Summary
Although anime is a path to the fantastical, these shows present heightened versions of the real world. The larger-than-life quirkiness often manifests in characters' abilities. Other times, though, it shows in monetary value.
The anime landscape has several characters who are filthy rich. They are so loaded that they can go anywhere and afford anything. Granted, this is usually a convenient way to facilitate the story, but one can’t help but marvel at someone with that much cash to burn.
Updated on June 14, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:There are many iconic anime characters that are fun to witness on-screen. Their characteristics and appearances tend to be rather over-the-top, something that the medium is known for. However, a lot of people have noticed that a great deal of anime feature characters that are rich beyond belief. This wealth sometimes becomes limitless to a downright comical extent, with the money amassers' motivations and personalities being driven by the wealth they harbor in both positive and negative ways.
The central mission governing everything from Loid’s motivations to the very existence of the Forger family itself is the investigation of Donovan Desmond,a shrewd politicianwhose nefarious activities need to be uncovered to preserve the peace between Westalis and Ostania.
The son of this man, Damian Desmond, is the target Loid means to befriend via Anya. He feels that this plan isn’t moving anywhere, but the truth is that Anya has made an impression on Damian, even if the latter is wealthy beyond belief and classist to a fault.
The battle between L and Light is easily the toughest confrontation this young detective ever found himself in. He had a reputation for solving cases thatno detective could tackleand charged a hefty fee for his services.
After all, having access to top-secret resources means that L needs a fat payday with every case, and he’s definitely secured that. His wealth was on full display during the case to capture Kira, investing in resources that would’ve depleted the coffers of any well-off Japanese employee, let alone a high school student.
Steins;Gateis a series that has aged like a fine wine, with this anime tackling mature concepts with great taste. A story about time travel and changing timelines ends up addressing topics like trauma and PTSD without it feeling out of place. It helps that the story always has something positive going for it, even if the overarching events are pretty dark and disturbing if viewers are exposed to these themes for too long. By the end of the series, Rintaro Okabe will quickly become the favorite character of many fans who love this epic science-fiction tale.
Viewers may also come to enjoy Faris NyanNyan, a part-time worker andowner of a cafe. Though this occupation would suggest she is lacking in wealth, she actually comes from a very rich family that happens to own most of Akihabara. Out of fear of being perceived differently, however, she rarely divulges her family’s wealth to others.
Yumeko attends a private school. This already says a lot about her financial state, as mainly loaded families can afford to send their kids to such places. That goes double for the more prestigious schools. Her true wealth, however, reveals itself in her hobby.
This anime isall about gambling, and Yumeko is addicted to it. She constantly throws herself into high-stakes games to get her adrenaline fix. That habit would be detrimental if she didn’t have the funds to fuel it and the skills to back it up. As such, she likely won’t run out of cash anytime soon.
Innovation can pave the way for success, especially with a monopoly on the market. Bulma and her family are responsible for the Capsule Corporation, which can condense machines and even entire buildings into pocket-sized capsules.These gadgets are in use all over the world, giving Bulma limitless wealth.
That wealth is matched only by her intelligence. She can indulge in whatever scientific idea pops into her head, making her a valuable resource for theDragon Ballheroes. She cooks up all sorts of tools for their adventures. These range from the Dragon Radar to a time machine. What’s more, she does it with no promise of profit since these inventions don’t hit the market. Bulma truly has more money than she cares to count.
This flamboyant fop also hit it big with a goldmine idea. In theYu-Gi-Oh!anime, Pegasus created theDuel Monsterscard game, which forms the foundation for the whole franchise. Everyone and their mother plays this game, coming with their own decks and challenging each other on a regular basis. Granted, Pegasus stole the concept fromEgyptian monster battles, but the pharaohs didn’t exactly patent it.
As a result, Pegasus profited tremendously from his “invention.” He owns a massive island filled with dozens of mechanized stadiums and a castle. This forms the battleground for his tournament, where contestants come from far and wide via cruise ship. One wonders what the silver-haired devil did to pass the time before this game came along.
One also wonders how a character with a cop’s salary could make the list. Daisuke, however, comes from a rich family. The Kambe clan have their hands in countless businesses and political dealings. Their latest member simply joined the police out of boredom.
His resources make himcomically overqualified for the position. He not only goes through specialized training in England, but he brings private jets and fancy suits to the party. Once on the force, he employs revolutionary gadgets like lie-detecting glasses and bribes to extract information. These methods show how little Daisuke cares for money; it’s just a disposable tool in his arsenal.
These guys ought to be well off after centuries of accumulating wealth. Mina descends from theTepes family of vampires. Aside from the obviousDraculanod, this means she has noble blood. Once she steps out of the shadows, literally and figuratively, she has plenty of money saved up.
What’s more, she wastes no time in showing it off. Like Pegasus, Mina owns an island. Maybe that’s a rite of passage for rich people. In addition, she pays off Japan’s national debt and works to establish it as an independent country by importing various businesses. Again, she does all of this out-of-pocket. At least the Tepes heir puts her money toward a good cause.
This maritime man has both monarchy and economy on his side. Sinbad garners the best possible outcome fromsailing the oceans. To begin, he conquers the seven mystical Dungeons, labyrinthine structures reserved for the most daring adventurers. Each one awards him exponentially more riches.
After clearing these gauntlets, Sinbad puts his profits to use. He starts his own kingdom named “Sindria.” From here, he runs the Sindria Trading Company, generating additional revenue. It’s so successful that it pushes out the more established trade corporations. In short, Sinbad achieves the perfect combination of plunder and free enterprise.
For reference, the Sanzenin family put 20 million yen into a phony business investment, andthey did it just for kicks. That demonstrates how well off they are right out of the gate, and young Nagi continues flaunting their funds at private beach parties and other diversions for friends. She routinely throws money at her problems, partly because she doesn’t want it.
Everyone else does, though. Countless criminals target Nagi for ransom. She’s either the only game in town or the biggest fish that everyone wants to nab. Whatever the case, her wealth constantly attracts unscrupulous attention. This makes it ironic in the long run when she winds up losing her inheritance. Easy come, easy go.
