

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4. Astolfo

Astolfo is a trap anime character with pink hair from Fate/Apocrypha. The character is known for his cheerful and carefree personality. Astolfo is initially introduced in a more androgynous manner, and his gender is not explicitly defined in the series.

3. Felix Argyle

Felix Argyle is among the top 10 traps from Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World. Also known as Ferris, he is a skilled healer and a member of the Crusch Camp. Felix has cat-like features, including cat ears and a tail.

2. Chihiro Fugisaki

Chihiro Fugisaki is a character from Danganronpa: The Animation. Chihiro is a student trapped in high school with other characters known for being skilled in programming and technology. Initially presenting as male, Chihiro later identifies as female.

1. Honjo Kamatari

Honjo Kamatari is a Rurouni Kenshin anime and manga series trap character. Kamatari is a member of the Juppongatana, a group of elite warriors serving the main antagonist, Shishio Makoto. The character is initially introduced as a male but later identifies as a woman. Honjo Kamatari tops the best anime traps of all time list.

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Who is the most famous anime trap?

Some of the most famous anime trap characters include the following:

• Astolfo (Fate/Apocrypha)
• Haku (Naruto)
• Nagisa Shiota (Assassination Classroom)
• Felix Argyle (Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World)

Who is the first trap in anime?

The first one is believed to be Michi from Metropolis (1949). Others include Sapphire from Ribbon no Kishi/Princess Knight (1953) and Jun Watarase from Urusei Yatsura (1978).

What is the #1 rated anime of all time?

The #1 rated anime of all time is often Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, topping sites like MyAnimeList for its story and emotional depth. Attack on Titan also ranks highly on IMDb, known for its intense plot and world-building. Both are considered masterpieces in anime history.

What is the top 1 strongest anime?

The strongest anime is often considered Dragon Ball Z, featuring god-level characters like Goku and Vegeta. Its epic battles and immense power scaling make it a benchmark for strength in anime.

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Who has the best physique in anime?

The anime character with the best physique is often Baki Hanma (Baki the Grappler), known for his hyper-muscular, perfectly defined body. Other notable mentions include All Might (My Hero Academia) and Escanor (The Seven Deadly Sins).

Which is the biggest betrayal in anime?

One of the biggest betrayals in anime is Griffith betraying the Band of the Hawk in Berserk, shocking fans with its brutal impact. Another is Itachi Uchiha turning on his clan in Naruto.

Review disclaimer: This article is a fan-based review and highlights what we consider the best anime traps in 2025. The list focuses on characters who defy stereotypes and offer unique, memorable experiences for viewers. Opinions on characters may vary, and new anime releases could introduce even more notable traps.

The best anime traps show that identity and personality go beyond appearance. They keep stories fresh, entertaining, and full of surprises. These characters continue to redefine how we see anime and the diversity it celebrates.

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