The best villains in animeweren’t always as evil as they became. Some villains are always bad, but most of the best aren’t. These villains started out as heroes before something dark happened, making them switch sides and become some of the worst villains in the respective series.
There are a ton of reasons for a hero to become a villain, and none of them are great. Most of the time, something horrible happens to a character or someone close to them,making them switch their values entirely and turn their back on the world they once protected.
These heroes-turned-villains are often some of the most complex characters in anime. Their actions aren’t forgivable, but they’re not incomprehensible, making them almost impossible to root against. Either way, they make for amazing characters overall, adding an immense level of depth to the franchise they’re part of.
The elves inBlack Cloversuffered more than every other group in the series, and there wasn’t much they could do about it. Before Asta, Yuno, and Yami were around, the first Wizard King was trying to create a peaceful alliance with the elves. Everything went well, until a devil took over and decimated the elves during their leader’s wedding.
When the elves were able to reincarnate themselves, they chose to take their anger out on humanity.Both Licht and Patry, acting as Licht, became some of the toughest antagonists in the series, pushing the heroes passed their limits in an attempt to get revenge on those they thought did them wrong.
My Hero Academia
Stain is a complicated character inMy Hero Academia.He’s one of the few characters in the series who has been both a hero and a villain. DuringMy Hero Academia: Vigilantes,he goes from being a vicious vigilante to a full-blown villain, killing all heroes who don’t agree with his twisted sense of justice.
Stain has one ofthe strongest Quirks in the series, making him a formidable foe for whoever is unlucky enough to fight him. It’s hard to tell what side he’s really fighting for, but during the beginning ofMy Hero Academia,he was undoubtedly a villain standing in Deku’s, Todoroki’s, and Iida’s way.
Rachel is one of the most terrifyingly unpredictable characters in anime. At the start ofTower of God,she was Bam’s closest friend. She taught him everything that he knew about the world and even (unintentionally) guided him to the Tower itself. By the end of the first season, her true intentions are revealed.
During one of the most heartbreaking endings of all time, Rachel finally showed her true colors. Bam was protecting her during an important exam, andshe took the opportunity to betray her biggest supporter and push him to his death. Bam barely lived, but even he couldn’t understand why Rachel would go to such lengths to betray him.
Berserk
Griffith’s betrayal inBerserkmight be the single greatest in anime in terms of scale. Griffith was once the leader of the Band of the Falcon, one of the greatest mercenary groups inBerserk.He was eventually imprisoned where he lost his mind, and by the time Guts came back to save him, it was too late.
Griffith escaped from the prison with his Band’s help. Instead of repaying them for their efforts, he sacrificed them to the Crimson Behelith in one ofthe darkest moments in the entire art form. Griffith then became Femto, the fifth and final member of the horrific God Hand.He went from a shining hero to the epitome of a villain in just a few brutal chapters.
Demon Slayer
Kokushibo is the second-strongest Demon inDemon Slayer,slotting in underneath the father of all Demons himself, Muzan Kibutsuji. Unlike Muzan, who was never a hero in the slightest, Kokushibo was one of the first Demon Slayers and one of the strongest as well. He invented Moon Breathing, one ofthe strongest Breathing Styles in the series.
Kokushibo, real name Michikatsu Tsugikuni, was always jealous of his brother Yoriichi. Yoriichi is the strongest Demon Slayer in existence, and instead of accepting the fact that he would never be as strong as his brother, Kokushibo decided to become a Demon instead.He serves as one of the final antagonists of the series and will forever be a hero-turned-villain.
Takauji Ashikaga can barely be understood. He’s closer to a force of nature than a human being in more ways than one. He was once one of the strongest advisors to the Hojo Clan, fighting for them in plenty of tough battles. When he saw the opportunity to betray them, however, he took it. He almost single-handedly wiped the Hojo Clan off of the map, starting his own Shogunate in the process.
Takauji’s betrayal of the Hojo Clan is gruesome.He made sure to kill everyone in the Clan, including women and children. If it wasn’t for Tokiyuki’s escape, he would have got them all. Takauji doesn’t show an ounce of regret either, showing just how insane he is.
Naruto
Obito Uchiha is one ofthe strongest characters in all ofNaruto. He was once an ardent defender of Konoha, working alongside Rin and Kakashi under the future Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Obito and Kakashi never got along, but when Obito saw Kakashi killing his love interest Rin, he lost his humanity.
Like Sasuke, Obito dedicated the rest of his life to ending the village that caused him so much pain.He became a brutal villainwho was one of the major reasons that the Fourth Great Shinobi War began, tearing the world apart and killing numerous ninja in the process.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Suguru Geto shouldn’t have been a villain. He startedJujutsu Kaisenas one ofthe strongest sorcerers in the series, working hard to defend the world and Jujutsu society. He was best friends with Satoru Gojobut became disillusioned with the non-Jujutsu users he was forced to protect.
Eventually, Geto becomes a terrorist. He uses his insanely strong Cursed Ability to kill hundreds of people and fights his former allies as well. If it wasn’t for Yuta Okkotsu taking him down inJujutsu Kaisen: 0,who knows how Geto’s reign of terror would have ended?
Attack on Titan
Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner’s betrayal is biblical. They started the series as soldiers who fought alongside Eren, Armin, and the rest of the scouts before their true identities were revealed. They’re the characters responsible for the breaking of the Walls, leading to Eren’s mother’s death in one of themost gripping premier episodes in anime.
Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner were the Female, Colossal, and Armored Titans respectively.They’re the first true villains in the series, and their reveal is jaw-dropping.Reiner can’t handle lying to all of his friends anymore and just drops the act. Eren can’t believe him and tries to let him off the hook, but it’s too late.
1Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke Uchiha has had a pretty complicated (and traumatic) existence. He was born into a powerful family and was doted upon by his older brother. Before he could really understand the politics surrounding his clan, his brother Itachi had annihilated them. He then grew up with nothing but revenge in his mind, leaving Konoha to hunt his brother.
Sasuke didn’t truly become a villain until after he killed his brother. When he learned that Itachi sacrificed himself to save Konoha, Sasuke lost it.He joined the Akatsuki and focused on killing those he held responsible. While Sasuke comes around at the very end of the series, he spends most ofNarutoas one ofthe most dangerous villains in the franchise.
