Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]

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It’s that time again where we annually update (some of) our lists, and the top 10 evil characters in anime is certainly one of them. Villains comes and all shapes and sizes. There are some that are the polar opposite of the hero such as Tsukasa in Dr. Stone. He is malicious, but some can’t exactly call him evil because his motivations come from a pure place, and it’s understandable that audiences can relate to his motivations for what he does. Then, there are some villains that are just pure evil because they are. Yes, there may be reasons, but we’re talking about people that are just beyond redemption, and audiences can’t feel any empathy for them due to the actions they commit and refuse to accept any responsibility. So under this criteria, we wish to give you our (largely) updated top 10 evil characters from anime.


10. Johan Liebert from Monster

  • Episodes: 74
  • Aired: April 7, 2004 – September 28, 2005

Yes, Johan is a repeat character from a previous edition of this list and for reasons you can refer to in those lists. What can we say about Johan, the titular Monster, that hasn’t already been said? For the most part, Johan is practically the anime/manga equivalent to Charles Manson. He’s very manipulative and can get people to do some terrible things just like Manson did. He’s the ultimate nihilist (no, not a Nazi) and he’s been killing as far back as he could walk. However, not only his heinous actions make him endure for generations to come, but the nature behind them. People can make the argument of nature vs. nurture, but Johan takes that argument to new extremes that have yet to be explored in any work of art or entertainment. Are we to excuse his actions due to his unfortunate childhood? Or should he be held accountable to his actions regardless? If so, where does that leave the rest of the people on this list? This is a guy who doesn’t give a care who he hurts, so you be the judge. Due to these very questions, he gives audiences not only an idea of what evil is, but why some people turn out evil, and is there any turning back.


9. Malty S. Melromarc from Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: January 9, 2019 – June 26, 2019

With the #MeToo movement equally gaining power and controversy, we can understand why the inclusion of Malty can be polarizing for some readers. She may not be the most villainous character, but she stoops to some malicious lows that still qualifies her as evil (of course, the original web novel reveals them). For starters, she falsely accuses Naofumi of sexually assaulting her and getting his fellow heroes and the entire kingdom to hate him. With false evidence and without a fair trial, it really turned Naofumi into a dark character for a good portion of the series. To further add insult to injury, she uses magic to frame him for attacking her sister, who happens to be his greatest ally! She’s a liar and manipulator for the sake of her own personal amusement, and the fact that she enjoys seeing people suffer at her expense makes her one evil bitch (spoiler alert: Naofumi gets legal authority to rename her that!).


8. Homura Akemi from Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: January 7, 2011 – April 22, 2011

As the cliché goes, beauty is only skin deep and Homura takes that to a new level. On the outside, she seems like your typical school girl, but her true form, she’s a vicious demon (depending on the timeline). What makes some evil people deranged is how they think they’re doing the right thing, and Homura fits that category as she claims she wants to protect Madoka. Homura is world weary due to her life as a magical girl, and it has messed up her emotions. Compared to a majority on this list, the audience can get an understanding from where she’s coming. Yes, people become evil due to certain bad experiences, but do your intentions behind your actions excuse you from malicious behavior? Homura’s journey is the ultimate answer to that very question.


7. Tomie from Itou Junji: Collection (The Junji Ito Collection)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: January 5, 2018 – March 23, 2018

We can admit that Tomie, being of the supernatural, is a different kind of evil. While her presence in the series is small, it makes quite an impact. Unlike other Japanese horror icons like Sadako from Ringu or Kayako from Ju-on, who either conceal their face or appropriately look ghastly, Tomie assumes the form of a strikingly beautiful woman. While the respective movies for Ringu and Ju-on give us an idea as to why those respective characters haunt the living, we know very little about Tomie and why she does what she does. She just has this bizarre power to make people fall in love with her to the point of unexplainable insanity and drive them to murdering her and making her multiply. If you could put all the seven deadly sins into one entity, it would certainly be Tomie. She’s not driven by revenge like your typical spirit, but just by the thrill of it.


6. Koichi Shido from Highschool of the Dead

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: July 5, 2010 – September 20, 2010

If you thought Walter White from Breaking Bad was enough, wait until you see Koichi Shido from Highschool of the Dead. He’s someone who abuses his authority to manipulate people, but thankfully, our heroes don’t buy his story one bit. He’s practically a cult leader on steroids with a bag of chips (if there were ever such a crazy combination) as he’s willing to drop anyone he deems expendable at the drop of a hat (and that includes his own former students!), and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! As to how far he exploits his position, if you haven’t seen the series, either feel free to watch it, or use your imagination, and that’ll give you some idea as to how truly evil he is.



5. Rekka Hoshimiya from Enen no Shouboutai (Fire Force)

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: July 6, 2019 - Ongoing

Rekka was supposed to be one of the good guys as he was a third generation officer of the Special Fire Force. However, he wasn’t exactly who we thought he was when in episode 8 (which aired shortly after we started writing this list), he shows his true colors. All we can say is, if we’re ever going to discourage people from watching an episode due to disturbing content, it would certainly be episode 8 of Enen no Shouboutai when Rekka reveals his heel turn. If you’re disturbed by images of violence towards women and children, then we discourage you from watching episode 8 of this series for those very reasons and those reasons are enough to explain why he’s evil. Yes, the series’ third episode was delayed by a week due to the unfortunate fire that place at Kyoto Animation, but episode 8 is a different level of disturbing to tell you enough why Rekka is now one of the evilest characters in anime and manga.


4. Ali al-Saachez from Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 (Mobile Suit Gundam 00)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: October 6, 2007 – March 29, 2008

If anime could have its equivalent to Osama Bin Laden, it’d certainly be Ali al-saachez from Gundam 00. He lives for the thrill of battle and the money that comes with it. Beyond being a murderous terrorist, what exactly makes him evil? It’s not just that he enjoys slaughtering innocents, but how he exploits children into fighting for him. Yes, this has happened in real life, but Ali takes it to really twisted levels that makes you lose your faith in humanity by telling children that they’re going to be fighting in the name of God. So, how far does he exploit it? This is another quality we don’t want to get into not just for the sake of spoilers, nor merely for the sake of encouraging you to watch the series to figure out, but is just sick and evil to the point that we don’t want to say it. All we can spoil is that he ultimately gets what’s coming to him.


3. Gross from Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2 (Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2)

  • Episodes: 10
  • Aired: April 29, 2019 – July 2, 2019

Granted that Gross is only featured in a flashback episode of Grisha, Eren’s father, but what this guy does is more than enough to qualify on this list. As a law enforcement officer to Grisha’s home nation, he was given every authority to be a gestapo. When Grisha and his sister tried to explore the world outside their designated zone, they were apprehended, and Gross was one of the police officers who caught them. So, where does this lead us? Forget about getting into spoiler territory, we’re about to enter territory that will have you disturbed and makes you realize how sick discrimination, a real life problem, truly is. Despite Gross’ brief presence, what he does makes a big impact on what sets the series in motion. We don’t’ want to say what he does that makes him qualify for this list, and we don’t want to encourage you to watch to know why. All we can say is the moment you get to that part of the series, you might want to turn off and step away from whatever device you choose to watch this series on to allow yourself to process what happens.


2. Yoshikage Kira from Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken Diamond wa Kudakenai (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable)

  • Episodes: 39
  • Aired: April 2, 2016 – December 24, 2016

Yes, Dio tends to get a majority of the praise and fans love him. No doubt he’s evil and over the top, but Kira, the villain of the fourth story arc, is frighteningly evil in a different kind of way. Dio is the loud kind of evil once you give him the spotlight, but what makes Kira evil is how disturbing he is as if Ed Gein and Ted Bundy were turned into anime villains. He’s a serial killer with a twisted fetish. When it comes to serial killers and their twisted motivations and actions, that says it all as to why they’re evil. Even without his stand, Kira was already a vicious murderer to begin with. What makes this guy truly frightening is how he makes you think he’s an everyday guy. He’s not someone who is after power or world domination, nor is he a nihilist. He’s Patrick Bateman from American Psycho on acid. The fact that he finds “peace” and “love” by killing innocents is more than enough to explain why he made this list. But what makes him distinguishing compared to who we’re listing is that he can be your neighbor, your co-worker, or maybe some guy you go to your local church, synagogue, or mosque (depending on your respective faith) with.


1. Hamdo from Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku (Now and Then, Here and There)

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: October 14, 1999 – January 20, 2000

At number one, we have Hamdo from the cult classic, Now and Then, Here and There. If Hitler and Saddam had a son, it’d probably be Hamdo. Hamdo is the self-appointed dictator in the desolate world of Hellywood. Out of all the characters on this list, Hamdo is just the worst of the worst. What makes him evil is how he exploits children for labor and forces them into his army for his own personal gain and makes them do things that no one should be doing. He’s a psychotic megalomaniac in just about every way you can think of. Not only does he exploit children in his army, he has the temperament of the cash me ousside girl on crack! You do something to offend him, he’ll beat you like a failed racing horse. He’s a man-child for sure, and we’re talking the scary kind, not the comedic kind like the Angry Video Game Nerd. It’s not just his demeanor that makes him evil, but the world he creates in which Sara, the female co-lead, is subjected to things we don’t want to get into, which more or less says makes him number 1 on this list.


Final Thoughts

As we shared on this list, evil can come in many forms. Yes, there are some that are beyond this world for creative purposes, but to make it relatable, some evil comes in the form of authority or a terrorist, and there are others that come in the form of a regular person. Even in the Good Book, it’s foretold that the greatest evil could come in the form of a false prophet, and that happens in anime as well. In reality, there are instances where it’s right in front of you and you don’t know it, and there are instances where it’s like pornography, you know it when you see it. As to why people are evil, yes, there are reasonable explanations. By no means do those explanations of lets say a lousy childhood or getting rejected into art school absolve you of any responsibility. When you do something hurtful, then you have to own up to it. The evils of the world can truly be a frightening thing, but when you have the courage to confront it like the heroes in some of these series, then good can truly triumph.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]

Writer

Author: Justin "ParaParaJMo" Moriarty

Hello, I am originally from the states and have lived in Japan since 2009. Though I watched Robotech and Voltron as a child, I officially became an anime fan in 1994 through Dragon Ball Z during a trip to the Philippines. In addition to anime, I also love tokusatsu, video games, music, and martial arts. よろしくお願いします

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Top 5 Anime by Justin "ParaParaJMo" Moriarty



Original Article Below

Anime would not be as fun to watch if it didn’t have some amazingly evil characters for our heroes to face off against. If everyone was good, the story would probably get dull quite quickly Though not all evil characters are villains (at the very least not in direct opposition of the protagonist) this updated list focuses on those characters who can’t help but put themselves directly in the way of the protagonist. These evil characters thrive off causing conflict for others and make it a point in their mission to cause psychological, emotional, and physical stress for the protagonist. Without further ado, let’s talk about the top 10 evil characters in anime, and be sure to read the original below for an even greater dose of evilness.

10. Alois Trancy from Kuroshitsuji II (Black Butler II)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: Jul. 2010 – Sep. 2010

There aren’t many ‘good’ characters in the Kuroshitsuji series. Ciel, the main character, is practically an anti-hero as he simply lives for enacting revenge. However, none of the characters bring out the viewer’s rage and frustration as much as young master Alois Trancy.

Trancy is the main antagonist of the second season and he has made it his goal to cause harm to Sebastian, which basically means taking Ciel away from Sebastian. Though he has gone through a lot of abuse in his life that definitely makes you feel for the boy, he has a tendency to frustrate most viewers. He seeks attention constantly and has a rather uncontrollable temper that results in loud and obscene outbursts. Considering what he has gone through these outbursts are understandable, but they are extremely painful to view because of the fact that everyone else in the show tends to bottle their emotions and act with a sense of refinery (except for Grell). All of that said, he gives into his desire for revenge and so here he is.


9. Junko Enoshima from Danganronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei The Animation (Danganronpa: The Animation)

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: Jul. 2013 – Sep. 2013

Junko Enoshima was brought into Hope’s Peak Academy as the Ultimate Fashionista. First seen as perhaps a little superficial and hot-tempered, it is a nice surprise to find out that it has all been an act.

Junko Enoshima, in fact, has the Ultimate Analytical Prowess and is the creator of the Ultimate Despair. This is to say that she is the main antagonist of the series and is responsible for basically every single terrible thing that happens. This is because she is able to use her analytical prowess to figure out anyone’s weakness and then exploit that weakness to bring about despair. What makes her such a great evil character is how much she enjoys bringing about despair and manipulating people. Even better is that she does it all to simply keep herself from boredom.


8. Shishio from Rurouni Kenshin

  • Episodes: 94
  • Aired: Jan. 1996 – Sep. 1998

Shishio is the main antagonist of the second arc of Rurouni Kenshin. He brings together a group of immensely powerful warriors, as he tries to dismantle the government that turned its back on his work and tried to execute him. Though the warriors join him for vastly different reasons, each have found his passion and philosophy influential.

Shishio is an evil character with mass appeal. He is charismatic and forceful and knows how to overthrow a government. Every step he takes is planned and he always has a back-up plan in place. For most of his arc, he is essentially toying with our heroes, who include two of the most feared manslayers from the Imperial War. The best part about him is that he has the skills and abilities to back up all his bark, and that his philosophy extends to all parts of his life. It doesn’t matter if it comes down to his own life or lover, those who are weak are merely energy for the strong.


7. Shou Tucker from Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

  • Episodes: 64
  • Aired: Apr. 2009 – Jul. 2010

Does anything really need to be said about Shou Tucker? Everyone knows his face, and the entire anime community will definitely agree that he is one of the most evil characters.

Behind his rather unassuming appearance is a mind corrupted by the pursuit of power and creation. At first, we think he’s not too far gone. We think he is simply misunderstood by the alchemist community at broad, because he dabbles in the forbidden aspect of alchemy. Considering that Edward delved into the most forbidden of practices, it is no surprise that we find ourselves sympathetic towards the man. Then he uses his daughter in his experiments and creates an existence that is clearly in immense pain. Yep, the guy is evil and the whole community hates him for good reason.


6. Naraku from InuYasha

  • Episodes: 167
  • Aired: Oct. 2000 – Sep. 2004

Naraku is the source of all the problems that plague Inuyasha. If it wasn’t for Naraku, then Inuyasha would have had a much easier life. However, Naraku made his way into Inuyasha’s life and decided to turn Inuyasha and Kikyo against one another in such a way that would act as a catalyst for most of the drama in the series.

So we already discussed how Naraku set a couple of lovebirds against one another. Such an act obviously establishes him as an evil character, but there are many more. There’s the fact that he holds Kanna and Kagura hostage by holding onto their hearts. He gladly punishes them by squeezing their hearts if they ever disobey hm. There’s the fact that he pits Sango against her own little brother Kohaku, who was brainwashed into killing off the rest of their family. The guy wants to be the top demon so is it really any surprise that he displays such an evil nature?


5. The Major from Hellsing Ultimate

  • Episodes: 10
  • Aired: Feb. 2006 – Dec. 2012

Hellsing is an anime full of evil characters. The main character is debatably the most evil. However, Alucard has a leash of sorts tied about his neck and kept his past dealings in a pretty specific location. It’s safe enough to say that he wasn’t out for world conquest, which is why The Major takes this spot.

The Major created an army of Nazi vampires. What more needs to be said? You have to be pretty evil to combine the mindset of a Nazi with the prowess of a vampire. If that’s not enough, then maybe the fact that he’s not actually after world conquest is what makes him truly evil. That’s right, he doesn’t want to simply rule the world. What he wants is to create such systemic conflict that war becomes the constant state of the world. This is to say that he wants death and destruction to be occurring everywhere at all times. He really is a piece of evil pie.


4. Diva from Blood+

  • Episodes: 50
  • Aired: Oct. 2005 – Sep. 2006

Diva is the main antagonist from the Blood+ series, and she is essentially trying to turn everyone in the world into her mindless slave. Why? Well, she was raised in isolation and abused to the point that she could not care less about what’s right or wrong. She simply wants revenge and control and has a particular fondness for toying with Saya and those closest to her.

Diva is a monstrous villain. From the get go her actions take a stark contrast to the actions of Saya. When Diva is first released from her cell by Saya, in order to sing for Joel’s birthday, Diva slaughters everyone. She then continues to slaughter and kill people across the world. Throughout the whole series she does a lot of terrible things, but few compare to when she rapes Riku, kills him, and then dresses up like him to mock Saya.


3. Medusa from Soul Eater

  • Episodes: 51
  • Aired: Apr. 2008 – Mar. 2009

Medusa is arguably the most frustrating and cunning villain in Soul Eater. Even though Asura is the strongest opponent in the series, Medusa acts as the primary antagonist for about 90% of the series, and so we get to see a lot more of her cruelty and schemes.

You know a character is evil when you need to take a moment to narrow down the list of deeds to discuss. Let’s start with the fact that Medusa kills the eldest witch of the Mizune family and puts Eruka Frog under her control by slipping snakes into her body that can kill her at any moment. Now let’s discuss how she infused her own child with black blood and abused that child for years in order to use him as a pawn. The icing on top is the fact that she even corrupts Stein for a while and uses him against his own pupils. Medusa is simply pure evil.


2. Sachiko from Corpse Party: Tortured Souls - Bougyakusareta Tamashii no Jukyou

  • Episodes: 4
  • Aired: July 2013

Sachiko is the antagonist of Corpse Party and few characters can compare to her in terms of being evil. Admittedly, her presence as a ghost was caused by an incident years ago, where she was killed by the school staff. Of course such a death would leave a person with quite a bit of hostility towards the living.

However, her hostility goes above and beyond. The types of traps that Sachiko leaves for the people that enter her realm are on the level of Saw films. The situations and tortures she inflicts upon the characters of the story are truly horrendous and show an extremely sadistic nature. These methods involve stabbing people through the eye, cutting half of someone’s head off with scissors, and a bunch of other twisted schemes. Essentially, she forces people through hell and back even when they are just innocent children.


1. Griffith from Berserk (Berserk)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: Oct. 1997 – Apr. 1998

Griffith was a messianic figure as he led the Band of the Hawk during the Hundred Year War. His efforts brought about a semblance of peace to the war-torn kingdom of Midland, and then about a year later he betrayed all of humanity and became the fifth member of the God Hand, Femto.

What makes Griffith such a poignantly evil character is that he was an earnestly good person at the beginning. It’s the fallen angel complex, and the creators did an incredible job portraying his turnabout. We watch his conscience make the decision to abandon all empathy and stab those closest to him in the back. This is most powerfully and painfully shown as he, now Femto, rapes Casca in front of Guts.


Final Thoughts

Evil characters are essential in anime. However, it is important that the characters are not simply pure incarnations of evil. It’s important for them to have a backstory and character complexities. It is these types of nuances that allow the characters to be memorable and they also make each devilish choice all that more impactful. Are there any truly evil characters that the list above and the list below miss?

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]

Writer

Author: Yoko Dev

Hello, my anime peers. I’m from the states, but have taken an indefinite leave to travel while freelancing. Outside of a deep admiration for anime that started long ago, I love to read, write, and play video games. The main issue of traveling so far has been not having a console.

Previous Articles

Top 5 Anime by Yoko Dev


Original Article Below

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]

Much of life is a duality; can you really enjoy the sunshine if you’ve never been stuck inside on a rainy day? Can you truly understand love without a little heartbreak? Can anime heroes exist without (literally) cartoonishly evil villains to bar their path, and cause grief, destruction, and mayhem? We at Honey’s Anime don’t think so, which is why we’re bringing you an article dedicated to those dastardly villains you love to hate. Get your happy thoughts ready, because you’re gonna need ‘em.

10. Gantz – Gantz

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: April 2004 – November 2004

It’s a bit of a challenge to characterize a giant, floating black sphere full of weapons and a strange old man attached to equipment as “evil,” especially when it seemingly brings people back to life. However, the purpose and context in which it does so makes it obvious that its intentions definitely aren’t benevolent.
That’s because Gantz uses humans as tools in a viciously brutal game of murderous hide-and-seek, where those hiding are aliens and other monsters, and the penalty for losing the game is another, usually more violent death than the one that got the players there in the first place. It doesn’t help that the players chosen by Gantz as pawns are often-times insane themselves, abusing their new-found powers on innocent bystanders and their fellow players. After all, one of Gantz’s first acts is to summon an unconscious naked girl into the midst of players old and new, just to see what happens.
If acts like that aren’t enough, the sheer scope of the collateral damage caused by this strange, omnipresent being is enough to making anyone’s blood run cold.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


9. Majin Boo – Dragon Ball Z

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 250+
  • Aired: July 1989 – April 2015

Majin Boo is somewhat of an anomaly in the Dragon Ball universe, as his intentions aren’t necessarily nefarious when he is first encountered. His appearance is chubby and almost cuddly, if you can get past the fact that he was created specifically for the destruction of all living beings in the known universe by a sorcerer with an inferiority complex, and brushes aside the series’ heroes like gnats.
Even though he murders and eats innocent civilians (and uses them to build his dwelling), there’s enough good in him that when the bad finally gets out, all lean muscles and malevolence, and subsequently transforms even further, it makes his previous form look like a puppy (the death of which is actually what put him over the edge).
As if the death of most of the world wasn’t enough, shortly after his emergence, “evil” Boo makes a point of murdering humanity with the destruction of Earth as a way to taunt Goku and friends, before taking the fight to another planet. In the end they’re able to put him down, which is fortunate since his chances at eliminating the universe were actually looking pretty good.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


8. Kyubey – Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: January 2011 – April 2011

Appearances can be deceiving, and this is especially true of adorable, cat-like aliens incapable of feeling empathy and that have with hidden agendas. All is not what it seems when one such alien, Kyubey, offers young middle schooler Madoka Kaname some wishes in exchange for her soul, and her promise that she’ll help in a magical war against witches.
Throughout the series it is revealed that Kyubey and the rest of his alien race, the Incubators, are fighting to counteract the laws of entropy and the eventual heat death of the universe in an incredibly manipulative and misguided way. In exchange for granting wishes and magical powers, they harvest the souls of young women and store them in gems, feeding off the emotional distress engaging in life and death combat with witches provides.
As if that weren’t bad enough, once those who have been unknowingly manipulated into offering their souls for a human perpetual motion machine sour to the experience and become jaded, they become the very enemies they were created to combat, continuing the cycle. If the death of countless adorable young girls for the sake of utilitarianism isn’t evil, then what is?

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


7. Light Yagami – Death Note

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 37
  • Aired: October 2006 – June 2007

Sometimes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and this has never been truer than in the case of young do-gooder Light Yagami. In what seems like a rather responsible use of a notebook that bestows the bearer with the ability to kill indiscriminately with the powers of a death god, Light sets himself on a mission to rid the world of evil, one criminal at a time. His desire to become the ruler of the new, crime-free utopia was definitely a warning sign.
It isn’t long before Light becomes enamored of his role as judge, jury and executioner, and starts abusing his power. This, unsurprisingly, attracts the attention of Interpol and the socially anxious detective wunderkind, L, beginning a devious game of cat and mouse that leaves several (mostly) innocent bodies in its wake, and countless dead criminals.
Eventually, Light’s almost indiscriminate use of the Death Note catches up with him, accompanied by his sociopathic lack of emotion, results in enemies on all sides and his eventual downfall. Light’s case is a perfect example of sad folks becoming everything they hate.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


6. Dio Brando – Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: October 2012 – April 2013

Dio’s cruelty is partly understandable; he had a tough childhood. He came from a poor, abusive family with alcohol problems before being adopted by the affluent Joestar family. But even after his circumstances improved, from a young age he displayed a cruel streak and an unwillingness to tolerate the happiness of others. When he grew up, he attempted to murder his way to the head of his adoptive family. Failing in his task, he turned to the power of the mysterious Stone Mask, which turned him into a vampire.
His ambition for power didn’t stop there however. No matter how many times he was thwarted by his adoptive family members, Dio kept upping the ante (even going so far as to steal the body of one of his family members), resurrecting the ancient, incredibly powerful Pillar Men, all the while trimming the branches of his extended family tree. His ambition fostered an evil so powerful that not even death could stop him. You’ve gotta respect that.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


5. Ragyo Kiryuin – Kill la Kill

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: October 2013 – March 2014

In her role as the elegant, multi-talented CEO of the ubiquitous clothing conglomerate Revocs Corporation, as well as the director of Honnouji Academy, almost everything about Ragyo screams evil. While the world of Kill la Kill is a brutal, unforgiving place, Ragyo and her Corporation are directly and indirectly responsible for most of the bloodshed that takes place over the course of the series.
As the show progresses, it is revealed that the clothes her company creates are comprised of a special fabric known as Life Fibers, which are actually sinister aliens that consume their wearers. Ragyo’s goal is to destroy Earth in order to propagate the expansion of Life Fibers throughout the universe. She has sacrificed everything in pursuit of her evil goal, including her estranged daughter Ryuko, as well as her very body.
Truly worthy of her style, Ragyo goes out with all the flare you’d expect an evil villain of her caliber. Refusing to accept defeat at the hands of those she considers inferior, she crushes her own heart and cruelly reminds the protagonists of the futility of their actions.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


4. Lucy – Elfen Lied

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: July 2004 – October 2004

Part heroine, part villain, Lucy views her world in shades of gray. That is, when it’s visible through the fountains of blood she spills. Her worldview is a little understandable; as a Diclonii, a horned humanoid race with extra limbs called “vectors,” (which double as terrifyingly brutal weapons capable of rendering human flesh with ease) Lucy has spent a lot of her time in as a test subject in a lab, looked down on by humans. Like other Diclonii, she is partial to extremely violent outbursts and occasionally dreams of eradicating humans entirely through the proliferation of the “vector virus.”
While capable of acts of kindness, especially in her more benevolent, childlike persona Nyu, when the flip switches with Lucy the only thing capable of calming her down is the hot blood of her enemies, as she lets her aggression loose. Not satisfied by merely killing her enemies, she often leaves them mangled or crippled, helpless and bleeding out in slow agony.
With Lucy, maybe all it comes down to is being misunderstood, rather than inherently evil. But for the few gruesome moments you’re on the business end of that misunderstanding, it’s hard to look at her as anything else.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


3. Annie Leonhart – Attack on Titan

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: April 2013 – September 2013

While one look into the sadistic, hunger-filled eyes of any of the show’s titular Titans is enough to convince even the most stalwart member of the military of the evil lurking behind their menacing smiles, they pale in comparison to the female Titan. In the end, she is revealed as none other than soft-spoken MP and former trainer to protagonist Eren Yeager, Annie Leonhart.
What makes Annie stand out in a world ravaged by giant, man-eating monsters? It’s not simply her intellectual prowess, revealed in and out of combat, as she bloodily and dispassionately dispatches legions of her comrades in arms, using a situational awareness far beyond that of an ordinary Titan, while hiding in plain sight. It’s not even the way she betrays her closest friends, all the while putting the last vestiges of humanity at risk.
What really makes Annie evil in the eyes of her peers and viewers is that when she’s finally backed into a corner, and asked to explain the motives behind her barbaric actions, she refuses to offer anyone the solace of understanding, or an answer. Instead encases herself in crystal, robbing anyone of a chance at closure.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


2. Knives Millions – Trigun

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: April 1998 – September 1998

You know Knives had to make a brutal impression to be considered one of the most evil characters in a wild-west themed show where episodes aren’t measured in bodies piled up, but in towns destroyed. As a living plant and the brother of the show’s protagonist, Vash the Stampede, Knives spends most of the show orchestrating most of his brother’s trials and misery from the shadows.
And his orchestrations are vicious. He is the head of the aptly named superhuman gang of assassins, the Gung Ho Guns, which he created specifically to make his brother suffer to the very end. Heck, he even gave his right hand man his brother’s actual left hand, granting him the ability to control people telepathically.
Most of Vash’s terrifying, negative reputation is due to Knives’ attempts at his life, directly or indirectly. Where Vash tries to see the good in everyone, Knives’ ultimate goal is the destruction of all humans – a race he considers to be weak and unredeemable. With the body count under his belt, he’s well on his way.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


1. Johan Liebert - Monster

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 74
  • Aired: April 2004 – September 2005

The character that acts as the series’ namesake, Johan Liebert is the closest anime has come to capturing the cruel, terrifying intelligence of iconic psychopaths like Hannibal Lecter. Referred to by other characters as a monster, as the devil, or even the next Hitler, like history’s most evil villains, he’s merely human.
He was saved from certain death as a child by renowned surgeon Dr. Tenma, which set forth a fateful and bloody series of events that took viewers into a dark underworld and explored what humans are capable when they give in to their darkest impulses. Unlike other entries on this list, part of what makes Johan so frightening is the evil he is able to accomplish with nothing other than his cold intelligence and charisma.
He’s capable of cruelty and violence to the people he claims to love, like his sister, and even children. The orchestrator of countless traumas, both physical and psychological, as well as massacres big and small, Johan proves in the bloodiest way possible that no good deed goes unpunished. Some people just want to watch the world burn.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]


Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]

There we have it, ten of anime’s most evil villains. Once you’ve calmed down after thinking about all the terrible things the entries on this list have collectively accomplished, feel free to keep the sinister fun going by mentioning your favorite baddies in the comments section below.

Enen-no-Shouboutai-Wallpaper Top 10 Evil Characters in Anime [Updated]

Writer

Author: Nick Rich

Nick is, first and foremost, a nerd. Netflix on in the background, a drink in one hand, and a book in the other is how you'll find him most days after work. He currently works as an English teacher in Kawasaki, where he lives next to a graveyard with his girlfriend and his unnamed flying squirrel. He hopes to run into Kitaro, late one night.

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