Anime has given us some of the most memorable heroes and villains we’ve seen in fiction. And while we’ve often put ourselves in the shoes of the protagonists, we’re similarly fascinated by the motivations of the villains facing them. Our morbid curiosity compels us to learn more about their backstory, why they chose to be the way they are, and whether there is any good in them.
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On the rare occasion, anime has even given us stories from the villain’s point of view. These are almost always exciting looks at flawed, complex characters and a refreshing change from the standard virtuous protagonist. It’s no secret that villains are often the cooler, more charismatic characters, and these are the anime that shed light on their perspective.
10Terror In Resonance
Terror in Resonance is the story of two teenage boys, Nine and Twelve, who form a terrorist cell known as Sphinx. Raised in a cruel government facility that experimented on children like them, Nine and Twelve are driven by revenge and seek to steal a nuclear bomb to wipe out the facility and everyone associated with it.
Their story is a tragic tale of children driven to unspeakable violence by the cruelties inflicted on them. Even though to the common man they are terrorists, to them, their cause is justified. Through its story, the anime raises questions about deference towards authority and whether the end justifies the means.
At a young age, Angelo Lagusa witnessed his family’s murder at the hand of the Vanetti mafia family. Many years later, Angelo returns to his hometown under the guise of Avilio Bruno, with the sole purpose of exacting revenge on the family that took everything from him.
As a mafia thriller, the story is filled with characters operating from completely black to morally gray areas. Angelo certainly is no saint, as his obsession with revenge drives him to not only kill the people involved in his family’s death but to make sure they suffer as well.
Dead Mount Death Play starts out as the cliché hero vs. villain setup, but as the legendary hero moves to finish the Corpse God necromancer, something strange happens. With his final gambit, the necromancer succeeds in casting reincarnation magic and wakes up as Polka Shinoyama, a boy in an alternate, modern world.
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As a necromancer, the Corpse God is able to enslave the dead and force them to do his bidding. Those that oppose him will not find respite even in death from the torment he has in store. However, while he has no qualms about crushing humans, it’s revealed that his villainous actions are not something he does by choice. Rather, he has his own set of morals and genuinely wishes for a peaceful life, but the persecution he faces forces him into conflict with humans.
Overlord’sstory centers around a player who finds himself trapped in his in-game avatar, Momonga, when the game shuts down. What’s more, he realizes the non-player characters have somehow developed their own personalities and autonomy. Faced with this abnormal situation, Momonga commands his subordinates to subjugate the world he finds himself in while he hopes to find other players who may be in the same situation as him.
Momonga’s ruthless conquest of the fantasy world is befitting of a tyrannical villain. However, the favor and generosity given to those who align themselves with him, whether influential individuals or commoners, shows he is not just a tyrant but a strong, dependable leader.
Few characters truly relish their kill quite as much as Alucard does. As a vampire and an asset for the Hellsing organization, Alucard is often dispatched to deal with rogue vampires. But it’s not just the fact that he kills his own kind that makes him villainous, but rather how much delight he takes in it.
5Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied’s unfiltered violence shocked many viewers when it was released in 2004. It doesn’t shy away from depicting the brutality of the experimentation of Lucy, where a special kind of human, known as a Diclonius, suffered at the hands of the government, nor the bloodshed she commits in her escape.
Lucy’s lack of any remorse is a natural consequence ofher tragic backstoryand the trauma she suffered when she was held captive. Her torture left her a broken person, and she will just as soon attack someone out of jealousy as she would out of self-defense. While her actions are criminal, you can’t help but sympathize with her plight.
4Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
Hell’s Paradiseis the story of Gabimaru the Hollow, a ninja who earned his nickname from the multitudes he indifferently slaughtered. Scheduled to be executed for his crimes, he is promised a pardon if he can retrieve the Elixir of Life from the mysterious Shinsekyo island - an island from which no man has returned. In order to be reunited with his wife, Gabimaru accepts the mission and travels with 10 other death row convicts to uncover the mysteries of the island.
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Born into a merciless ninja clan, Gabimaru was raised from birth to live as a weapon. And while a small part of his humanity felt unease at his actions, his training kept those feelings suppressed until he met his wife, who earnestly wished for a peaceful life with him. For them to be reunited, Gabimaru will have to once again dip into his killer instinct to survive the island and the challenges that wait for him.
3Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion
Code Geass’story revolves around Lelouch, the exiled prince of Britannia, nursing unfathomable hatred for his father, who he blames for his mother’s death and his sister’s trauma. He’s given the chance to act out his vengeance when he receives the power of Geass, a power that gives him one-time control over a person’s actions. Adopting the persona of Zero, Lelouch becomes a member of the resistance and leads the revolution against Britannia.
It’s not just the brand of a terrorist that makes Lelouch a villain. His readiness to lie, deceive and use others, as long as it helps him achieve his goal, is the real mark of a cold, calculating villain. His Geass is a true reflection of his cunning nature.
2Death Note
Death Note’s main character, Light Yagami, is often consideredone of the best anime villains of all time. But before he became the serial killer known as Kira, Light was once just a normal high-schooler who happened to stumble upon the Death God Ryuk’s notebook. Realizing he holds the power to kill anyone simply by penning their name in the book, Light decides to use it to kill all the criminals plaguing Japan’s society.
Light’s character arc, as he descends from a righteous crusade to mercilessly killing anyone who opposes him, is chilling to watch. His facade of an innocent high schooler and his manipulative ways have given us some of the most haunting scenes and iconic moments in anime. He is the perfect picture of a charming and dangerous villain.
1Attack On Titan
It’s hard to label anyone inAttack on Titanas a hero or villain, with each of them being a victim of their circumstances. But until the 4th season, most viewers would have remained convinced that Eren was fighting for the sake of humanity. Any such misconceptions would have been immediately dashed as Eren indiscriminately slaughters man, woman, and child when he launches his attack on Marley.
Eren’s drastic shift in character isone of the best plot twists in anime. From the savior of humanity to the instrument of its destruction, his character arc is nail-biting to watch. It’s a testament to the strength of its writing that right until the end, we thought we were following the protagonist of the story when really, we were witnessing the origins of a villain.
