Anime mentors train their proteges to become outstanding heroes in their respective series. Whether it’s teaching them how to master Hamon breathing, accurately channel chakra, or take on their adversaries with impressive martial arts skills, these mentors have their work cut out for them.
In anime, the best mentors always take a tough but fair approach to teaching. They put their apprentices through the wringer, but it’s almost always certain to pay off in the end. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re forcing their students through brutal training regimens without reason.
10/10 Biscuit Krueger Pushed Gon & Killua Past Their Limits To Improve Their Nen Skills
Hunter X Hunter
Biscuit from Hunter X Hunter started out trying to get in the way of Gon and Killua’s friendship but ended up becoming a parental figure for both of them by the end of their time together. She instructed the duo to complete grueling tasks like making them dig their way to the next town to improve their Nen skills.
Biscuit always pushed them to their limits and forced them to push their own boundaries. She can’t stand when someone has potential and wastes it instead of fostering it. When it comes to honing Nen, there’s no better mentor to have than Biscuit.
9/10 Genkai Is Tough, But Always Steps Up To Defend Yusuke
Yu Yu Hakusho
8/10 Izumi Curtis Is A Tough Mentor With A Heart Of Gold
Fullmetal Alchemist
7/10 Riko Aida Whipped Seirin’s Basketball Team Into Shape
Kuroko’s Basketball
6/10 Urokodaki’s Brutal Training Regimen Paid Off
Demon Slayer
5/10 Aizawa Treats His Students With Tough Love
My Hero Academia
4/10 Lisa Lisa Took Drastic Measures To Force Joseph & Caesar To Master Hamon
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
3/10 Kishibe Put Aside His Hatred For Devils To Train Denji & Power
Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man is a revolutionary new shonen series that breaks cliches for the genre, especially since it doesn’t have a defined training arc like hundreds of its contemporaries. Still, Kishibe served as somewhat of a mentor figure for Denji and Power.
Kishibe comes off as detached, cold, and rarely shows any emotion. He hates devils and fiends, but cast his prejudice aside to train them. Kishibe eventually came to see them as friends and expressed concern for their safety. He even babysat Power’s cat.
2/10 Nanami Didn’t Want Yuji To Force Himself To Grow Up Too Fast
Jujutsu Kaisen
1/10 Kakashi Forced Team 7 To Understand The Importance Of Teamwork
Naruto
Naruto‘s Kakashi is the ultimate cool guy, and many fans would have loved to have a teacher like him in real life. He comes off like he’s perpetually bored and always has somewhere better to be, but Kakashi genuinely cares about teaching his students and wants them to realize all of their potential.
Kakashi never gave Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura the easy way out. Each training exercise forced the kids to push the boundaries of their abilities, often resulting in them spending the entire day trying to complete the task they’ve been given. Though strength was important, Kakashi wanted his proteges to understand the value of teamwork above all else.