2025 Anime "War Criminal" Rankings Top 20 | Conan's Genta Wins, Star Rail's Caenis Listed
In the anime and gaming communities, the term "War Criminal" always evokes countless resonances and "painful" memories. In internet slang, it no longer refers to literal war criminals but describes those who "hold the team back" in cooperation, cause a team wipe due to reckless actions, or are always the "thunder teammates" causing trouble for the protagonist.
The renowned Japanese anime voting site Spacomic announced the "Characters with the Strongest War Criminal Impression" ranking in 2025. The results not only included classic veteran troublemakers but also surprisingly featured new characters from Honkai: Star Rail and You and the Idol Pretty Cure♪.
The following will delve into this list to see who truly "thundered" their way into the audience's hearts through sheer skill.
What are "War Criminal" characters in the anime world?
This term often carries a sense of love-hate emotion:
- Unintentional Fault Type: Due to gluttony, curiosity, or sheer clumsiness, they land the protagonist in dire straits.
- Deadweight Teammate Type: They drop the ball at critical moments or make your blood boil due to game mechanics.
- Plot Propellers: Though their actions are infuriating, without them causing trouble, the story wouldn't move forward.
The perennial "Thunder God" trio
The top three in this vote can be described as well-deserved, with no suspense at all.
1st Place: Kojima Genta—"Detective Conan"
The undisputed king. As a member of the "Junior Detective League," Genta's obsession with "unagi rice" and his reckless actions have countless times plunged Conan and Haibara into life-or-death crises. Fans joke, "If it weren't for Genta, many of Conan's cases might never have happened."
2nd Place: Italy—"Hetalia"
The affectionate nickname "Idiot" isn't for nothing. In the work, Italy always needs Germany to clean up his messes, and his innocent yet always troublesome image has become the core charm of the character.
3rd Place: Sato Masao—"Crayon Shin-chan"
Masao is timid by nature, but sometimes his inexplicable obsessions or betrayals throw the Kasukabe Defense Force into chaos. His "rebellious" performance in the movie secured him a solid third place.
New Faces Worth Watching in 2025
The most interesting aspect of this list is that it reflects the latest trends of 2025.
20th Place: Caenis—"Honkai: Star Rail"
As the "Oufalos" chapter of "Honkai: Star Rail" Version 3.0 progresses, the new character Caenis has become the center of discussion. As a member of the Senate, his political maneuvering and ability to obstruct the Trailblazer as a "spoiler" have made many players grit their teeth in frustration.
17th Place: Puriren—"You and the Idol Pretty Cure♪"
The fairy Puriren from the latest 2025 series, while cute in appearance, caused the heroine to fall into awkward crises multiple times due to poor communication in the early plot, earning her the nickname "the most troublemaking fairy in recent years" from viewers.
Full Top 20 List
Below is the complete list voted by Spacomic netizens:
| Ranking | Character Name | Work Title | Brief Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kojima Genta | Detective Conan | The Eternal Unagi Rice Culprit |
| 2 | Italy | Hetalia | Always the first to surrender |
| 3 | Masao Satō | Crayon Shin-chan | Tends to fail at critical moments |
| 4 | Abe no Seimei | A rookie teacher at a monster school | His uselessness often causes chaos |
| 5 | United Kingdom | Hetalia | Kitchen disasters and tsundere mishaps |
| 6 | Ayumi Yoshida | Detective Conan | Taken hostage far too often |
| 7 | Ace | One Piece | The Marineford War's outcome remains a painful memory for fans |
| 8 | Japan | Hetalia | A regular who often gets caught up in trouble |
| 9 | Honbee | Yes! Pretty Cure 5 | The hardworking person who always messes up missions |
| 10 | Osamu Dazai | Bungo Stray Dogs | His suicide hobby caused endless trouble for his partner Kunikida |
| 11 | Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya | Detective Conan | Overconfidence leading to crisis |
| 12 | Scaramouche | Genshin Impact | Actions during the Sumeru Archon Quest and the Irminsul incident |
| 13 | Gintoki Sakata | Gintama | Usually the absolute source of trouble for the Yorozuya |
| 14 | Reita Toritsuka | The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. | Caused countless troubles for Saiki due to his own desires |
| 15 | Satoru Gojo | Jujutsu Kaisen | Sealed away, leading to the Shibuya Incident spiraling out of control |
| 16 | Teacher Utsugi | Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun! Side Story | Troublemaking king who fully embraces the scumbag attribute |
| 17 | Puriren | You and the Idol Pretty Cure♪ | 2025's newly-ascended troublemaking fairy |
| 18 | Nakahara Chuuya | Bungo Stray Dogs | Often toyed with by Dazai, affecting those around him |
| 19 | Misa Amane | Death Note | Repeatedly disrupts L's perfect plans |
| 20 | Canis | Honkai: Star Rail | The troublesome Senate character in the Obfallos chapter |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is an anime "war criminal" character? A: It refers to a character in anime or games who, due to recklessness, mistakes, or causing trouble, lands the team in a predicament—an alternative term of endearment fans use for "liability teammates."
Q: Why does Kojima Genta win the top spot year after year? A: Due to his obsession with eel rice and impulsive behavior, Genta has repeatedly put Conan in danger, making him a classic representative of "war criminals."
Q: Why is Canis from Honkai: Star Rail on the list? A: Canis, as a Senate character in the 3.0 version Obfallos chapter, left a deep impression on players with his obstructive actions in the story.
Conclusion
This "war criminal" list is actually fans' alternative term of endearment for the characters. Whether it's Genta's recklessness or Ace's regret, these imperfect actions are precisely the key to driving the plot forward. For new characters in Honkai: Star Rail and Pretty Cure, making it onto this list also proves they left a strong enough impression in 2025.
Next time you see them "messing up" again, you might as well smile knowingly—that's the very reason they exist!