Anime is a medium that is filled with nuance and complex character motivations that are tough to read. Heroes are often motivated by revenge or a desire to do good, maybe be the best in the world at something. But villains in anime are a different breed of evil.
Anime villains are motivated by their own twisted philosophies that they sometimes believe is right. They are so nuanced that you can’t help but appreciate the character for making you question your own beliefs. Characters like Light Yagami from Death Note, for example, fully believe that they’re the hero of their own story, and that is what differentiates a good villain from a great villain.
10Eren Yeager - Attack On Titan
Destroying The World To Protect His Friends Is A Noble Sacrifice
Eren Yeager is the protagonist of the Attack on Titan anime who started off as a herobut gradually turned into the main villain. Eren swore revenge on the titans after watching his mother die at the hands of one, but as the story was slowly revealed, Eren’s motivations changed.
After learning the truth about the Eldians and Ymir, including the origins of the titans, Eren was forced into changing his philosophy. He went beyond just the titans and made the world his enemy to protect the island of Paradis. He did this for his friends, and partially because he had no choice.
9Hero Killer Stain - My Hero Academia
An Unparalleled Dedication To Exposing Those With Power
Hero Killer Stain is sort of like a representation of The Boys in the My Hero Academia anime. The world is full of heroes in My Hero Academia, and heroism is more tied down to fame, than it is to actual heroism.
This system had become corrupt, and Hero Killer Stain brought it to light, bringing about a vengeance on heroes who acted out of selfishness. Stain values true heroes, and not actors/influencers who merely capitalize on their powers, showing his noble side despite being a villain.
8Izaya Orihara - Durarara!
A Love Of Humanity Born Out Of Manipulation
Izaya from Durarara! is a truly unique character. The main villain of Durarara! believes that human nature is inherently meaningless, and we search for our true meaning in ways that can blur the lines of reality sometimes.
Essentially, his love for humanity comes from the never-ending search for meaning, and he aims to give them meaning by manipulating them to serve his end. His philosophy is deeply rooted in existentialism, and it fits for a character like him, someone who has grand ambitions.
7Enrico Pucci - JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Only A True Reset Can Right The Wrongs Of Everyone Is Pucci’s Thought Process
As the main antagonist of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, Pucci’s motivationsseem simple at first, seeking vengeance against Jotaro Kujo for killing Dio. But as the season progresses, we find out that he aims to bring about a new world where everyone is at peace, free from the suffering of their past lives.
He plans to reset the universe through the power of a Stand, Made in Heaven, that Dio had discovered, and by carefully moving the pieces of the grand narrative, he achieves his ultimate goal. His philosophy challenges fate itself, and he insists that true peace and happiness can only be attained through a complete reset.
6Pain - Naruto
The World Will Know Pain Before It Knows Peace
Pain, or Nagato, from Naruto, represents a philosophyborn out of intense suffering that he had to endure, but he desires to never let anyone suffer like that again. After experiencing the horrors of war and losing his loved ones, Pain wants the world to be rid of war, by using the power of the Rinnegan to establish his regime.
His philosophy involves using his power to impose a world order where conflict is eradicated through his power. Pain’s approach is a bit ironic though, considering that he must dish out pain to control pain itself, but his philosophy is sound and understandable when you consider his upbringing.
5Zeke Yeager - Attack On Titan
Cutting Out The Poison At Its Source
Zeke Yeager’s philosophy as a villain is also one that the viewer can sympathize withand was revealed in a heartfelt episode about his childhood. After being a victim of his father’s expectations, Zeke starts to hate his Eldian heritage, but he also realizes that there is a cycle of hatred that must end in some way.
As the Beast Titan, Zeke advocates for the euthanization of the Eldian people to end their suffering and the cycle of oppression, inspired by his teacher, Tom Ksaver. His belief that eliminating Eldians is a necessary sacrifice to prevent future conflicts shows just how badly Eldians are treated and the threat they pose to the world.
4Griffith - Berserk
Sacrifice Everything For Your Ambition Is Griffith’s Questionable Motivation
Griifith is perhaps one of the most polarizing characters in anime. His actions are completely unjustified and his monstrous sacrifice of his friends including ‘that’ scene, makes Griffith a man who is irredeemable.
His philosophy is something we can all relate to as it represents being driven by ambition. Griffith’s mindset is rooted in a belief that you must transcend your morality in order to become something truly great. To form a perfect world, you must be ready to sacrifice everything which Griffith ultimately did in his pursuit.
3Lelouch Lamperouge - Code Geass
Making Yourself The Enemy For The Greater Good
Lelouch Lamperouge’s philosophy in Code Geass revolves around the concept of creating a better world through a genius plan that involves the strategic manipulation of the masses. Lelouch isn’t really a villain in the grand scheme of things,but he paints himself to be one in order to achieve his plan.
Lelouch uses his Geass power to orchestrate a global rebellion. His belief is that sacrificing his morality for the greater good is justified in achieving peace and happiness. Where Griffith approached this philosophy in a much eviler way, Lelouch managed to succeed without completely losing himself.
2Light Yagami - Death Note
Light’s New World Will Be A Surveillance State With Him As The All-Powerful God
Light Yagami’s philosophy revolves around the concept of justice and his twisted meaning of how criminals should be handled. He believes that by wielding the Death Note, he can rid the world of evil and create a utopia where he reigns as a god-like figure.
His conviction that he alone can determine right from wrong leads him down a dark path, where he is fine with killing innocents if they stand in his way. The anime revolves around his complex plans and the nature of his overall character, but there’s no denying the allure his idea has for the world we live in.
1Johan Liebert - Monster
An Incredibly Entertaining Psychopath
Perhaps one of the most evil antagonists in anime, Johan Lieber from Monster is the best portrayal of a psychopath in media. Johan Liebert from Monster is a character who is beyond just traditional nihilism. His actions are driven by a belief that life is inherently meaningless, and he seeks to create chaos and destruction as a way to kill time.
With no care for anyone, he regularly kills and manipulates people for his entertainment, and when you consider the circumstances of his childhood, you’ll see why Monster is such an iconic anime.
