What makes anime smiles cute and innocent that could turn a frown upside down?
Some say it's the facial expression. Others look at the situation that leads to the smile.
Whatever that is, anime fans gush over these smiles. But not all are cute. A few have those creepy smiles that make you cringe or give you a nightmare.
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I'm going to go by the series. Let's look at the characters in each series and see who has the best smiles.
So, here is my list and I hope you enjoy every character.
Deadman Wonderland
This dark anime series is about Ganta and Shiro. Ganta is a student who was framed up for killing his classmates on a tragic field trip.
Sentenced to death, he must spend his remaining days in an amusement prison. First, he must find the murderer before his time is up.
Shiro
Despite being a psychological series, Shiro is a ray of sunshine. Her love of food makes her smile bringing a twinkle in her eyes. Her most favorite? Sweets.
This lovely prisoner has multiple roles in Ganta’s life. You may never know what to expect, but Shiro has one of those lovely anime smiles you can find in a dark series.
Minatsuki Takami
This shy girl is an inmate in the amusement park/prison, AKA Deadman Wonderland.
She has a creepy and disturbing smirk that will make you uncomfortable while looking at her.
Abandoned when she was young, Minatsuki Takami grew up with a troubled personality. She ends up a psychopath who loves killing other inmates for the sheer fun of it.
Toto Sakigami
Toto Sakigami wears patterned clothes similar to Shiro. He has this child-like smile and is quite friendly to other people.
But, this facade is nothing but a mask because he is a ruthless killer.
Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail is the name of the famous guild in this series. This guild shelters the weirdest but strongest wizards in the land of Fiore.
Each member takes up requests from the citizens, including the most difficult ones. In this list, I am going to talk about three of them.
Natsu Dragneel
This guy breathes out the fire and he’s brave. Natsu likes to be counted as a hero who saves and helps anyone who’s in need.
In the series, he’s one of the people who smile and laugh a lot, despite having a motion-sickness.
Lucy Heartfilia
Lucy is a mage who controls Celestial beings as part of her magic. Beautiful and blonde, she has a warm personality and lots of positivity.
You rarely see her frown. Instead, Lucy Heartfilia smiles a lot that radiates to other characters.
Erza Scarlet
Erza Scarlet is one tough lady who has the Requip ability. She seldom smiles but when she does, her smile is one of the best anime smiles ever.
It was like a relief if you see her golden smile and you wanted to remain that way.
Ergo Proxy
This anime series is a dark and psychological anime about post-apocalyptic Earth where people have to rely on a humanoid robot.
For years, these robots seem okay until they started to act weird and violent, attacking humans.
Now, Re-l Mayer must find out what causes these attacks. But her search leads her to more gruesome and shocking revelations.
Pino
In the dark world of this series, Pino grew up not knowing how Earth looks without the humanoid robots. Still, this fact didn’t dampen her lively spirits.
Of all the characters, the young girl has a charming smile that brightens one’s spirit.
Daedalus
This young man might be a supporting character in the series, but his role is equally important. Daedalus has a smile that looks boyish and cute.
He’s the doctor of the main female protagonist, Re-l Mayer. I’m not really sure if he’s in love or just obsessed with the female inspector.
Proxy
Well, he is the villain of the story and has creepy smiles that’ll chill you to the bones.
Of all the anime smiles I have seen, Proxy has that smug look you just want to kick him for being nonchalant about his abilities.
Yes, he’s a humanoid who attacked Re-l and one of the strongest Proxies in the series.
Monthly Girls Nozaki Kun
Alright, Monthly Girl’s Nozaki-kun is a comedy anime series. So, expect lots of smiling and laughing characters. But, let’s choose three to feature in this list.
Chiyo Sakura
Cute and petite, Chiyo is a bubbly character who has a crush on Nozaki. She tries to confess her love but always ends up being misunderstood by her love interest.
Despite these misfortunes, this pretty lady remains positive and friendly.
Mikoto Mikoshiba
Nicknamed by Chiyo as Mikorin, this young man knows how to flirt with women.
He uses his good looks and charming smiles to make girls fall for him.
But, inside, Mikoto is nothing but a shy boy who cringes mentally when looking at his flirty image to people, especially to girls.
Despite that, he remains friendly and more like a brother to Sakura.
Yuu Kashima
Kashima is the epitome of handsomeness and uses it to great advantage. But, Kashima is a reverse anime trap character.
Meaning, Yuu is a female who acts and dresses like a man. Despite her princely appearance, this handsome lady has a huge crush on her Hori-senpai.
Black Bullet
This sci-fi, action anime series is another post-apocalyptic story.
Humans now live behind high walls to protect themselves from viral infection and monsters afflicted with the Gastrea virus.
To counter these monsters, the government come up with a bio-weapon called Cursed Children. In this series, Enju’s team stands out.
Enju Aihara
This young lass is around 10 years old and one of the Cursed Children. She’s cute and in her early days, Aihara was exposed to the cruel world of monsters.
Despite her young age, Enju must fight these evil monsters so that humanity may live.
She may be a fierce fighter, but still, a mere child who has crushes and lovely anime smiles.
Tina Sprout
Tina has long blond hair and is an Initiator in the story. At first, she wanted to Seitenshi but Enju interferes and later Rentarou defeats her.
She might have held some grudges to the man who defeats her. But, in the end, this pretty soldier teams up with Kisara for the good of everyone.
Kagetane Hiruko
In this series, Hiruko is a villain. Although he wears a mask, he looks creepy with that permanent smile.
You may never know how this villain looks like without the mask.
But, if you were to ask me, I’d prefer that mask over the real evil anime smiles he might have while doing his job.
My Hero Academia
Eight percent of the Earth’s population have special abilities called Quirks.
Unfortunately, one of the main characters belongs to the 20% of the population who don’t have special powers.
Little did this young man know that he will someday inherit the power of the strongest and mightiest heroes of them all, All Might.
Izuku Midoriya
Deku’s greatest dream is to become a hero like his idol, All Might. But, he doesn’t know how to obtain a superpower until All Might chooses him as successor.
Deku’s smiles reflect his positive attitude no matter how difficult his life is. Plus, he is a source of inspiration (which you can check out in his quotes in this post).
Ochako Uraraka
Ochako’s quirk is anti-gravity, which is the same as her personality and attitude. Her smiles always look radiant and light despite her insecurities.
As she interacts with her classmates, this young lady discovers how powerful her abilities could be in supporting offensive abilities.
All Might
All Might’s anime smiles remind me that you should remain positive even through hardships in life.
This hero is brave and is not afraid to admit that he needs to give up his quirk for someone who is stronger than him.
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
After drinking the night away, Miss Kobayashi wakes up to a dragon knocking at her door.
To her surprise, this mighty dragon turns into a beautiful lady dressed in a maid’s uniform.
She claims she will become her servant. From then on, other mythical beings come to her apartment to become her servant.
Kanna
This young girl is also a dragon and she got exiled from her realm. Kanna loves Tooru so much that she’s willing to do anything for her ladyship.
She’s young in the dragon’s realm which is the equivalent of a kid in the human world.
Tooru
Tooru is a breath of fresh air into the anime series. She always has a smile ready for Ms. Kobayashi and her undeniable love with the nerdy chic is so cute.
It may seem like a same-sex romantic love on the surface, but Kobayashi’s acceptance of the dragon maid’s feelings is so endearing.
Kobayashi-san
Of course, let’s not forget the main character. Kobayashi is a programmer with a fish-eye look and who seldom smiles.
But, the presence of Tohru and Kanna in her life changes her rather boring life.
This young lady has developed some reasons to go on living and find happiness because she got two people (or dragons) who depend on her.
Bleach
The Soul Society is home to the strongest shinigami, including Kurosaki Ichigo despite being a substitute.
Besides, you will find here the most handsome men and prettiest women throughout the anime series.
Although there are practically hundreds of characters in Bleach, I’m going to choose three with the most beautiful smile.
Kurosaki Ichigo
Ichigo witnessed the murder of his mother. The incident created a dark dent in his bubbly character and it made this orange-haired young man into a serious person.
But when he smiles, his face glows and his eyes twinkle with merriment, which is a shadow of his merry character when he was a kid.
Gin Ichimaru
I’m not really sure how to describe Ichimaru’s anime smiles. It’s so creepy to look at, especially when he is fighting.
This shinigami also has the smug look on his face that makes you irritated for some reason.
When you look at him, Gin looks like the twin of Hisoka except for the fancy “tattoos” and “ridiculous” clothes of the latter.
Orihime Inoue
At first, Inoue seems like a weakling. She easily gets discouraged, but always has a smile ready if her friends worry about her.
With Ichigo’s gallantry and Rukiya’s bravery, this beautiful lady learns to become courageous, so she can save her friends, too.
Dragon Ball Z
Many anime fans still love and are amazed at Dragon Ball Z even though it has been decades since its first adaptation.
You can still see it streaming on major streaming sites. So, let’s look at two of the most popular anime smiles out there.
Bulma
Her smiles seem to be the pioneer of that iconic half-circle (or oblong) eyes and radiant curving lips.
Bulma is also one of the best-dressed characters. She has different clothes every time an arc gets introduced.
Goku
Wide green, twinkling eyes, and comedic personality are always associated with Goku. His naivete on everything is so endearing, at the same time, frustrating.
He has god-like powers but acts like a child sometimes. But, this makes him strong, nonetheless.
Owari No Seraph
Seraph of the End follows the story of two friends and orphans who find solace in each other’s company.
But, the cruelty has separated them. When they are reunited, nothing is the same.
Mikaela Hyakuya
This beautiful young man has an innocent smile that will really make you melt inside. Mika’s parents abandoned him when he was but a young child.
Despite his dark pasts, this handsome man remains smiling. His anime smiles are really contagious.
Guren Ichinose
Wavy locks and a beautiful face are Ichinose’s characteristics. But his smiles stand out. This young lieutenant is more than just looks.
He is an excellent leader who knows how to fight for what is right.
Kakegurui
This series has a weird but unique premise. Students learn the standard curriculum, but when the sun sets on the horizon, their school becomes a gambling den.
Everything seems peaceful until Yumeko transfers into the school and she becomes a sensation.
Yumeko Jabami
This young girl sports black long hair with bangs and burgundy eyes. She has so many anime smiles that will surprise you. Many girls seem to envy her.
Yumeko is one of the fan's favorite characters who smiles maniacally when excitement kicks in. It’s so creepy and yet mesmerizing.
Kirari Momobami
This silvered-haired student is the main antagonist of the series. Like Yumeko, Kirai is very competitive in gambling.
She sometimes smiles so serenely that you’ll never know what she’s thinking.
Sword Art Online
SAO is an isekai anime series that is popular among anime fans. It tells the story of a game enthusiast who was trapped in an RPG online game.
This young man must discover how to get out with the help of his friends.
This series has two seasons and many different arcs. Despite the flaws in the story development, SAO is still one of the pioneers of the isekai genre.
Leafa
Leafa is the online character of Kirito’s adoptive sister in real life. Her RL name is Kirigaya Suguha.
She's cute with blond long hair in the virtual realm. This makes her one of the prettiest girls and has the cutest and most innocent smile in the Alfheim Online arc.
Yuuki
She appears in Season 2 of SAO. Yuuki, her virtual name, is a beautiful and kind lady who has a pure heart. Her pretty smile reflects her personality.
Besides, she’s one of the most loved characters in SAO. Her happiness is evident despite having a critical condition while playing AO.
Yui
In the SAO world, characters can marry and have children. Kirito and Asuna are no different. Their offspring is Yui.
This pretty lady has a smile that’ll make you warm all over. Like other children, Yui smiles innocently.
Trivia Questions
Who has the best innocent smile in anime?
Let me limit the options to this list of anime smiles. I'd choose Pino from Ergo Proxy.
Why? Because her radiant smiles created a light in the series. She might know what is happening around her but she never lets those incidents change her.
Who is the cutest person in anime?
I'd choose Kanna in the series Ms. Kobayashi's Maid. She's a dragon but her human form is so cute and full of innocence. This girl is one of the main characters.
Who is the cutest anime girl with a gentle smile?
I guess this will be Leafa of Sword Art Online. Of course, there are other girls with gentle smiles. But, I would stick to this girl. You may not agree with me, so why don't you leave some comments?
Why do anime characters smile with their eyes closed?
Anime smiles with closed eyes denote joy or happiness.
Do you want more posts about anime recommendations? You can check our anime quotes and recommended series from previous ones.
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