While seeing silver hair to many viewers in other non-anime shows may mean a character is old, typically if you spot a silver fox in anime, they are anything but. However, silver hair is often used to suggest that a character has a wizened demeanor.
Silver hair is often a mix of a moral black and white – a literal shade of gray. These characters are often the most calm and logical characters of an anime series. However, this balanced behavior is often elevated to a level of sophistication as well. While silver hair can range from dark gray all the way to white, typically the brighter the silver, the more mystical, magical, or otherwise otherworldly the character is, but not always.
Best Anime Characters With Silver Hair
Ginko from Mushishi
Ginko is a large part of what makes Mushishi such a chill series. He is inquisitive and curious, but rarely ever does he exhibit that over-the-top expressions native to some other anime characters. Furthermore, because Mushishi is a very mystical show, his hair color is perfectly fitting with the theme.
Angel from Angel Beats
What other hair color could you expect from an “angel” and supposed enforcer of God? Seeing as she is supposed to be an angel, her white/silver hair is the most fitting. However, it also attests to her attitude. Throughout the series, Angel is muted in personality, quiet and composed. Some characters perceive this as her being above them, but rather it has spoiler-y, plot-related reasons.
Kakashi from Naruto
Introduced as a teacher to the main character, Kakashi needed to be a calm, composed silver-haired fox. However, while excessively cool even under serious pressure (likely thanks to his mask hiding his expressions), Kakashi is not without his quirks, namely his penchant for dirty novels.
Index from A Certain Magical Index
Although perky and playful, the silver hair that comes with Index is likely more of a testament to her particular mystical powers rather than her actual attitude. When designed, it was likely that they wanted her to be a fun character while making her appear pure or magical in both her cloths and her color of hair.
Soul from Soul Eater
At a glance at his character design, you might see Soul as one of those characters that is more likely to have a bad attitude. You know, a character likely to have an attitude like Black Star. However, while he can get passionate about things, particularly when around Black Star, he actually is a fairly composed character. It is discovered later that this composure may be because he is trying to keep a side of himself hidden, though.
Togame from Katanagatari
Togame wasn’t always sporting this hair color. In fact, her hair color only changed after a certain event. However, while occasionally peppy, she has always had the attitude of a silver-haired character, boasting herself strong in mind and weak in body. She is often poised and thoughtful which is in stark contrast to Shichika’s more impulsive nature.
Kaworu from NGE
Kaworu’s origins are full of NGE-typical convolution, but there is no character that, at a glance, appears more morally gray then him. He is often very ominous in his laid-back demeanor compared to other characters in such as way that you can’t quite tell what he is thinking.
Kyoko from Danganronpa
Kyoko is the pinnacle of silver-haired attitude. Not only is she as cool as an ice cube, but her whole demeanor exudes composed and sophisticated. Throughout the series, she is not caught up in the panic of the Killing Game, but rather isn’t afraid to do her own thing because she is confident that she is not breaking the rules. It turns out this composed logic of hers is a great help towards ultimately unravelling the mystery, and that is to be expected of the Super High School Level Detective.
Gintoki from Gintama
Gintoki is unique among silver-haired characters because he, as one would expect from the main character of a comedy/parody anime, has many faces. There is the irreverent and silly Gintoki, but on the flip-side there is the deadly serious Gintoki. In this, perhaps his silver hair is a testament to the many sides he shows rather than the calm and composed nature more attributed to the silver anime foxes.
Isla from Plastic Memories
As an android, Isla’s silver hair is particularly fitting. Although she learns more about human interaction with each passing interaction, before that, there is only logic to dictate her behavior. In essence, an android like Isla is the ultimate anime character to sport the silver hair. However, as she continues to learn, it can often make that hair color less fitting.
Sesshoumaru from Inuyasha
While Sesshoumaru and his brother Inuyasha share a silver hair color, Sesshoumaru better personifies that silver hair, and we all know that Inuyasha’s hair turns black sometimes anyway. Sesshoumaru, though, while cruel, is disinterested as can be in most things. The only time he seems to have a strong opinion is when it comes to questions like are pure-blooded demons the best? To which he would say: yes. As a pure-blooded dog demon, he of course sees himself better as human, cat demons, and his half-blooded half-brother.
Nao Tomori from Charlotte
Unlike many silver-haired characters, in personality, Nao is the personification of energy and innocence. However, her white hair may be a hint at her supernatural ability to become invisible. Despite her attitude, she also sports elevated status as the hard-working student council present as well.
Killua from Hunter x Hunter
While Killua has his lapses in composure that can be more attributed to his youth than anything else, out of the whole crew in Hunter x Hunter, Killua can keep his cool like no other. He is also presented as above other characters because of his family and his background as well.
Eucliwood from Is This a Zombie?
Similar to many girls with white hair, Eu is so cold that she is almost emotionless. However, she is also particularly powerful. While her armor is used to suppress her powers as a necromancer, she still possesses a huge amount of physical strength. So while she may be one cool customer, Eu’s silver hair also denotes her otherworldly powers.
Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss
What other hair color could a thousand year old fox demon that thinks he is better than most people possibly have? Tomoe, throughout the show, has a distinct air of snootiness that is just part of his character. While his white hair may be a nudge at him being a fox or simply a long-lived demon, it works well with his sophisticated manner. However, while calm much of the time, when it comes to Nanami getting herself into trouble, that demure mask quickly dissipates.
Menma from Ano Hana
Menma is, well, otherworldly. While she had silver hair even while alive, since you experience so little time with her alive, all of it being through flashback, it is only fitting that she has the silver hair common with otherworldly characters. As for it speaking to her personality, much of her time is spent being bubbly, yet calm and keeping that torrent of emotions pent up inside.
Allen from D. Gray Man
The silver hair that Allen sports speaks to both his personality and his circumstances. Ever since Allen was young, he was intertwined with Akuma for various family reasons. He was trained by General Cross and has his special eye in conjunction with his Innocence. However, as a person, while young and prone to moments of passion, he is particularly tempered in his attitude. In fact, compared to other shounen heroes, much of the main cast in D.Gray Man is rather mellow.
Tomoyo from Clannad
Of all the over-emotional or straight-up broken ladies in Clannad, Tomoyo is the coolest cucumber, as her silver hair suggests. Her gray hair also speaks to her character as well. She had a turbulent and violent past, but now she strives to be the pinnacle of moral highness, student council president. In essence, she is the perfect shade of gray.
Decim from Death Parade
As the bartender and acting arbiter for the dead, Decim should be expected to have the neutral judgement that silver hair would denote. While he is excessively cool throughout most of the game, you soon see his very human emotions having an effect on his judgements.
Shiro from Deadman Wonderland
With Shiro translating to “white” in Japanese, Shiro’s color of hair checks out. However, while she is bubbly in attitude, you soon learn that there is something not quite right about her that makes that choice of hair color check out.
Did we miss your favorite calm and composed silver haired anime character? Tell the world about them in the comments section below.
