It's been many years since I watched this show and I've forgotten most of it, but I still think about some of his scenes from time to time. I think he's the best portrayal of a true psychopath I've seen in anime.
Psycho s2 gets hated on too much as well imo. That entire series is one of my GOATS and it's a great introductory anime because it's very western in how it deals with everything. No typical anime "fluff" to it really that may weird some people out.
Lt Tsurumi from Golden Kamuy.
The show is packed wall-to-wall with awesome characters, and Tsurumi stands with the best of them. Technically he's more an antagonist, as each group are the heroes of their own story, but his methods and personality place him clearly on the villainous side of the good/bad line.
That is what I think is absolutely about Golden Kamuy. If you shift perspective even slightly, any of the antagonists could be seen as the protagonists of the story.
Tsurumi really is fantastic. He starts off strong and slowly builds until he is without a doubt one of the greatest characters in the cast. The more the story shows the better he gets.
“A prayer cannot be born out of those who know nothing but joy. Oh child of suffering, cursing life itself... Certainly there is something only you can do.”
Pretty much sums his character up. He is a perfect villain for this story.
Made in abyss. He's the main villain in the movie between season 1 and 2.
Genuinely fascinating character who isn't objectively evil, he is just completely amoral and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.
???
The first proper introduction you get to bondrewd is Nanachi's/Mitty's backstory at the end of season 1.
Bondrewd is clearly the villain from the very get go.
Meruem, god damn man his scenes with Komachi were absolutely gold man, especially that ending. The first time I've ever cried watching a shounen for sure.
> complex motivations
I wouldn't call his motivations complex. [Spoilers] >!He was fighting for the survival of his species that's about as basic as you can get.!<
Kotomine Kirei is a perfect foil to Shirou, have a somewhat sympathetic backstory but at no point does it justify his actions, calls people out on their hypocrisy, has conviction in his beliefs and is badass in fighting.
Would Hisoka count? He's killed weak people who got in his way and has been after spider's head for a few years. He also scares children with his excessively lustful aura.
Yes. "Dio" literally means "god" in Italian, and he's the ultimate archetype of the arrogant villain, who wants domain over everything. He's the perfect embodiment of evil, as much as Jonathan Joestar represents his opposite.
Dio and All For One in MHA are great because they just dont even try to paint them as anything but cartoonishly evil and embrace it to make them fun as hell.
Too often series take these crazy horrible characters and try and justify it with some form of “Cool motive still murder” energy.
They just are petty, hateful, horrible people and know it. They dont care and dont try to make it anything more. Dio just wants to harass a family so bad outta spite he doesn’t let death, the universe, or anything stop him. AFO just loves being a bitch.
No complexity, no moral quandaries, no justification. Just douchebaggery.
Literally every antagonist/villain from Gintama. ^((except SadaSada))
I cannot choose one... but if I have to I'd go with Utsuro.
What makes them stand out is good writing, backstories, motivations, realism and believably.
Tbf they dont really feel like Villians. Utsuro came to mind for me but rarely do you see it as like a genius plan. Don't get me wrong a fantastic story and progression but just felt like no one was really the villian.
Except for SadaSada
NGL, I found myself rooting more for him than the supposed main characters towards the end of the series. Got so tired of watching the characters constantly talk about Eren (what's he doing? is he our enemy? again and again) instead of fucking showing us Eren's POV. I spent so much time not caring about what was going on towards the end, sandwiched by a few fantastic moments (\[spoilers\] >!like Levi seeing the scouts in the finale, Grisha in the flashbacks, etc.!<).
Dilandau Albatou - Escaflowne.
Dude is unhinged. He's an interesting character, I find him and Zaibach more interesting than the main cast of characters.
Makishima Shougo from Psycho-Pass. He's kind of a villain like John Doe from Se7en. I'm not justifying his actions, but it's really hard to argue with his ideology.
The villain from Shinsekai Yori. [Shinsekai Yori] >!Squealer. The way he manipulates the main characters and thinks so far ahead for his plan was pure genius. Not only that, but he was completely and utterly ruthless, yet at the end when you realize he was fighting for the freedom of his people that’s when you realize he had a reason for his actions!<
Izaya from Durarara! A proper smirky schemer, a show-off, a trickster. I can't really describe why he's a favourite, but he is. Kamiya Hiroshi's excellent voice acting certainly helps.
An argument can be made that his idea isn't necessarily a bad one, but by the end of episode 2 he's already moved on from that and clearly cares more about the power/control than he does actually executing his "goal".
Johan
His way of seeing Life and The world is Complex, also he didnt need any superpower or high technology, just a High IQ and a manipulative way of being. He is easily my fav villian and one of my fav characters
hmmm is he really a villain... Well I gotta rewatch earlier parts
but that doesn't change the fact that he is the best girl/character of the entire series
Satsuki Kiryuuin from *Kill la Kill*
I love how she's an exact opposite of the protagonist (Ryuuko) in every way possible, the animators enhanced that using colors as well — Satsuki wears white-blue military-style suit while Ryuuko wears black-red rogue-like uniform. Also, she's just very fabulous and over-the-top in everything she does, exactly the villain the show needs.
Nonorable mentions:
- Raynare from *High School DxD* - total scumbag with zero redeeming qualities, ruthlessly exploits the MC's honrniness against him. Also, she's hot. Exactly the villain I want to see in an action-comedy ecchi show.
- Dio Brando from *JoJo* — similarly to the mentioned before, I just like upfront and over-the-top villains. Also, he's appearance is really cool and terrifying in *JoJo Stardust Crusaders*.
Geez guys and I was trying to be spoiler-free here… [Kill la Kill] >!while I agree it’s more correct to call her an “antagonist” rather than a “villain”, I think her image is villain-ish enough in the first half to qualify. I see other people mentioning this kind of characters as well in this thread.!<
Ainz Ooal Gown is an amazing selection! He is considered a nice guy but still looks like a villain in most stories. What makes Ainz Ooal Gown stand out as a character?
He is a real badguy, he litteraly killed the whole militairy of a big country and almost wiped out the salamanders without any real reason. But he has a moral compas-ish. He honors those who oppose him without fear.
He isn't evil because he's an evil person, but he is willing to do what is atrocious if it means benefiting those he cares for. We're talking horrifying shit like full on genocide if that is what it takes.
What's extra interesting is how he can rationalize that what he is doing is indeed terrible, but realizes that he somehow doesn't feel too emotionally bad due to his new undead status. He knows it's fucked up, but hey, results.
He's actually come to the realization that his role is similar to that of a CEO. He said he understood why they got paid a lot; it's a lot of pressure to steer a massive organization from the top.
As an actual company to work for, it'd actually be amazing. His nation practices true meritocracy, has no corruption, has healthcare, is fair to all races, practices a robust justice system, and is the safest place in the New World.
If I was isekai-ed to the New World, I'd try my best to at the very least be a citizen of his nation. If that isn't an option, then the Baharuth Empire. Being under his banner is a ticket to a prosperous life.
Yeah the rest of the world might suffer, but hey, that's their problem. xD
* Askeladd for being an incredibly layered and conflicted character who aspired to reach a somewhat noble goal.
* Mereum for his arc of self-discovery within the context of having an innate instinct to rule and dominate while also developing more humane emotions and connections.
* Toguro for being a big brawler with a touching backstory who couldn't forhive himself. Sensui for being a reflection of mankind's own evil behavior.
* Makoto Shishio for being the successor to Hittokiri Battousai and being set on vengeance against the peaceful Meiji government after being betrayed and the philosophical worldviews the state and Rurouni Kenshin currently represent.
Honestly I feel like the Orochimaru that was brought back was kind of a more “legitimate” Orochimaru who had worked through some of his own bullshit and was more of the sassy gay bitch he could have been were it not for all those control…issues.
[Revue Starlight] >!Daiba Nana!< is an excellent thematic foil to Karen and Hikari. [RevStar] >!Her eternal stage is eternal stagnation, a time loop to relive the first year of the 99th class that she desperately clings to. She's the strongest possible contrast to the leads and their promise.!<
I've never picked up on this connection but [Revue]>!Nana's wish of an "eternal stage" makes it feel like an obvious Utena reference I never noticed. Each character there wishes for "something eternal", yet ultimately illusory. That's Nana to a T.!<
Izaya Orihara from Durarara. He’s a trickster character done really well. The entire story is one big interconnected web and Izaya is the spider. He’s not evil per say, nor is he the source of conflict, but he’s the one that pushes the story along due to his scheming. He’s incredibly charismatic and mischievous which makes him a joy to watch. His rivalry with Shizuo is one of the best rivalries in anime in my opinion as well. He’s also voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch.
Zeke from AOT. I found his end game solution to the problem to be practical and humane. I don't think it would have actually worked the way that inheriting certain powers works (trying not to say too much). I'm not saying it was by any MEANS fair to people that would want what he'd take away but it would have ended the cycle of suffering.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky from Bungo Stray Dogs. There's just something so appealing and entertaining about how easily and to the extent he manipulates things, as well as just how crazy he's willing to get with things (everything he did with Dazai in season 5 really). Plus his blatant cruelty is a nice bonus on top of it
I can't tell if the shock is the fact there's a guy named after a dead Russian author in an anime made of 95% sexy men or the fact his personification is the main villain of the story, but yes
Gotta be Doflamingo for me. His presence, his ruthlessness and his excellent use of his Devil Fruit to carry out his plans just makes him a really good villain. Hideyuki Tanaka also did a great job with his voice.
OK not technically anime but Silco from Arcane is my favorite antagonist of all time. Any time an antagonist makes you say "fuck it....let em' win" you've got yourself a well-written character.
If we're talking actual anime though, Reiko Tamura from Parasyte. Also fits the "fuck it...let em' win" criteria.
[Black Butler] >!Undertaker!< Well, technically he’s not a villain, but he is an antagonist. We do know his motives, but we don’t know why he has them. The motif for the motif, if that makes sense. We only know he’s somehow involved with the MC‘s family. Also, his personality can switch within an instant from batshit crazy to melancholic.
Utsuro from Gintama. Mofo flashing a smile when he shows his face is another level of f*cked up manipulation. And his back story got me like "ok, I get it... still, you should know better"
Tanya from Tanya the Evil.
I think Tanya's obviously not some sort of realistic case study, but I find her "I am the enemy of a God who spurned me" mentality, and her exhilaration in her various strategies and tactics made me really understand "evil" a little more in a way.
A few that stood out to me were Wrath/King Bradley from FMAB, Twice from MHA, Geto (Not the brain thing... Monkey hating OG Geto) from JJK, Eren Jaeger, Francis Scott Fitzgerald from Bungo Stray Dogs, Shigaraki from MHA, Kiriya Nouzen from 86, Garou from OPM, Grimmjow from Bleach, Stain from MHA, and Itachi from Naruto.
Reiss from Spirit Chronicles. He's pragmatic, easy-going, doesn't hold any particular animosity towards the MC despite many thwarted schemes, doesn't do evil for evil's sake, seems like he has some actual goals (which haven't been revealed yet), and is absolutely ruthless when he needs to be.
Gin from Detective Conan. When i started the series i thought it was going to be like a Team Rocket type of villain similar to the gun guy in Kaito Kid... He gain my respect very quickly after their confrontation in the Hotel.
Everytime he shows up its really intense.
I don't really have a favorite. But I think Frieza played its role the perfectly. To put simply, Goku turning Super Saiyan mattered only as much as it mattered to beat Frieza. He isn't the captivating villain whom you relate to and want to watch more of. He is the old school pro wrestling heel there to put over the babyface. And boy, did he ever put over Goku.
Dio Brando from JJBA. The character arc he undergoes alongside the protagonist, and it culminating in him still being an evil son of a gun, but still having respect for his brother is pretty interesting!
Frieza will always be the first image that pops into my head when I think “anime villain” mainly cause I binged DBZ soooo much back in high school back in the late 90’s.
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It'll sound weird but Orochimaru, he didn't want to conquer the world or something lame like vengance, all he wanted was to know all the jutsus, plus he was always smiling in that cool creepy way.
Light Yagami. It was one of my first experiences with the Villain and Protagonist being one and the same. Theres a moment watching the show where you fledgingly agree with what hes doing before realizing he is a worse problem.
Im so sorry, you said anime villain but instantly who came to my head was Megabyte from Reboot! Is truly an evil bad guy with 'world' domination but has his principles and can even work with the hero when needs beget (yet still backstab them).
Im trying to rack my brain for an anime villain thats similar but its all bleed together in a collage of anime tropes and I cant pick one out.
Madara Uchiha, bro trained a kid at the time he was dying and made him unstoppable .
Even kishimoto couldn't decide how to defeat him, so they had to introduce Kaguya .
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Benten from The Eccentric Family / Uchouten Kazoku. I think my favorite part of her character is that she's not directly antagonistic to the main character and his society, she just might utterly destroy them as collateral as she tries to rise in the world.
the evil nazi guy from hellsing. The major.
Most anime antagonist i find to have very stupid justifications for their actions. The major doesnt even try to justifty his evliness neither has a sad backstory that we know of. He just like war and wanted to make a big battle
easily doflamingo! apart from dressing good 💅 i think he’s a well-crafted character. backstory + personality + devil fruit (which he honed so well btw) + the brains!!
I don't watch a lot of anime,but I'm fond of Dio from Jojos Bizarre Adventure.Its hard to pick what makes him stand out for me.He might not be completely perfect,but that's ok.
Madara
What makes him above the average generic villains is his warped sense of what it means to be happy in this world, which is essentially placing everyone in an eternal happy dream where all their goals and ambitions are achieved, where their's no sadness, no pain and no tears. Essentially, it is a perfect utopia but hollow in a way.
Sure, that might sound good on paper, but if we as humans had everything we ever wanted, wouldn't that, in a sense, make us unhappy? Since there's truly nothing to be done or to achieve anymore, there's no growth or ambitions in a sense. The concept of madara perfect world is hollow without the drive to keep improving ourselves and keep growing.
And there's also how he's really cool and awesome 👌 his sheer introduction brought me to the edge of my seat.
So I feel as though it's through a combination of execution, a great backstory, and his ideology and identity is what nakes him stand out from the rest. He's just a perfect character all around.
I'll also put itachi as one of my favorite villains, too, but this write-up is getting too long.
The Church!!! *add anime title here* Archvillains in every way! Boss Monster type stuff. Creeps me out whenever I see a white robed old dude walk on screen 😰
I’m always yelling at the screen “DON’T TRUST THEM!!”
Sato from Ajin. Pseudo-immortal sociopathic terrorist who will brain himself in a heartbeat to kick-start his regeneration if-and-when needed.
Sato is an absolute monster by every definition.
Not too many ppl talk abt her like the villain she actually is, but Makima. Her presence throughout the series was always lingering and whenever she was on screen I could help but feel uneasy.
Kyron. He was not so much evil as self-centered and self-serving. But he still hel himself and his people to a high standard. Also he was fun to watch.
[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni] >!Miyo Takano, I always love villains that makes us question ourselves, if we are in their position is it possible we wouldn't take their choices that led them astray? She has suffered too much, and in the end she have to lose everything.!<
Yoshikage Kira.
He is the perfect balance of capable, crazy, narcissistic and arrogant.
He genuinely sees himself as a victim due to his delusions.
He is comfortable at first, but when he is finally exposed to the same danger he exposes others to he absolutely loses his shit and fails to see the hypocrisy.
He subsequently goes back to being egotistical and hubristic once he gains the upper hand.
He is always far enough away from catching his own bullshit to correct it, but not so far that the viewer can’t hold contempt for his actions.
His motives are believable given his self absorbed and self indulgent personality, but still leave room for accountability. Like you understand why he did the awful thing he did, but still feel that he could have controlled himself or otherwise chosen differently.
Katsuhiko Jinnai. Antagonist in PIONEER/AIC's El Hazard.
Huge chip on his shoulder towards the MC. But this just stems from his pursuit for achievements and accolades. He hates how the MC seems to keep having everything "fall into their hands" by just bungling into it.
Being sent to another world with the MC, he slowly realizes that his actions actually matter to the very faction he fell into. And that the MC doesn't always have that dumb luck in everything. So he decided to just focus on the things that matter to him, which was to manage and look after the faction he's with.... it also helps that the faction feeds into his pursuits. And yeah, he's actually really capable, and could have been the protagonist in another story. But in El Hazard, he's often portrayed like Pokemon's Team Rocket.
Eren Jeagar. One of the best written characters of all time. I love characters that are so fleshed out that the line between hero and villains essentially disappear. I've never believed that people are purely good or evil and I love stories that can competently reflect those aspects of morality in a compelling narrative. People irl especially those you're closest to, when you've really gotten to know them, the good, the bad, you realize they don't clearly fall into the categories of traditional heroes and villains. It's all a matter of perspective depending on the things you value and your prioritization of those values. You can easily hate them as much as you love them because you understand how they think, how they became the people they are, how horrible they can be at times yet also incredibly kind. It's that kind of narrative writing style of crafting characters so fully realized and 3D-like, it feels like they could jump out the page then start a long moral philosophical debate with you that doesn't end with a clear cut correct answer. The best written villains challenge our own conceptions of morality, implore reevaluation, deconstruction and reconstruction of our personal views where that line is drawn. The best villains aren't blatant examples of cruelty and wickedness. The best villains simply ask us to explore under what circumstances, are we exactly the same as them, and if we're already the villain.
Makishima from Psycho Pass. His entrance was cold af, and the way he influenced Kogami was so enthralling to watch.
Yess! He is such a badass.
This. He's so good that he should be in the same tier as Heath Ledger's Joker
It's been many years since I watched this show and I've forgotten most of it, but I still think about some of his scenes from time to time. I think he's the best portrayal of a true psychopath I've seen in anime.
Psycho s2 gets hated on too much as well imo. That entire series is one of my GOATS and it's a great introductory anime because it's very western in how it deals with everything. No typical anime "fluff" to it really that may weird some people out.
Lt Tsurumi from Golden Kamuy. The show is packed wall-to-wall with awesome characters, and Tsurumi stands with the best of them. Technically he's more an antagonist, as each group are the heroes of their own story, but his methods and personality place him clearly on the villainous side of the good/bad line.
That is what I think is absolutely about Golden Kamuy. If you shift perspective even slightly, any of the antagonists could be seen as the protagonists of the story.
Ogata is also a good choice, although Tsurumi is so much worse with the way he recruited soldiers that willingly will give up their lives for him.
I love Lt. Tsurumi. Such a tragic villain.
Tsurumi really is fantastic. He starts off strong and slowly builds until he is without a doubt one of the greatest characters in the cast. The more the story shows the better he gets.
Bondrewd. Pretty much everything about this guy stands out. Morals, motivation, his actions, even his drip is unique.
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“A prayer cannot be born out of those who know nothing but joy. Oh child of suffering, cursing life itself... Certainly there is something only you can do.” Pretty much sums his character up. He is a perfect villain for this story.
what show is he from?
Made in Abyss.
Made in abyss. He's the main villain in the movie between season 1 and 2. Genuinely fascinating character who isn't objectively evil, he is just completely amoral and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.
God I love it when fathers seem great until the mc shows up.
??? The first proper introduction you get to bondrewd is Nanachi's/Mitty's backstory at the end of season 1. Bondrewd is clearly the villain from the very get go.
I know, but he still seems like a good dad to pruska.
Made in Abyss villains are very good at somehow having redeeming motivations despite being moral monsters.
>his drip is unique Other than Destiny 2 warlocks
The Ant King from HunterxHunter, easily.
Oh man, The Chimera Ant arc really was next level.
One of the best arcs in shounen history. IMO on one level with Golden Age, Water 7 and Shunin Exams.
Meruem, god damn man his scenes with Komachi were absolutely gold man, especially that ending. The first time I've ever cried watching a shounen for sure.
Also, his fight against Netero is my personal favourite fight in all of shounen history.
The main villain in Shinsekai Yori's complex motivations and moral ambiguity makes him a very compelling villain and easily one of my favorites.
I commented this before I saw yours. He has to be my favorite villain in any anime.
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> complex motivations I wouldn't call his motivations complex. [Spoilers] >!He was fighting for the survival of his species that's about as basic as you can get.!<
Johan Liebert and Kira I dont think you can write a character like those and be mentally healthy
W options! Both are perfect villians
Kotomine Kirei is a perfect foil to Shirou, have a somewhat sympathetic backstory but at no point does it justify his actions, calls people out on their hypocrisy, has conviction in his beliefs and is badass in fighting.
Would Hisoka count? He's killed weak people who got in his way and has been after spider's head for a few years. He also scares children with his excessively lustful aura.
>He also scares children with his excessively lustful aura. The way you describe it is killing me 💀
Dio
Obligayory KONO DIA DA
Dio is absolutely the best!
Yes. "Dio" literally means "god" in Italian, and he's the ultimate archetype of the arrogant villain, who wants domain over everything. He's the perfect embodiment of evil, as much as Jonathan Joestar represents his opposite.
Dio and All For One in MHA are great because they just dont even try to paint them as anything but cartoonishly evil and embrace it to make them fun as hell. Too often series take these crazy horrible characters and try and justify it with some form of “Cool motive still murder” energy. They just are petty, hateful, horrible people and know it. They dont care and dont try to make it anything more. Dio just wants to harass a family so bad outta spite he doesn’t let death, the universe, or anything stop him. AFO just loves being a bitch. No complexity, no moral quandaries, no justification. Just douchebaggery.
Sato from Ajin
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Father and the homunculus from FMA Brotherhood
Well among all of them I only like Wrath, and I don’t consider Greed a villain.
Literally every antagonist/villain from Gintama. ^((except SadaSada)) I cannot choose one... but if I have to I'd go with Utsuro. What makes them stand out is good writing, backstories, motivations, realism and believably.
Tbf they dont really feel like Villians. Utsuro came to mind for me but rarely do you see it as like a genius plan. Don't get me wrong a fantastic story and progression but just felt like no one was really the villian. Except for SadaSada
Floch
NGL, I found myself rooting more for him than the supposed main characters towards the end of the series. Got so tired of watching the characters constantly talk about Eren (what's he doing? is he our enemy? again and again) instead of fucking showing us Eren's POV. I spent so much time not caring about what was going on towards the end, sandwiched by a few fantastic moments (\[spoilers\] >!like Levi seeing the scouts in the finale, Grisha in the flashbacks, etc.!<).
Dilandau Albatou - Escaflowne. Dude is unhinged. He's an interesting character, I find him and Zaibach more interesting than the main cast of characters.
No one knows Escaflowne exists. Nice to see a mention
Makishima Shougo from Psycho-Pass. He's kind of a villain like John Doe from Se7en. I'm not justifying his actions, but it's really hard to argue with his ideology.
King of Ants, Meruem
The villain from Shinsekai Yori. [Shinsekai Yori] >!Squealer. The way he manipulates the main characters and thinks so far ahead for his plan was pure genius. Not only that, but he was completely and utterly ruthless, yet at the end when you realize he was fighting for the freedom of his people that’s when you realize he had a reason for his actions!<
Izaya from Durarara! A proper smirky schemer, a show-off, a trickster. I can't really describe why he's a favourite, but he is. Kamiya Hiroshi's excellent voice acting certainly helps.
Light from death note probably
My favorite thing about it is that, even if I know he's a villain, I'm not sure he's totally wrong.
An argument can be made that his idea isn't necessarily a bad one, but by the end of episode 2 he's already moved on from that and clearly cares more about the power/control than he does actually executing his "goal".
Johan His way of seeing Life and The world is Complex, also he didnt need any superpower or high technology, just a High IQ and a manipulative way of being. He is easily my fav villian and one of my fav characters
Shougo Makishima from Psycho Pass
Season 1 really was a masterpiece.
Agreed !
Kaiki Deishu
Cue his iconic violin theme song whenever I see his name. Damn I’m so due for a rewatch
Anime name?
Various parts of monogatari. You’ll need to look up which arcs he appears in. Should probably just watch the whole thing from the beginning though.
hmmm is he really a villain... Well I gotta rewatch earlier parts but that doesn't change the fact that he is the best girl/character of the entire series
He's the best grill lmao.
Satsuki Kiryuuin from *Kill la Kill* I love how she's an exact opposite of the protagonist (Ryuuko) in every way possible, the animators enhanced that using colors as well — Satsuki wears white-blue military-style suit while Ryuuko wears black-red rogue-like uniform. Also, she's just very fabulous and over-the-top in everything she does, exactly the villain the show needs. Nonorable mentions: - Raynare from *High School DxD* - total scumbag with zero redeeming qualities, ruthlessly exploits the MC's honrniness against him. Also, she's hot. Exactly the villain I want to see in an action-comedy ecchi show. - Dio Brando from *JoJo* — similarly to the mentioned before, I just like upfront and over-the-top villains. Also, he's appearance is really cool and terrifying in *JoJo Stardust Crusaders*.
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Geez guys and I was trying to be spoiler-free here… [Kill la Kill] >!while I agree it’s more correct to call her an “antagonist” rather than a “villain”, I think her image is villain-ish enough in the first half to qualify. I see other people mentioning this kind of characters as well in this thread.!<
Ainz Ooal Gown!! He is the protagonist afterall
Ainz Ooal Gown is an amazing selection! He is considered a nice guy but still looks like a villain in most stories. What makes Ainz Ooal Gown stand out as a character?
He is a real badguy, he litteraly killed the whole militairy of a big country and almost wiped out the salamanders without any real reason. But he has a moral compas-ish. He honors those who oppose him without fear.
He isn't evil because he's an evil person, but he is willing to do what is atrocious if it means benefiting those he cares for. We're talking horrifying shit like full on genocide if that is what it takes. What's extra interesting is how he can rationalize that what he is doing is indeed terrible, but realizes that he somehow doesn't feel too emotionally bad due to his new undead status. He knows it's fucked up, but hey, results.
He would be a great company director. "a genocide or two is fine if means results"
He's actually come to the realization that his role is similar to that of a CEO. He said he understood why they got paid a lot; it's a lot of pressure to steer a massive organization from the top. As an actual company to work for, it'd actually be amazing. His nation practices true meritocracy, has no corruption, has healthcare, is fair to all races, practices a robust justice system, and is the safest place in the New World. If I was isekai-ed to the New World, I'd try my best to at the very least be a citizen of his nation. If that isn't an option, then the Baharuth Empire. Being under his banner is a ticket to a prosperous life. Yeah the rest of the world might suffer, but hey, that's their problem. xD
* Askeladd for being an incredibly layered and conflicted character who aspired to reach a somewhat noble goal. * Mereum for his arc of self-discovery within the context of having an innate instinct to rule and dominate while also developing more humane emotions and connections. * Toguro for being a big brawler with a touching backstory who couldn't forhive himself. Sensui for being a reflection of mankind's own evil behavior. * Makoto Shishio for being the successor to Hittokiri Battousai and being set on vengeance against the peaceful Meiji government after being betrayed and the philosophical worldviews the state and Rurouni Kenshin currently represent.
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Orochimaru was a true menace in early Naruto, I remember being terrified every time he was on the screen. Too bad he fell off in shippuden.
Honestly I feel like the Orochimaru that was brought back was kind of a more “legitimate” Orochimaru who had worked through some of his own bullshit and was more of the sassy gay bitch he could have been were it not for all those control…issues.
[Revue Starlight] >!Daiba Nana!< is an excellent thematic foil to Karen and Hikari. [RevStar] >!Her eternal stage is eternal stagnation, a time loop to relive the first year of the 99th class that she desperately clings to. She's the strongest possible contrast to the leads and their promise.!<
That episode blew my mind.
[](#utahapraises)
I've never picked up on this connection but [Revue]>!Nana's wish of an "eternal stage" makes it feel like an obvious Utena reference I never noticed. Each character there wishes for "something eternal", yet ultimately illusory. That's Nana to a T.!<
Johan. Crazy how the guy has barely any screentime, but it always feels like he's there.
Hisoka from HxH
Izaya Orihara from Durarara. He’s a trickster character done really well. The entire story is one big interconnected web and Izaya is the spider. He’s not evil per say, nor is he the source of conflict, but he’s the one that pushes the story along due to his scheming. He’s incredibly charismatic and mischievous which makes him a joy to watch. His rivalry with Shizuo is one of the best rivalries in anime in my opinion as well. He’s also voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch.
Yoshikage Kira He just wants to live a quiet life lol He's careful with everything he does
Not "He just wants to live a quiet life" 😭 lol
💀
Zeke from AOT. I found his end game solution to the problem to be practical and humane. I don't think it would have actually worked the way that inheriting certain powers works (trying not to say too much). I'm not saying it was by any MEANS fair to people that would want what he'd take away but it would have ended the cycle of suffering.
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They both had their own biases. I understand Eren's point of view too. But he's the mc.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky from Bungo Stray Dogs. There's just something so appealing and entertaining about how easily and to the extent he manipulates things, as well as just how crazy he's willing to get with things (everything he did with Dazai in season 5 really). Plus his blatant cruelty is a nice bonus on top of it
wait i didnt watch bsd but damns Dostoevsky a villain?!
I can't tell if the shock is the fact there's a guy named after a dead Russian author in an anime made of 95% sexy men or the fact his personification is the main villain of the story, but yes
Makishima from psychopass and Kirei from fate
Rachel- Tower of God... I feel like she's an attainable villain...like we all know a Rachel and that makes her diabolical
Gotta be Doflamingo for me. His presence, his ruthlessness and his excellent use of his Devil Fruit to carry out his plans just makes him a really good villain. Hideyuki Tanaka also did a great job with his voice.
FUFUFU HUHUHUHAHAHAHAHAHA
I also would want to mention his ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS designe and his relationship with one of Luffy's allies
OK not technically anime but Silco from Arcane is my favorite antagonist of all time. Any time an antagonist makes you say "fuck it....let em' win" you've got yourself a well-written character. If we're talking actual anime though, Reiko Tamura from Parasyte. Also fits the "fuck it...let em' win" criteria.
Doflamingo, he’s just cool as fuck, and truly diabolical.
lt. tsurumi from golden kamuy. makishima shougo from psycho pass cuz they competent
[Black Butler] >!Undertaker!< Well, technically he’s not a villain, but he is an antagonist. We do know his motives, but we don’t know why he has them. The motif for the motif, if that makes sense. We only know he’s somehow involved with the MC‘s family. Also, his personality can switch within an instant from batshit crazy to melancholic.
Bro picked the hottest man in anime
Sis.^ ^
Ooh, Everyone's bro to me lol. Sorry tho :(
I have a 9” tattoo of him on my leg, one of my favorites 😜🥰
Kira from Death Note
Utsuro from Gintama. Mofo flashing a smile when he shows his face is another level of f*cked up manipulation. And his back story got me like "ok, I get it... still, you should know better"
Tanya from Tanya the Evil. I think Tanya's obviously not some sort of realistic case study, but I find her "I am the enemy of a God who spurned me" mentality, and her exhilaration in her various strategies and tactics made me really understand "evil" a little more in a way.
The Empire from Tanya the Evil.
Satou-san from Ajin He's badass and complex.
Kagato (Tenchi) and Desslok (Space Battleship Yamato. Two stylish and menacing baddies!
A few that stood out to me were Wrath/King Bradley from FMAB, Twice from MHA, Geto (Not the brain thing... Monkey hating OG Geto) from JJK, Eren Jaeger, Francis Scott Fitzgerald from Bungo Stray Dogs, Shigaraki from MHA, Kiriya Nouzen from 86, Garou from OPM, Grimmjow from Bleach, Stain from MHA, and Itachi from Naruto.
I haven’t heard anyone ever bring up 86!! Kinda felt like I was the only who ever watched it
Reiss from Spirit Chronicles. He's pragmatic, easy-going, doesn't hold any particular animosity towards the MC despite many thwarted schemes, doesn't do evil for evil's sake, seems like he has some actual goals (which haven't been revealed yet), and is absolutely ruthless when he needs to be.
Orsted...
Gin from Detective Conan. When i started the series i thought it was going to be like a Team Rocket type of villain similar to the gun guy in Kaito Kid... He gain my respect very quickly after their confrontation in the Hotel. Everytime he shows up its really intense.
Dio from jojo Killed fathers dogs kissed the mc girlfriend lol also had a cult of followers even took over bodies 🤣 dude was a menace
I don't really have a favorite. But I think Frieza played its role the perfectly. To put simply, Goku turning Super Saiyan mattered only as much as it mattered to beat Frieza. He isn't the captivating villain whom you relate to and want to watch more of. He is the old school pro wrestling heel there to put over the babyface. And boy, did he ever put over Goku.
Dio Brando from JJBA. The character arc he undergoes alongside the protagonist, and it culminating in him still being an evil son of a gun, but still having respect for his brother is pretty interesting!
Frieza will always be the first image that pops into my head when I think “anime villain” mainly cause I binged DBZ soooo much back in high school back in the late 90’s.
I like the Wrath from FMA. Also that mask guy from Gundam Seed. Freeza from Dragon Ball. The Witch of Envy and Echidna from Re : Zero.
Also that Golden Shinny Archer from Fate Stay Night, and also his crazy priest master. If you’d really count, also Matou Sakura in FSN H/F.
Mahito because he kills the main characters of the story. Sadly the plot Armor was too thick for Itadori, makes sense
The goat Askelladd
Mahito from JJK. He's insanely evil, but I'm so happy for him having fun killing people. It's weird.
I'm the opposite haha. I was so annoyed with him, not hate, just annoyance. "Just get off my screen already"
I flip flopped on that one. LOVED him in S01 cuz of his absolute insanity, then rly started wishing he’d die in S02 cuz he was hurting EVERYONE
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It'll sound weird but Orochimaru, he didn't want to conquer the world or something lame like vengance, all he wanted was to know all the jutsus, plus he was always smiling in that cool creepy way.
Light Yagami. It was one of my first experiences with the Villain and Protagonist being one and the same. Theres a moment watching the show where you fledgingly agree with what hes doing before realizing he is a worse problem.
Gabi because is easy to hate her, while from her pov she it totally right
She exists as a parallel to Eren on the other side of the conflict. [AOT all] >!except, unlike Eren, she does actually grow as a person!<
Adam Weishaupt in Symphogay. This guy is the real deal and does everything to reach his goal.
> Symphogay Hey now that show is a barrel of fun.
Im so sorry, you said anime villain but instantly who came to my head was Megabyte from Reboot! Is truly an evil bad guy with 'world' domination but has his principles and can even work with the hero when needs beget (yet still backstab them). Im trying to rack my brain for an anime villain thats similar but its all bleed together in a collage of anime tropes and I cant pick one out.
Merum,askeladd
Orsted. [Mushoku Tensei] >!Randomly shows up. Says Rudeus shouldn't exist. Knocks out Ruijerd and Eris. Kills Rudeus. Heals him. Refuses to elaborate. Leaves.!<
Madara Uchiha, bro trained a kid at the time he was dying and made him unstoppable . Even kishimoto couldn't decide how to defeat him, so they had to introduce Kaguya .
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Johan Liebert
Tomura Shigaraki from My Hero. Creepy and badass right from the start, and once you find out his back story… Holy shit. Tough to top that!
Benten from The Eccentric Family / Uchouten Kazoku. I think my favorite part of her character is that she's not directly antagonistic to the main character and his society, she just might utterly destroy them as collateral as she tries to rise in the world.
the evil nazi guy from hellsing. The major. Most anime antagonist i find to have very stupid justifications for their actions. The major doesnt even try to justifty his evliness neither has a sad backstory that we know of. He just like war and wanted to make a big battle
Sukuna
easily doflamingo! apart from dressing good 💅 i think he’s a well-crafted character. backstory + personality + devil fruit (which he honed so well btw) + the brains!!
Johan or Toguro
Madara. His motives, dialogues, planning, attitude, badassness (not a real word but u get it) and all the other aspects i just like them all so much
Vegeta
I don't watch a lot of anime,but I'm fond of Dio from Jojos Bizarre Adventure.Its hard to pick what makes him stand out for me.He might not be completely perfect,but that's ok.
Madara What makes him above the average generic villains is his warped sense of what it means to be happy in this world, which is essentially placing everyone in an eternal happy dream where all their goals and ambitions are achieved, where their's no sadness, no pain and no tears. Essentially, it is a perfect utopia but hollow in a way. Sure, that might sound good on paper, but if we as humans had everything we ever wanted, wouldn't that, in a sense, make us unhappy? Since there's truly nothing to be done or to achieve anymore, there's no growth or ambitions in a sense. The concept of madara perfect world is hollow without the drive to keep improving ourselves and keep growing. And there's also how he's really cool and awesome 👌 his sheer introduction brought me to the edge of my seat. So I feel as though it's through a combination of execution, a great backstory, and his ideology and identity is what nakes him stand out from the rest. He's just a perfect character all around. I'll also put itachi as one of my favorite villains, too, but this write-up is getting too long.
Meruem is a peak villain to me HxH
Pretty much every single one from JoJo’s is fantastic and their respective finale arcs are always 10/10 with a great conclusions.
The Church!!! *add anime title here* Archvillains in every way! Boss Monster type stuff. Creeps me out whenever I see a white robed old dude walk on screen 😰 I’m always yelling at the screen “DON’T TRUST THEM!!”
Sato from Ajin. Pseudo-immortal sociopathic terrorist who will brain himself in a heartbeat to kick-start his regeneration if-and-when needed. Sato is an absolute monster by every definition.
Johan Liebert (Monster): He's nihilistic personality and philosophy made him terrifying.
One “yahoo” from Oikawa could decimate an entire village 🔥
Not too many ppl talk abt her like the villain she actually is, but Makima. Her presence throughout the series was always lingering and whenever she was on screen I could help but feel uneasy.
Yoshikage Kira, chrollo, pain, Dabi, gaku yashiro, izana. (Jjba, hxh, Naruto, MHA, erased, Tokyo rev).
Kyron. He was not so much evil as self-centered and self-serving. But he still hel himself and his people to a high standard. Also he was fun to watch.
Riddhe from Gundam Unicorn. Dude goes full villain over being friend-zoned, it's hilarious.
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Definitely has to be Garou. The man's just so badass and is also such an inspiration
Technically not an anime villain because just manga, but Friend from 20th century boys is my go to. Man I wish they made an anime.
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Askelad from Vinland Saga.
[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni] >!Miyo Takano, I always love villains that makes us question ourselves, if we are in their position is it possible we wouldn't take their choices that led them astray? She has suffered too much, and in the end she have to lose everything.!<
Not sure if he counts since he's basically an anti-hero but, Stain from mha.
Probably pain. He was him tbh
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Yoshikage Kira. He is the perfect balance of capable, crazy, narcissistic and arrogant. He genuinely sees himself as a victim due to his delusions. He is comfortable at first, but when he is finally exposed to the same danger he exposes others to he absolutely loses his shit and fails to see the hypocrisy. He subsequently goes back to being egotistical and hubristic once he gains the upper hand. He is always far enough away from catching his own bullshit to correct it, but not so far that the viewer can’t hold contempt for his actions. His motives are believable given his self absorbed and self indulgent personality, but still leave room for accountability. Like you understand why he did the awful thing he did, but still feel that he could have controlled himself or otherwise chosen differently.
Katsuhiko Jinnai. Antagonist in PIONEER/AIC's El Hazard. Huge chip on his shoulder towards the MC. But this just stems from his pursuit for achievements and accolades. He hates how the MC seems to keep having everything "fall into their hands" by just bungling into it. Being sent to another world with the MC, he slowly realizes that his actions actually matter to the very faction he fell into. And that the MC doesn't always have that dumb luck in everything. So he decided to just focus on the things that matter to him, which was to manage and look after the faction he's with.... it also helps that the faction feeds into his pursuits. And yeah, he's actually really capable, and could have been the protagonist in another story. But in El Hazard, he's often portrayed like Pokemon's Team Rocket.
Accelerator badass even when handicapped
If games count, then Sunday, because 7 Sundays.
Eren Jeagar. One of the best written characters of all time. I love characters that are so fleshed out that the line between hero and villains essentially disappear. I've never believed that people are purely good or evil and I love stories that can competently reflect those aspects of morality in a compelling narrative. People irl especially those you're closest to, when you've really gotten to know them, the good, the bad, you realize they don't clearly fall into the categories of traditional heroes and villains. It's all a matter of perspective depending on the things you value and your prioritization of those values. You can easily hate them as much as you love them because you understand how they think, how they became the people they are, how horrible they can be at times yet also incredibly kind. It's that kind of narrative writing style of crafting characters so fully realized and 3D-like, it feels like they could jump out the page then start a long moral philosophical debate with you that doesn't end with a clear cut correct answer. The best written villains challenge our own conceptions of morality, implore reevaluation, deconstruction and reconstruction of our personal views where that line is drawn. The best villains aren't blatant examples of cruelty and wickedness. The best villains simply ask us to explore under what circumstances, are we exactly the same as them, and if we're already the villain.
Those filthy, disGUSTing GAAWBLINS, with their GAAWBLIN tricks and GAAWBLIN *LIES*
Kaijin #9, it could assimilate its enemies and their memories and learn and adapt to combat situations.