The presence of anime villains is critical to the success of a series. Their character development becomes quite vital for the storyline depending on how important their role is, and for a greater rivalry, a better villain is also required. And, while there is no shortage of such antagonists in the community, have you ever wondered who the most popular anime villain is?
Villains in anime may make or break a series; they decide the program’s success rate since they create tension and conflict in any show. The protagonists of Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and Demon Slayer are all fantastic and lovable, but the antagonists also play an important role in the success of a show.
In summary, a great anime villain is just as crucial as a show’s hero, and we’ve gathered villains from every genre and demographic of anime in this section. We’ll look at the top ten most popular anime villains, as determined by MyAnimeList (MAL). So, without further ado, let us begin.
10. Ryomen Sukuna
Votes :- 7,858
Ryomen Sukuna is the most powerful cursed spirit that has ever been in the realm of Jujutsu Kaisen. Prior to his death, he was also a Jujutsu Sorcerer who protected human lives by staking his own, but not any longer. Thousands of curses and humans were executed by Sukuna during his peak, but his rampage did not end there.
Even after his exorcism, he continued to utilise Yuji as a vessel for his death troll to grow. Except for Gojo Satoru, everyone else in the series is terrified of Sukuna’s presence, which hints to his true powers. Sukuna is one of the coolest anime villains, and he has garnered a lot of popularity as a result of Yuji.
9. Madara Uchiha
Votes :- 10,807
There aren’t many characters in anime history who create the impression of a one-man army like Madara Uchiha. He is by far the most powerful villain in the Naruto series. He emits a godlike aura, and the power gap between him and his opponents is enormous. His Ninja abilities far outnumber those of the Naruto characters.
Naruto’s villains are well-written, which is why fans adore them. They are simply fascinated with them and the idea that these personalities adhere to. Madara also planned to end the long conflict by trapping the entire globe in a never-ending infinite dream, but he ended up killing many people to accomplish his goal.
Furthermore, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Madara faced the whole 4th Division on his own and ended up executing them all by using his special powers Sharingan and Rinnegan. It’s not like anyone else hasn’t done it before, but the class and personality Madara brings to the table aren’t found in the new-gen villains.
8. Griffith
Votes :- 12,397
Griffith will undoubtedly be among those chosen if the success of a villain is decided by the amount of fans who despise a specific figure. He has committed terrible crimes that cannot be explained, and betrayal of friendship is one of them. Griffith is the main antagonist in Kentaro Miura’s manga series Berserk.
Griffith vanquished Guts in battle and forced him to join the Band of the Hawk, and their dynamic relationship later became the central subject of the series. Griffith, on the other hand, was responsible for the annihilation of the entire Band of Hawk. He never hesitated to pursue his aim, which is why he is recognized for his role as a counterpoint to Guts and his transformation into a villain.
7. Dio Brando
Votes :- 13,800
Villains come and go, but Dio Brando’s legacy lives on in the anime world. Whether or not you’ve seen JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, you’ve definitely heard the name of this guy. The series’ portrayal of Dio is epic, and it only adds to viewers’ admiration for him.
Dio’s attitude and impact on the plot of the anime are well known among JoJo fans. As soon as he enters the frame, fans start tingling all over because they can’t stop wondering what’s going to happen next. Seriously, it’s impossible to dislike Dio, which is why he’s one of the most popular anime villains of all time.
6. Gilgamesh
Votes :- 14,400
Gilgamesh is not just a selfish and arrogant villain, but also one of the most powerful anime characters. His presence throughout the Fate saga is notable, and he is well-known in the anime world due to his stunning character design.
Gilgamesh, an ancient king who sought to own all he could get his hands on, is motivated by avarice and his own interests at any given time. While the Holy Grail wars are supposed to be waged by legendary heroes, Gilgamesh surely makes the case for legendary villains to be included as well.
5. Meruem
Votes :- 15,139
Without Meruem, the league of overpowered anime characters, particularly the villains, is incomplete. Meruem was the Chimera Ant Queen’s most powerful progeny, and he was recognised as the “King” of the Chimera Ants. He was the major adversary of the Chimera Ant storyline, which was the series’ most important and darkest arc.
Meruem was first a brutal and ruthless leader, and his arrogance showed this. He regarded himself as superior to all other forms of life and had no qualms about killing and cannibalising any Chimera Ant he deemed disrespectful. His arrival in Hunter Hunter was somewhat late, yet his terrifying aura and impact on the tale left us dumbfounded.
4. Johan Liebert
Votes:- 18,877
Johan Liebert is undoubtedly the best villain in anime history, and no one can replace him in any way. Johan wreaked mayhem despite having no superpowers or unique skills. He played the antagonist in Naoki Urasawa’s popular series “Monster.”
Johan’s paradox and peculiar charisma propel him to the top of the anime villain rankings. He is the only one who has broken through this ranking solely by the power of his tactical intellect. He was able to frighten a whole city’s people just by playing mind tricks. This distinguishes him from the rest of the villain’s horde, who require specific abilities to make their imprint.
3. Askeladd
Votes :- 20,154
There is usually a character who appears more badass and dominant than the main protagonist, and Askeladd is one such personality who sticks out even more in Vinland Saga’s strong supporting ensemble. He’s even more popular than the series’ main character; after all, an entire season was devoted to him.
Askeladd is a crafty and intriguing bandit who led a Viking mercenary band. After assassinating Thors, he included Throfinn in his squad and turned him into a vicious and brutal warrior. When Thorkell wiped out his band, Askeladd vowed to help Canute achieve his objective of keeping Wales secure from Viking invasion.
He is a superb warrior and an amazing swordsman, but his greatest skill is his brains and ability to strategize and adapt. He acts quickly and seizes what he desires. Askeladd seemed to be a fantastic leader, but the truth is that he was the series’ adversary.
2. Hisoka Morrow
Votes :- 33,718
The Hunter Hunter series has a diverse cast of characters, particularly the antagonists, which you will like. Hisoka is one such character that made his presence at the very beginning of the series, and his appearance at each stage of the plot makes the spectators leap out of their seats.
His design will remind you of the Joker, but don’t mistake him for one. He’s more dangerous than he appears, as Gon and Killua discovered during the Heavens Arena Arc. Unfortunately, the public never saw the competition between Gon and Hisoka, but fans will remember Hisoka as one of the most endearing villains in anime history.
1. Light Yagami
Votes :- 87,824
Light Yagami would have been an ordinary high school student if he hadn’t discovered the Death Note. A simple-looking notebook significantly altered his life by granting death to everyone whose name was put in it. Despite this, fans adored him, which is why he is the most popular anime villain on MyAnimeList’s charts.
After getting the Death Note, Light began punishing society’s evildoers with a cruel death. He desired to create an evil-free world, but as time passed, he became the most heinous criminal himself. He was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent people, making him the greatest anime villain of all time.
