16 Best Anime Characters With Tattoos

Tattoos are one example of the many cultural practices and industries that have been profoundly influenced by social media. Before recently, the only way for consumers to find tattoo designs was to enter a tattoo parlor and browse the collection.

Online platforms like Instagram and Pinterest feature distinctive and creative designs.

Every time a person logs onto social media, they get tattoo ideas. Additionally, tattoo artists benefit greatly from those sites.

Best Anime Tattoo Ideas For You

Most tattoos have special meanings for the individual who has them and are permanent works of art on the skin. Through their ink, they are somehow portraying who they are.

They have a distinct sense of their identity and what they would like to convey to the world, regardless of whether it means actually wearing it on their sleeve or having a full, half, or quarter-sleeve tattoo! They take pride in having tattoos.

In Japan, tattoos have historically been more closely linked to criminal activity. Still, as circumstances have changed, the nation is gradually opening up to art.

This means more freedom for the creator to give their characters tattoos.

Sometimes the creator gives an anime character a tattoo, either to make the character appear badass or because the tattoo represents much of what the character went through.

Either way, anime tattoos are a great way to express characters in anime.

There seem to be various anime characters with amazing and unusual tattoos on their skin, which is where the fixation with tattoos in anime interferes.

Supporters of those characters also wish to have those tattoos on their skin.

Anime fans can even get a tattoo that is an exact replica of their favorite character. So today, we are making a list of the Best Tattooed Anime Characters.

This list of Anime characters with tattoos will also give young adults some ideas for their next tattoo.

16. Zero Kiryu (Dagger Tattoo) – Vampire Knight Series

• Type Of Tattoo: Dagger Tattoo on the Neck
• Number Of Episodes: 26
• Number Of Seasons: 2 + 1 Special (Vampire Knight: Gekiai no Portrait)
• Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural

One of the main protagonists in the Vampire Knight series is Zero Kiryu.

Most viewers of the show will quickly identify him as the young, half-human, half-vampire boy with a dagger-studded seal tattooed on his neck.

The main protagonist, Yuki, is the subject of Zero’s affection. Still, he must compete with his adversary, Kaname, a full vampire, in a bid to win her love and eventually save Yuki from danger.

15. Medusa Gorgon (Spiral Snake Winds) – Soul Eater

• Type Of Tattoo: Spiral Dots That Resemble Snakes
• Number Of Episodes: 51
• Number Of Seasons: 1 + 1 Special (Soul Eater: Late Night Show) + 1 Spin Off (Soul Eater NOT!)
• Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural

A very powerful witch named Medusa makes her debut appearance in Soul Eater manga chapter 15.

Medusa is a complex figure that pretends to have compassion for others but actually holds twisted thoughts.

This tattooed woman is both the tragic character, Crona’s mother, and the reason Death’s oldest son, Asura, was allowed to escape jail.

She has numerous tattoos all over her body, which the viewers can easily recognize as spiral dots.

A long, black, spotted snake that wraps around her arms and opens its jaws wide as if it’s about to attack wraps around and around till it reaches her shoulders.

These tattoo snakes most accurately depict how the term Medusa relates to the Medusa of Greek mythology, who is best renowned for transforming her hair into poisonous snakes and turning people into stone upon sight.

The ink this extremely powerful witch gets coated in gives Medusa a menacing and seductive quality, extending her ability to generate deadly magical tendrils.

14. Escanor (Lion Sin Pride Tattoo) – Seven Deadly Sins

• Type Of Tattoo: Lion Tattoo
• Number Of Episodes: 96
• Number Of Seasons: 4 + 1 ONA + 2 OVA + 2 Movies
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Up next, we have Escanor, one of the most fan-favorite anime characters with tattoos in the Seven Deadly Sins series.

In the Seven Deadly Sins anime, Escanor is a middle-aged character whose character shifts depending on his power level. On his back, he’s got a magnificent lion tattoo.

The lion tattoo represents pride and is an obvious representation of Escanor’s sunny personality.

He stands apart from the other anime characters thanks to this large tattoo.

13. Uta (Tons of Tattoos and a Greek Quote) – Tokyo Ghoul

• Type Of Tattoo: Greek Quote On The Neck, Among other Tattoos
• Number Of Episodes: 48
• Number Of Seasons: 3 (Tokyo ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul √A, Tokyo Ghoul:re)
• Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror

Tokyo Ghoul’s Uta is the owner of the HySy Mask Studio, where he creates masks for his other ghouls to use as disguises.

He has numerous tattoos and piercings on his face. The tattoos represent his unique and edgy personality.

He has a tattoo on his neck, scleral tattoos, and a sun tattoo covering the left side of his chest.

He even claims to have had black ink injected into his eyes to give the look of blacked-out scleras. However, the credibility of this statement is in question.

Uta has many tattoos, some of which blend in with the other artists and are hard to spot, but he also has an intriguing Latin quote on his neck. It means “I can’t live with you or without you” in translation.

12. Kamina (Arm to Back Tattoo) – Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

• Type Of Tattoo: Two Tattoo Bands And a Flame Shaped Tattoo
• Number Of Episodes: 27
• Number of seasons: 1 + 2 Movies (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Movie 1: Gurren-hen, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Movie 2: Lagann-hen) + 1 OVA + 1 Special
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Kamina is a young man who takes pride in his toughness. He has a tattoo on each of his arms that extend from his shoulders to his back.

It has a blue tinge. Additionally, he has an amazing fire tattoo on his back. He stands out from the other characters thanks to his gorgeous tattoo.

His distinct flame-shaped tattoo and tattoo bands make him one of the most stylish anime characters with tattoos.

Kamina is also an important character as the series’ protagonist, Simon, looks up to him and wants to be as strong as him.

11. Meliodas (Dragon Sin Ouroboros Tattoo) – Seven Deadly Sins

• Type Of Tattoo: Dragon Tattoo
• Number Of Episodes: 96
• Number Of Seasons: 4 + 1 ONA + 2 OVA + 2 Movies
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

The Prince of Purgatory is the male protagonist of the renowned series, Seven Deadly Sins.

His tattoo of the Dragon Sin Ouroboros, which is visible at the top of his left arm, makes him easily distinguishable from the other characters.

The tattoo features a cyclical symbol that, according to certain myths, represents the idea of infinity.

His tattoo also depicts the sin of wrath. Due to his single tattoo of Dragon Sin, he is instantly recognizable.

10. Nami ( Large Tattoo on the shoulder) – One Piece

• Type Of Tattoo: Cross Between A Tangerine And A Pinwheel
• Number Of Episodes: 1030 (As of now)
• Number Of Seasons: 1 + 8 Movies + 1 Special
• Status: Currently Airing
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, and Shounen

One of the initial Straw Hats, Nami, has been with Luffy since One Piece manga chapter 8, making her one of the group’s founding members.

She goes by the “Cat Burglar” alias and is a strong, incredibly skilled thief.

Throughout the series, Nami has kept a stylish appearance with a sizable tattoo on her shoulder.

She has a previous tattoo connecting her to Arlong that is covered up now by the tattoo representing Mikan and pinwheels.

She serves as the crew’s navigator and aspires to map the entire globe.

09. Hisagi Shuhei (Cheek Tattoo) – Bleach

• Type Of Tattoo: Unique Tattoo Of Number 69 On His Cheek
• Number Of Episodes: 366
• Number Of Seasons: 16
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Super Power, Supernatural, Shounen

The number “6” is a part of Kensei Mugurama’s name.

Kensei is a 9th Division native in Bleach anime. Hence, “69”. Ever since Kensei saved Shuhei from a hollow in the Rukongai, Shuhei had developed a deep admiration for him.

The “69” tattoo became his own.

08. Draken (Tattoo On The Side Of His Head) – Tokyo Revengers

• Type Of Tattoo: Intricate Design of Dragon
• Number Of Episodes: 24
• Number Of Seasons: 1
• Genres: Action, Drama, Supernatural

Next on the list is one of the most popular tattooed characters in anime. Draken is one of the main characters in Tokyo Revengers.

Tokyo Revengers’ Draken serves as the vice president of the Tokyo Manji Gang.

He’s always intimidating others because he’s tall for his age. He becomes scarier, though, once he has a detailed dragon tattooed on his head, which he flaunts by braiding his hair at the top.

Draken was eager to have the tattoo, despite the artist’s warnings that it would be painful.

He whined and cried his way through it but bounced back to his enthusiasm after seeing the result.

07. Natsu Dragneel (Tattoo on shoulder ) – Fairy Tail

• Type Of Tattoo: Fairy Tail Guild Symbol
• Number Of Episodes: 328
• Number Of Seasons: 3 + 2 Movies + 3 OVAs
• Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror

The main character and protagonist of the well-liked anime series Fairy Tail is Natsu.

With the might of fire at his side, Natsu is a strong young man who longs to be with his adopted father, Igneel.

Natsu joins the Fairy Tail guild and begins embarking on adventures despite the group’s notorious behavior for ruining almost anything it touches.

He has the Fairy Tail guild symbol tattooed on his body, just like the rest of his guildmates.

06. Revy (Upper arm Tattoo) – Black lagoon

• Type Of Tattoo: Curled Tribal Patterns
• Number Of Episodes: 24
• Number Of Seasons: 2 + Special (Black Lagoon Omake) + OVA (Black Lagoon: Roberta’s Blood Trail)
• Genre: Action

Next, we have the main character from the popular anime Black Lagoon.

One of the most well-known tattooed characters is Revy, who has curled tribal patterns sweeping all over her upper arm.

She is notorious for her sass, shooting prowess, and lack of compassion for her foes.

Despite everything, she remains one of the series’s best characters and is depicted as a powerful lady.

Her tattoos highlight her don’t-give-a-damn attitude, giving her relaxed energy that is ideal for her persona.

05. Trafalgar Law (Both his arms and fingers) – One Piece

• Type Of Tattoo: Black Cross and Letters of the Word DEATH
• Number Of Episodes: 1030 (As of now)
• Number Of Seasons: 1 + 8 Movies + 1 Special
• Status: Currently Airing
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, and Shounen

Trafalgar Law is a well-known anime character. Most fans of the One Piece fandom even consider him one of the best-tattooed characters in anime.

Though he is not one of the main characters, he is still a fan favorite among other characters in anime.

In the story, many One Piece characters get tattoos to either indicate which pirate crew they are a part of or intimidate other people.

But by far, Trafalgar Law has the best tattoos. Additionally, he has written the word DEATH on the backs of both hands and fingers.

In addition, Law has tattoos of his Jolly Roger and a black cross that mimics them on both hands’ backs.

He also has a basic heart on each of his shoulders and a tattoo of a tribal-style heart on his chest that also features his Jolly Roger.

04. Renji Abarai (Chest And Stomach Tattoo) – Bleach

• Type Of Tattoo: Tribal Tattoos
• Number Of Episodes: 366
• Number Of Seasons: 16
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Super Power, Supernatural, Shounen

Renji is one of those fiesty characters in the Bleach anime and the Bleach manga. Since Bleach is a part of the Big 3, many anime fans are familiar with him.

Renji is also one of the older cast members, as he was introduced way back in the earlier chapters.

His body is covered in numerous tattoos. On the upper part of his torso, he has several tattoos with a few tribal bands. The number of tattoos has grown over time.

He almost covered his upper body in tattoos, including his chest, full back, forehead, and arms.

Throughout the series, Renji’s tattoos have expanded from covering just his upper torso to now covering his entire back, his limbs, and even his forehead.

Some claim that Renji’s tattoos are related to his strength developing, potentially even in relation to Zabimaru, because his oldest tattoos were visible.

At the same time, he was still an academy student, and later tattoos only appeared at crucial points in the story.

Needless to say, Renji is one of the best-tattooed characters in anime.

03. Izumi Miyamura (Side Torso Tattoo) – Horimiya

• Type Of Tattoo: Tribal Tattoos
• Number Of Episodes: 13
• Number Of Seasons: 1
• Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life

One of the main protagonists in the Horimiya anime is Izumi Miyamura. He is well known for being quiet and not very friendly.

He has two tattoos: one on the side of his body and the other on each of his arms.

A tribal-style band is depicted in the design. Unfortunately, there is no reason for his decision to have such a tattoo.

Izumi has numerous piercings, a large tribal tattoo on his side and shoulder, as well as a band that wraps around his upper arm.

He comes out as real and tells his friends his secret after becoming acquainted with Hori.

Izumi Miyamura is one of the best-tattooed characters in anime. Not only this, he is even considered one of the most stylish anime characters with tattoos.

02. Scar (Arm Tattoo) – Fullmetal Alchemist : Brotherhood

• Type Of Tattoo: Tribal Bands and Alchemy Tattoos
• Number Of Episodes: 64
• Number Of Seasons: 1
• Genres: Action, Military, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Magic, Fantasy

Numerous Full Metal Alchemist characters either have tattoos or distinctive symbols. Scar, though, would have to be the series’ sole tattooed character whose name resembles his tattoo.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, Scar is best known for the scar on his face.

Still, he also has many alchemy tattoos, including some tribal bands on his arm.

He desires vengeance on those who murdered his people as an Ishvalan survivor and harbors animosity toward State Alchemists.

The scar might appear as a tragic alchemist, but he’s an aggressive character who’s out for vendetta.

01. Ace (White Beard Tattoo) – One Piece

• Type Of Tattoo: Purple Skull And Crossing Bones
• Number Of Episodes: 1030 (As of now)
• Number Of Seasons: 1 + 8 Movies + 1 Special
• Status: Currently Airing
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, and Shounen

Some of his defining characteristics were the tattoos on his body.

He has a tattoo on his back that reads “White Beard Symbol” and features purple bones behind a purple skull with a white mustache.

Ace’s tattoo represents his pride and upbeat personality.

On his left bicep, he also has a tattoo that says “ASCE” with the letter “S” crossed out. Ace has a meaningful tattoo.

Here, A stands for Ace; S for Sabo, his deceased brother; as a result, he canceled his letter; C for Crybaby, his younger brother; and E for Edward Newgate, his godfather.

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Other Tattooed Anime Characters (Honorable Mentions):

• Chrollo Lucilfer (Cross Tattoo) – Hunter X Hunter
• Ryomen Sukuna (Full Body Tattoo) – Jujutsu Kaisen
• Kojiro Nanji (Black Sun Tattoo) – Sk8 the Infinity
• Tatsu (Full Back Tattoo) – The Way of the HouseHusband
• Kakashi Hatake (Anbu Tattoo) – Naruto