Goku and 9 Other Anime Protagonists Who Don’t Deserve Their Friends

Anime tends to glorify friendship, where friends stand by the hero, regardless of how foolish, dangerous, silly or reckless the hero may be. But not every hero is worth that loyalty. Some of the most popular characters in the medium spend more time exploiting their friends than even being grateful for them. Whether through selfish decisions, dangerous stunts or neglect, these characters lean on friends who give much more than they could ever reciprocate.

Some of these protagonists, like Goku, are reckless warriors who leave devastation in their wake. Others, like Shinji Ikari, are emotionally draining leaders. In any case, the friendship feels imbalanced, with the side characters forgoing stability, and sometimes, even their very lives, for a protagonist who gives little in return. Anime fans love these leads for various reasons, but if viewers closely inspect these characters’ relationships with their friends, it’s clear as day that they don’t deserve such devotion.

Goku Takes His Friends for Granted

Goku is perhaps anime’s most beloved hero, but in Dragon Ball, he’s a terrible friend. He inevitably drags allies into doomsday wars against enemies like Cell and Majin Buu, with virtually no regard for the danger they are put in. As much as he lives for the excitement of combat, his friends are continually wounded, murdered or disabled because of his fanatical enthusiasm for fighting stronger opponents.

What’s worse is that Goku rarely seems to consider the emotional toll of his choices. His habit of vanishing for training, even during moments when his friends and loved ones most need him, shows how little his companions’ dedication means to him. While his friends consistently risk their lives to protect him, Goku’s answer is usually a smile and an enthusiasm to get on to the next fight.

Naruto Uzumaki Took Too Much Before He Gave Back

Naruto is a tale of resilience and victories, but Naruto’s friendships pay the price for his actions. Throughout his Genin days, Naruto would always put himself or his team in jeopardy. Missions with Sasuke and Sakura would typically spiral into chaos due to Naruto’s rash impulses, requiring them to either clean up the mess or take the hits for Naruto.

Even throughout the rest of the series, Naruto’s obsession with saving Sasuke causes everyone else to suffer. While his ambitions with respect to Sasuke are noble, they are at times foolish, considering that other people are sacrificing their lives as well. Ultimately, Naruto grows into a more mature leader near the end of the series, but the scale of imbalance for the majority of his journey makes it difficult for one to overlook.

Ash Ketchum Leaves His Friends in the Dust

Ash Ketchum’s journey to Pokémon Master status is the stuff of legend, but his friendships never quite look as balanced as the anime suggests. As Ash travels between regions collecting badges and competing in championships, his friends step to the side, becoming caregivers and cheerleaders. Brock does the cleaning, cooking and logistics, while Misty constantly helps in battles or offers advice. But Ash rarely acknowledges how far their commitment carries him.

In Pokémon, Ash’s stubbornness and obsessions regularly put his friends in danger. He leaps into pointless fights, challenges vastly superior Trainers, or interrupts and disrupts Team Rocket’s plans, leaving his friends fixing the situation. Regardless, they stay, settling for another time when they abandon their own legitimate goals and screen time to help him fulfill his dream.

Light Yagami Treats His Allies as Pawns

Light Yagami has one of the best minds in anime, but his “friends” in Death Note are just tools on his path to godhood. Light manipulates everyone around him, exploiting their trust and discarding them once they have served their purpose. His relationship with Misa Amane is the best example of this. She gives herself, and even her safety, to protect him, while he uses her love as a weapon in his conflict with L.

Even in the way Light handles real friends like Takada or Task Force members, his lack of genuine bonds shows. Rather than confiding in them, he sends them out as buffers or fall guys, prepared to let them bear the blame if it helps preserve his identity as Kira. His charm assures loyalty, but his manipulation destroys any possibility of real friendship.

Shinji Ikari Drains His Allies

Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Shinji Ikari is among the most multifaceted anime heroes, but that doesn’t make him an easy friend to have. His inability to make a decision, severe self-doubt, and unwillingness to act put the weight of responsibility on those closest to him. Asuka and Rei suffer, psychologically and physically, because Shinji simply can’t step up.

Shinji’s reliance on others without giving back causes his friends and allies to be emotionally spent. Asuka, in particular, spirals partly because she does not get any kind of support from Shinji when she needs it most. The fact that he can’t and won’t be active and emotionally stable keeps him from being able to be loyal and caring. While fans understand his pain, his friendships are one-sided.

Ichigo Kurosaki Constantly Drags His Friends Into Danger

Ichigo’s entire journey throughout Bleach is motivated by wanting to help people, but strangely, his friends are almost always in danger because of him. Whether it’s Orihime being kidnapped by Aizen’s forces, Chad being swarmed by Hollows, or Uryu being wrapped up in Soul Reaper politics, Ichigo’s group of close friends suffers needlessly because of his battles.

Instead of living ordinary lives, they’re forced to march alongside him into wars that would have nothing to do with them otherwise. Ichigo means well, but good intentions don’t count for much with all the collateral damage. Ichigo’s compulsive habit of rushing into every fight without having a plan frequently puts his friends in mortal danger. It’s ironic because Ichigo insists he fights to protect everyone, yet he has a poor record of keeping those he cares about safe.

Eren Yeager Manipulates His Friends for His Own War

Friendship was initially one of Eren’s biggest motivations in Attack on Titan. He adored Armin and Mikasa, and swore that everything he did was for their freedom. Yet, as the series progressed, Eren was no longer their protector but their manipulator instead. His transformation into cold ambition forced his friends to follow his genocidal plan or fight against him, a betrayal that shattered the bond they forged growing up together.

What makes Eren stand out among other shōnen anime protagonists is how far he discards the trust of his friends. By not revealing his true intentions, Eren makes Armin and Mikasa pawns in his war rather than friends. Eventually, Eren weaponizes their love, knowing they will try to save him even when he no longer deserves it.

Yugi Muto Lets His Friends Risk Everything for His Games

Yugi Muto is often seen as the heart of Yu-Gi-Oh!, but when it comes to his friends, Yugi doesn’t protect them as much as he should. In fact, his entire circle is constantly placed in life-or-death “games” just by being around him. They face shadow duels, kidnappings and unprovoked attacks from villains pursuing the Millennium Puzzle, all because of Yugi’s association with it.

Though Yugi is quite genuine with his kindness and loyalty to his friends, his reliance on the Pharaoh means his friends are left as little more than backup characters in high-stakes games. They constantly put their lives on the line, and Yugi does not question whether it is fair for them to suffer for his destiny. He gains power and glory, while his friends are left in constant danger with little reward.

Usagi Tsukino Relies on Friends to Do All the Work

Usagi Tsukino may be the face of Sailor Moon, but much of her strength comes from the loyal friends who fight alongside her. Although she does eventually become a responsible leader, she spends a long time being clumsy and emotionally unprepared to be Earth’s greatest defender. The other Sailor Guardians will often intervene to protect her, even sacrificing themselves while Usagi hesitates.

Usagi’s friends constantly face peril because she is the Moon Princess, but she seldom protects them in return. Instead, she relies on their loyalty to keep her going until she can magically power herself up at the last second. Ironically, her friends believe in her more than she believes in herself. They support and protect her; otherwise, she wouldn’t have survived the first season, let alone the endless battles that follow.

Subaru Natsuki Constantly Burdens His Friends With His Mistakes

Subaru Natsuki is one of the most unique shōnen anime protagonists, but also one of the hardest to tolerate. In Re:Zero, his power to reset time after death doesn’t just affect him; it drags everyone around him into cycles of pain and misery. His thoughtless decisions, meltdowns, and lack of planning put his friends in danger, forcing them to pay for mistakes that only he can correct.

Although he is surrounded by deeply loyal friends like Emilia, Rem and Beatrice, Subaru makes choices throughout the anime that result in them getting wounded or killed. Even when he does get taught a lesson, it takes several tragedies before he decides to change. His friends’ tireless positivity is admirable, but Subaru rarely deserves it. They stick with him when most other people would leave him behind.