What does it take to be the perfect anime villain? Sometimes the part demands for a sinister motivational push to counter the protagonist’s deeds and a driving force to dominate the world. A villain is frequently driven by a desire to commit cruel and immoral acts. While anime frequently highlights villains who redeem themselves and join the good guys, there are also series that focus on anime heroes who become villains.
There were occasions in an anime series when it wasn’t a villain that wrecked chaos, and there are many fictional works that feature the same notion. In some situations, characters began as really decent people before being tempted to turn evil by circumstances. In other cases, the ungodly intentions of a character began to emerge as the series continued.
It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were, because it’s always fascinating to observe someone who appeared moral at first but later embraces the dark side. In today’s post, we’ll look at some of the anime heroes that became villains. So, without further ado, let us begin.
10. Stain
Anime:- My Hero Academia
The villains and heroes in My Hero Academia play their parts fairly and squarely. Surprisingly, there are some criminals who were heroes at one point in their lives. And Hero Killer Stain, also known as Chizome Akaguro, was once a hero-in-training.
When Stain was a student, he hoped to be a hero like All Might, but his dreams were dashed when he discovered how twisted and deceitful hero society was. As a result, Stain finally left the school and committed his life to discovering heroes with true nobility in their hearts, unfortunately murdering or hurting a number of heroes in the process.
9. Shiro
Anime:- Deadman Wonderland
Shiro is one of the main characters in Deadman Wonderland, as well as Ganta Igarashi’s childhood friend and Hagire Rinichir’s adoptive daughter. Shiro begins as an innocent character and frequently acts as an ally to Ganta following his imprisonment. Her motivation for being a villain, however, is hidden beneath her divided personality.
Shiro endured years in the cell with a lot of misery and abuse because the anime is set in an unusual prison. The trauma it caused instilled in Shiro a violent parallel ego known as the “Wretched Egg,” making Shiro both Ganta’s dearest friend and his worst adversary. Her altered personality does not always come out, which is risky.
8. Sōsuke Aizen
Anime:- Bleach
The main antagonist of the popular classic anime television series Bleach is Ssuke Aizen. Although Aizen set the benchmark for a flawless anime villain, he wasn’t always one. He also appeared to be a pleasant guy who was completely dedicated to his duty as a member of Gotei 13. He was a law-abiding citizen who volunteered for the Soul Society.
But, in the background, Aizen was hatching ideas that no one had ever imagined. As it turns out, his entire persona was a ruse to conceal his genuine objective, which was to demolish Soul Society. He went unseen for a long time, plotting and deceiving his way to becoming the celestial monarch. And, without a doubt, he is the sharpest anime character of all time.
7. Ken Kaneki
Anime:- Tokyo Ghoul
Kaneki was a typical college student enjoying a regular life until he met Reze, a lovely girl who turned out to be a human-eating ghoul. Kaneki is gravely hurt after a disastrous date, and in order to rehabilitate him, he is subjected to an experiment in which Reze’s organs are implanted into him. As a result, he becomes a half-ghoul.
This made Kaneki’s life terrible, and he had to live with this weird talent for the rest of his life. He wasn’t ready to accept the ghoul lifestyle until he was tormented at the end of the first season, which changed his demeanour and made him realise he’s no longer a human. Despite the fact that the series attempts to establish Kaneki as a hero, he is still perceived as the primary problem.
6. Tetsuo Shima
Anime:- Akira
Akira was one of the most well-received anime films of the 1980s, and it was much appreciated for its sci-fi inspired plot. Tetsuo Shima, one of its main characters, was a gang member at first but was a kind child until things changed for him. Following a mishap, the Japanese government kidnaps Tetsuo and exposes him to torturous tests that endow him with uncontrollable psychic abilities.
As a result, he became one of the most powerful psychics of all time, as well as a cruel criminal who was more than willing to use his talent to manipulate others. Tetsuo established his own army and compelled his followers to take medications that increased psychic energy. He was attacking the city and killing everyone in sight by the end of the film, putting him on the list of anime heroes who turned villains.
5. Ryo Asuka
Anime:- Devilman Crybaby
Ryo Asuka was introduced as Akira Fudo’s childhood friend and the best source of support at the start of Devilman Crybaby. He was the one who persuaded Akira to become Devilman and assisted him on his voyages as a young prodigy. His meeting with Akira and his kind approach made him very sympathetic and supportive of Akira.
But Akira and the audience had no idea that Ryo’s true identity would turn the tables, as he was revealed to be the fallen angel, Satan. Despite the fact that Ryo welcomed Akira, he caused the two of them to fight and became Akira’s downfall more than he ever helped him in life.
4. Light Yagami
Anime:- Death Note
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. His sense of fairness and motivations were obvious from the outset, until he began to conduct clearly unfair actions.
After getting the Death Note, Light began punishing society’s evildoers with a terrible death. He desired to create an evil-free world, but as time passed, he became the most heinous criminal himself. He eventually killed hundreds of innocent people, including his own sister, becoming the greatest anime villain of all time.
3. Lelouch Lamperouge
Anime:- Code Geass
Lelouch Lamperouge is one of the best anti-heroes ever seen by fans. Obsessed with the idea of changing the Royal Empire of Britannia, Lelouch vowed to free Japan and establish a better world for all. He was never afraid to sacrifice civilian life in order to fulfil his long-held dream.
He earned a respectable position in the hearts of fans as a hero, but it doesn’t take long for Lelouch’s moral compass to alter. In the second part of the series, he was willing to compromise his values in order to obtain what he desired. In his pursuit for supreme dominance, he unintentionally caused collateral harm to his own sister. This not only makes him an interesting character but also, one of the best anti-heroes as well.
2. Eren Jaeger
Anime:- Attack On Titan
Attack on Titan is a true storytelling masterpiece that has evolved dramatically over the course of four seasons. One of the best aspects of the show is Eren Jaeger’s growth as an Eldian hero. Eren has been through a lot since the beginning of the series, and he has always wanted to exact revenge on the Marley army.
Without a question, Eren is one of the best-written anime heroes, yet his distinct libertarian ideology threatens the lives of 80 percent of humanity. As the end approached, he began to defend his dangerous ways as the only way to fix the world. Although Eren was doing everything for the sake of humanity, the cost was extremely expensive and eventually, it started to feel like a selfish act by him.
1. Griffith
Anime:- Berserk
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 horrific atrocities 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 lauded for his role as a counterpoint to Guts and his transformation into a villain.
