Though coffee is a popular drink choice, most anime characters prefer the calming effects of a nice, hot cup of tea.

Some anime characters run on coffee, but others are equally reliant on drinking a nice, hot cup of tea to get them through the day. Some characters just can't get enough of this beverage, whether it's a cup of Earl Grey or classic green tea.

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It's common to see anime characters offering their house guests a hot cup of green tea after they walk in the door. Some characters, however, are total tea aficionados who can differentiate between the many flavors of this beloved brew. Most drink it to relax after a long day, but some characters depend on tea.

My Hero Academia's Gentle Criminal wasn't the series' most terrifying villain, but he certainly left an impression on the audience and the rest of the cast. As a flamboyant lover of theatrics, Gentle did everything possible to cement his name in history as a classy, refined villain.

His favorite drink is black tea. He loves it so much that he incorporates it into his villainous identity. One of Gentle's most common moves is to pour tea into a cup, though he spills it everywhere because he holds the kettle too far away.

Akira Todo's favorite hobby is making tea for all of her friends at SA in Special A. Not only that, but she also enjoys baking different snacks for her friends to try. She's also responsible for cooking meals for the other members.

Akira acts like a typical refined, rich girl, but she's very kind to her peers. She feels the most calm when eating her homemade desserts and drinking a cup of tea. She's very protective of her friends and would do anything to keep them out of harm's way.

L from Death Note almost always has a cup of tea in his hands while he's solving a case. When he's not drinking tea, he's eating sweet treats like cakes or candies.

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Though most of his diet consists of junk food, L claims he stays underweight because his brain uses the most calories compared to the rest of his organs. Plus, it seems like he drinks tons of matcha tea, which boosts metabolism. In the manga, it's revealed that L loves tea so much that he has an entire teacup collection.

Bleach's Sosuke Aizen just can't get enough of tea. It's his favorite drink. Fans were perplexed when Aizen even got tea in Hueco Mundo, a dimension between the Soul Society and the human world. Interestingly, there's no water in Hueco Mundo.

Some claim it was just an illusion, while others joke that Aizen probably traveled between the worlds to steal some tea and bring it back with him. Regardless, fans appreciate the man's devotion to drinking his tea and are impressed that he'll defy logic to get it.

Black Butler's Ciel Phantomhive is almost always seen with a cup of earl grey tea. It's his favorite flavor, and its bitter taste perfectly suits his role in the story. He's the head of the Phantomhive clan and directly serves the Queen of England as her watchdog.

He's also the de-facto owner of the Funtom Corporation, a popular toy and confection company. Drinking tea is just another symbol of his status. Ciel came from a wealthy family and navigates life like a big chess game, using other people as pawns. He's used to a life of luxury; anything less would just feel foreign to him.

Giorno Giovanna is Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind's protagonist. He's a "Gang-star" who enjoys sipping tea while plotting his next move against the Boss. Unfortunately, Giorno is probably more weary of each cup he receives from someone else after what Leone did when he first met Team Bucciarati.

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Luckily, he was smart enough to turn his teeth into jellyfish so they could absorb it instead of him. Regardless, the beverage would probably taste great with Giorno's favorite foods, chocolate pudding and octopus salad.

Girls Und Panzer's Darjeeling is literally named after a popular flavor of tea. She's seldom seen without a cup in her hand, and she always talks about it. She has many mottos, most of which are direct quotes from famous authors.

One of her most notable statements was, "No matter how fast we go, or no matter how many hits we take, I will never spill my tea." Her favorite food, fish and chips, would probably taste great even with her namesake beverage.

Tea seems to be the beverage of choice for some of anime's best villains. Even though Satsuki from Kill La Kill likes to come off like a heartless monster, she cares deeply for others. Even though she didn't like Mitsuzo Soroi's tea, Satsuki drank it regardless because she didn't have the heart to admit that she didn't like it.

​​​​​​​However, she eventually grew to enjoy it. She found it way too bitter at first, but reminisces upon those days with fondness when she realizes that she was a kindhearted person the entire time. After all, she went out of her way not to hurt the butler's feelings.

Saiko Intelli was a participant in the pro-hero license exam during My Hero Academia's third season. She's a second-year aspiring hero who attends Seiai Academy. She has a wickedly high IQ, as her Quirk would suggest. Drinking tea allows her quirk to function.

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​​​​​​​After taking a sip, Saiko has to close her eyes and think for a bit, then she temporarily becomes a super-genius. Some characters need a cup of tea as their daily pick-me-up, but Saiko wouldn't function as a hero without drinking it.

Attack On Titan's Levi Ackerman is rough-around-the-edges, vulgar, and a fierce fighter. Most people wouldn't have taken him for a clean freak at first, but his initial aspirations are even more surprising to most people.

​​​​​​​According to Isayama, Levi wanted to open a tea shop at some point before turning to a life of crime in the Underground. His favorite flavor is black tea; he even enjoys collecting tea leaves. Levi specifically drinks tea plain without anything added since things like sugar, milk, and honey are too expensive for him to afford.

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Sarah is a senior writer for CBR. She loves analyzing and talking about her favorite animanga series and helping others find their new obsessions. When she's not working, Sarah is probably making art, reading a book, playing video games, or catching up on the latest chapters of their favorite manga.

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