The idea of Senseis in anime is a recurring and important one. The Senseis are the masters and teachers of the protagonists and at times of the entire main group of students or characters. They are the symbols of discipline, mastery, and innate knowledge of the world and its affairs.
All great protagonists need a Sensei in their story to evolve and understand their true nature of being. They also act as the moral and emotional anchor for the characters and it is through their lessons, sacrifices, and exemplary deeds that the protagonist and the other characters truly evolve.
Top 10 best Senseis in anime of all time
Here is a list of the top 10 best Senseis in anime. While this list is open to subjective interpretation and conflict of views, the listicle is substantial and has been based on popularity and fan reviews. Here we go!
10. Might Guy – Naruto
Might Guy from Naruto is the master of Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee. He was the one who trained them for their Chunin Exams. Might Guy is filled with positivity and holds a special bond with Rock Lee, whom he finds similar to himself. The bond flourished and Rock Lee became an ace Taijutsu user like his master. Might Guy was also declared as the strongest shinobi by Madara and he made Lee strong enough to go up against the overpowering Madara Uchiha.
Might Guy is a cheerful person with a lot of dad jokes in his pocket. He is one of the easiest Senseis to get along with and cares for his students more than anything else.
9. Master Roshi – Dragon Ball
Master Roshi is the Sensei of Goku and Krillin and teaches them the invincible move he created – the Kamehameha. This is Goku’s all-time move and a lot of the Z fighters also use it occasionally.
During the Tournament of Power, Master Roshi pushed himself beyond his limits and proved that his preachings were based on his actions and discipline in life. He has trained a majority of the Z fighters, either directly or indirectly and he holds a charismatic personality and an extremely dynamic source of strength and motivation.
8. Eikichi Onizuka – Great Teacher Onizuka
Eikichi Onizuka was once a thug who transformed into a teacher. He became a teacher for a thuggish purpose but as soon as he discovered that he actually holds a spot in the practice of it, he left his criminal side behind.
- He is extremely unorthodox when it comes to teaching and doesn’t restrict himself to just the teachings of the book and the curriculum but also extends beyond to spare a few life lessons.
- More than anything else, the anime centers around Onizuka as he is the protagonist, and that makes the narrative entirely unique and appealing all the more.
7. Genkai – Yu Yu Hakusho
Genkai from Yu Yu Hakusho is a tough lady who didn’t spare Yusuke during his training even for a tiny bit. She is an old-fashioned teacher who specializes in the art of making her pupils stronger and discover new sides to themselves. Her training is tough and her ethics are tougher, making the rough edges of Yusuke sharp as a knife’s edge. She even fought during the Dark Tournament and aided Kurama in training the pupils for the Demon World Tournament.
Genkai is added to our list of the top 10 best Senseis in anime because of her agility which contradicts her age. She is extremely powerful and her traditions are unbelievably grounded.
6. Piccolo – Dragon Ball
Piccolo is that one great Sensei in Dragon Ball who took in Gohan after Goku’s death and decided to train him for Vegeta and Nappa’s arrival. He pushed Gohan to his limits and beyond and started the training by abandoning the young boy in a wasteland for six whole months.
This was to teach the young warrior the art of survival but always keep an eye on him from a distance. Piccolo is not only a Sensei but also a father figure for Gohan. He has dedicated the entirety of his remaining lifetime to training his one pupil who would stand up against Vegeta.
5. Franken Stein – Soul Eater
- Franken Stein is an eccentric doctor who is on a rampage of dissecting everyone as an experiment. He is considered one of the strongest students to have ever graduated from the Death Weapon Meister Academy.
- He is a sadistic and violent individual and has the potential to become one of the most horrifying villains in the story.
But, despite this indifference, Franken Stein has a soft side to himself, often with regard to his students. A man so arrogant with his experiments and hostile towards everyone has a side that is completely naked for his students. He would never lie to them or even hurt them in any manner, often going to the extent where he would protect them with everything he has for the love he shares.
4. Kakashi Hatake – Naruto
Kakashi is the Sensei of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. He cares the most about teamwork and Team 7 became the first team in his whole career to have passed his initial tests. He is the founder of the Chidori and is known as the Copy Ninja of the Leaf. He also went on to become the Sixth Hokage of the Leaf Village after the Fourth Shinobi War. Kakashi Sensei is known for being extremely caring towards his students and he has always protected the young boy, even during the time Minato was alive.
Kakashi is a broken hero who lost everything and everyone in his life but released Sasuke from the chains of his loss and pain by making him see the truth of the world. Kakashi Sensei is a favorite of all, a soft and loving being who deserves a place in our list of top 10 best Senseis in anime.
3. Satoru Gojo – Jujutsu Kaisen
Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen is the most charismatic and at the same time the most arrogant individual in the story. He has a knack for considering himself as the strongest of all and believes that his students will surpass him one day. He believes in his students more than he trusts anyone else and considers them to be the medium of bringing about a shift and a considerable change in the Jujutsu world order. He is often the older brother towards everyone and has a knack for cracking jokes and teasing Megumi as well.
Satoru Gojo can be frighteningly powerful, yet he has a side that is all soft and considerate towards his students as they are his only family.
2. Shouta Aizawa or Eraserhead – My Hero Academia
Shouta Aizawa is extremely strict and straightforward. He is neither lenient nor forgiving. He trains his batch of Heroes with the utmost sincerity and prepares them for the worst. He understands the risks involved with his batch and how they have become the primary target of major Villains.
Therefore, Aizawa would also strive to protect his students from all forms of Villains and badmouthing Heroes. His class of students is extraordinary and extremely talented, and he understands the risks of training a batch so hostile and experimental in nature.
Aizawa Sensei is undoubtedly a tough shell with soft muscles, a teacher who always leads his students by example, and a sense of duty and responsibility.
1. Jiraiya – Naruto
- Jiraiya Sensei – the man, the myth, the legend. One of the legendary Sannin and the teacher of Naruto’s top ninjas, Jiraiya Sensei is undoubtedly the most humble Sannin in Naruto. He was the Sensei of Minato Namikaze and Nagato, Konan and Yahiko.
- His final student was Naruto, whom he trained like his own son and Naruto grew extremely close to Jiraiya, even considering himself as the reincarnation of his grandfather and a personification of his lost father.
Jiraiya Sensei is not just a typical pervert, but an extremely humble and welcoming soul. His students went on to become either the Hokage or the founders of Akatsuki, but his life was spent in the wisdom of Ninjutsu and the journey of training his beloved students to become the best versions of themselves.
Conclusion
The list of the top 10 best Senseis in anime comes with a group of individuals who have provided selfless service to their group of students and have delivered time and again an impeccable spirit and dedication. While some are extremely orthodox, others are lenient, but their motives remain the same.
But, unlike all Senseis in anime who strive for their students, this lot stands out because of their ability to not just limit themselves to the Teacher-student dynamics but break this hierarchy and extend their arms to welcome them as a part of their family.