Best Anime Archers

Archery takes time and patience to master, and only those who have perfect aim and determination can hone this skill. Even though it’s an acquired talent many people wish to have, it is not a widely popular choice of weapon. Most people would choose magic, a superpower, a gun, or even a sword to wield in battle, leaving the bow and arrow behind.

In anime, many characters reflect that reality and tend to opt for a sword, like Kirito in Sword Art Online, or superpowers like Deku in My Hero Academia. Watching an anime where the protagonist or the secondary characters choose to become archers may be rare, but it is not entirely unheard of either. These are just a few of the best anime archers who prefer to fight from afar with a bow and arrows rather than in close combat.

While their general popularity will be considered, characters who are synonymous with archery will be prioritized.

Updated on March 11, 2025 by Mark Sammut: The Winter 2025 season has a couple of archers, even if none of the newcomers seem likely to rank among the best anime bow users of all time. I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths’ Silk is an archer, while Ishura’s Mele the Horizon’s Roar might be the biggest archer of all time. Three older anime archers have been added to this discussion.

22

Charlotte Perospero

One Piece

Charlotte Perospero is the eldest son of Big Mom. He held the position of Minister of Candy in Totto Land. While the Sweet Generals were considered the strongest members of the crew after Big Mom, Perospero wasn’t too far behind them. Perospero ate the Pero Pero no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that served a variety of purposes.

Perospero used the Devil Fruit’s power to create all kinds of objects, including weapons. Out of his many weapons, Perospero was particularly proficient at using the bow and arrow. The arrows created by the candy are sharp, and they can pierce anything in their path.

21

Sawa Okita

Tari Tari

Sawa is the daughter of Shōichi and Shiho Okita. She’s passionate about Japanese archery and riding horses, as her dream is to become an equestrian someday. As a member of the archery club, she’s ambitious, playful, and friendly.

Sawa is a perfect example of archery being an underrated skill. Although she can almost always hit her mark with a little concentration, she is more interested in becoming an equestrian than mastering skills earned with the bow and arrow. Archery in this series serves more as a therapeutic and fun activity than anything more serious.

20

Sasuke Uchiha

Naruto

• 	Naruto	Naruto: Shippuden
  Release Date	2002-10-02	2007-02-15
  Genres	Animation, Action, Adventure	Martial Arts, Animation, Action, Adventure
  Studio	Pierrot	Pierrot
  Based On	Manga	Manga
  Creator	Masashi Kishimoto	Masashi Kishimoto
  Streaming Service(s)	Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, Crunchyroll	Hulu, Spectrum, Crunchyroll

Sasuke Uchiha is one of the main characters of the Naruto anime series. He had a rough childhood, which turned him into a recluse obsessed with obtaining power. Sasuke trained a lot, which helped him gain enough power to achieve his goals.

While Sasuke does possess a sword, he used to carry a bow and arrow when he was a kid. Sasuke’s Susanoo is also equipped with the same weapons. He has used it several times in fights. The arrows launched from his Susanoo are blistering fast, and only a handful of characters can dodge them. Even Sasuke’s strongest attack is called Indra’s Arrow, and it was potent enough to cancel out Naruto’s attack and destroy a large part of the Valley of End.

Sasuke is one of the most iconic anime characters of all time, but he is not really regarded as an archer. Consequently, he cannot be ranked too highly.

19

Sasha Braus

Attack On Titan

Sasha Braus was a brave and friendly member of the Surveys Corps. She loved food, and although she made mistakes along the way, she always persevered and followed her intuition.

In the anime’s second season, Sasha used a bow and arrows to save a young girl from a Titan. It may have taken her a few attempts before succeeding, but she never gave up, and her resilience is something that fans have seen throughout the series. Her experience with the bow helped her become a sharpshooter, and when she opted for a different weapon, she became one of the best snipers on her team.

18

Ukyo Saionji

Dr. Stone

Introduced at the beginning of Dr. Stone‘s second season, Ukyo is initially presented as a villain as he sides with Tsukasa; however, like his leader, he eventually becomes a part of the Kingdom of Science. Using his incredible hearing and pinpoint accuracy with a bow, Ukyo is not only one of the strongest characters in a fight, but he is also the group’s best reconnaissance operative, with his skills being made to good use.

Although he is very cool and gets opportunities to shine, Ukyo does somewhat fade into the background in seasons 3 and 4, a consequence of Dr. Stone‘s massive cast of characters. Still, he is always a welcome presence when he appears in an episode.

17

Minato Narumiya

Tsurune: Kazemai High School Kyudo Club

Tsurune is arguably the definitive archery anime. Focusing on kyudo, traditional Japanese archery, the story follows a school club’s members as they practice their skills and slowly prepare to compete in competitions. While that might sound like every other sports anime out there, Tsurune is surprisingly character-driven, with the focus being squarely on the members’ relationships and hang-ups. This is represented the best through Minato, the story’s protagonist (although the show comes across as an ensemble piece).

Due to a personal tragedy, Minato had to turn his back on archery, largely due to suffering panic attacks when he tried to perform. Season 1 focuses a lot on Minato’s rehabilitation, and it is generally handled well. Season 2 splits its attention more evenly among the characters, with Minato acting as the glue that keeps the group together (at times).

16

Shera L. Greenwood

How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord

While not without issues, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord is an enjoyable enough isekai comedy, particularly the first season. Summoned by an elf and beastgirl, Diablo is a normal human who finds himself in the body of his OP video game character, and he essentially has to fake it until he makes it. As one of the three protagonists, Shera is a major player throughout both cours, and she is arguably the most likable character.

Proficient with a bow, the Elf can be quite useful in tough situations, even if she is considerably weaker than Diablo. Likable as she is, Shera does not get to show off her bow abilities all that frequently, which hurts her position somewhat. She is also a more iconic elf than an iconic anime archer.

15

Pokkle

Hunter x Hunter

Pokkle made his debut during the Hunter Exams, and it didn’t take him long to solidify his reputation as a strong character. Unlike most characters in shonen, Pokkle didn’t go out of his way to fight his enemies. He was cautious by nature, so he always made plans before going on a mission.

Pokkle was an Emitter, which enabled him to separate his aura from his body. This was the perfect Nen ability for Pokkle, as he was an archer. He could separate his aura into different colors and shape them like arrows. Each colored arrow had a special power. These powerful arrows, combined with Pokkle’s great aim, made him a dangerous opponent.

14

Iruma Suzuki (And A Few Other Characters)

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun is such an entertaining magic school anime, with most of its main characters being extremely likable. As the eponymous human attending a school filled with demons who start each day by singing a song about eating people like him, Iruma has a lot to contend with, although he has a few powerful aces up his sleeve. Now, Iruma takes quite a long time to pick up archery, with the ability only developing in season 3; consequently, his status as an archer is a minor part of his portfolio. Still, he looks pretty cool with a magic bow and arrow.

Iruma is not the show’s only character to rely on archery, even if he is the most famous due to being the protagonist. His mentor, Bachiko, is an incredibly powerful archer who creates some of the most visually striking bows in anime. Even Bars Robin, a teacher at Babyls Demon School, has a cool bow.

13

Gowther

The Seven Deadly Sins

The Seven Deadly Sins‘ reputation is all over the place. While far from flawless, the first two seasons are generally enjoyable as battle shonen fluff with a medieval fantasy-style twist. After that, the anime loses steam quickly, becoming a caricature of itself by season 4. Even at its best, The Seven Deadly Sins was just above average, and its steep decline has made the show difficult to recommend as a whole.

Still, some of its characters are fun. Escanor tends to be considered the best member of the eponymous group, but Gowther is not far behind as the simultaneously stoic but funny Sin of Lust. Due to his background and status as an amnesiac, Gowther comes across as robotic and a blank slate at times, but his desire to comprehend human emotions gives him a fairly straightforward and satisfying arc. His bow is cool too, even though he is not necessarily known for battles.

12

Tigrevurmud Vorn

Lord Marksman and Vanadis

Tigrevurmud Von, or Tigre for short, is a master archer and hunter. As the Earl of his home of Alsace and renowned war hero, he will always fight to protect his people from possible enemies and put their safety first before the obligations of the crown.

Although he is known to be lazy and loves to sleep until noon, Tigre is on constant alert due to his experience as a hunter. Known as “the monster” due to his talents in archery, he’s the envy of all his allies and enemies. Tigre is also known as the best archer on the entire continent since he can shoot from the furthest range with perfect accuracy and with three arrows while riding a horse.

11

Yona

Yona Of The Dawn

Yona is the only heir and Queen Kashi and Emperor Il, so she became the crown princess of the kingdom, Kouka. As the reincarnation of King Hiryuu, she has many expectations to fulfill. After her father was murdered when she was sixteen, she became a fugitive and had to learn how to protect herself from harm.

At first, she was a selfish character, but through her many travels, she gained empathy for strangers and changed for the better. When she first learned archery for survival, Yona was terrible at it, but with perseverance and patience, she finally managed to master the skill. As awesome of a character as she is, Yona is held somewhat back by an incomplete anime adaptation that only chronicled the first steps of her growth, to the point that viewers do not get to see her at anywhere near her best.

10

Itsuki Kawasumi

The Rising Of The Shield Hero

Itsuki got summoned to another world just like Naofumi and got chosen to be the bow hero among the four chosen ones. Itsuki may have started the series the wrong way by siding with Ren and Motoyasu by treating Naofumi and some villagers poorly, but he is slowly coming around and learning from his mistakes.

As a secondary character, Itsuki doesn’t have much screen time, but Rising of the Shield Hero fans are looking forward to seeing what else he can do with his bow to help Naofumi save the world in upcoming seasons.

9

Sinon

Sword Art Online

Sinon first appeared in Sword Art Online in the third arc called Phantom Bullet. Sinon was a professional sniper in the battle royal shooter game Gun Gale Online and helped Kirito in his quest to find Death Gun, the antagonist of the season.

After the Phantom Bullet arc, Sinon moved on from being a sniper to using a bow and arrows as her weapon. She’s a calm and collected person with a kind heart who is always there for those she loves. She’s a talented archer who rarely misses her mark.

8

Asirpa

Golden Kamuy

Golden Kamuy is so weird. The historical anime follows different groups as they search for the Ainu tribe’s hidden gold, basically following the structure of a rat race. Due to taking place in the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War, the story also dives into PTSD, cultural destruction, grief, desperation, and just general war crimes. While not focusing on non-stop action, Golden Kamuy‘s battles are often brutal, bloody, and ugly, with death or mutilation being well on the cards. The anime is also stupidly hilarious, with the characters frequently indulging in slapstick shenanigans or nonsensical banter. Somehow, these elements come together to create an all-around masterful show.

Asirpa represents Golden Kamuy‘s strangeness in the best possible way. The only staple Ainu character in the show, this young girl carries the weight of her people’s history and future, a responsibility that has forced her to age beyond her years. Asirpra is mature, strong, and reluctant to trust; conversely, she can be surprisingly childish, occasionally innocent, and always brimming with life. She is also deadly with a bow, allowing her to hold her own against soldiers twice her size.

7

Ashitaka

Princess Mononoke

Prince Ashitaka is a cursed character in Studio Ghibli’s anime Princess Mononoke. His curse, however, doesn’t stop him from pursuing his goals and helping his village regain peace. His kindness is one of his true qualities, and he is always helping strangers without asking for anything in return.

Ashitaka is also a trained warrior and uses a bow as one of his main weapons. He is a skilled archer with quick reflexes and once caught an arrow flying in the air toward him without much difficulty.

6

High Elf Archer

Goblin Slayer

While perhaps not the most “iconic” character in general, Goblin Slayer‘s High Elf Archer could very well be the first anime figure to pop into somebody’s head when they consider a bow and arrow. After all, she literally goes by “archer” and fulfills that role within the show’s central group. Initially, the High Elf comes across as rather stereotypical, as do most of Goblin Slayer‘s characters; however, she softens up considerably as the story progresses, to the point of arguably developing the most endearing friendship with Orcbolg (the eponymous slayer).

In terms of abilities, High Elf Archer is fairly powerful, showing incredible accuracy and speed with her weapon of choice. That said, she does not seem to be far superior to the standard High Elf, and she is likely a touch below the best marksmen in the anime.

5

Madoka Kaname

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Puella Magi Madoka Magica can be a tough watch (and anybody who has not watched the show should stop reading to avoid spoilers).

Famously, the magical girl anime initially presents itself as another “cute” entry in the genre, including an opening that is about as relaxing and moe as they come. However, things take a drastic turn in the third episode, shifting things into psychological thriller territory that gradually breaks down the girls involved. As the eponymous character, Madoka is, naturally, at the heart of the story, and her natural inclination to act honorably drives the narrative forward (along with plenty of other revelations that add depth to her characterization). She is an anime icon, even if Homura and Mami are arguably even more recognizable.

With so much going on in Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Madoka’s status as an archer can be easy to forget, especially since she does not get too many opportunities to showcase her skills with a bow. Still, she is one of the few magical girls who use the ranged weapon as their primary option.

4

Uryū

Bleach

Uryū Ishida is a doctor at Karakura Hospital and a former member of the Wandenreich’s Sternritter in the anime series, Bleach. He’s usually quiet and likes to keep to himself, but his strong sense of justice will put him on the map as he stands up for others often.

Uryū prefers incapacitating his enemies rather than being lethal with his bow and arrows. He’s an anime archer character who has mastered precision and can easily take down his opponent with one single shot if he has to.

3

Sailor Mars

Sailor Moon

Rei Hino is a fiery character with many plans and big ambitions. She hopes to become a songwriter and singer, a voice actress, and a model. She is known to be boy-crazy, but that never stops her from being loyal to her friends and family.

When Rei becomes Sailor Mars, her fiery spirit never wavers, and she can get easily angry. She’s a tough and resilient person who won’t ever give up on her beliefs. One of her iconic attacks, the “Mars Flame Sniper,” is unleashed with her flame-engulfed bow and arrows and can reduce any target to ashes after being burned.