Diversity and representation are important in storytelling and popular media, and now more than ever, many once-ignored groups and identities have begun to enjoy meaningful and substantial representation in comics, movies, television programs, anime and video games. One group that still needs more representation in the media, however, is the autism community.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) features a long list of typical symptoms, and someone diagnosed as on the spectrum may show any combination, or constellation, of these symptoms to varying degrees of severity. These range from having intense and narrow interests to a lack of theory of mind to a preference for habit and routine to the need for regular physical or mental stimming. In anime, there are hardly any officially confirmed autistic characters, a reflection of Japanese culture's general privateness about mental health issues in general.
However, the number of characters who are frequently headcanonned as autistic, or that at least have certain autistic traits, is much higher. This list features one canonically diagnosed anime character, one semi-canonically diagnosed one and five common headcanons.
Kamille Bidan (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam)
One of the only anime characters with an official autism diagnosis (stated directly in Episode 8 of Zeta Gundam) is Kamille Biden. He is a skilled Gundam pilot, and in fact designed his Gundam himself, a rare feat for any pilot. His behavior accurately reflects the spectrum. He acts entirely on his own judgment, possibly a reflection of "mind-blindness" -- difficulty perceiving or understanding the viewpoints and thoughts of others. Kamille is rather brash when speaking to others, and he has been known to make insensitive or thoughtless remarks or statements that he doesn't realize are seen offensively.
Futaba Sakura (Persona 5)
This shy, brilliant girl was once described by voice actress Erica Lindbeck as being on the spectrum, and many Persona fans feel the same way. She suffered a great deal of personal trauma upon the death of her mother Wakaba Isshiki, and even before then, Futaba was a deeply introverted girl who mostly enjoyed her own company. After her mother's tragic death, Futaba retreated to the sanctuary of her own bedroom, communicating with the outside world entirely through the Internet. She had her father in the house with her, but couldn't bear to come face-to-face with any strangers from outside the home. She has difficulty processing her feelings of grief and depression. She also has fairly narrow and dedicated interests, such as otaku culture and navigating the Internet. Futaba represents the tragic reality of what happens after serious trauma and the hikkikomori (shut-in) phenomenon.
L & Near (Death Note)
Death Note's L is the world's greatest detective and one of the most popular autism headcanons. He has a strong eye for detail, is ultra-focused on his special interests and he has a calculating mind with an aptitude for schemes and deciphering codes. Personally, he's seen as an oddball by the Japanese police, from his unkempt appearance to his odd way of sitting to his exclusive interest in eating sweets and drinking sugar-laden tea. His social skills are limited, and has limited executive functioning skills, needing his assistant Watari to handle practical matters.
L is likely a spectrum character, and the same can be said of his successor Near. Like L, Near is focused on his selected fields of interest, eschewing practically everything else in favor of puzzles, toys and games. He has been described more than once as seeing everything as a puzzle, and his logical mind has no patience for emotions, human connections, or the unpredictability of life. Even with familiar acquaintances like Mello, his social skills are limited. Pleasant chit-chat is a foreign concept to him; he would rather discuss the newest developments of the Kira case.
Jun Shiomi (Food Wars!)
Jun Shiomi is a character who has exhibited some spectrum traits but might not qualify for a fully ASD diagnosis. She's a fully-qualified teacher at the prestigious Totsuki institute but is so focused on her work that she often forgets meals, sleep or her paperwork and other duties. Her student protege, Akira Hayama, shares Jun's intense and dedicated study of all things fragrance and spice, but he's the one who often looks out for her, preparing her meals or making sure she gets enough sleep. Jun is a responsible adult, but many things fall through the cracks, usually to comic effect. She also easily becomes flustered in the company of strangers, even when meeting the equally meek Megumi Tadokoro, a first-year student.
Mei Hatsume (My Hero Academia)
Like Jun Shiomi, Mei Hatsume the inventor hero exhibits a few spectrum traits, such as her narrow interests. Instead of toys or spices, she is dedicated to machines and contraptions, and conveniently, she can pursue this interest with minimal human contact along the way. Augmented by her Zoom Quirk, Mei dedicates all of her waking hours to inventing heroic gadgets, and she shamelessly pushes them on other people of interest, and in fact, she only joined Izuku's cavalry team so the business professionals in the audience would see her items at work. She also had no sense of boundaries when she comically groped Izuku head-to-toe to test his physique, unaware she was acting strangely.
Senku Ishigami (Dr. Stone)
Senku has no interest in making friends, flirting with girls or expressing himself openly; he is dedicated to remaking the world with science, and inventing a new gadget or preparing a new chemical formula is what lights the fire in his eyes, not the warmth of human companionship. Senku cares deeply about helping humanity, but he'd rather not get his hand shaken or get invited to an awards dinner. He'd rather retreat to his lab to begin the next project, and no one had better interrupt him while he's working. He strives to save humanity, not mingle with it. He's known to make blunt statements to his allies and annoy them either without realizing it or caring that much. That's what makes Senku so productive but prickly at the same time.
