You can't have a great anime hero if you don't have a great anime villain.
This is why most popular series, especially shounen, have this symbolic hero vs. villain scenario where each one is specific and amazing in its own right.
But what makes a villain the best of the best?
Let's find out when we review the best of anime villains.
25. Satan
Anime: Ao no Exorcist
I'm going to start the list with Satan himself. Because I feel like he wasn't as specific as some of the others on this list.
But his presence was definitely felt.
We were never shown his true form on the show, but that just makes him even more intimidating. You never know where he'll attack next.
In addition, he looks like a manifestation of pure hatred and evil.
So you definitely won't feel this character.
But I'm sure he sent shivers down his spine the first time he possessed someone.
24. Zagred
Anime: black clover
Well, if you prefer the long-term relevance of the plot, then Patolli will probably suit you.
We really get to know his backstory, his motives and character.
But I'm a fan of some kind of demonic action, so when Zagred came on stage, I was glued to my seat.
Not only does he look like pure nightmare fuel, but he also has some of the most unleashed powers this show has ever seen.
Even though he pitted Black Zetsu against us, I forgive him based on his awesome levels alone.
23. Esdeath
Anime: akame ga kill
For most of the show, Esdeath was basically a uniformed Grim Reaper.
Because wherever she went, death would soon follow by the tens, if not the hundreds.
And even our main group had to dodge it like the plague.
She is definitely ruthless and incredibly strong. But she also expanded a bit when she discovered hormones.
Was it a twisted love story? Absolutely.
But was it a hell of a fuss every time she took the stage? You know it!
22. Ladd Russo
Anime: Baccano!
It's a little weird for me to call anyone on this show a villain since everyone seems to be on the opposite end of the law.
But, in my opinion, Ladd is perhaps the most evil person.
Of course, some characters could do worse. But it was to save their lives or make a profit.
Ladd just enjoys killing people. He is furious to stop someone from living.
But this trait of him is done well, which makes him a manic person that you can never really understand and you can't predict what he's going to do next.
Crazy Ladd Russo definitely deserves a solid spot on this list.
21. Tahumaru
Anime: Dororo
I really take that line as I think that Tahomaru can be considered a villain, but only under the circumstances.
This is because it was his father who made the deal with the demons, and the demons are the ones that Hyakkimaru usually fights.
But I still couldn't resist putting Tahomaru in here.
Because, after all, he actually ordered someone to lose their happiness so that his land could flourish... not very heroic, right?
And his clash with his brother was one of my favorite anime fights. So at least a mid-level villain in my book!
20. Shue Tucker
Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist
Okay, I'm going to apologize to the FMA for my one character per episode rule since I just have to mention this guy.
Even anime fans who haven't watched the series have probably heard Tucker's name mentioned here and there in the most painful context.
He was a one time villain. But only one scene of his exploits left me speechless the first time.
Just imagine how much free space you need to be in to do what Tucker did. This is really crazy. No spoilers, check it out for yourself.
19. Tsukasa Shishiu
Anime: Dr. Stone
I personally like it when the difference between a hero and a villain is their philosophy.
I mean, Tsukasa is definitely not what you would call a nice guy with the whole "let the old die" principle.
But heconvinced that it is for the common good.
He is also both physically and mentally an absolute beast who looks like a knockoff of the JoJo character, which is always a good thing.
At the moment, he has not encountered the realm of science too many times. But I'm sure the final battle will be epic.
18. Frieza
Anime: Dragon Ball Z
Yes, I went very vanilla with this one.
But Frieza is too iconic not to mention!
I still remember how excited I was when it was first introduced, as the planet-destroying powers were still quite new to the franchise.
You add twenty transformations and upgrades to that, an incredibly long fight, and some of the best shortened lines on the web, and you have a top-tier Dragon Ball Z villain.
He really taunts us in the new season. But I, for one, am not angry.
More Frieza is always good.
17. Izaya Orihara
Anime: Durarara!!
I'm a fan of boy genius villains. And Izaya rightly does so on many levels.
Almost everything that happens in the series is related to this man in one way or another, as he treats the rest of the actors like chess pieces.
Why?
Because this chaos is really interesting for a man.
I also appreciate that he is not a slacker who relies only on his wits. He can and will quit if the situation requires it. Ten out of ten will watch again.
16. Hisoka Morov
Anime: Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Only in anime, an excited clown, eager for battle, can be the main villain.
Like most characters in the series, Hisoka is morally ambiguous and just does what he pleases in the moment, whether he ends up helping or not.
It is this ambiguity that makes him such a great villain.
Because it is impossible to predict what he will do next.
It's like his character has the qualities of rubber and chewing gum that are interesting, and the recognition that he's into the game just rebounds.
Joking aside, Meruem is amazing, but Hisoka is legendary.
15. Dio Brando
Anime: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Dio honestly goes beyond his show. Because Dio memes are basically in their own category.
How can you not love this smug, mercurial Chad character?
Well, spoilers ahead:
When he first showed his power to Polnareff, the madman stopped time and then approached his enemy and placed him on a lower rung to confuse him. How extra is it?
I would like other villains to show commitment to this man, both in terms of flexibility and persecution of the family over the decades.
14. Muzan Kibutsuji
Anime: Demon Slayer
When a demonic character is portrayed well, my overall enjoyment of the show skyrockets.
And Muzan was honestly the antagonist that this already brilliant series needed.
I can't tell if it's because of his uncompromising brutality or just because of his brute strength and intimidation.
But as soon as I saw him, I wanted to see him take on the trio of main characters.
Unfortunately, only the manga can quench my thirst, as the anime only shows a fraction of his amazing power. Still, damn amazing.
13. Toichiro Suzuki
Anime: Mob Psycho 100
It's no secret that when Mob gets angry, his enemies just disappear.
So when the real threat came, oh my god it wasawesome .
This man thought he was a bee on many levels, resulting in the most self-centered and self-righteous character imaginable on the show.
But when he encountered Mob, that notion was quickly called into question. He definitely enjoyed every second of this fight. And to be honest, so do I.
I appreciated it not so much because of the character itself, but because of the excellent storytelling that was in the finale of this season.
12. Nagato
Anime: Naruto hurricane chronicles
Originally I was going to put Madara or Obito here.
But then I watched Pain's arc again and Nagato defeated them.
Although they failed the final battle between Path of Pain and Naruto, their first attack was amazing. The characters disappear like flies and the outlook on life honestly makes sense.
I'm not going to lie, but the cycle of pain is sort of right: Nagato was simply responsible for all the pain he was exposed to.
The way they finished off the character needs criticism. But the way it was written is definitely quality.
11. Petelgeuse Romane-Conti
Anime: Re: Zero
Mr Peter Goose definitelynot is on this list because of his character development in class A or something like that.
But it cannot be said that the man was unremarkable.
And more importantly, he fits this show so well and made me have nightmares.
There is something about his manic speech and brain-shaking visuals that makes his presence felt every time he appears.
Moral of the story: I think psychopathy can take you far in anime.
10. Tomura Shigaraki
Anime: Boku no Hero Academy
There are a lot of amazing villains in this series, from Stain to Overhaul to All For One, you name it.
And when you add in people like Dabi and Toga, it seems like the villains are just as likable as the heroes.
But my choice is Shigaraki for two reasons.
First, longevity.
I mean, whether we like it or not, we will see this dude a lot and therefore see him progress as a character. Especially compared to Deku.
Secondly, he just does some crazy stuff in the manga and it's honestly amazing.
9. Kenny Ackerman
Anime: Attack of the Titans
As for big villains, the Beast Titan is probably more suited to this place.
But I just found Kenny too interesting not to mention.
And that's because Kenny brings two new and interesting aspects to the show.
First, people attack and prey on other people.
And secondly, Levi's past.
Let's face it, we're all dealing with Levi, so finally seeing a figure from his past and getting them to fight in a great fast-paced manner was just a treat for the audience.
8. Anti-spirals.
Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Throughout the playthrough, Gurren Lagann constantly introduced new villains, trying to make each one more interesting and menacing than the previous one.
So, first we had a grumpy man controlling children, then a beast hunter, and finally an entire species known as anti-spirals.
Not only did they emit extreme Alien-X vibes when they first appeared. But they also resulted in the biggest battle the show has ever undertaken.
Needless to say it was amazing.
7. Askeladd
Anime: Vinland saga
What makes Askeladd one of the best villains is that I don't even know if I can call him a villain.
It was clear at first. He plays dirty and kills, bad man.
The middle then gets a little dark as Thorfinn (our MC) really wants to kill him, but they also become like a family, even a very violent one.
And then, in the end, everything disappears.
We are shown that Askeladd is extremely brave and protects what is dear to him, and this is good. Is he not on that list? I don't know the person.
6. Envy
Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Just like the Tucker Envy is also definitely a little cool for cocoa puffs, but somehow more intimidating.
As the name suggests, Envy really doesn't like the fact that people have something they don't have: love.
Therefore, they will go to any lengths to destroy any trace of human love and happiness.
The fact that they can shape-shift only reinforces this point, as they can make your loved one be the last thing you see brandishing a gun or a bloody knife.
5. Griffith
Anime: Berserk
I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that Griffith is one of the most popular villains in anime. And even more so among manga readers.
His outward charm, devotion to what he considers to be the best for humanity, and his original role as the protagonist make him a very interesting specimen, to say the least.
But after a certain staging of The Last Supper, the image of a good guy definitely disappears.
If you don't like utilitarianism or something like that, then I don't know what to tell you.
4. Donquixote Doflamingo
Anime: one piece
Doflamingo has always been an interesting character because he was considered one of the best, although other villains from One Piece havemuch more power and narrative influence.
Maybe it's because of his design, his extreme arrogance, or the fact that he's been touted for so long as a looming threat to the crew.
Whatever the case, we're left with an incredibly powerful warlord with the most opulent attire and a depressing backstory that contrasts beautifully with his purple theme and wide grin.
3. Shogo Makishima
Anime: Psycho Pass
As a whole, the Sybil system is arguably more dangerous.
But Makishima is definitely the more interesting villain.
I have said before that I love the good and evil mental trope and Makishima delivers so many levels.
Not only does he constantly stay a few steps away from the police. But his twisted mind and unpredictability make him so intriguing.
His first meeting with Akane is, in my opinion, one of the scariest scenes in the anime. And so his place on this list is well deserved.
2. Sōsuke Aizen
Anime: Bleach
There are several reasons why Aizen is such a good villain.
First, he combined the biggest villainy with all of us with all this fake death.
Secondly, he is damn strong and constantly attacks anyone who dares to oppose him, which is always nice to see.
And finally, he looks like a super genius who planned the show's entire storyline.
Mind you, he didn't pull Black Zetsu. So it was actually a good take on his character.
We don't even know what this person was like before he became a demigod.
He just sort of exists and spreads his complacency all over the world.
1. Isabella
Anime: The Promised Neverland
Isabella is a prime example of how to be a good antagonist.
She doesn't spew fire or kill kittens for fun. She simply survives by sacrificing the weaker ones.
And the way it's writtenfabulous : her sharp intellect, mental warfare, sly eyes, everything.
You literally felt that she was always around the corner, watching, listening, plotting something.
After we learn her backstory, she never ceases to scare.
Now we just understand her better on a fundamental level, which is not easy to replicate with a regular villain.
