Villains are an important part of any popular anime series, needing to stand out as competent, threatening, and with a singular goal to accomplish. In contrast to the protagonist, a villain should challenge our main character’s morals and point of view, offering a different perspective on what the hero fights to defend. Creating a memorable, well-written villain can be a challenging feat; think of the shows with flimsy antagonists that offer very little challenge, and how a poorly received villain can lower the stakes of the entire show. Nobody enjoys watching a series where the villain is laughably bad, because it ensures the audience doesn’t ever compute the risk factor when the hero faces off against the overarching threat.
Anime is a medium that has plenty of iconic, amazingly portrayed villains throughout the numerous shows that have aired in the past decades. It’s easy to find an anime villain to root for, or even to like. What’s more difficult is discovering a villain that comes out victorious in the end, due to the nature of most story tropes ending with the hero overcoming evil and obstacles in their way. While there are plenty of shows with a satisfying pay-off, there are just as many anime that have insane power-scaling for the sake of protagonist plot armor against a stronger foe. In the list below, we’ll be taking a closer look at some anime villains who came out on top by the end of their respective series.
7) Dio (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Dio is one of the most iconic anime villains who combines a sense of style with sheer intimidation. Featured in Jojo’s Bizarre AdventureDio Brando is the main antagonist featured in both “Phantom Blood” and “Stardust Crusaders”. Besides his time in the spotlight, Dio also influences other important villains in other parts, such as Enrico Pucci. His legacy lives on, albeit in a different way than intended, through Giornao Giovanna, his son and heir, who is considered the main character of “Golden Wind”.
The main goal of Dio Brando in the first arc of the show was to defeat Jonathan Joestar, his rival and nemesis; expanding on this goal, Dio intended to steal Jonathan’s body so he could inherit the man’s inherent power. This is a goal that Dio actually manages by the end of “Phantom Blood”, with Jonathan killed in their final battle and Dio taking his body before entering a deep, healing sleep. Dio does eventually resurface and attempt to wreak havoc on the lives of the remaining Joestar family members, such as Joseph and Jotaro, before he is defeated for the final time. Despite this loss in the third part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventureit doesn’t take away from the fact that Dio prevailed in his initial appearance.
6) Aainz Ooal Gown (Overlord)
Plenty of anime series have begun to embrace the trend of featuring a main character who acts as the villain of the plot. Morally grey protagonists have gained popularity in the past decade, able to embrace darker, complicated themes that the traditional, righteous hero might not be able to grasp. A well-known example of this has to be Ainz Ooal Gown, the protagonist of Overlordan Isekai anime series that combines video games with conquest. We’re bystanders to Ainz’s journey through the fictional New World as he grows steadily more compromised in his actions and choices to gain power.
The plot of Overlord centers around the concept of a gamer trapped inside the world of his favorite video game series when the servers are shut down. Formally known as Satoru Suzuki, the average man took on the appearance of his skeletal avatar during his transition to the New World. Ainz decides to become an overlord through the means of conquest, utilizing his intelligence, brutality, and cunning to win fights, gain land, and elevate his own status and power. These actions serve to unite the world in a utopian society and to locate his former guild members whom he believes will unite to protect the world he is creating. While Ainz’s death is an inevitable part of his storyline, it’s impossible to say his final goal wasn’t completed after he began his quest to immortalize himself as overlord.
5) Kirei Kotomine (Fate/Zero)
The Fate/stay franchise is a large, multi-faceted journey that records the outcome of mages fighting in Holy Grail Wars throughout history. In particular, Fate/Zero is a prequel to Fate/stay Nightdetailing the events of the fourth Holy Grail War. Participants in the battle are called Masters, skilled mages who summon Servants, powerful figures from the past that battle each other to obtain the Holy Grail, an object capable of granting any single wish. Kirei Kotamine is the Master of Assassin in Fate/Zerocharacterized primarily by his hollow nature that stops Kirei from experiencing true joy. This manifests in his happiness born from the pain of others, going so far as to wish his own father and wife had died by his own hands.
Kirei’s main drive in the fourth Holy Grail War is initially to ensure Tokiomi Tohsaka wins; however, Kirei secretly thinks of what he truly wants and desires, later aiming to discover what would make him happy by pursuing the Grail for his own motives. This leads to Kirei indulging his own destructive, dark nature, culminating when he betrays his mentor by convincing Gilgamesh to kill his original Master and form a contract with Kirei. In the final battle, Kirei uses the Grail to produce a destructive fire that rages and destroys all around it, allowing him to indulge his most basic wish of causing harm to those around him. Furthermore, Kirei is resurrected by the Grail, which deems him the unofficial “winner” of the war despite the ritual being interrupted and not completed, launching an early fifth Holy Grail War where Kirei serves as the main antagonist.
4) Kyubey (Magi Madoka .Magica)
Magical girl anime is easily one of the most popular genres in anime to date, boasting popular titles like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. Another huge contribution to magical girl anime is undoubtedly Magi Madoka magica show known for subverting tropes within the genre and engaging darker themes. It follows a group of young girls who gain fantastical abilities and transformation powers, gifted by Kyubey, a magical creature that offers the girls a single wish in exchange for fighting witches. The concept of Magi Madoka magic takes a closer look at the grim reality of becoming a magical girl, and the tragic fates of many main characters who cannot escape their destiny.
Though the girls are the main focus of the anime, the plot could not exist without Kyubey appearing and bargaining with their targets. Kyubey appears to be a cute, rabbit-like creature who’s part of an alien race appearing on Earth to find subjects that can be used in long-term goals. Their main objective is to prevent the destruction of the universe; that being said, Kyubey must use the girls’ suffering and despair as energy to prevent this destruction. The methods of recruiting young girls tend to be predatory, manipulative, and purposeful in withholding information about the dangerous reality of battling supernatural creatures. In addition to their lack of morality or emotion, Kyubey is a being that is solely responsible for launching the girls into their bleak ends — and their goal, in the end, wins out.
3) Griffith (Berserk)
If there’s a singular manga that is almost universally lauded with praise from fans, it has to be Berserk. Simultaneously, Berserk’s numerous anime adaptations don’t tend to receive the same positive reception, with many agreeing that the power of the original narrative cannot be successfully conveyed through the medium. Regardless of this debate, Berserk is known for its large-scale plot, attention to desolate themes, and morally grey characters surviving in a brutal world. The realities of a fantasy setting are observed closely in the show’s narrative, exploring the inherent violence, betrayal, and inequality that could take place when plot armor isn’t used as a story device.
It’s also notable for having one of the most controversial, depraved villains of all time, Griffith. Once the leader of a band of mercenaries, Griffith always dreamed of establishing his own kingdom. This goal grows closer when Griffith crosses moral boundaries on numerous occasions, culminating in his final betrayal of the Band of the Hawk, leading to the deaths of his comrades. Griffith’s cold sacrifice allows him to transcend humanity, becoming the God Hand, Femto. His ascension marks the end of Griffith’s tenuous morals, enacting savage crimes on those he once considered friends. Despite this, Griffith doesn’t lose in the end of the anime, but rather builds Falconia, a utopian city to house his kingdom, serving to finalize the goals he wanted to reach.
2) EREN YEAGER (Attack on Titan)
Attack on Titan is already considered by many anime fans to be a modern classic. The dark fantasy show reached its conclusion years ago, with a final arc that sparked numerous discussions revolving around the series’ final villain. Eren Yeager started the show as Attack on Titan’s protagonist and hero, vowing to destroy all Titans after his mother was killed during the breach of Wall Maria. His brash, temperamental nature earned criticism and fondness alike, with Eren’s simple yet big goals a staple of his character in the early seasons.
Much of Eren’s character arc changes when he learns about the reality of the world they live in, along with his ability to witness the future through contact with Historia, due to her royal bloodline. Suddenly, Eren’s desire isn’t to defeat the Titans, but rather to create a world where Eldians are no longer persecuted, shunned, and left to die out by the rest of the world. He wants his friends and loved ones to prosper without the looming threat of Marley and enemy nations; this desire is colored by Eren’s deep rage and hatred against those who have demonized Paradis, even if he later understands their motives and respective brainwashing. By unleashing the Rumbling on the world, Eren took on the role of the villain while ensuring the world was too weakened by his genocide to retaliate against Eldians any time soon. His death and defeat don’t take away from the fact that Eren mostly accomplished what he set out to do, at least during the lifetime of those he cared about.
1) Ryo Asuka (Devilman Crybaby)
Many supernatural anime cross into the territory of the horror genre, toeing the line between otherworldly and terror. Devilman Crybaby is a prime example of a series that blends numerous genres while presenting a generally straightforward plot revolving around demonic influence. Akira Fudo is a high-schooler whose soul fuses with that of a demon, granting him the ability to turn into a Devilman. His new objective is battling demonic forces that are invading Earth, using his newfound powers to protect humanity.
Ryo Asuka is presented as Akira’s best friend, the first person to warn Akira of the impending demonic invasion that will befall Earth. He’s beside Akira throughout most of Devilman Crybabypresented as a loyal friend who values Akira above all others. This narrative is flipped on its head when the big reveal takes place — Akira is actually Satan himself, disguised as a regular human. Initially, Ryo wanted to expose demons to humanity to provoke violence and chaos, ending in the destruction of humans and the world. This goal morphs into destroying Earth so Akira will remain by his side at all times. In the end, Ryo does technically win his original goal; Earth is in ruins, and humans are extinct because of his actions. While he’s speaking of his victory to Akira, it’s slowly revealed to the audience that his best friend died in the fight against him, leaving Ryo truly alone for all of eternity.
Have you watched any of the anime on this list? Tell us which anime villains you root for in the comments below.
