Some of the most beloved characters in TV shows, anime, and comics were never meant to steal the spotlight. They started out as background players or supporting roles, but audiences fell so hard for them that the stories couldn’t go on without them.
From sorcerers and vampires to con artists and babysitters, these side characters proved that you don’t have to be the main hero to win everyone’s heart. Get ready to revisit some unforgettable faces who earned their place at the top.
1. Vegeta – Dragon Ball Z
He showed up as a villain who wanted to destroy Earth, yet somehow became one of the most beloved characters in anime history. Vegeta’s pride, growth, and rivalry with Goku made fans root for him in ways no one expected.
He was never meant to stick around this long.
His stubborn refusal to accept help and slow emotional growth made him incredibly human. Fans connected with his struggle to be better while holding onto his identity as a Saiyan prince.
2. Levi Ackerman – Attack on Titan
Quiet, brutally efficient, and carrying more grief than he ever shows — Levi Ackerman became the face of Attack on Titan for millions of fans worldwide. He wasn’t the protagonist, but his presence commanded every scene he walked into.
Fans hung on his every word, even when he barely spoke.
His loyalty and sacrifice hit differently knowing how much he had already lost. Levi proved that strength isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s the person quietly holding everything together.
3. Barney Stinson – How I Met Your Mother
Legendary. That’s the one word Barney Stinson would use to describe himself — and honestly, fans agree.
He was supposed to be a comedic side character, but Neil Patrick Harris brought so much energy and charm that Barney overshadowed the actual main character, Ted, almost immediately.
Beneath all the suits and schemes was a surprisingly emotional backstory that made fans genuinely care about him. His journey from lovable goofball to someone searching for real connection was unexpectedly moving.
4. Steve Harrington – Stranger Things
He started out as the classic popular jock everyone loves to hate — but Steve Harrington’s glow-up became one of Stranger Things’ greatest surprises. Nobody expected the guy who dated Nancy to end up being the group’s unofficial babysitter and fan-favorite protector of the kids.
His willingness to charge at terrifying monsters with a nail bat while cracking jokes made him impossible not to love. Steve’s loyalty and humor turned a throwaway character into a series highlight.
5. Harley Quinn – Batman Comics and Adaptations
Originally created as a one-episode throwaway for Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn quickly became one of DC’s most recognizable faces. Fans fell instantly for her wild energy, dark humor, and complicated relationship with chaos.
Nobody saw that level of impact coming from a single cartoon episode.
She eventually broke free from the Joker’s shadow and carved out her own story, earning solo comics, movies, and a devoted fanbase. Harley is now bigger than many heroes she once played second fiddle to.
6. Jiraiya – Naruto
Fans of Naruto know exactly where they were when Jiraiya’s final arc hit. He was introduced as a goofy, self-proclaimed pervert with a big heart and even bigger skills — and he became one of the most emotionally impactful characters in the entire series.
His mentorship of Naruto gave the show some of its warmest and most heartbreaking moments. Jiraiya proved that side characters can carry the emotional weight of a story just as powerfully as the main hero ever could.
7. Blair Waldorf – Gossip Girl
Serena van der Woodsen was supposed to be the star of Gossip Girl, but Blair Waldorf had other plans. Her sharp wit, fashion sense, and relentless ambition made her far more interesting to watch than the golden girl everyone was meant to focus on.
Fans showed up for Blair every single week.
Her vulnerability beneath all the scheming made her layered in ways the show didn’t always plan for. Blair’s journey from queen bee to someone figuring out who she really was resonated deeply with audiences.
8. Damon Salvatore – The Vampire Diaries
Stefan was the brooding good brother. Damon was the dangerous, sarcastic one who was only supposed to cause trouble — yet he completely stole the show within the first few episodes.
Ian Somerhalder’s magnetic performance made it nearly impossible to look away whenever Damon entered a scene.
His slow transformation from villain to antihero gave The Vampire Diaries its most compelling storyline. Fans debated Team Stefan versus Team Damon constantly, but the numbers made it clear who really had their hearts.
9. Roy Mustang – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Known as the Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang had ambition, skill, and a dry sense of humor that made fans adore him from his very first scene. He wasn’t the lead, but his personal mission to reform the military from within gave the story some of its most politically rich moments.
His friendship with Edward and his grief over Hughes added real emotional depth to his character arc. Roy Mustang is the kind of side character who makes you want an entire spin-off series dedicated to him.
10. Sheldon Cooper – The Big Bang Theory
Leonard Hofstadter was technically the main character of The Big Bang Theory, but nobody told Sheldon Cooper that. Jim Parsons’ portrayal of the socially oblivious, genius physicist became so popular that the show eventually centered itself entirely around him.
Audiences simply couldn’t get enough of his bizarre logic and blunt honesty.
Sheldon’s quirks — from his spot on the couch to his signature knock — became cultural touchstones. He later got his own spin-off, Young Sheldon, proving just how far a side character can travel.
11. Shoto Todoroki – My Hero Academia
Cold on the outside but burning with unresolved pain on the inside — Shoto Todoroki brought a level of emotional complexity to My Hero Academia that fans weren’t fully prepared for. His backstory involving his father Endeavor hit harder than almost anything else in the series.
His rivalry with Izuku sparked one of the most talked-about battles in the show’s history. Todoroki’s struggle to define himself beyond his father’s legacy gave audiences a deeply relatable story about identity and self-worth.
12. Glenn Rhee – The Walking Dead
Glenn Rhee started as the pizza delivery guy who happened to survive the apocalypse — and ended up becoming the moral heart of The Walking Dead. His optimism and kindness in a brutal world made him stand out in a cast full of hardened survivors.
Fans adored him for never losing his humanity.
His relationship with Maggie gave the show its most hopeful storyline. Glenn’s death remains one of the most devastating moments in television history, which says everything about how deeply fans were connected to him.
13. Future Trunks – Dragon Ball Z
He arrived from a dark future, sliced a villain in half before anyone knew his name, and instantly became one of the most exciting characters Dragon Ball Z had ever introduced. Future Trunks had an air of mystery and tragedy that the main cast simply couldn’t match at that point in the story.
Fans were obsessed with his timeline and the weight he carried from a world already lost. His brief appearances always felt like events, making every return feel like a gift from the creators to the audience.
14. Osamu Dazai – Bungou Stray Dogs
What began as a running joke about a man obsessed with finding a beautiful woman to die with slowly revealed itself to be one of anime’s most layered character studies. Dazai’s playful exterior hides a past so dark that fans are still piecing together every clue the show drops about him.
His intelligence and unpredictability make every scene he appears in feel electric. Dazai evolved from comic relief into the kind of enigmatic legend that fans build entire fan theories and appreciation accounts around.
15. Arataka Reigen – Mob Psycho 100
A con artist who claims to be a psychic but has zero actual powers — Reigen should be easy to dislike. Instead, Mob Psycho 100 fans rallied around him like he was the greatest mentor in anime.
His fast-talking confidence and surprisingly wise life advice made him genuinely lovable despite his flaws.
He truly cares about Mob in ways that sneak up on you. Reigen became a meme, a motivational figure, and proof that a character doesn’t need superpowers to leave a massive impression on an audience.
16. Steve Urkel – Family Matters
He was only supposed to appear in one episode. One.
Instead, Steve Urkel became so popular with test audiences that Family Matters restructured its entire show around him. His squeaky voice, suspenders, and signature “Did I do that?” catchphrase became one of the most recognizable things on 1990s television.
Urkel turned an ordinary family sitcom into a cultural phenomenon. He’s a textbook example of a side character so magnetic that the story had no choice but to hand him the keys to the whole show.