15 Best Fairy Tail Character Designs

Fairy Tail follows Natsu, Lucy, Happy and an entire cast of characters who’ve joined together in the eponymous Fairy Tail Guild to complete quests with their magical, wizarding abilities. First airing in 2009, and with an impressive ten-year run spanning 339 episodes, Fairy Tail includes a lengthy list of characters all with unique abilities, personalities and eccentric quirks.

With dozens upon dozens of amazing characters within the series, narrowing down to a final fifteen is an arduous task. But these fifteen characters possess creative and unique powers, exceptional physical design, and emotional backstories that make them stand apart from the rest. From Erza’s singular magical powers to Mard Geer’s fanatical motivations, these designs stand apart as true works of genius.

15 Wendy Marvell Slays as the Youngest Dragon Slayer

First Appearance: Season 2, Episode 49, “The Day of the Fateful Encounter”

Wendy came to the Fairy Tail Guild by way of the Cait Shelter Guild, after her first guild dissolved during the Oración Seis arc. As the youngest dragon slayer — wielding the most overpowered magic in Fairy Tail — Wendy packs a wallop with her Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. She often joins Natsu, Lucy and the others on their missions, providing crucial support thanks to her healing abilities and her keen mastery over Sky Dragon Slayer Magic.

Wendy brings a child-like charm to the team, with her innocence and naivety providing a fresh perspective on conflicts the main team often faces. Pairing such an endearing, innocent mind with the ferocity of a dragon slayer worked well in her character design, making Wendy stand out from the other dragon slayers in the series.

14 Zeref Dragneel Terrifies as the Black Wizard Zeref

First Appearance: Season 3, Episode 96, “He Who Extinguishes Life”

Desperate to revive his slain brother, Zeref dabbled in magic dealing with life and death, angering the god Ankhseram and landing him with the dreaded Curse of Contradiction. Essentially immortal thanks to his curse, Zeref sought to alienate himself from anyone and everyone, believing that to be the best way to keep his dark power contained. It’s only when Zeref meets Mavis, another victim of Ankhseram’s curses, does he begin to open up to someone again.

As one of the primary antagonists of the series, Zeref’s motivations (and expressions) appear bland and generic on the surface, but as his past is revealed, viewers experience the depths of his character. Wanting to die, and believing Natsu the only one capable of making his wish come true, Zeref engages in some morally questionable machinations. It’s hard for audience members to hate him, given the depths of his pain, making his character design a truly heartbreaking inclusion into the series.

13 Juvia Lockser Drizzles a bit of Humor into Fairy Tail

First Appearance: Season 1, Episode 21, “The Phantom Lord”

Juvia started out as an antagonist to Fairy Tail, joining Phantom Lord when they attempted to kidnap Lucy Heartfilia earlier on in the series. As a previous member of the Element 4, Juvia’s dreary mood often caused it to rain around her. After she meets Gray, and realizes the error of her ways in aligning with a dark guild, Juvia joins Gajeel in joining Fairy Tail, thus becoming a crucial member later on in the series.

As one of the weirdest characters in Fairy Tail, Juvia’s emotions controlling the weather was expertly played to both comical and heartbreaking effect. Her character growth, both in her redemption arc and then again in her pursuit of Gray’s affections, resonated with the audience. Juvia underwent a few redesign changes as the series progressed — such as her curled hair mellowing out later on — but her true worth comes from the emotional journey audiences witnessed this water wielder taking throughout the series.

12 Gray Fullbuster Glistens as an Icy Foil for Main Character Natsu

First Appearance: Season 1, Episode 2, “Fire Dragon, Monkey, and Bull”

Gray and Natsu clash like ice and fire, which deftly describes their relationship as well as their magical abilities. As an Ice-Make Mage, Gray’s imagination and mastery over ice allows him to craft freezing copies of whatever he wishes, making him a truly fearsome opponent and strong ally. Gray joins the main team relatively early on in the series and sticks with them through thick and thin, even if he strays a bit when confronted with hard truths later on.

Cool-as-ice Gray strikes a phenomenal balance between staying frosty and heating up when confronted with cruel acts, stinging betrayals or other moments when his emotions get dialed up. While it would have been all too easy to lean into the icy demeanor for Gray, his truly inspired character design fleshes him out more, giving him humorous moments — such as him always taking his shirt off by habit — and hard choices — such as when he must fight his father in the Tartaros arc.

11 Gajeel Redfox Fortifies Fairy Tail’s Offensive Lineup

First Appearance: Season 1, Episode 21, “The Phantom Lord”

Gajeel is initially introduced as a member of Phantom Lord, and while he actively participates in the kidnapping of Lucy, his primary objectives center around fighting Salamander (Natsu). As a fellow dragon slayer, he wishes to pit his Iron Dragon Slayer Magic against Natsu’s Fire Dragon Slayer Magic, to determine the true top dog when it comes to slayers. His defeat and self-reflection eventually lead him to joining Fairy Tail alongside Juvia, where his character growth ignites.

Gajeel starts off as steely as his Iron Dragon Slayer Magic would suggest, but as audience members spend more time with him, they come to see more roundness to his character. His unique design takes a truly detestable villain — he was the one who brutalized Levy and her friends, leaving them pinned to a tree — to a core member of Fairy Tail later on. Gajeel’s gruff physical design matching his persona, his stellar redemption, and his commitment to his friends landed him solidly as one of the best designed characters in the series.

10 Jellal Fernandes Shines With his Redemption Arc

First Appearance: As Siegrain, Season 1, Episode 2, “Fire Dragon, Monkey, and Bull” and as Jellal, Season 1, Episode 33, “The Tower of Heaven”

Jellal and Erza share a rich history together, full of friendship, family and despair after the pair were captured and forced to build the Tower of Heaven, a vehicle for resurrecting the dark wizard Zeref. While Erza eventually managed to flee her imprisonment, Jellal’s will was taken over by a dark entity, what he believed to be the dark wizard himself at the time. Though eventually rescued, Jellal vowed to atone for his sins and set out on a tragic redemption arc that took him far away from Erza.

Jellal’s exceptional character design hits all three points: the tragic backstory, the awe-inspiring Heavenly Body Magic, and the striking character design. Jellal’s outfit choices, as any of his personas, are always entirely shrouded in mystery (by cloak, jacket, or some form of fabric). While not a member of Fairy Tail, his constant assistance from the shadows, and his fierce protection of Erza, make him a fan-favorite entry and an instrumental character to the Fairy Tail franchise. And fans can’t help but feel delight when Jellal shows up — usually in the nick of time — to lend some much-needed aid to Fairy Tail.

9 Acnologia Casts a Dark Shadow Over the Land of Ishgar

First Appearance: As a Silhouette, Season 4, Episode 121, “The Right to Love” and in Actuality, Season 4, Episode 121, “Let’s Hold Hands”

As the most feared and dangerous villain in Fairy Tail, Acnologia, the Black Dragon, dominates as a truly fearsome and dreaded character. For the most part, he dwells off-screen, his infamy speaking for itself. His appearance at Tenrou Island, and his subsequent destruction of the entire place, served as a chilling introduction to this dragon slayer-turned-dragon and set him up as a truly daunting foe for Fairy Tail to contend with. Agnologia’s sheer size, black and blue contrast, and the subdued tones of his human form give him a menacing look to match.

Like many other characters in the series, Acnologia’s seemingly generic motivations are given more depth as time progresses and past events come to light. Fueled by a disillusionment of dragons in the past, he sought to eradicate their kind completely, becoming the ultimate dragon slayer. But Acnologia’s true merit as one of the best designed characters comes from his unnerving strength, his intimidating reputation and from the fact that all seven dragon slayers needed to band together in order to finally defeat him.

8 Aquarius Floods Allies and Villains Alike

First Apperance: Season 1, Episode 1, “The Fairy Tail”

As a Celestial Spirit, Aquarius is bound to the key and contract of a Celestial Wizard. At the beginning of the series, Lucy Heartfilia holds Aquarius’ key, and often summons the mermaid-like spirit as a companion during her lonely, isolated days in the Heartfilia Mansion. Being essentially a mermaid, as mentioned, Aquarius’ lower half is that of a fish, with a beautiful face and hair (which sometimes serves as a jealous point for Lucy). When Lucy joins Fairy Tail, and finds herself in combat situations, she’s often hesitant to call upon Aquarius due to the spirit’s ill-tempered demeanor.

In one of the most poignant scenes in the entire series, Lucy is forced to break Aquarius’ key to summon the Celestial Spirit King. Doing so destroys the tether connecting these two together, with the supposition that Lucy cannot see Aquarius ever again, thus revealing to the audience how deeply both Aquarius and Lucy feel for the other. All the tinged barbs and hurled insults hid an immeasurable friendship, showcasing exceptional growth.

7 Happy Fishes for his Comedic Moments as a Crucial Member of Team Natsu

First Apperance: Season 1, Episode 1, “The Fairy Tail”

Happy has been with Natsu ever since the Salamander and Lisanna hatched Happy’s egg well before the series began. The small blue Exceed provides much needed aerial support to Natus and the others, thanks to his ability to manifest wings on his back, and he often makes quips and jokes to give a fresh breath of humor into dark situations. His loyalty knows no bounds and he’s always willing to charge straight into the conflict with Natsu by his side.

Arguably a prime Fairy Tail character that deserved more love, Happy plays a pivotal role within Team Natsu, helping his wizard companions achieve victory. His unusual design — a talking blue cat with wings — firmly and absolutely conveys the tone of the series and the fantastical elements inherent to the story. In all honesty, Fairy Tail wouldn’t be Fairy Tail without Happy along for the ride.

6 Lucy Heartfilia Starts off the Stellar Fairy Tail Series

First Apperance: Season 1, Episode 1, “The Fairy Tail”

Lucy Heartfilia’s joining of Fairy Tail kicks off the series, with her meeting Natsu Dragneel proving to be a pivotal moment in both wizards’ lives. As a wielder of Celestial Spirit Magic, Lucy employs Celestial Spirits to fight for her, later on gaining the ability to channel their magic herself through the clothes she wears. As the series progresses, and she gains more combat experiences, she quickly becomes one of the strongest members of Fairy Tail.

Lucy’s character design strikes an exceptional balance between the girl-next-door and effective fighter, with her power growing as the series progresses. Her feminine-focused design choices lend her a perspective lost on typical shonen protagonists, making her accessible to female audiences. This allows her to be an excellent entry point into the series, which enables the audience to better understand the vast, complex and detailed world of Fairy Tail.

5 Mard Geer Tartaros Torments Fairy Tail in the Name of Zeref

First Appearance: Season 7, Episode 266, “Tartaros Chapter – Underworld King”

Leader of the Tartaros Guild and an Etherious demon, the Underworld King Mard Geer served as the primary villain during the Tartaros arc. Alongside his Nine Demon Gates, Mard Geer despises humans and believes demons to be vastly superior. He seeks to drown the world in darkness and resurrect E.N.D., whom he believes to be the strongest and most vile of Zeref’s demons. Though Fairy Tail ultimately defeats Mard Geer and the Tartaros Guild, it’s not without heavy losses and close calls.

Mard Geer captivated viewers’ attention with his callous disregard for humanity, his alarming power, and the spine-chilling lengths he went to in the name of his mission. Geer’s formal wear, his wings, and even the throne upon which he sits add an air of intensity to his character. He embodied every iota of what the audience had come to expect demons to be — all dark, depraved, and destructive — while paving the way for a truly harrowing revelation that Natsu is E.N.D. His fight with the Celestial Spirit King proved to be an exceptional moment, strengthening his inclusion into one of the best designed characters in the anime.

4 Erza Scarlet Slices Through any Obstacle

First Appearance: Season 1, Episode 4, “Dear Kaby”

Erza Scarlet reigns as Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and does the moniker justice as the strongest female fighter within the Fairy Tail Guild. Erza’s unique Requip Magic, the Knight, allows her to don armor and weapons suitable for any encounter. Her exceptional swordmaster skills helps her land victory after victory, making her a valuable and powerful addition to Team Natsu and Fairy Tail.

Erza’s willpower and strength grew from a rough history both in her birth as the daughter of Irene Belserion and her conscription into the workforce for the Tower of Heaven. This complex beginning, along with her unique magical abilities, allows her grit and determination to shine and makes her an ideal protagonist for a shōnen series. The combination of fierce fighter, straightforward leader and teenage girl in a vein similar to and yet unlike Lucy serves the series well.

3 August Stands as a Standout Member of the Spriggan 12

First Appearance: As a Silhouette, Season 9, Episode 278, “The Lamia Scale Thanksgiving Festival” and Actually, Season 9, Episode 287, “Emperor Spriggan”

Wizard King August works alongside the Spriggan 12 to further the agenda of the Alvarez Empire and Emperor Spriggan, an alias for the Dark Wizard Zeref. The abandoned son of Zeref and Mavis Vermillion, August possesses immense magical power, with his signature ability Copy allowing him to copy, master and then nullify his opponent’s magic. He uses this ability to fight against Fairy Tail, when the Alvarez Empire invades Fiore to steal the Fairy Heart from Fairy Tail, making him one of their strongest villains to date.

August is depicted as a significantly older wizard than most of the cast, and is adorned in body paint that is entirely unique to his character. He also serves as a powerful, physical reminder of Zeref’s immortality, as the younger-looking Dark Wizard is the father of the older-looking August. His name, likewise, serves as another gray streak in the character makeup of Zeref: Zeref named him August after the blissful month he spent with Mavis, as the younger August took after his mother. August’s presence in the series opens up dialogue about relationships between children and their parents, legacy and sins of the past, granting him a truly compelling character design.

2 Natsu Dragneel Fires Up the Rest of the Fairy Tail Guild with his Heroics

First Apperance: Season 1, Episode 1, “The Fairy Tail”

As the main focal point of Fairy Tail, Natsu Dragneel’s journey is at the core of this shōnen series. The unofficial leader of Team Natsu and the dragon slayers, Natsu’s fiery disposition pairs perfectly with his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic. Raised by Igneel, brother to Zeref and Lucy’s introduction to Fairy Tail, Natsu really is the heart of Fairy Tail.

Natsu’s character revolves around the connections in his life: he fights to defend his friends, he values his community in the Fairy Tail Guild, and he’s on the search for his adopted father, Igneel. Despite his overwhelming power, Natsu fights for those he loves, pushing himself beyond his limits time and time again, in truly heroic spectacles. That being said, Natsu’s pink, spiky hair truly matches his personality as well as any shonen protagonist and separates him from the pack.

1 Mavis Vermillion Alights the Heart of Fairy Tail by Being One of its Founders

First Appearance: Her Voice, Season 4, Episode 112, “The One Thing I Couldn’t Say” and Actually, Season 4, Episode 122, “Let’s Hold Hands”

One of the oldest characters in Fairy Tail, Mavis’ journey kickstarts crucial plot points and threads, which then weave in with Zeref’s own story. Alongside her friends Yuri, Precht and Warrod, she creates the eponymous Fairy Tail Guild. Just like the Black Wizard Zeref, Mavis became cursed by Ankhseram, suffering from the effects of the Curse of Contradiction. After the two kissed, Mavis fell into a catatonic state thanks to their curses, where she was preserved by Precht, the second guild leader of Fairy Tail. Her immortal body and the lacrima crystal encasing her began to supply an endless amount of magical energy, turning her into Fairy Heart.

Mavis’ design mirrors that of a fairy, with her childlike appearance, soft pastel palette and the wing motifs used in her wardrobe. While perhaps a tad on-the-nose, the concept works beautifully in capturing the whimsical, adventure-laden atmosphere of the guild she helped found. Taking that further, she also serves as a phenomenal contrast to Zeref, with her ideals battling his through their chosen champions, making her a spectacularly designed character in terms of aesthetics, backstory, magical ability and principles.