Contrary to whatanimeimplies and constantly peddles, one has to lose 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.
Some shows do respect this reality and, in turn, have their own respectablebald anime characters. These baldies all have one thing in common: they’re all competent go-getters who rock their looks. So, when in doubt, let these chrome domes shine the way to victory and enlightenment.
To keep things simple, non-humans or aliens will not be included. So, Frieza, Piccolo, Momonga, Meruem, and Koro-sensei will have to skip this one.
Updated August 06, 2025, by Mark Sammut:Anime constantly pushes the limit when it comes to hairstyles, challenging gravity in the process. However, occasionally a character comes along who goes against convention, at least in relation to their skulls.
12Doppo Orochi
Baki
While every guy’s face inBaki The Grapplerlooks 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.
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.
Genryusai Yamamoto is a presence throughout most ofBleach, serving as the Soul Society’s defacto leader on the ground level. Although he is certainly among the older Shinigami, Yamamoto is the definition of “do not judge a book by its cover,” as he is comfortably thestrongest division captain.
While he gets plenty of moments to shine during the originalBleachanime, Yamamoto’s greatest showcase happens during the sequel series,The Thousand-Year Blood War. During this arc, he engages in a jaw-dropping battle against (seemingly) Yhwach, a fight brought to life by Pierrot with some of the most impressive animation of the 2020s.
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 ofGintamaand 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.
Some bald men don’t even have to be physically imposing or powerful 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 inAttack 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.
Kamaji is from the anime filmSpirited Away, andhe’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.
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.
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 inCowboy Bebopas 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; tragically, it was his partner who 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.
6Alex Louis Armstrong
Fullmetal Alchemist (Or Brotherhood)
Alex Louis Armstrong fromFullmetal Alchemistis 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.
Both anime versions tend to bench Armstrong in favor of showcasing more Elric sibling fights, which makes sense since the story is ultimately about them. 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.
Ikkaku Madarame fromBleachinitially appears as anenemy to Ichigo Kurosaki, but the two of them quickly become 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.
Master Roshi was Goku’s first and most memorable mentor. He’s the one who spread the knowledge of the Kamehameha wave in theDragon Ballmythos. Most of the time, he takes on the appearance of a helpless and weary old man with poor posture.
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.
While iconic, Master Roshi’s comedy antics have aged pretty poorly. He is a product of his time.
Yet another old, bald, and venerable man, Chairman Isaac Netero is one of themost powerful beings inHunter x Hunter. 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 fairly seasoned, 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.
