15 Anime Characters With Piercings And The Shocking Meanings Behind Their Unique Style

The presence of piercings on an anime character is rarely a coincidence. In the meticulously crafted world of Japanese animation, a simple stud or a hoop can carry the weight of a complex backstory, signal a dramatic personality shift, or represent a rebellion against societal norms. As of , modern anime titles are increasingly embracing body modification as a core element of character design, moving beyond the simple "bad boy" trope to explore themes of self-expression, trauma, and healing.

From the subtle ear studs of a beloved protagonist to the full-blown facial hardware of a mysterious antagonist, these aesthetic choices are pivotal to understanding the character's journey. This deep dive uncovers the most iconic and recently popular anime characters sporting body jewelry, revealing the surprising, and often emotional, significance behind their unique style.

The Hidden Significance: Piercings as Narrative Devices

In anime, a character's appearance is a visual shorthand for their role and personality. Piercings, especially facial and multiple ear piercings, often serve as powerful narrative devices. They can represent a character’s hidden life, their musical or punk subculture affiliation, or even a symbolic break from their past. The shift in how these characters are portrayed—from simple delinquents to complex, emotionally layered individuals—reflects a broader change in how body modification is viewed in contemporary Japanese media.

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1. Izumi Miyamura (Horimiya)

• Anime: Horimiya
• Piercing Type: Four studs on each ear, one lip piercing (closed), one tongue piercing (closed).
• Significance: Miyamura's piercings and tattoos were a deeply personal form of self-harm and a way to cope with being a social outcast during middle school. He deliberately hid them at school to maintain a "nerdy" facade. The act of letting his lip and tongue piercings close later in the series symbolizes his healing and acceptance, thanks to his relationship with Kyouko Hori. His journey is a powerful exploration of social anxiety and self-acceptance.

2. Kawaki (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations)

• Anime: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
• Piercing Type: Multiple simple cartilage and lobe studs/rings.
• Significance: Kawaki’s piercings are primarily an aesthetic choice that perfectly complements his rugged and wild personality. They are part of his overall design that screams "outsider" and "rebel," contrasting sharply with the clean-cut aesthetic of the Konoha village shinobi. The simple, metallic design personifies his tough, independent nature and his troubled past as a vessel for the Ōtsutsuki clan.

3. Suguru Geto (Jujutsu Kaisen)

• Anime: Jujutsu Kaisen
• Piercing Type: Simple, dark-colored earrings (often depicted as black pearls or studs) and later, stretched earlobes.
• Significance: Geto’s jewelry is highly debated among fans. While initially a stylish accessory alongside Satoru Gojo, his later appearance with visibly stretched, empty earlobes after his ideological shift is a key visual marker. In some Buddhist traditions, long or stretched earlobes (sometimes from heavy earrings) can symbolize a renunciation of the material world, aligning with his dark path of purifying the world of non-sorcerers. This subtle change is a brilliant piece of character design.

The Icons of Style: Piercings as Character Identity

Beyond deep narrative meaning, piercings are often used to immediately establish a character's archetype. They mark the cool, the rebellious, the musically inclined, or the battle-hardened warrior. These characters use their body jewelry as a form of non-verbal communication, solidifying their unique place in the anime world.

4. Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)

• Anime: One Piece
• Piercing Type: Three gold hoop earrings on his left ear.
• Significance: Zoro’s three earrings are one of his most recognizable features, representing his commitment to the Three-Sword Style (Santōryū). While their direct origin isn't deeply explored, they are an essential part of his swordsman aesthetic, symbolizing his cool, determined, and slightly rogue personality. They are so iconic that they are often used as a direct visual cue for his character.

5. Shinichi "Shin" Okazaki (Nana)

• Anime: Nana
• Piercing Type: Lip piercing, multiple ear piercings.
• Significance: As the bass player for the band Black Stones, Shin's piercings are a quintessential part of his punk-rock, non-conformist identity. The lip piercing, in particular, highlights his youthful rebellion and his involvement in the gritty, emotional world of the music scene. The series Nana is a goldmine for characters with body modifications, reflecting the real-world Japanese punk and visual kei scene.

6. Uta (Tokyo Ghoul)

• Anime: Tokyo Ghoul
• Piercing Type: Numerous ear piercings, including industrial and cartilage, and various facial piercings (though his most prominent feature is his tattoos).
• Significance: Uta, a ghoul and a mask creator, embodies the underground, artistic, and often dangerous side of the ghoul world. His extensive body modifications—piercings and tattoos—are an outward expression of his unconventional, nonchalant, and slightly terrifying persona. They solidify his role as a charismatic yet unsettling figure in the narrative.

A Deeper Look: The Variety of Piercings and Their Meanings

The type and placement of a piercing can communicate very specific details about a character. While ear piercings are common, facial piercings like lip, nose, or eyebrow rings are far rarer and tend to be reserved for characters who are either outsiders, rebels, or those with a troubled past.

Characters with Prominent Facial Piercings

• Pain / Nagato (Naruto Shippuden): His body is covered in multiple black chakra receivers, which resemble piercings, particularly his nose and lip studs. They symbolize his power and his complete rejection of the world, having transcended his humanity to become a god-like figure of destruction and peace.
• Yosushi "Yasu" Tagaki (Nana): The drummer of Black Stones is often seen with a simple ear piercing, projecting a mature, reliable, and protective personality that contrasts with the flashier band members.
• Akihiko Kaji (Given): A central figure in the band Given, his piercings are part of his overall mature and cool aesthetic, fitting his role as a talented musician with a complex romantic life.

More Entities with Body Jewelry

The list of characters who use body jewelry to enhance their identity is extensive, adding a layer of authenticity and edge to their designs. These characters further demonstrate the trend of body modification in anime:

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• Jean Pierre Polnareff (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure): Wears simple ear studs, which are a classic part of his flamboyant and honorable design in Stardust Crusaders.
• Mohammed Avdol (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure): Features prominent earrings that enhance his mystical and serious demeanor.
• Trafalgar D. Water Law (One Piece): Often seen with small earrings, contributing to his cool, serious, and tactical pirate captain persona.
• Nami (One Piece): While known for her tattoo, Nami occasionally sports simple ear piercings, adding a subtle touch to her adventurous and clever nature.
• Eiri Yuki (Gravitation): A famous novelist whose piercings (often simple studs) add to his mysterious, aloof, and sometimes cruel personality, a common trope for the emotionally guarded love interest.
• Ryuk (Death Note): The Shinigami is often depicted with a series of piercings, which, while not human, contribute to his overall grotesque and punk-inspired design, emphasizing his detachment from the human world.
• Kanae Shinjou (The World God Only Knows): A female character who occasionally sports piercings, showing that this design element is not exclusive to male characters or specific genres.
• Yatora Yaguchi (Blue Period): While his journey is focused on art, his early appearance includes minor piercings, which are shed as he embraces his true passion, symbolizing a shift from a directionless youth to a focused artist.

The Evolution of Piercings in Anime

The use of piercings in anime has evolved significantly. Decades ago, they were almost exclusively reserved for antagonists, delinquents, or characters in the visual kei and punk genres like those in Nana. Today, characters like Izumi Miyamura have normalized body modifications among protagonists, using them to tell stories of vulnerability and growth rather than just rebellion or villainy.

This shift reflects a growing acceptance and nuanced understanding of body modification as a form of personal expression. The modern anime character with piercings is less a stereotype and more a complex individual whose jewelry is a physical manifestation of their inner struggles, their artistic passions, or their unwavering resolve. Whether it's the three hoops of a legendary swordsman or the ten studs of a high school boy hiding his true self, these small pieces of metal are now critical tools in the art of anime character development.