I have to separate guys from girls. With guy characters it's mostly what I idolize/want to be while with girls they're mostly who I adore/want to be with.
As for guys...
Takashi Komuro of Highschool of the Dead
At first, he's portrayed like any other slacker, even sort of a loser. He's mediocre with politics and his social abilities are close to none. However, being honest and down-to-earth humble made him a character that learns and adapts to the situation quickly -- exactly what he needs to survive in a world full of zombies. I particularly liked how he admits he's not perfect and how he admits it when he has learned something new. He has emotions, but he never lets those get in his way (there is an exception when Rei was thrown off the humvee and a famous scene follows). He never loses sight of reality, easily accepts a situation as it is without going into despair and this trait helps him keep him calm and logical when everyone else is in panic mode.
Roy Mustang of Fullmetal Alchemist
Seemingly the perfect senior and a flawless commanding officer during the start of the series, Roy Mustang slowly shows his weakness, which is also his greatest asset -- his unrelenting focus to his goals, which at the time was revenge. He uses his emotions as a weapon and seemed like the more he's consumed by it, the more intelligent and devious he became. Even while consumed by his thirst for revenge when he was torturing the homunculus Envy, he's logical enough not turn against his greatest allies, The Elric Brothers and Riza Hawkeye, when they stopped him from killing Envy.
And the girls:
Saeko Busujima of Highschool of the Dead
I like confident girls.
Kuroko Shirai of Majutsu no Index/Kagaku no Railgun
I like confident, perverted girls.
Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst of Zero no Tsukaima
I like confident, perverted, busty girls.
Kanako Watanabe of Star Driver
I like confident, perverted, busty and intelligent girls.
Kanade Suzutsuki of Mayo Chiki!
I like confident, perverted, busty and intelligent girls who scheme.
Riko Mine of Hidan no Aria
I like confident, perverted, busty and intelligent girls who scheme and just go for what they want.
Mikako Satsukitane of Sora no Otoshimono
I like confident, perverted, busty and intelligent girls who scheme, go for what they want and punish the ones as perverted as them.
Anyone reading the female list who knows at least 2 of the girls would instantly know my type. So I thought I didn't have to make a paragraph for each one. I like mature women. Not old -- mature. Maturity usually has the bonus package of confidence, intelligence and reliability. Perversion, seduction, and the bust are extra bonus. Rawr.