Best Anime Villains
A story is only as good as its villain. Here is our list for the best anime villains of all time.
Griffith
Griffith portrayed himself as a noble savior and defender of peace and justice, and in a warped way, he really was those things for some events in Berserk. While Griffith had a calm confident demeanour and gained loyal followers, he is revealed to be a monster as he carried out one of the biggest anime and manga betrayals of all time, along with many heinous crimes.
Meruem
Meruem considered himself superior to all other life forms and showed no mercy in killing anyone who disrespected him. However, what makes Meruem unique is his character growth after he meets Komugi. He began to look at matters from different perspectives. He had a frightening aura and his speeches on humanity left viewers in awe.
Frieza
Frieza is arguably the most iconic anime villain of all time. He is the epitome of evil, relishes in his power, and enjoys the suffering of others. Frieza and his army were ruthless and their cruelty was known throughout the Dragon Ball universe.
Askeladd
Askeladd was a very cunning bandit who led a mercenary band of Vikings. After assassinating Thorfinn's father with dirty tricks and manipulation, he took in Thorfinn in his group and turned him into a cold-blooded warrior. At the same time, as cruel as Askeladd was with all the violent and terrible acts he had committed, he was also the victim of the world of Vinland Saga.
Johan Liebert
With only his astounding intellect, Johan was able to wreak extreme havoc. He was an enigma with a strange charisma which kept viewers at the edge of their seat whenever he appeared. He was able to torment an entire city’s population by playing mind games with the police and the media, all while plotting his next murder.
Madara Uchiha
Madara's name was revered in the entire world of Naruto. He was a mastermind and his immense power was worthy enough to go against all shinobi. He had a vision of putting an end to war by creating the Infinite Tsukuyomi, which would trap the entire world's population in an illusion dream world. His dedication to his dream was followed by many years of planning and fighting those who attempted to stop him.
Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh is one of the most arrogant anime and manga characters of all time. Nevertheless, he’s also one of the most powerful characters in the Fate series. He's driven by greed and his own desires, and he wanted to use the Holy Grail to wipe out most of humanity, as he believed the current world was filled with too many useless people.
Sosuke Aizen
Aizen initially portrayed himself as a very peaceful Soul Reaper in Bleach. However, this was all a part of his genius plan to overthrow the hierarchy of the Soul Society. Aizen was extremely cunning as he always plotted for every outcome and possibility. With his intelligence and powers, he was able to use the people around him to further his own plans.
Dio Brando
Dio was a son of a criminal and picked up one belief that he carried throughout his life, which was to do whatever you must to ensure your own survival. Thus, Dio only lived for himself. He stole, killed, and did anything to get ahead. In fact, we see Dio's malevolent nature in just the first few episodes of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and furthermore, he managed to kill several important characters in the story.