Most Iconic Anime Teachers, Ranked

Highlights

• Anime teachers have unconventional teaching methods, but they help their students become stronger and smarter.
• Some teachers, like Akane Minagawa, have hidden dark sides that make them less admirable.
• Despite their flaws, these teachers have taught their students valuable lessons that they won’t forget.

There are plenty of students out there in the anime world. Whether they live in a normal world or a supernatural one, most anime shows revolve around middle school to high school-aged characters as the leads. Thankfully, most of these characters have a great teacher there to help them get stronger and make sure they stay on a morally good path.

These teachers might have some unusual ways to train their pupils, but it works for them and their pupils get stronger and smarter. Whether it’s physical strength or preparing them for the real world, these anime teachers are some of the best out there.

Update December 15, 2023 by Sarah Prado: The anime world has plenty of teachers that are ready to whip their students into shape, literally or figuratively. Most of them know what they need to do to bring out their students’ full potential. Then there are the very few who probably shouldn’t be teaching at all. Either way, these teachers have become iconic for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s because of how funny they are, their strength, trying to kill their students, or vice versa, these teachers have taught their students valuable lessons they won’t soon forget.

30 Akane Minagawa (Scum’s Wish)

Memorable For Being Horrible

• Release Year: 2017
• Genre: Romance, drama
• Number of Episodes: 12
• Studio: Lerche

This music teacher seems like a nice woman to all of her students, but there’s more to her than meets the eye. Akane starts off as a kind and clumsy teacher that all of her students adore. One of them, Mugi Awaya, falls in love with her. However, Akane is crueler than anyone could imagine. She’s aware of Mugi’s crush and toys with his emotions for the fun of it and to manipulate him.

She even starts dating another teacher, Narumi Kanai, because she knows her student, Harubi Yasuraoka, has a crush on him. Akane might be a good teacher to most of her students, but her true personality doesn’t make her a great person.

29 Sawako Yamanaka (K-On!)

A Former Drumer Teaches Her Students To Rock

The music teacher at Sakuragaoka High School, Sawako is the advisor of the Light Music Club at the school. During her youth, she was in a metal rock band and was the main vocalist for it. This was a bit surprising to her students since she’s known for being soft-spoken and gentle. She is also the one who named Ho-kago Tea Time since the members of the band couldn’t decide on a name.

She eventually becomes the homeroom teacher of most of the band and sticks with them until they graduate. After Azusa is the only one left, Sawako helps form the new band, Wakaba Girls.

28 Nozomu Itoshiki (Sayonara, Zetsobu-Sensei)

Gloomy, But Cares For His Students

• Release Year: 2007
• Genre: Comedy, gag humor, satire
• Number of Episodes: 12
• Studio: Shaft

A high school teacher, Nozomu Itoshiki is very pessimistic and negative. He often yells “I’m in despair!” whenever he’s upset and will try to off himself in hilarious fashion and unserious intent. Luckily for him, he fails in every attempt. Though he’s usually a negative person, he does care for his students.

Nozomu does get along with his students even though he struggles to understand their quirks and other things. Most of the girls in the class have a crush, but this is because they misunderstood what he said to each of them.

27 Yukari Tanizaki (Azumanga Daioh)

Hilarious Even When Horrible To Her Students

The homeroom teacher of Class 3 has a close relationship with her students. Yukari has unorthodox ways of teaching her class and she can either be sweet or tyrant-like to them, depending on her mood. She can easily go from being encouraging and optimistic toward them or will throw or hit her students with blunt objects. But if there’s one thing she enjoys, it’s teasing Chiyo, a child prodigy who skipped five grades and is ten years old.

Her relationship with her students is more casual and her students are comfortable calling her casual names like Yukari-sensei or Yukari-chan. Even some of her students have had the misfortune of being in a car with her while she drives and some of them come out scarred for life.

26 Junichirou Kagami (Ultimate Otaku Teacher)

Uses His Interests To Make Lessons Entertaining

• Release Year: 2015
• Genre: Comedy, slice of life
• Number of Episodes: 24
• Studio: A-1 Pictures

A teacher that cares little for teaching, and is more focused on his blog and other interests. Even though he’s supposed to be teaching physics, Junichirou always manages to bring his interests into the topic of discussion. Though this sounds like a headache, it works as it makes his lessons more bearable and entertaining, and he’s able to keep focus while his students are still learning.

Despite his unorthodox ways of teaching, he inspires his students and helps them however he can. Junichirou could get just about any job he wants in the science field, but he enjoys being a teacher to his students and helping reform them.

25 Kumiko Yamaguchi (Gokusen)

Being From The Yakuza Makes Teaching Delinquents A Breeze

• Release Year: 2004
• Genre: Comedy, slice of life
• Number of Episodes: 13
• Studio: Madhouse

Coming from a Yakuza family, Kumiko might not seem like the ideal choice to be a teacher. However, putting her in charge of a class that’s full of delinquents, is a perfect choice. Despite her delicate appearance, Kumiko is strict and serious when it comes to teaching her class. Though most have given up on her class, she is optimistic and determined to make sure all of them graduate high school.

Though she and her students have a rocky start, they come to respect her and hold her in high regard. Kumiko had a lot stacked against her at first, but she refuses to give up on her dream of being a teacher and on her students.

24 Henry Henderson (Spy x Family)

Determined To Make His Students Elegant

He’s been around for a short time, but Spy x Family fans can’t help but admire this teacher. Unlike his coworker Murdoch Swan, Henderson still accepted Anya after her rough interview that ended with her crying and Loid breaking the table. He upholds the rules of Eden Academy, and isn’t afraid to throw a punch at his coworkers should they get out of line.

When teaching, Henderson is fair but firm, and holds his class to the highest standards. He doesn’t care if his students come from the richest families in the world, and doesn’t give them special treatment. He expects only the best, and will teach them to become the elegant students that Eden Academy is known for.

23 Ursula Callistis (Little Witch Academia)

Determined To Make A Better Future Through Her Students

• Release Year: 2017
• Genre: Fantasy, comedy, magical girl
• Number of Episodes: 25
• Studio: Trigger

Ursula is a young woman who is haunted by her past as a stage performer under the stage name Shiny Chariot. After losing Shiny Rod’s approval, she disappeared and became Ursula Callistis, a teacher at Luna Nova Magical Academy. When she sees that Akko is the new owner of Shiny Rod, she becomes her tutor.

She deeply cares for her students, and her bond with Akko is very strong. After meeting her student, Ursula feels that some of her passion from her past self comes back, and she is determined to make sure Akko is the best witch she can be.

22 Igneel (Fairy Tail)

Taught Natsu To Fight, But Learned How To Love

The foster father of Natsu Dragneel, Igneel taught Natsu the Fire Dragon Slayer Magic. It is thanks to him that Natsu became a very powerful mage and one of Fairy Tail’s strongest fighters. His time with Natsu might’ve been short, but Natsu’s style of fighting shows that Igneel’s lessons worked.

Many of Natsu’s moves are based on Igneel’s signature moves and some even are almost the exact same. Despite their relatively short time together, Natsu and Igneel love each other very much and see each other as family.

21 Sakonji Urokodaki (Demon Slayer)

Steadfast And Strong Even After Losing Many Students

Urokodaki mostly appeared at the beginning of the series, but it’s thanks to him that Tanjiro learned to fight. He taught the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, as well. When Nezuko was in a coma, he would talk to her in her sleep and give her subconscious suggestions to defend all humans and not consume them. Thanks to this, Nezuko sees all humans as her family and has only tried to consume two humans the first time she transformed into her Awakened Form.

He’s had plenty of other students in the past, but sadly almost all of them died during Final Selection. Sabito, one of his deceased students, managed to protect everyone participating in his Final Selection by killing many demons and only died when he encountered the Hand Demon.

20 Gaku Yashiro (Erased)

Iconic For Being Cruel And Sadistic

He might be a sadistic psychotic killer outside of his teaching job, but ironically he’s a very popular teacher among his students. Gaku was always willing to help them in any way that he could and would defend them if they were ever wrongly accused of anything. On the surface, he seemed like a great guy who truly cared for his students and their well-being. However, he used his position as a way of picking his victims and even picking the person he would pin all the murders on.

Gaku was very meticulous in his planning, and it’s scary that he succeeded in killing a lot of children before running into Satoru Fujinuma. Their game of cat-and-mouse game was deadly and just when Gaku thought Satoru truly died, he was pleased to find out that his own student outsmarted him and got him caught.

19 Mizuho Kazami (Please Teacher!)

Tries Her Best To Teach Despite Not Being Fully Human

• Release Year: 2002
• Genre: Romantic comedy, drama
• Number of Episodes: 12
• Studio: Daume

A half-alien and half-human that works for the Galaxy Federation as an observer on Earth. Thanks to her human blood, she has an easier time blending in very well and no one suspects her of being an alien. The only one who knows about her is Kei since he saw her land, but this led to some events that nearly killed them and create a bond with one another. Mizuho is naive and a little childlike in her interactions which leads to some hilarious and embarrassing moments in the show.

She tries her best to be the best teacher she can be, but not knowing much about Earth does tend to put her in awkward positions. Though she’s very sweet to everyone around her, some of the things she says are a little out there and it’s hilarious that she’s not aware of it sounds to other people.

18 Kazuma Sohma (Fruits Basket)

The Mentor And Father Figure That Kyo Needed

The martial arts sensei of Kyo, Yuki, Kagura, and Hatsuharu and Kyo’s adoptive father. Kazuma is a kind and wise man that the younger Zodiac members look up to as he’s supportive of them. He took in Kyo after his mother died and showed him affection for the first time in his life. Kyo is eternally grateful to him for doing this and holds Kazuma in high regard. Kazuma is shown to be fearless even after most of the Sohma family shows disdain toward him for taking in Kyo.

Even though he knew Kyo’s fate was to be locked away, Kazuma made plans to keep that from happening even if meant defying Akito, the head of the Sohma family and greatly feared by a lot of members. Kazuma has helped students outside of the Sohma family such as shown with Kunimitsu Tomoda, a former student who is now his assistant.

17 Sakata Gintoki (Gintama)

Serious Or Silly, But Always Entertaining

Maybe he’s not a legitimate teacher, but Gintoki has earned his spot as an iconic teacher even when he’s not being serious. Gintoki became a mentor for Shimura Shinpachi, who admires him and wishes to learn how to become a powerful samurai. However, Shinpachi quickly learns that Gintoki isn’t exactly what he pictured.

Gintoki still takes him under his wing and can be serious when teaching. There’s also the time he became Ginpachi-sensei, who is more of a parody teacher figure and is horrible at his job. He answers questions from the class and Gintama fans, but doesn’t really give direct answers or change the subject. This bit is more for comedy and entertainment, but is one of the memorable moments.

16 Kisuke Urahara (Bleach)

Terrifying And Smart

The former captain of the 12th Division, Kisuke consistently helped Ichigo and his allies throughout the series. He helped Ichigo awaken his inner hollow. He runs a convenience store that also sells Shinigami items.

While he is on the general side of good, he does give off some anti-hero vibes at times. He is considered one of the smartest characters, if not the smartest, in the series.

Many characters like Kurotsuchi and Aizen acknowledge this. Even Yhwach feared him because of Urahara’s unpredictability.

15 Coach Keishin Ukai (Haikyu!!)

Sharp-Minded To Coach His Rowdy Players

Coach Ukai isn’t the most traditional and his methods are a little unorthodox, but he’s done a great job coaching Karasuno. It did help that Daichi was already a great captain, and Sugawara was vice-captain, along with a team of talented players. But the team was lost without a coach’s guidance, and Ukai stepped up after Takeda continued to ask him to coach. Thanks to his sharp mind, he is great at analyzing opponents and coming up with tactics to get a step ahead of them.

He’s fully aware of his players at all times, knowing when they need a break from playing or from certain players. He also knows all of their strengths and weaknesses, strategically putting them in the game and taking them out when necessary. It may not have been his plan to coach a volleyball team, but Coach Ukai has proven himself as a great successor to his grandfather who was the former coach.

Tough Love Can Be A Great Method

The tougher-than-nails teacher of Edward and Alphonse Elric, Izumi Curtis is an expert alchemist that could match state alchemists like Roy Mustang and Solf J. Kimblee in skill. She taught the Elric brothers just about everything they know in hand-to-hand combat and alchemy.

With her teachings and his natural abilities, Edward was able to become a state alchemist at 12 years old. Even as they got older and stronger, Edward and Alphonse learn a lot from her and greatly respect her. Izumi might be really tough on them, but she loves them like they’re her own children.

13 Might Guy (Naruto)

The Most Positive Teacher Any Student Can Have

Boisterous and full of positive energy, Might Guy might be a bit much for most people. He taught Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee and got them ready for the Chunin Exams. Though he specialized in taijutsu, Might managed to teach Tenten and Neji important lessons that they carried with them throughout the series. It was his bond with Lee that shined the brightest. Seeing that Lee was very much like him when he was younger, Guy taught him everything about taijutsu to make up for his lack of talent in ninjutsu and genjutsu.

It was because of him that Neji and Lee became some of the strongest ninjas in their generation. Lee in particular became strong enough to go up against Madara along with Guy.

12 Master Roshi (Dragon Ball)

Taught Some Of The Strongest Fighters In The Universes

It’s been a long time since his debut in Dragon Ball. Master Roshi taught Goku and Krillin how to fight. Plus, he taught them the signature move that he created, the Kamehameha. This has become Goku’s go-to move and other Z Fighters use it time-to-time. Master Roshi may not see much action now, but his teachings are part of the foundation for most of the Z Fighters’ skills.

He is still a very strong fighter, as shown in Dragon Ball Super during the Tournament of Power. Even though Goku and Krillin begged him not to push himself, Master Roshi showed them that he still has plenty of fight left in him.

11 Franken Stein (Soul Eater)

Eccentric And Violent, But Brilliant

This eccentric, but extremely talented man is a doctor, meister, and one of the strongest students to ever graduate from Death Weapon Meister Academy. He sees the world and everyone as an experiment, often wanting to dissect anything that catches his interest. Franken Stein also has sadistic and violent tendencies and intimidates most people he interacts with, making some of them uncomfortable. He is aware of this aspect of himself and fears the kind of person he can become.

However, for those that he cares about, he does show a kind side and feels guilt for his actions if he ever hurt them. This side is mostly reserved for his students, whom he comes to care a great deal about and even doesn’t like the idea of lying to them.