Since the day man has been able to speak, he has woven stories to understand the unknown and to entertain the known. It has been in our nature to tell great stories and pass them on to the next generation. This is how it was. This is how it will be.
We have covered ourselves in fabrics to survive the harsh conditions while we built the wheel to take the first step towards technology. So much has changed through thousands of years but one thing that we have never lost is our ability to make stories. There is a reason why fiction is so much more prevalent in so many mediums of art. We yearn for that comfort, that feeling of dread, that joy. To countless people, fiction has been one way to experience and express.
Irrespective of mediums, the genre has produced untold characters, each more iconic than the previous. Even the settings and story of fiction have kept people hooked, yearning for more. From Flowers for Algernon to The Hound of Baskervilles, it’s impossible not to admire human capability and creativity.
And so in appreciation of fiction, we have created this list of the 55 best fictional characters that start with N. This a humble effort from our side to share our respect for the genre that has inspired so many and one that will continue to do so for as long as creativity breathes in me, in you and us.
Nyarlathotep
Fear ye who encounters The Black Whore. For the spawn of Him in the Gulf – Azathoth, is a being of incomprehensible power with no end. An Outer God himself, The Prince of Darkest Dark knows no mercy nor kindness. He breeds chaos. He is chaos.
The Black Pharaoh is different from his brethren. While the Outer Gods slumber deep in the seas or reside far away in the stars, the Crawling Chaos walks among us. He could be you! He could be me!! He could be them!!! He could be any one of us!!!! Sporting a tall and thin frame, the Faceless God schemes and witnesses.
He is the Soul and Messenger of the Other Gods since time immemorial. The Great Old ones prefer destroying everything, but he doesn’t. He desires something more. Something sinister. He desires madness, the propagation of chaos among humans. The end is near. And he is the end.
HP Lovecraft is the single most prominent figure in the popularity of cosmic horror. His stories which ultimately led to the creation of the Cthulhu mythos, are still regarded as the highest form of cosmic literature to exist. Nyarlathotep is one of his most famous creations among others like Azathoth, Yog-Sothoth, Cthulhu, Dagon, and others. The character debuted in a prose poem of the same name, released in 1920. Since then, it has remained a staple in Cthulhu mythos and stories. And will continue to be so.
Narcissus
If you didn’t already know the word narcissist is derived from this character. And if you know the meaning behind the word, you can pretty much guess how this character is. Belonging to Greek mythology, Narcissus’s fate is a cautionary tale about the dangers and effects of self-indulgence.
Born from the nymph Liriope who the river-god Cephissus raped, Narcissus grew to be a man so beautiful that people couldn’t stop swooning over him. There are various variations of his myth. They all differ in details; however, the end continues to be the same – After his death, only the narcissus flower remains. Greek myths themselves are very interesting to read, and the tale of Narcissus will certainly make a good read.
Nurse Joy
Some things will always remain a mystery. Like is there an afterlife? Why don’t phones occur in our dreams?? Do animals have an inner monologue?? And the most important of all – How many Nurse Joys are there???
The Pokemon Universe is a mystery in itself. But when you have a ten-year-old running around for twenty-five years without aging a bit, it’s safe to say the people in that world are not particularly keen on solving mysteries. As you may have guessed by the sentence earlier, Nurse Joy isn’t just one person but a bunch more. They all mostly look the same, have the same job and by Arceus’s grace, don’t age too.
Nemesis
If there’s any studio that knows how to make a memorable antagonist, Capcom is surely one of them. From Mr. X to Mother Miranda, the studio has some of the greatest villains in its vaults. Nemesis or Nemesis T-Type to be formal is one of those extraordinary antagonists.
Debuting in the third installment of the mainline series Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Pursuer aka The Nemesis, served as the game’s main antagonist. A towering, nearly unkillable, unstoppable walking bio-weapon, it was developed by Umbrella Corporation.
In RE3, Nemesis is tasked with killing all the remaining S.T.A.R.S members by Umbrella, who have wanted to do so for some time. The original and the remake versions make this character so terrifying to encounter. If you haven’t played the remake yet, we recommend you do so. It’s a great horror survival game, and Capcom does absolute justice to the character.
Noob Saibot
Mortal Kombat as a fighting game franchise relies more on its characters than its gameplay. This isn’t to say that the gameplay mechanic of the series is boring. But when compared to other titles like Tekken, Street Fighter, or Dragon Ball FighterZ, you can understand the point here.
In lore, Noob Saibot is the Elder Sub-Zero known as Bi-Han. Once a renowned assassin, he is now an undead wraith who desires to become the king of Netherrealm and kill Scorpion, his murderer. His latest game appearance was in Mortal Kombat 11 where he donned his classic black attire along with a sickle as a weapon. Since Bi-Han became an undead, his allegiance has been shifted to the evil side of things. However, in the end, he serves no one but himself.
Niko Bellic
Niko Boy here is the primary protagonist of the sixth iteration of the GTA series – Grand Theft Auto IV. A veteran of the Yugoslav Wars, Niko wants only to do one thing before dying – kill the lowlife who betrayed his team during the war. This motive also serves as the main driving point behind the events of GTA IV.
Being a veteran of an awfully brutal war, Niko’s view of his life and the world as a whole has turned cynical and pessimistic. Furthermore, he seems to be feeling the effects of an ongoing quarter-life crisis which isn’t helping with his state of mind. He does try to better himself by going to America and starting a new life there. But fate seemed to have different plans for him, and Niko once again found himself involved in a bad situation.
Nina Williams
Tekken continues to be at the forefront of fighting games followed closely by Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Starting in 1994 on the original PlayStation, the series has since then established itself as one if not the greatest fighting games of all time in the history of video games. This a sentence almost all critics would gladly agree with.
While the story of Tekken mainly revolves around the Mishima family and their volcano-throwing contest, the game has more than enough great cast of characters to stand on its own. Debuting in the first Tekken, Nina Williams is an assassin by profession hailing from the Republic of Ireland.
Youthful as ever due to the countless experiments done on her, she is in constant rivalry with her younger sister, Anna Williams. Moreover, she has also appeared in every mainline Tekken game along with its numerous spinoffs.
Although Mishima is certainly the main focus of the overall story, she is also somewhat of a major character in it. Being an assassin has made her an expert in the Aikido and Koppojutsu styles of martial art which can be seen in her moves. Beautiful and lethal like a Deadly Nightshade, Nina Williams is not one to be messed with.
Noctis
Noctis Lucis Caelum is the main protagonist of Square Enix’s flagship title Final Fantasy XV. Son of King Regis and heir to the throne of Lucis, Noctis isn’t pompous about his status. On the contrary, he treats his three companions equally even though their upbringing wasn’t in royalty.
First appearing in Final Fantasy Versus XIII which eventually went on to become Final Fantasy XV due to developmental issues, Noctis was primarily designed by Tetsuya Nomura. The game saw its direction take place in the hands of Nomura for some time but was replaced by Hajime Tabata due to other developmental issues. Nomura did stay with the new development team for quite some time to ensure that everything remained true to what was envisioned earlier. Since FF XV, Noctis has made his debut in various other Final Fantasy games.
Nero (DMC)
Guess when you have Sparda as your grandfather, Vergil as your father, and Dante as your Uncle, sheer unbridled coolness and badassery come naturally to you. That’s just how Nero is. Plus, being cool is a prerequisite to being a protagonist in Devil May Cry. Even the side characters of the series have to follow the same formula too.
Slashing and gunning his way through Devil May Cry 5, Nero is a central character in the game along with the mysterious V and the one and only – Dante. Like his uncle and father, Nero is strong, capable, and rebellious. Although he is different in his way too. The guy is married for one. Has a great relationship with his wife, unlike his unmarried flirtatious uncle and hopeless father. We just can’t wait to see what Capcom has in store for the Sparda family in the next installment of the series.
Nairobi (Money Heist)
How would this list be complete if we don’t even mention the greatest forger Nairobi? Alex Pina’s Le Casa De Papel or Money Heist was one of the most popular series Netflix had ever produced. It has even branched into another iteration of the series, with its premise this time taking place in Korea.
Le Casa de Papel doesn’t lack any memorable and iconic characters, to be honest. From Professor to Gandia, the series boasts a cast of characters so great that only a handful of shows come close to this. So when fans consider Nairobi to be the most popular character, then there must be something about her that has attracted so much praise.
Well, for once she is portrayed by Alba Flores who gave the best performance of her career in the series. Nairobi, unlike other members of the team, can keep a cool head even during the tensest of situations. She isn’t afraid to step up and take the lead role if the situation demands it. Plus the last arc of her character essentially solidified her place among the best in the series.
Nero Claudius (Fate)
The original one wasn’t a waifu, so Nasu decided to make one. Making King Arthur a girl wasn’t enough for him, and he went on to make more. Well, nobody’s complaining, to be honest, so win-win for Nasu and the fans.
Fate is infamous for its gender-bending and mind-boggling storyline. Nasu as an author, is such a paradox that it’s sometimes incomprehensible to think how this man does what he does. The Type-Moon Universe has to be one of the most complicated universes out there in fiction. Even the Gundam franchise, which suffers from its confusing timeline, looks way better when you see the Fate one. But we are not here to have some philosophical discussions about Fate as a franchise. We are here to discuss Nero as a waifu.
Known as Red Saber, not to be confused with Saber of Red, Nero Claudius in Fate is a blonde-haired woman who resembles Fate’s mascot, Artoria. She is pompous and prideful due to her being an Emperor when she was alive. Usually wearing red and white colored attire, Nero also dons the Santa outfit during Christmas while singing the infamous – Hashire sori yo, Kaze no you ni, Tsukimihara wo, Padoru Padoru.
Nite-Owl
To know Nite Owl one must know the man behind him. The absolute genius of Alan Moore can only be known by subjecting yourself to reading any one of his works. Besides Neil Gaiman, no one even comes close to the influence this single man had on the contemporary comic books scene. Often regarded as the greatest of his generation, Alan Moore’s line of work is nothing short of impressive.
From writing Batman: The Killing Joke to Watchmen, Moore is the raison d’être behind the surge in modern-day graphic novel’s popularity. An anarchist and occultist by belief, his work has a considerable amount of such themes scattered in them. Nite Owl is his creation which highly parodies Batman (the second Nite Owl that is). Although, unlike Batman, the moniker of Nite Owl has been shared between two persons – Hollis Mason, the first one, and Dan Drieberg, his successor.
The crime-fighting superhero had its first appearance in 1986 in the first issue of Watchmen. He (the second Nite Owl) was heavily involved in the main events of Watchmen along with Rorschach, Silk Spectre, Doctor Manhattan, and Ozymandias. Often considered his magnum opus, Watchmen is a must-read if you are getting tired of all the overabundance of superhero movies.
Nemo
Pixar doesn’t disappoint with its movies. Well, for the most part. Films such as Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Monsters, Inc. are among the most beloved animated movies ever to grace the silver screens. 2003’s Finding Nemo can also be counted on that exclusive list.
Nemo is a clownfish who lives with his dad Marlin. After the death of his wife and other unborn children, Nemo’s dad gets overly protective of him. Despite being a young fish, Nemo is brave and friendly. His father’s overprotectiveness is often annoying to him at first but as the story advances the viewer can see the growth and understanding that Nemo achieves. This cute little orange fish will melt your heart out, so be ready to shed some tears along the way.
Nancy Wheeler
One of the best things to come out of Netflix was the Duffer Brothers’ show – Stranger Things. Netflix is notorious for killing off good shows like Marco Polo, Sense 8, The OA and so many more (Mindhunter, please come back!!!). Thankfully, Stranger Things has managed to stay away from the chopping block and will likely see its final season air.
Played by the gorgeous Natalia Dyer, Nancy Wheeler is a major character in the sci-fi drama series. Mike Wheeler, one of the protagonists of the show, is her younger brother. The death of her best friend Barbara Holland severely impacted her life and one which she feels responsible for.
Over the show’s run, she is shown to be one of the bravest among the main characters, even going as far as to try to lure the Monster and kill it herself, along with Jonathan. She does suffer from traumas of the past but doesn’t allow them to take over her. With a new season on the way next year, Stranger Things is shaping up to be a great show once again.
Nanika
Not many mangakas exist who can boast more than one iconic manga to their name. Yoshihiro Togashi is certainly one of them. The man has written two genre-defining manga since he started as a manga artist. Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter X Hunter are considered by many among the best in the shonen genre.
While Togashi as a mangaka is surely one of the greatest, his health issues have made him severely unable to finish his chef-d-oeuvre, Hunter X Hunter. After a long break, the manga recently started receiving new chapters again, but it has already been announced that it will go back into hiatus. It is a shame because the ongoing Dark Continent arc is undoubtedly the best with the potential to outrank the previous Chimera Ant arc.
Readers have been forming crazy theories and headcanons about the mysterious Dark Continent. The place where the Chimera Ants came from and with a survival rate so low that only a handful have been able to come back alive. Nanika herself is from the Dark Continent.
Residing inside Killua’s little sister, Alluka Zoldyck, Nanika is a being as mysterious as the place she came from. No one knows how she came into the Zoldyck family. Some think it was Maha Zoldyck who brought her while others speculate it was Zigg. The manga is so vague that there is even a discussion if Maha and Zigg are the same people or not.
The Zoldyck family considers Nanika to be very dangerous and so they try not to be involved with her much. This also affects Alluka as she is Nanika’s host. Killua is the only one in the whole family who treats both of them with love and respect.
Due to this, he is the sole individual in the whole world who can demand three wishes from Nanika and not get crushed to death. It will be nice to see Hiatus X Hiatus end someday. Even the end of the Dark Continent arc will for the most part allow readers to know the secrets behind Nanika, Beyond Netero’s goal, and the Phantom Troupe’s fate.
Nami
Eichiro Oda’s contribution to the manga industry will forever remain incalculable in the eyes of manga readers. Since the start of One Piece in 1997, we have witnessed his manga reach and become one of the big three. The amount of dedication and passion the man puts into his work is frankly commendable.
One Piece as a series is no stranger to memorable characters. From Luffy to Big Mom it is filled with an amazing cast. Nami, the one on this list, is part of the Straw Hat Pirates and serves as the crew’s navigator. Apart from that, she is also a senior officer in the Straw Hat Pirates Grand Fleet.
When it comes to the matter of money, Nami is greedy. This is mostly due to the unfortunate circumstances she faced during her childhood. However, her greed doesn’t mean she isn’t loyal to her crew. Nami may not be the bravest or most powerful among the Straw Hat crew but she damn sure isn’t afraid to fight for her crew.
Norman Bates
He doesn’t have long sharp metal claws nor does he possess inhuman strength and yet he is one of the most popular horror icons to ever exist. Unlike your Freddy, Jason, or Mike Myers, Norman Bates doesn’t have something supernatural attached to him. He is for all intents and purposes, a simple normal man.
Created by Robert Bloch in his 1959 novel, Psycho, the character turned into a horror icon after the release of the Alfred Hitchcock-directed movie of the same name. Anthony Perkins, who played the psychotic killer in the movie, gave such a riveting performance that to this day people can’t stop talking about it. The character of Norman Bates himself was inspired by the real-life serial killer, Ed Gein, who is rather infamous for skinning people’s corpses and killing two women.
Like Gein, Norman was obsessed with his mother, which ultimately led him to kill her and Joe Considine, her lover. This activity culminated in the birth of Mother, a split personality of Norman. As much of a terrible person Hitchcock may have been on his sets, he gave the horror genre a movie that is still counted as one of the best.
Nausicaa
Another Hayao Miyazaki masterpiece, Nausica, is the titular main character of the animated feature film- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Hayao Miyazaki originally wrote and created the character in his manga of the same name in 1982. Later on, he decided to turn it into an animated film thanks to Hideo Ogata and Yasuyoshi Tokuma’s suggestion.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind centers around a teenage princess called Nausicaa and her struggles against the Tolmekia kingdom. Like other Hayao Miyazaki movies, Valley of the Wind focuses its themes around nature and war. Nausicaa as a character herself is independent and brave. And as a princess, she is compassionate of others and kind to not only humans but other creatures too. Although Valley of the Wind wasn’t exactly made by Ghibli, it is still regarded as one. And a damn fine movie it is. Seriously, if you already haven’t watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, watch it.
No-Face
Hayao Miyazaki is the greatest director in the history of animation. The man has directed so many influential pieces of cinema that at this point he can be compared to the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, and Akira Kurosawa. Studio Ghibli, the animation studio he co-founded with Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki, is Japan’s top studio in terms of influential impact. Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, and Kiki’s Delivery Service are some of the greatest anime movies in history, all made by the studio itself.
2001’s Spirited Away, directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki himself, is certainly both the studio and his chef-d’œuvre. While Howl’s Moving Castle or My Neighbour Totoro can be contenders for that title too, Spirited Away has somewhat of a lead on it. Backed by the fact that it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
No-Face doesn’t have any dialogue in the movie and mostly remains silent. However, there’s something about this character that has made it so famous among fans. Maybe it’s his childlike personality or his quiet nature (when he is calm of course). But whatever it may be, No-Face has become the unofficial mascot of the Studio and the film.
Neferpitou
Another Hunter X Hunter character in the list. This time it’s the firstborn Royal Guard – Neferpitou. Tall with a cat-looking humanoid figure, Neferpitou was the first to awaken from the Chimera Ant Queen’s royal eggs. She along with Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi served as the royal guards to Meruem, the Chimera Ant King.
Togashi went ham in the Chimera Ant Arc. It is the best Hunter X Hunter arc in terms of characters, story, and world-building. Although that title can be grabbed by the ongoing Dark Continent arc if it finishes someday. Almost all the major characters in this arc are exemplary, to say the least. Togashi gave the readers of the manga an excellent antagonist for our main characters to overcome.
She is calculating and devoted. Even going on to save a human on her king’s order. If you didn’t know, Chimera Ants hate and look at them as nothing but cattle. While Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi are great characters in their regard, it is Neferpitou who is the most three-dimensional of them. And that is what makes her so iconic.
Neytiri
James Cameron does whatever James Cameron wants. You can count the number of directors in your single hand who can do and demand anything and the studio wouldn’t dare to bat an eye. Cameron is a moneymaker. The studio knows it. He knows it. And we have been aware of it since Titanic.
The tall blue people are back with the release of Avatar 2: The Way of Water. Now, when it comes to iconic characters in Avatar, the list is rather small actually. Jake, the main protagonist of the movie, is an okay character. But it’s Neytiri, his wife, who takes the crown here. Fierce and loyal to her people, she as a character has had and will have a lasting impact on the franchise. It also helps when you are being played by one of the most talented actresses – Zoe Saldana.
Ned Flanders
Some characters are not created as iconic. Some just become one over the years. In the case of Ned Flanders, he wasn’t particularly a very popular character at the start of the adult animation show, The Simpsons. However as the show progressed, Ned Flanders became a fan favorite, especially among Christians.
If you have heard the term Flanderization, you would be familiar with the character it’s referenced from. That’s right. It’s Ned Flanders. Now, for the uninitiated, Flanderization is referred to the process whereby as the show progresses a certain character’s certain traits or habits become the main focus and gets heavily exaggerated in that fictional work. The term was coined famously by the popular wiki TV Tropes on their website.
It was done so due to Ned Flanders who at the start of the show was a happy and good-natured Christian, went on to become a man who loves and talks about nothing but Christianity. From a friendly neighbor who Homer hated to an evangelical nut, such a drastic change was what led to him becoming a prime example of Flanderization.
Nancy Drew
While not as famous as the eccentric Sherlock Holmes or the arrogant Hercule Poirot, Nancy Drew is a teenage amateur detective who has got quite a few famous solved cases in her name. First created in 1930 by Edward Stratemeyer, Nancy Drew garnered a quick and massive following after the release of Nancy Drew Mystery Stories.
Seeing the success of his previous work – Harby Boys, Stratemeyer wanted to create a character to who girls could look up to. Thus, Nancy Drew was born. Carolyn Keen the “author” of the book is a pseudonym for the real others who ghostwrite the manuscript. It is due to this that over the years her character has undergone several drastic changes. Irrespective of that one thing which has never changed is her impeccable detective skills and ability to solve crimes. With more than 80 million in worldwide sales and several shows and movies, Nancy Drew has surely helped in inspiring many people.
Nick
Smugness incarnated. No fictional character is as smug as Nicholas Piberius Wilde. The moment you set your eyes upon that face, you know he is up to something. However, deep down Nick is compassionate and trustworthy. But the fox keeps all this hidden behind his persona as a sly and cunning creature.
Released on 4 March 2016, Zootopia was a Disney animated feature film about animals and their division. The film was directed by three people – Byron Howard, Jared Bush, and Rich Moore. Upon its release, it received critical acclaim for its story and characters. And even earned a whopping $1 billion in revenue worldwide. Nick, the character in this list serves as the deuteragonist of the movie along with Judy, a bunny cop.
Jason Bateman of Arrested Development fame lent his voice to the character and certainly did an amazing job showing the audience Nick’s easygoing and charming attitude.
Narancia
Of course, there will be a Jojo character in this list. That whole franchise is famous for its characters and their personalities. You have got a murderous priest befriending a sexy vampire, a hand-fetishist serial killer, a deranged villain with multiple personalities, and whatnot. Truly a bizarre adventure of sorts for the readers.
When you have stood like Baby Face or Pearl Jam, Narancia has a miniature fighter airplane as his stand doesn’t sound all that weird. Part of the Giorno crew, he is a trusty friend who stays till the end. Narancia doesn’t possess a formal education or a calm mind. But he more than makes up for what he lacks by being loyal, enduring, and most of all – a great friend to Giorno and the crew. Plus, the guy loves Tupac and Snoop Dog. How can anyone hate this angry little boy?
Natasha Romanoff
The Black Widow may not be as powerful as other avengers or first female action star Jennifer Lawrence, but she can damn well kick some alien arse. Created by Don Rico, Don Heck, and Stan Lee, she made her comic book debut in Tales of Suspense Issue #52 of 1964. Natasha played the role of an antagonist for the first few appearances of her character which was later on changed.
Natasha was trained and brainwashed by the Red Room as a spy for the Soviet Union. But she overcame that and was granted amnesty by the United States. After some time, she became an official member of the Avengers team.
It was Scarlett Johansson’s role as Black Widow in Marvel’s movies that thrust the character into immediate popularity. The actress’s portrayal of the Russian super spy was received with great critical acclaim and fans of the comics were not disappointed. This is saying something since comic and manga readers share a special bond in being disappointed.
Nanami
His moves, Wack! His demeanor, Wack!! His power, Wack!!! Who knew a salaryman could be so cool? Every manga demands two characters with that cool factor in them. Chainsaw Man got old man Kishibe and the perpetual suffering machine, Aki. Jujutsu Kaisen has salaryman Nanami and overpowered Satoru Gojo.
Nanami is a Grade 1 Jujutsu sorcerer operating out of Tokyo Jujutsu High. At the start of the manga, he was already a salaryman, but that life wasn’t satisfying to him. And so he decided to come back and work as a Jujutsu sorcerer. This way he could at least impact some lives for the better. Unlike Gojo who is more of an unreserved individual, Nanami is stoic and blunt in personality. Moreover, he’s an excellent Jujutsu Sorcerer befitting the Grade 1 rank.
Neo
Neo is the protagonist of the Matrix series of films. A hacker in his previous life, he is now “The One”. The Matrix is set in a sci-fi universe where reality is just a simulation while the real reality is dark and grim, with a war known as the Machine War. Humans are on the brink of extinction with only one city remaining to their name called – Zion.
Portrayed by Keanu Reeves, the character and the movie became iconic in the history of movies, thanks to the Wachowski Sisters’ direction and storytelling. Today, the film is cited as one of the best sci-fi movies ever to exist. Furthermore, the movie also revived Keanu Reeve’s career and turned him into an action icon. A feat he would perform again as John Wick in 2014.
Norman Osborn
The iconic Green Goblin himself. Made even more so by William Dafoe’s masterpiece of a performance in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man (2002). Appearing first in The Amazing Spider-Man issue #14 in 1963, Norman hadn’t made his debut as himself but rather his alias the Green Goblin.
It would take three years for Norman Osborn to be introduced in the comic series by Stan Lee, the legendary comic book writer, and Steve Ditko, creator of Dr. Strange and co-creator of Spider-Man, along with Stan Lee. Issue #37 of The Amazing Spider-Man in 1966, gave birth to a villain so great and complicated that he became comic book one of the most recognized villains of all time. A fact further cemented by William Dafoe’s portrayal of the character.
Naomi Nagata
If there’s a sci-fi show that’s filled to the brim with amazing characters and equally epic storytelling, it’s got to be The Expanse. Plus science nerds can geek out all over its scientifically accurate stuff (at least most of it). The Expanse will hook you in from its first episode, and as you travel deeper and deeper into that space, you are going to appreciate how good it is. Aside from its story, what makes this series great are its characters.
Naomi Nagata is one of the main protagonists of The Expanse and belongs to the Rocinante crew. A belter by birth and an engineer by profession, Naomi is a highly capable and intelligent person. She has a son called Philip with her former lover Marco Inaros. A secret she kept hidden for years but one that would have grave consequences on not only her but the entire Rocinante crew. In all of the galaxy’s outer rim, she is the best engineer whose skill has saved Roci many times.
Naruto Uzumaki
The Shonen genre, be it anime or manga, has always been dominated by the three strongest and most popular IPs. Collectively known as The Big Three in the larger fan circle, it has existed since anime started getting wide recognition outside Japan and started becoming mainstream.
While there haven’t been any official measuring prerequisites, informally the overall popularity of an IP has been the main judging factor. The first three anime to be known as the Big Three were – One Piece by Eichiro Oda, Bleach by Tite Kubo, and Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto.
Of these first batches of Big Three only two are currently running, with Bleach making a recent comeback(2nd cour will be next year) for its final arc and One Piece still going strong. Naruto was completed a long time ago in both anime and manga mediums. After ending his magnum opus, Masashi Kishimoto started a new manga called Samurai 8 which didn’t perform fairly well. However, Naruto remains an important cornerstone in otaku history.
The series tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an orphaned kid ostracized by his village on account of the Nine-Tails inside him. And with an ultimate goal of becoming the next Hokage, he is on a journey laden with hardships, betrayal, and Pain. Along this journey, he will be accompanied by Sasuke and Sakura, who have their demons to deal with. A classic in both the anime and manga industry, give Naruto a chance. We don’t talk about Boruto.
Natsu Dragneel
The poster child of the Fairy Tail IP, Natsu Dragneel, is also one of the main protagonists of it. Created by Hiro Mashima of the Edens Zero and Rave Master fame, the series was his second “big” manga after finishing Rave Master in 2005. Taking place in a fantasy world filled with dragons and wizards, the series tells the story of the wizard guild of Magnolia town – Fairy Tail, and its members.
Natsu Dragneel is a fire user like Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender or Shinra Kusakabe from Fire Force. He is a man with an unending appetite, reckless and most times dense. But despite all his flaws, he will never back down from saving his loved ones. Now, the views around Fairy Tail itself are polarizing, to say the least, but if you are someone who just wants some mindless fun, give the series a try.
Namor
Marvel’s Aquaman of sorts, Namor was created by Bill Everett who also happened to have created Daredevil along with Stan Lee. Debuting during the Golden Age of Comic Books in Marvel Comics Issue #1 In October 1939, Namor received a huge fan following at that time with the likes of Captain America and Human Torch.
Often regarded as the comic world’s first anti-hero by many, the King of Atlanteans is a very popular character in Marvel history. He made his silver screen debut in this year’s Black Panther 2 with Tenoch Huerta playing him. The Atlantean Sub-Mariner has been around for a long time in the comics, even counted as one of the oldest characters in comic publication history. It will be exciting to see what role Namor plays in the upcoming Secret Wars and Kang Dynasty.
Nathan Drake
The best treasure hunter of all time is here (sorry Lara). Nathan Drake was introduced to gamers with the launch of the first game in the franchise in 2007 known as Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Under the direction of Amy Hennig, Naughty Dog, who you might know from The Last of Us games, started to focus more on human conflicts and emotions. A big departure from their previous titles like Jak and Dexter and Crash Bandicoot, the risk they took was substantial.
Thankfully, the studio’s risk paid big time and the first Uncharted was met with good reviews. Praise was given to the story and especially the characters. Subsequent Uncharted games solidified that praise, while Naughty Dog mastered their storytelling skills. Which would ultimately produce another masterpiece – The Last of Us.
Nick Miller
He is dirty, he is dorky, he is funny, and he is Nick Miller’s alias Julius Pepperwood. Bartender by night, Schmidt and Winston’s Secretary by day (one ep only), Nick Miller is an enigma. A smelly and lovely enigma whose craziness could only be matched by the other four dorks of the group.
One of the main protagonists of the FOX sitcom New Girl, Nick Miller was played by Jake Johnson on the show. The series follows the life of Jessica Day or Jess, a sunshiny bubbly woman who decides to move in with three strangers after she finds her boyfriend cheating on her.
Nick is one of her roommates, who at first protested her move-in but quickly started to warm up to her. However, that doesn’t mean he isn’t annoyed by her. His gloomy personality often conflicts with Jess’s positive attitude, which sometimes makes for a whole lot of fun. If you want some new sitcom to laugh your heart out, watch New Girl.
Nick Fury
The superhero movie trend started by Marvel has seen growing tiredness from viewers, but the company has no plans to stop anytime soon. It has plans made so far as 2026, so you can already guess how many movies and shows they have in the works. And with so so many characters getting added with each installment, it will be interesting to see how Marvel handles it.
The first overarching story up to Endgame gave us plenty of memorable and iconic characters. From Chris Hemsworth’s Thor to Jake Gyllenhall’s Rocket, it was a great journey for fans and actors alike. One individual we can’t deny who had a major hand in the formation of the Avengers is Nick Fury. Played by Big Kahuna Burger connoisseur Samuel Jackson, this eye-patch-wearing old man has been involved in every major conflict related to the Avengers.
Just like William Dafoe breathed a new life into the character of Green Goblin, Samuel Jackson did the same with his. Certainly one of his best performances apart from Jules in Pulp Fiction, Secret Invasion is just around the corner as Marvel wraps up Phase 5, and Nick Fury will be a big part of it. Excitement all around, to be honest!
Nosferatu
The first vampire on the silver screen. And the one that made the creature more terrifying. If you already didn’t know Nosferatu is based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. He is also the titular main charcter of the movie, Nosferatu.
Directed by F.W Murnau, Nosferatu sucked his first blood on March 4 of 1922 in Germany. Many copies of the film were destroyed due to a lawsuit by the Stoker estate, but thankfully some were saved. And today, the film is regarded as one of the best horror movies due to its immense influence on horror as a cinema genre. Nosferatu himself is quite an influential albeit frightening vampire.
Most of the vampires today, be it books or movies, are presented in a pervasive manner with picture-perfect physiques and attractive looks. Nosferatu isn’t all that. He has long pointy ears, and a nose, and his eyes are big and round, filled with bloodlust. He is what you call an “OG”. And he will remain so for the rest of history.
Nala
The Lion King franchise is probably Disney’s most beloved from the 1990s. Especially the first film which still to this day is quoted when people talk about Disney’s impact. It even went on to win two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. This isn’t that surprising since Hans Zimmer had his hand behind the score.
Released in 1994, The Lion King was directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers. The movie revolves around Simba, a carefree lion who lives with his two best pals- Timon and Pumba. But Simba’s life was meant to be something else. He was to succeed his father, Mufasa as the King of the Pride Lands but his uncle decided to kill Mufasa and trick Simba into believing that it was he who was responsible for the death of his father.
In the first film, it was Nala who ventured into the unknown wild lands to find Simba and bring him back. She is one of the few important female characters in the franchise and can even be regarded as the most important one.
Negan
Some TV shows have the unfortunate luck of losing their potential either due to too much corporate meddling or the storyline going haywire since the writers are just completely incompetent at their job. It happened to Westworld, it has happened to The Witcher, and in the case of The Walking Dead, it got a surprise in the form of clueless writers and corporate mismanagement.
The first season of the show was purely amazing. And after that, it went all downhill from there. But when Negan made his debut during the last episode of the sixth season hopes were high again. Jeffery Dean Morgan’s depiction of the sociopath-wired bat-wielding leader of the Savior was nothing short of iconic.
The character had such a great reception that it even became a DLC character in the fighting game Tekken 7. However, good things weren’t going to last forever. This a sentence that AMC and the writers took to heart. Soon, the series was back to its mediocre phase. A phase Negan wasn’t able to kill.
Newt Scamander
The Wizarding World of JK Rowling has captivated the minds of its readers since the publication of Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone in 1997. The subsequent books were a sensation that has not been mimicked by any genre of the book till now. So famous were these books that a few religious nuts started to organize book burnings thinking it was teaching their children about Satan and such.
The name Newt Scamander has only been mentioned a handful of times both in the books and in the movies. But that name carried a lot of intrigue with it. Fans wanted more. And so in 2001, Rowling published a guidebook titled – Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. This led to the birth of a spin-off centered around Newt and his adventures.
Known as the Wizarding World’s greatest Magizoologist, Newt grew interested in the field when he saw his mother raising hippogriffs when he was a wee little lad. In Hogwarts, he got inducted into House Hufflepuff and has been their pride since then. He was instrumental in warding off the threat of Grindelwald, the most powerful wizard behind Voldemort. And he did that not once but thrice.
Nobita
Ahh, the nostalgia is going to hit hard with this one. Everybody reminisces about their childhood days at least once in a while. The time when you would come back from school, hurry up to the tv so that you don’t miss the scheduled telecast of your favorite show or cartoon. For many that show was Doraemon. And may it be for future generations too.
Believe it or not, the Doraemon franchise is massive both in Japan and other countries. Created by Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko under the pen name Fujiko F. Fujio, it was a manga first which as is with famous manga, got turned into an anime. From then on there was no stopping the blue cat. In terms of cultural impact and popularity, only the character of Son Goku can be considered a rival.
Timid and lazy at times, Nobita is Doraemon’s best friend. Though they are family at this point. As a 10-year-old boy, you can expect what every boy of his age is known for. He hates doing homework, is a procrastinator, and would sleep at a drop of a hat if allowed to. However, despite his flaws, he is a kind soul and an extremely creative person. His growth as an individual can be seen in the 2005 and 2020 movies – Stand by Me, Doraemon and Stand by Me, Doraemon 2. Just keep those tears in check while you watch them.
Ned Stark
Whatever your thoughts may be on the last season of Game of Thrones, you can’t deny the fact that its release changed modern television. As we wait for the release of George R.R. Martin’s Winds of Winter(whenever that may be), fans can at least get some satisfaction from watching House of Dragon. Which more or less received good reviews from fans of the series, although some scenes from the last few episodes were questionable.
Game of Thrones has immaculate worldbuilding, but it’s the characters who attract readers and viewers. All those schemes, plots, and motives made the story a fascinating read, which was equally translated into screens by once-competent writers. Not surprising really when you read about Martin’s inspiration behind the narrative – The War of Roses.
Played by Sean Bean in the first few seasons of the series, Ned Stark is the patriarch of the House Stark. His birth name is Eddard Stark but he is mostly known as Ned Stark. If you are familiar with the Sean Bean lore, you already know that most of his characters are not safe from death’s blade. Ned Stark is one of those unfortunate. It was his execution that gradually led to the Red Wedding and which in turn was responsible for the final conflict of the series.
Nightcrawler
The X-Men have so much potential to be an amazing franchise but time and time again mediocre movies have shattered that dream. Besides the Justice League and Avengers, they are the most widely known and popular superhero group in the comics. Fans have been waiting for a good X-Men movie to come out, and if the rumors about Marvel adapting them are true, then it is only a matter of time before that happens.
Nightcrawler’s real name is Kurt Wagner, a German mutant who was raised by a Romani witch called Margali Szardos. He is the offspring of one of the oldest mutants known as Azazel and Mystique. It’s due to this, which is why he is so demonic looking in appearance. Contrary to his appearance, Nightcrawler is a gentle soul with a kind heart. Among all the members of the X-Men, he is considered to be the purest of heart. It would be nice to see Nightcrawler once again on the silver screen with a more fleshed-out story and a good character arc.
Nightwing
Of all the major superheroes in the DC universe, Batman is someone who is continuously toeing the line between a caped vigilante to a mad crusader. It’s an understandable fact when you look at the man behind the mask as a broken, miserable child whose parents were gunned down mercilessly right in front of him.
The Bat family to an extent serves as his surrogate family, helping him to stay in touch with reality. The superhero known as Nightwing is an alias for various people who have taken on the same role. However, it is primarily associated with its original user – Dick Grayson.
Before becoming Nightwing, Dick was Batman’s sidekick superhero – The famous Robin. The duo became quite famous for their exploits together, but Dick decided to retire as Robin due to him becoming older and getting tired of playing Robin. His main area of activity is Gotham City which almost all other Bat-family members participate in too. The character is immensely loved among the DC comic books community so it will be exciting to see their reactions when the live-action movie releases in a year or two.
Neville Longbottom
The slayer of the last Horcrux and a legend of the wizarding world. Neville Longbottom is one of the many characters in the vast Harry Potter universe. At the start of the story, he is considered a minor character. However, as the story started to progress toward its conclusion his status as a minor character was changed to a major one.
Neville was instrumental in defeating Voldemort. Through his bravery he cut down the Dark Lord’s last Horcrux, Nagini, allowing Harry Potter to deal with the finishing spell. A pure-blood by birth, Neville was raised by his grandma after his parents turned insane due to the torture they suffered at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange.
Timid and forgetful he was the subject of a lot of bullying in his younger years at Hogwarts. But he persevered through all this and found friends in Harry, Ron,- and Hermoine. He is also counted among the ones who survived the Battle of Hogwarts and even went on to have a successful life as a Herbologist professor at Hogwarts.
Ness
Nintendo is an old company. Starting as a hanafuda trading card maker in 1889 it has survived two World Wars and a lot of failures. One thing it has always been known for is its innovation. It saved the gaming market in the year 1985 by releasing the Nintendo Entertainment System. The IPs it possesses are some of the most valuable in the gaming world right now.
All has not been well with the company though. It’s infamous for the overprotectiveness of its IPs, sending C&D to fan games, events, and such. And has also been criticized for selling decade-old games at flagship prices. Besides that, its stance to not release certain games worldwide has not been appreciated by the fans. Mother 3 is its most desired game which still to this day hasn’t seen a global release even though gamers have been begging for it from the time of its series.
The Mother series which is also known as Earthbound was created by Shigesato Itoi in 1989. It’s a classic RPG and has been cited as the inspiration for other games like Undertale. Ness is the baseball-wielding thirteen-year-old protagonist of the second Mother game which saw its release in 1994.
Since then he has been included in almost every Super Smash Bros. The release of Mother 3 is something many want, but it’s something only Nintendo has control over. While we can wait and hope for an announcement in each Nintendo Direct, only time will tell what the future holds for the series. Even F-Zero fans are hanging on a sliver of hope for a new game.
Nebula
It is a fact that some characters became famous due to their portrayal by competent actors. Peacemaker wasn’t well known before John Cena gave his best performance in the James Gunn-directed Suicide Squad and the subsequent show with the same name. The same could be applied to the whole Guardians of the Galaxy squad.
The saga of Peter Quill and friends concludes sometime next year as Marvel enters Phase 5. James Gunn who was the single driving force behind its success will bid goodbye to the franchise as he sets camp on the DC side to fix the utter horrible mess that is DC Universe.
Nebula who is a major character in the movie series went from being an antagonist to a member of the GOTG in a span of not more than five movies. Raised by Thanos alongside her sister Gamora, she is a trained killer whose skills are only outclassed by Gamora herself. Nebula is played by Australian actress Karen Gillian whose performance received wide critical acclaim from fans and critics alike. With the trilogy coming to an end, it will be intriguing to see what role they will play in Phase 5, or Secret Invasion for that matter.
Nezuko
Ufotable is one anime studio which knows how to build up hype and overdeliver. Fate: Unlimited Blade Works was such a marvel for its time (which it still is) that it had viewers wondering what the studio was doing to produce an anime so high quality, Unknown to them this was just a simple warm-up for the studio.
In the year 2019, Ufotable sliced and diced its way through the charts and released Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, an anime adaption of the manga of the same name by Koyoharu Gotouge. The anime topped every chart during the time it ran on air and was the best anime of the season.
Moreover, the movie which followed the anime, Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train finally toppled Spirited Away as the highest-grossing anime film, earning about 500 million dollars worldwide. Apart from this, the manga itself has gone on to sell 150 million sales becoming Shueisha’s best-selling manga to date.
While Tanjiro, the series protagonist was well-liked and Zenitsu had a polarizing reception, it was Nezuko, Tanjiro’s younger sister and a human-turned-demon who became a fan-favorite among the wider audience. Her bamboo muzzle and caring personality won over the hearts of many and with the new season coming next year, the hype is bigger than ever.
Nobara Kugisaki
If Nanami’s cool and calm then Nobara’s the polar opposite. She is brash and outspoken and can even get crazy when she is in a fight. Along with Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushigoro, she is a 1st-year student at Jujutsu High under Satoru Gojo’s tutelage.
Nobara is a third-grade Jujutsu Sorceror, but her skills are not to be taken lightly. The Straw Doll Technique is her signature move which enables her to pass on damage to the enemy using the doll. In combat she is an absolute monster, going as far as to stab herself with nails to down her opponent. Nobara is simply a girl who doesn’t mess around when it comes to the survival of her friends and loved ones. A fact you can’t deny, especially if you have been up to date with the manga.
Nappa
Just as Hayao Miyazaki has been influential in anime movies, Akira Toriyama has been to anime. Dragon Ball Z essentially set the main stepping stone for other animes to walk on to. It is impossible to talk about anime without mentioning Dragon Ball. Such is the cultural impact of both anime and manga.
Today it can be argued that the show’s charm has somewhat gone due to the fights taking a substantial amount of episodes to finish. But you can’t deny the fact that the anime’s earlier arcs like the Cell Saga and Raditz Attacks saga were some of the best in anime history. And while we are on the topic of arcs, it would be a cardinal sin not to even mention the Vegeta Saga. Every single frame of that arc is still etched in the minds of DBZ fans.
Nappa was a major part of the Vegeta Saga. Acting as the second primary antagonist of the series, he gave the viewers some intense movement while ultimately becoming the punching bag for Goku’s warm-up to the big fight. The bald middle-aged Saiyan was also critical to the plot as it showed Vegeta’s cruelty and thirst for a good fight.
Napolean Dynamite
Indie films, are it in Hollywood, Bollywood or any other wood for that matter have always been shadowed by big-budget movies. Although in recent years the scene has been changing a lot thanks to production houses like A24 and Blumhouse. Of course, these production houses wouldn’t be able to gain traction without some great indie movies to their name, which they got.
Ari Aster’s Hereditary and Midsommar, then Robert Eggers’s The Witch and The Lighthouse, are just some of the few in a list of many that contributed to the widespread appreciation of indie movies. Before the indie boom, some films were able to break the barrier and reach the mainstream audience. Titles like The Blair Witch Project and in this list’s case – Napoleon Dynamite.
Directed by Jared Hess and released in 2004, Napoleon Dynamite is a comedy film centering around a teenager with low social skills and his Uncle’s shenanigans. The film itself is named after its main character who lives with his older brother and grandma. Armed with a nerdy personality, Napoleon will need to part the metaphorical seas of teenage bullying and awkward interactions if he wants his best friend, Pedro, a Mexican immigrant to win the role of Class President along with getting a dance partner for the high school dance. Napoleon Dynamite is a film you won’t regret watching.
Nico Robin
Another major member of the Straw Hat Pirates, Nico Robin is the seventh one to join our main group. She made her manga debut in Chapter 114 called The Course. Among the Straw Hat crew, she currently has a bounty of 930,000,000 berries on her head, the fifth highest when compared to others.
Nico Robin acts as the historian and archaeologist of the Straw Hat Pirates along with being a Senior Officer in the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. With a fairly tall and petite build, she made her debut as a major antagonist in the Arabasta Saga arc. By the end of it, her character officially joined Luffy’s crew and has been a major part of the overarching story since then. The World Government has been actively looking for her, putting out bounties as she is one of the only two individuals capable of reading and deciphering the ancient Poneglyphs.
Nezha
When it comes to mythology, particularly “cool” ones, South and Southeast Asia have the best ones. The Irish and Norse myths are certainly good but when you come to learn about the ones from the Eastern world, that’s just another level. Sun Wukong, Amaterasu, Ashwathama, and countless others, have such amazing myths around them that once you go into that rabbit hole, you are not coming back soon.
Nezha is a major deity in Chinese mythology, often associated with fire and protection. Some suggest that his myth has been derived from Nalakuvara, a minor god in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Aside from this, Nezha is a fairly popular figure appearing in a myriad of games and literature. And Fate has one. Of course, Fate being Fate, it’s a genderbend version of him with legs often turning into fire wheels. The free-to-play looter shooter Warframe has also Nezha as one of its available Warframes.
Neco-Arc
No character parody is greater than our lord and savior – Neco Arc. She is funny, she is smug and just look at that derpy face. How can you hate that?? You can’t. You can hide it all you want, but deep-deep-deep down we know you don’t.
If you are unaware, Neco-Arc belongs to the larger Nasuverse. Yes, the Nasuverse which the Fate franchise is part of. As said earlier, Neco-Arc is a parody character who has recently seen a massive rise in her popularity thanks to the newly released Melty Blood-fighting game.
The massive flood of memes that came with it also helped Neco-Arc achieve that status. Primarily she is associated with the Tsukihime franchise as she parodies Arcueid Brunestud. Besides Neco-Arc there are other variations of her too, since she parodies other characters from Fate as well.
Nathaniel Garro
The Imperium of Man survives, not on the hopes and dreams of its subjects, for hope is a lost luxury to them. It continues to rule its millions of worlds with billions of citizens through the might and divinity of the God Emperor. His flesh rotten and half his sons turned to the vile Chaos, the Master of Mankind hasn’t forsaken his empire. For he is present. For he is perpetual. A being who lights the Astronomican even though he hasn’t moved in ten thousand years since the Horus Heresy.
Countless die every day in the known galaxy. Their souls are waiting to be snatched by the Chaos. But of those countless deaths, many yearn for the Emperor’s light as they lay down in their sacrifice. Nathaniel Garro was one such man. He was the first martyr. But he certainly wasn’t the last.
Battle Captain Nathaniel Garro led the 7th Great Company of the Death Guard Space Marine Legion before its Primarch – Mortarion, got corrupted by the Chaos. A veteran of many legendary battles, he was instrumental in letting the Imperium know of the incoming war and Horus’s treachery, The true nature of his fate is not known, but many believe(due to the Ecclesiarchy’s propaganda) that he became a martyr.
Whatever may be, Battle Captain Nathaniel Garro will forever be one of Imperium’s finest and bravest. For the Emperor protects, even in death.
