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Contrary to what anime implies and constantly peddles, one has to lose the hair if one wants to gain strength. That's the price of being an absolute boss — it should be. Because a warrior can't and shouldn't worry about a bad hair day when it comes to getting the job done. Besides, all those locks quickly turn into liabilities in the face of enemies who like to tug on them in the heat of the moment.

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Some anime do respect this reality and in turn, have their own respectable bald characters. These baldies all have one thing in common: they're all competent go-getters who don't need to annoyingly reflect on their self-worth, unlike what the haired protagonists do every five minutes. So when in doubt, let these chrome domes shine the way to victory and enlightenment.

Updated July 2, 2022, by Sid Natividad: No matter how many fancy hairstyles the new and younger anime protagonists introduce to the medium, bald will never go out of style. In fact, some of the most powerful and most experienced characters in anime are usually bald. It can't be helped; balding is a sign of power and wisdom (or maybe just an early onset of male pattern baldness). In any case, more bald characters in anime deserve their own spotlight, even if they tend to reflect that spotlight back with their shiny scalps. Five more big bold bald bad boys have been added to the roster.

13 Aang – Avatar, the Last Airbender

aang meditating

Going by technicality, Avatar, the Last Airbender is an anime. If in doubt, just ask the Japanese themselves. Case closed. Because otherwise, we won't have Aang here, and he's very much needed as a representative for bald people in anime. That's because he's the youngest of the bunch. Everyone else is already a geezer or is immortal.

Of course, Aang's reputation precedes him. He's a master of all four elements and the only one who can bring about world peace by himself. It's also worth noting that Aang is a reincarnation of past Avatars, so for all anyone knows, he represents multiple bald protagonists.

12 Doppo Orochi – Baki The Grappler

doppo orochi in baki

While every guy's face in Baki The Grappler looks like it was seasoned by a daily dose of punches, Doppo Orochi stands out because he's one of the few bald characters in the series. That means he has committed to being a wise and old dan karate grandmaster and head of the Shinshinkai Karate School.

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Because of his skills and his victories, Doppo has been called many venerable names, the most intimidating of which is "God of War" or "Man Eater Orochi." Sure enough, he lives up to his reputation; he's one of the few people on the show to be able to withstand Yujiro Hanma, Baki's father and the main antagonist of the series.

11 Saitama – One Punch Man

Saitama of One Punch Man

There he is, as expected. Saitama is currently the most popular bald character in anime thanks to his shonen parody comedy series, One Punch Man. As a testament to his baldness pass, Saitama is also the most powerful being on his own show. So far, no enemy or challenger has defeated him as he's practically Superman at this point.

How did he become bald? Saitama was once a normal salaryman (with a head full of hair) who decided to become a superhero for fun. He took it too far and lost all of his hair due to his intense training. He probably spiked his testosterone too much out of sheer will.

10 Umibozu – Gintama

gintama-season-8-episode-6-61

His real name is Kankou, which makes more sense since Umibozu literally means galaxy monk. However, anyone who chooses this name for himself has to have had one heck of a reputation, and Umibozu doesn't disappoint (unlike his hairline). He's one of the most renowned alien hunters in the universe.

In fact, Umibozu was a name given to him in recognition of his fighting skills. He's like the Saitama of Gintama and also has the full suite of superhuman physical capabilities. He wasn't always bald, however. But due to his age and genetics, presumably, he lost all the strands of hair he had on his head. Such is the price for true strength.

9 Dot Pyxis – Attack on Titan

Dot Pyxis anime attack on titan

Some bald men don't even have to be physically imposing or powerful in order to be respected by their peers. Dot Pyxis sets a fine example of what can be done with a loud voice and a sound, strategic mind. He's one of the most brilliant and capable commanders in Attack on Titan.

When it comes to inspiring his troops, he's second only to Erwin Smith. Moreover, Dot Pyxis is someone who grew old in a profession where almost everyone else dies young. That alone is enough to make him one of the most memorable bald characters in the history of anime.

8 Keith Shadis – Attack On Titan

Keith Shadis in Attack on Titan

The sad reality in Attack on Titan right now is that most of the old military men and women are now dead. In fact, the final commander, Dot Pyxis, was even subjected to an unfair death. Keith Shadis, the only old veteran of Paradis, remains. Thankfully, he's bald, so he deserves to be here.

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Keith wasn't unlike Eren back in his younger days (and when he still had hair) but eventually grew up into a bitter but tough old man who became responsible for training recruits. What makes Keith's mere existence in the final season even more impressive is that he grew up old in a profession where most men and women die too young. We're talking about teenage years. Even if he didn't go bald, Keith still deserves to be here.

7 Jet Black – Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop anime Jet Black

Speaking of old men in a line of work where the most die young, Jet Black is another good example. He's Spike Spiegel's partner in Cowboy Bebop as they pursue one of the most dangerous professions in the sci-fi medium: bounty hunting. Jet isn't without some old scars, though, he's heavily weathered and has certainly seen better days.

Jet lost his arm in the past during his tenure as a police investigator. It was his own partner that shot him, tearing off the limb. Despite his traumatic past, though, Jet has grown to be the most mature and wisest member of the Cowboy Bebop crew, often giving advice to his companions and acting as the Bebop's father figure.

6 Alex Louis Armstrong – Fullmetal Alchemist

Alex Louise Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Alex Louis Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist is one heck of a role model for everyone. He's a military man with the rank of Major (and later on, Lieutenant Colonel) and he has the skills and presence to back that up. Armstrong is one giant of a man, standing at around 212 cm or 6'11" tall.

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It does seem that the anime is more intent on benching him in favor of showcasing more Elric sibling fights. So most of the time, Armstrong just shows off by himself by ripping his clothes off with a mere flex of his muscles. When the time came for him to fight though, it was nothing short of spectacular and manly. That handlebar mustache tends to carry all his fights.

5 Ikkaku Madarame – Bleach

bleach ikkaku

Ikkaku Madarame from Bleach initially appears as an enemy to Ichigo Kurosaki (the show's protagonist) but the two of them quickly became friends after the latter gets integrated into the Soul Society. Turns out they have a lot more in common than they thought.

He's competent and skillful, alright, especially considering his Captain in the Eleventh Division, or Zaraki Corps, is a terror commander. Of course, that doesn't stop Kenpachi's second-in-command or even Ikkaku's comrades from pointing out his baldness, often calling him cue ball, or mistaking his head's sheen for the full moon.

4 Kamaji – Spirited Away

kamaji from spirited away

Kamaji is from the anime film Spirited Away, and he's different from all the other bald guys here. While most of them are warriors by profession, Kamaji is a staunch veteran laborer at Yubaba's Bathhouse. He's the one responsible for keeping things hot and running, specifically feeding coal and fuel to the steamers.

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Kamaji is so devoted to being professional that he barely leaves his post and even eats while working. He's not just a stalwart bore though, as Kamaji is also highly knowledgeable in medicine and magic, as is evident in his help with Haku's curse.

3 Isaac Netero – Hunter X Hunter

Isaac Netero using heart hand attack

Yet another old, bald, and venerable man, Chairman Isaac Netero from Hunter x Hunter is one of the most powerful beings in the anime. Back in his prime, Netero was even revered as the most powerful Nen user and even holds the highest authority in the Hunter Association due to his age and power.

Despite being in his senior years already, Netero is still capable of defeating nearly everyone in the series. He still possesses godly strength and his Nen techniques allow him to unleash some gigantic astral hands that will crush all his opponents like ants – minus Chimera Ants, though, specifically the Chimera Ant King.

2 Master Roshi – Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Master Roshi Kamehameha Tournament of Power

Master Roshi was Goku's first and most memorable mentor. He's the one who spread the knowledge of the Kamehameha wave in the Dragon Ball mythos. Most of the time, he takes on the appearance of a helpless and weary old man with poor posture.

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But should the need arise, he'll easily unleash his hidden power. Even in his old age, Master Roshi can obliterate whole navies and even go toe-to-toe with the universe's most powerful beings. Even without that, his being more than 400 years old before he died was already impressive enough as a feat.

1 Krillin – Dragon Ball

Krillin Destructo Disk

While other bald guys rely on brute force or physique to win, Krillin is all about playing the protracted long game. Because no matter how many times the antagonists kill him, he'll always come back from the dead. In total, Krillin has died three times in the canon and each death gets reversed. Five deaths if fans count the alternate timelines and non-canon shows.

That's a lot of second chances, and Krillin might just be one of the luckiest bald guys ever. He might not have the same physical stature as the other bald guys here, but he always gets the last laugh since he's practically immortal at this point.

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