what makes a good anime villain

by Prof. Reyes Wyman 8 min read
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What Makes a Good Anime Villain

  • Style Is God. Let’s put on the Captain Obvious cape for a sec and make this known: Anime is a Visual Medium. ...
  • It’s Nice When You Enjoy Work. There’s something rather charming about a bad man who loves his job. ...
  • Challenge Me, Sempai! ...
  • I Wanna Hate You for What You Do, Not Who You Are. ...

Full Answer

Who is the best anime villain of all time?

it makes it all the more interesting when we finally get anime characters that possess a distinct look, strut and style. Yes, we are talking about black anime characters. When a manga artist adds a black character to the mix, you can best believe that they ...

What makes a great anime villain?

Good character traits, a certain level of charm, and, of course, a sense of threat can transform a forgettable, mediocre villain into a great villain and a great character overall. A great villain is almost essential in a great anime. Of course, there are exceptions to the qualities I presented.

Is Aizen the best anime villain?

If you think about it, he could of been the best anime villain of all time if the ending wasn't rushed. If Aizen revealed that he really “became one with the zanpaktou”, still had the Hōgyuko, activated his Bankai, and overall played a bigger role at the end, he would definitely be the best anime villain.

What is the most evil anime?

  • Dragon Pulse (Helps deal with Dragon types while not making itself vulnerable to them. Also turns into Devastating Drake to counter Dragon types even further!)
  • Earthquake (Counters Fire types.)
  • Giga Drain (STAB [Same Type Attack Boost {x1.5}] Recovery move while still dealing damage.)
  • Synthesis (Recovery move in case he gets dangerously low on HP.)

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What characteristics make an ideal villain?

What Are the Characteristics of a Good Villain?Strong connection to the hero. The best villains are inextricably connected to the hero, and aid in the hero's character development through their inherent opposition to them. ... Clear morality. ... A worthy opponent. ... Compelling backstory. ... Villains should be fun.

How do you make a good anime villain?

1:153:38How to Make An Anime Villain - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd have a completely twisted personality. So that must mean having a vile personality. Makes a goodMoreAnd have a completely twisted personality. So that must mean having a vile personality. Makes a good villain.

What is the best villain in anime?

The 15 Best Anime Villains Of All Time1 Vicious. Vicious is the antagonist of Cowboy Bebop, one of the best anime from the 90s.2 Aizen. Sosuke Aizen is one of the most recognizable faces in the anime community. ... 3 Meruem. ... 4 Askeladd. ... 5 Donquixote Doflamingo. ... 6 DIO. ... 7 Yohan Liebert. ... 8 Griffith. ... More items...•

What are 3 characteristics of a villain?

Villain Characteristics Checklist:He's convinced he's the good guy.He has many likeable qualities.He's a worthy enough opponent to make your hero look good.You (and your reader) like when he's on stage.He's clever and accomplished enough that people must lend him begrudging respect.He can't be a fool or a bumbler.More items...

Who is the greatest villain of all time?

The Greatest Villains Of All TimeDarth Vader. The Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983) Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith (2005), Rogue One (2016)The Joker. Batman (1966), Batman (1989), The Dark Knight (2008), Joker (2019) ... Loki. ... Hans Gruber. ... Hannibal Lecter. ... Hans Landa. ... Kylo Ren. ... Anton Chigurh. ... More items...•

How do I start my villain era?

In order to gain entry into the “villain era,” you have to read between the lines. It's not about being an actual villain. This is not a green light to abandon your friends, stop showing up to work, or just generally be a jerk.

Who is the smartest anime villain?

Top 10 Smartest Anime Series Villains#1: Light Yagami. “Death Note” (2006-07)#2: Father. “Fullmetal Alchemist” (2003-04) / “Brotherhood” (2009-10) ... #3: Johan Liebert. “Monster” (2004-05) ... #4: Naraku. “Inuyasha” (2000-04) ... #5: The Major. ... #6: Super Buu [aka Majin Buu Evil] ... #7: Annie Leonhart. ... #8: Griffith. ... More items...

Who is the most badass anime character ever?

Top 30 Most Badass Anime CharactersBaki Hanma From Grappler Baki. ... Alucard From Hellsing. ... Levi From Attack on Titan. ... Thorfinn From Vinland Saga. ... Yami Sukehiro From Black Clover. ... Shiba Tatsuya From The Irregular at Magic High School. ... Cosmo Imai From Kengan Ashura. ... Soma From Shokugeki no Soma.More items...•

Who is the scariest villain in anime?

10 Totally Terrifying Anime VillainsTitans - Attack on Titans. ... Kyubey - Madoka Magica. ... Father - Fullmetal Alchemist. ... Frieza - Dragon Ball Z. ... Lucy - Elfen Lied. ... Shou Tucker - Fullmetal Alchemist. ... Light Yagami - Death Note. ... Johan Liebert - Monster. There is no scarier man in anime than Johan Liebert.More items...•

What makes a complex villain?

More Than Evil Their entire character is summed up as simply “evil.” A complex villain, on the other hand, is more than evil. They serve motivations and missions much bigger than a blanket statement of evil. Being complex, they have a detailed backstory filled with life experiences.

10 Nagato Uzumaki

Naruto is a riveting story about a knucklehead ninja of the same name, who dreams of becoming the Hokage one day. Naruto's path to success was hindered by many villains, but only one of them left a significant mark on Naruto, and that villain was none other than Nagato Uzumaki, who was the leader of Akatsuki.

9 Yagami Light

Yagami Light is one of the most well-known names in the anime world, thanks to Death Note. A high school genius, Light's world was turned upside-down when he picked up the Death Note that fell on the earth. After deliberating for a while, Light reached the conclusion where he decided that he would rid the world of criminals.

8 Griffith

Griffith is the leader of the Reborn Band of Hawk in Berserk. At a certain point in the story, Griffith was adored by all the members of the original Band of Hawk. After being on the verge of death, Griffith triggered the eclipse, which resulted in the deaths of almost all the members of the original group.

7 Yohan Liebert

Arguably the best villain in anime history, Yohan Liebert is the antagonist of Naoki Urasawa's Monster. Yohan's enigma and his ridiculous charisma put him at the very top of the villain rankings. He didn't have any superpowers, only his incredible mind with which he was able to wreak havoc.

5 Donquixote Doflamingo

Doflamingo formerly served as a Shichibukai, who worked under the World Government in One Piece. He took over the country of Dressrosa from King Riku and ruled for years.

4 Askeladd

Askeladd was one of the stars of Vinland Saga's first season. He was responsible for murdering Thors, one of the greatest known fighters in the series. Askeladd was a very calculating individual, who planned his every move.

3 Meruem

The King of the Chimera Ants, Meruem was deemed to be a threat to the existence of humankind in Hunter x Hunter. He was the strongest Chimera Ant, who was easily able to fight against Netero, who was one of the strongest Hunters.

Who is the main antagonist in Rurouni Kenshin?

Shishio Makoto was the main antagonist for the Kyoto arc in Rurouni Kenshin and he was certainly one of the most memorable. His sword, like Kenshin’s, was made by Arai Shakku and could utilize the blood and oil from people it’d struck down to use fire attacks.

Who is Shinobu in Shinobu?

While his series had many different villains, Shinobu was probably one of the more intense people we saw Yusuke struggle against. A former spirit detective himself, he had a strong sense of what was right and wrong.

What happens when a vampire puts on a stone mask?

Once he puts on the Stone Mask to become a vampire, he changes significantly both as a villain and in ability. But if we were going off of eyebrows? He’d probably be number one on the list.

How many homunculi are there in Fullmetal Alchemist?

We all loved Fullmetal Alchemist and their seven deadly homunculi, but one stood out against the rest. Regardless of which version of the series you watched, Wrath has always had a pretty solid arc as a villain.

Can great power make you a villain?

But great power can’t make you a villain on your own -- the truly best villains are the ones who know how to use that power. Lelouch is very smart and uses the power of obedience in order to get his way in a very tactful way, making him highhandedly a worthy adversary.

Is Char a robot suit?

A man in a giant robotic suit of armor is everything you should need to know, but Char is so much more than that. You have to at least love one of the Gundam series, but this mega villain appears in Mobile Suit Gundam and is perhaps one of the most heinous villains out there.

Is Death Note a classic anime?

Death Note was a classic anime and with Light Yagami at the head of it, we got to watch your normal, everyday high school boy become a mass murderer as he descends into madness. Much like Lelouch, Light is also extremely bright and clever.

30. Touichirou Suzuki (Mob Psycho II)

The saying that “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men…” fits perfectly for Mob Psycho II’s Touichirou Suzuki. Ever since middle school, this powerful Esper succeeded in everything he did, all thanks to his natural magical powers.

Best Anime Villains

The saying that “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men…” fits perfectly for Mob Psycho II’s Touichirou Suzuki. Ever since middle school, this powerful Esper succeeded in everything he did, all thanks to his natural magical powers.

1. King Bradley (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

King Bradley is one of the main antagonists of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.

3. Madara Uchiha (Naruto Shippuden)

Madara was hyped as an overpowered character way before his introduction. His introduction landed the fans expectations perfectly.

4. Bondrewd (Made in Abyss)

Bondrewd has to be one of the most inhuman villains on this list. He does torturous experiments with children to achieve his goals.

6. Frieza (Dragon Ball Super)

Frieza might have not been beloved by the fans in Dragon Ball Z ’s original run time. That said, as the years went by, the nostalgia in people grew for Frieza.

9. Shougo Makishima (Psycho-Pass)

Shougo Makishima is the main antagonist of the first season (& the best season) of Psycho Pass.

10. Light Yagami (Death Note)

Light Yagami is the protagonist of Death Note. Many people might confuse him for a hero, granted he’s not an antagonist but he indeed is the villain of the show.

11. Sosuke Aizen (Bleach)

Bleach is filled with great characters. That said, most of the plot and conflict in the series happens because of the series’ main antagonist: Sōsuke Aizen.

Why isn't my villain working?

If he isn’t working, it’s because you’ve made him the villain only because he’s a bad person. He does evil things because he’s evil. That’s too easy. Change your thinking. Try something revolutionary. If you just can’t understand truly villainous people, try this: Put yourself in their place. “Wait!” you say.

What does "he's a worthy opponent" mean?

He’s a worthy enough opponent to make your hero look good. You (and your reader) like when he’s on stage. He’s clever and accomplished enough that people must lend him begrudging respect. He can’t be a fool or a bumbler. He has many of the same characteristics of the hero, but they’re misdirected.

What does motivation mean in movies?

It simply means your bad guy needs a reason for being the person he has become.

10 Kyubey Just Wants To Save The Universe In Madoka Magica

Despite Kyubey's cute appearance, this creature is actually an Incubator, a race that wants to stop the universe from ending. To do this, Kyubey tricks young girls into becoming Magical Girls and has them fight against Witches. But if these girls don't defeat enough Witches, they turn into one.

9 Lelouch From Code Geass Vision Is To See Japan Free

Lelouch is the son of the Brittanian Emperor, but he was exiled to Japan to cover up their plans of global conquest. However, Lelouch falls in love with Japan and considers it his real home. Therefore, seeing Brittania conquer Japan, Lelouch vowed to take them down.

8 Light Yagami's Intention Was To Create A Safe World In Death Note

After finding the Death Note, a book that kills whoever's name is written on it, Light Yagami decides to use it to rid the world of dangerous criminals. Although he had all the right intentions, Light became corrupted with too much power.

7 Pain From Naruto Wanted Peace In The Ninja World

Pain wants peace, and he believes it can be achieved only through true empathy. Meaning that the other villages must go through the same pain that his village went through for them to experience empathy. Only then can the World achieve peace, according to Pains' ideologies.

6 Hanami Wants What's Best For The Environment In Jujutsu Kaisen

Hanami is a special-grade cursed spirit who possesses the ability to control the environment around him. All Hanami wants is what's best for the earth and for him, that's getting rid of all mankind.

5 Scar From Fullmetal Alchemist Craves Revenge

Scar is the sole survivor of a genocide perpetrated by the Amestrian Army. Scars' revenge started when he killed the two doctors that were taking care of him after the massacre. From then on Scar, went on to murder Amestrian soldiers that he believed deserved it because they were a part of the conflict.

4 Shougo Makishima Desires To Take Down A Corrupt Government In Psycho-Pass

In the Psycho-Pass world, people are murdered because the government has a computer system that tells them these individuals might break the law one day. Shougo will do anything in order to get rid of this corrupt system, which includes killing anyone that gets in his way, including the innocent.

Who is the villain in My Hero Academia?

Stain, the Hero Killer (My Hero Academia) Stream Now. Chizome Akaguro (also called Stain, the Hero Killer) is one of the antagonists in My Hero Academia. He has a Quirk that can paralyze anyone for a certain period of time by consuming their blood.

What is the villain's motive in Jujutsu Kaisen?

At the core of his motives is the fact that he only wants what’s best for the Earth—and he thinks he must protect the Earth by eliminating humankind, whose activities are slowly destroying nature.

Who is the main character in Code Geass?

Stream Now. The outcast prince Lelouch vi Britannia —who possesses the power of a Geass to control minds—is actually the main character of Code Geass, but acts very much like a villain in many ways. He lived his life as an ordinary citizen of Japan, all while being used as a political hostage and pawn.

Tomura Shigaraki

The second-biggest villain in My Hero Academia after the nefarious All For One, Tomura’s cold raspy voice and chilling demeanor would fill anyone with a desire to leave in a hurry. His Quirk, Decay, allows him to destroy anything that he touches with his hands and⏤based on his lust for destruction⏤can destroy entire buildings if needed.

Light Yagami

There aren’t too many anime where the villain is actually the story’s protagonist, but Light Yagami from Death Note was definitely a special case.

Griffith

If you’re a fan of the Berserk series by late author Kentaro Miura, then you know Griffith is easily one of the best villains in anime history. Usually soft-spoken and carefree, Griffith’s penchant for violence was usually ferocious and sadistic, all for the sake of his ultimate dream to have his own kingdom.

Sosuke Aizen

Another cold and calculated schemer, Bleach ‘s Sosuke Aizen, was once well-respected among the Soul Reapers as a teacher and a warrior. His warmhearted, soft-spoken, and nerdy demeanor made him popular with the female Soul Reapers, making it easy to dismiss any idea of him having bad intentions.

Mahito

Jujutsu Kaisen has only just begun as its first season came to a close this year, but it’s already given us some pretty impressive antagonists. So far, none of them are quite as sadistic as the Cursed Spirit, Mahito.

Zeke Yaeger

The current vessel for the boulder-throwing Beast Titan⏤Zeke Yaeger from Attack on Titan ⏤is just as villainous in his human form as he is in his Titan form, if not more so. Unlike Aizen, his cold and calculated demeanor is usually on display next to his quiet charisma and strategic intelligence.

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