The gradual introduction of more characters from a particular family, bloodline, clan, or lineage can add lots of texture and depth to the world of an anime series—and that complexity draws us in further. Families in anime series can serve to support the emotional growth (or regression) or a main character, introduce mysteries via secrets only known to the family, or even hook us with special abilities that are only passed down to blood relatives. Anime families and clans are also great for additional drama, whether through rough intra-family dynamics or rivalries between different families, which can evolve into political intrigue and wider plots. From dark and brutal families to lovingly unique families, here are our picks for the best anime families, clans, and bloodlines.
11. The Valac Family (Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun)
The Valac Family is a cute and funny family whom you may not recognize at first, but you probably know of the energetic and easy-going Clara. Her family cares for and loves each other in Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, and they have a uniquely comedic family song. Another thing that lands her family on this list is their ability called “Summon”, which allows them to replicate inanimate objects or summon living beings to their pockets as long as they have a picture of it in mind. There’s no limit to how many times this bloodline ability can help its user, but most of the time Clara uses it for snacks (and the reason why she’s banned from the cafeteria).
10. The Gremory Clan (High School DxD)
The Gremory Clan is one of the highest-ranking Devil Families in the series High School DxD. Characterized by their crimson-colored hair and their powerful clan members, the Gremory Clan is the bloodline from which the current “Lucifer” comes. A few members of the Gremory Clan can also use the Bael Clan’s Power of Destruction due to Velena (mother of Rias and Sirczechs) being a direct descendant of the Bael Clan. Issei Hyodo, a human-turned-demon in High School DxD, became a member of the Gremory Clan after he passed the trials.
9. The Forger Family (Spy X Family)
The small Forger Family of three is so amazing and unique in their blend of dangerous abilities yet wholesome personalities. The father figure Loid Forger is a spy. The mother figure Yor Forger is an assassin. The daughter figure Anya Forger is a telepath. The thing is, none of them know these things about the others—except for Anya, who knows but must keep it to herself so they don’t find out she’s a telepath. Indeed, the Forger Family is a fake family where all three come together and act as a family for their own personal reasons. But over time, they truly care for one another in special ways, and that’s a great element on top of the show’s action and comedy scenes.
8. The Kudo Family (Case Closed)
The Kudo Family of the Case Closed series is another small but interesting family in anime. The head of the family, Yusaku, is a novelist who showcased his great skills in deduction and case solving at a very young age. It’s no wonder why Shinichi (aka Conan Edogawa) is fond of mystery cases and becomes a talented detective himself as a high school student. Shinichi’s mother Yukiko is a beautiful actress who can perform disguises. Though the parents aren’t prominent in the entire series, they add twists to the mysteries of the episodes and arcs in which they’re present.
7. The Uzumaki Clan (Naruto Shippuden)
The Uzumaki Clan was a prominent clan in the Land of Whirlpools (which no longer exists), with its members scattered around to neighboring lands after the demise of their nation. The clan’s great abilities, including their prowess with sealing techniques and their unique chakra natures, made other countries plot against them and drive them to extinction. While we don’t see too many Uzumaki characters until the end of the main story, we learn that Uzumaki members have contributed greatly to the world’s backstory—like Mito (Hashirama’s wife) and Kushina (Naruto’s mother) both being hosts to the Nine-Tailed Fox.
6. House Vermillion (Black Clover)
One of the royal families of the Clover Kingdom, House Vermillion is comprised of fierce mages that include the siblings Mereoleona and Fuegoleon, who are masters of fire magic. Unlike other royals and nobles, House Vermillion doesn’t view non-nobles as low, shown by how Fuegoleon and Mereoleona treat Asta. Most Vermillion mages join the Crimson Lion Magic Knight Squad, while others are free to choose which squad they want to join, like Kirsch (Coral Peacocks) and Mimosa (Golden Dawn).
5. The Saiyan Race (Dragon Ball Z)
The Saiyan Race is a race of fearless warriors in the Dragon Ball universe. They have the ability to channel energy and become a Super Saiyan, then grow even more savage and destructive as a legendary Great Ape. Unfortunately, the Saiyan Race was annihilated by Frieza and now only a handful of remnants survive, including Goku and Vegeta. Goku and Vegeta each started a family of their own on Earth and successfully revived their dying race. The young Saiyans inherited their warrior traits and could turn Super Saiyan and Great Ape.
4. The Noah Family (D.Gray-man)
The Noah Family is not exactly a normal family. Instead, they’re descendants of the survivors of the “great flood,” who have awakened their inner dark side via their “Noah genes.” They are the antagonists of the series D.Gray-man, with Millenium Earl leading as the father figure. They all have the same pale-to-dark-gray skin coloration and cross-like stigmata. They are self-proclaimed “children of God” and are powerful individuals with an interesting history full of story twists and turns, including the revelation of the Fourteenth and Allen Walker’s involvement.
3. The Kamado Family (Demon Slayer)
The Kamado Family was massacred by Muzan, turning Nezuko into a demon and leaving Nezuko and her brother Tanjiro (who wasn’t there at the time) as the sole survivors of the family. Though their family members have been long dead, they still help Nezuko and Tanjiro in times of dire need throughout the series, like the scene where Nezuko awakened her Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blood. Another thing that makes this family one of a kind is its history with the progenitor of the demons, along with the Sun Breathing Technique from which other Breathing Techniques are derived.
2. The Zoldyck Family (Hunter X Hunter)
The Zoldyck Family is a family of deadly assassins and hired killers, to which Killua and Illumi belong. Killua was trained to be a killer from a very young age, making him capable of taking down any enemy instantly. Aside from Killua and Illumi, the Zoldyck Family includes Zeno (grandfather) and Silva (father), Kalluto, Milluki, Kikyo (mother), and a child hidden under tight security, Alluka. Despite the family’s shady business and brutal nature, they impose a rule that no one in the family should hurt a member, otherwise they’ll be punished (like when Killua hit Milluki, only to be chained and punished).
1. The Uchiha Clan (Naruto Shipudden)
Madara, Itachi, Sasuke, and Tobi all came from the same Uchiha Clan, which is a direct bloodline descendant of the Sage of Six Paths from Indra Otsutsuki. The Uchiha Clan is one of the two founding clans of the Hidden Leaf Village alongside the Senju Clan of Hashirama. The Uchiha have the bloodline ability called Sharingan, which can be evolved further—although only a handful of them have ever done it—into the Mangekyo Sharingan, which grants further powers like Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Kamui, Susanoo, and more. The clan was so strong that one member, Itachi Uchiha, massacred the entire clan in the middle of the night to prevent further bloodshed arising from greater conflicts between the clan and the world. Read next: The best anime characters with sad and tragic backstories
