Highlights
- Not all anime villains are evil just for the sake of it; some genuinely believe they’re the hero despite their extreme methods.
- Many villains regret their actions and try to turn over a new leaf, while some continue justifying their brutal actions.
- These morally ambiguous characters serve as a reminder of the danger of believing too much in one’s own righteousness.
Not every villain in fiction does evil for the sake of it. Sometimes, they genuinely have good intentions, but their extreme methods make them a pariah. Others think they’re doing the right thing, but conventional morality would say otherwise. Despite how noble their goals may be, plenty of villains in anime and beyond are convinced they’re the hero but are, in fact, the furthest thing from it.
Fortunately, these kinds of villains tend to regret their actions and turn over a new leaf. Others, however, do not and continue to justify and defend their actions until their inevitable comeuppance. There’s always a certain kind of tragedy that comes with these kinds of characters, and they serve as stark reminders of the danger of believing in one’s own righteousness too much.
8 The Commission of Counter Ghoul (Tokyo Ghoul)
Employs Extreme Tactics to Protect Humans from Ghoul Attacks
While the Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG) consists of members from all over the morality spectrum, they all have one thing in common – to investigate and combat the ever-present threat of ghouls. Unfortunately, their methods tend to be rather brutal, and they have no issues with attacking or killing innocent ghouls.
The organization is portrayed as a morally ambiguous organization, with some of its members having sympathetic backstories. Other members, however, have selfish motives and are far more ruthless.
7 Yomotsu Hirasaka (Future Diary)
A Wannabe Superhero Who Believes All Crimes Are Equal
Yomotsu Hirasaka, the Twelfth Diary Holder, desperately wants to be a superhero, down to donning a costume and giving wild, theatrical speeches with dramatic hand gestures. Unfortunately, this is Future Diary, so his version of ‘heroism’ is truly unhinged.
His ‘Justice Diary’ allows him to predict acts of evil and ‘injustice’ around him, anything from littering to murder. And no crime is too minor for Hirasaka to dish out punishments. On top of all that, he is not above manipulating and brainwashing people for his own purposes.
6 Emperor Charles zi Britannia (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion)
Wants to Eradicate Individuality to Build a World Without Lies
Charles, the 98th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Emperor, believes his goal to build a utopia justifies the means to achieve it. Along with his brother, V.V., he decides to create a world without lies, one where every human being is merged into one being with a singular being.
Emperor Charles’ methods to achieve his goal are truly monstrous, exiling both Lelouch and Nunnally, waging numerous wars of conquest, and brutally subjugating people to expand the Britannian Empire’s territory.
5 Takeshi Hirokawa (Parasyte The Maxim)
Resents Humans for Destroying the Planet and Believes in Parasite Supremacy
Takeshi Hirokawa, the mayor of East Fukuyama City, believes that the arrival of Parasites on Earth is a punishment for all the damage humans have done to the Earth. In fact, the only reason he wanted to be in a position of power was so that he could orchestrate a mass slaughter of humans by the Parasites.
Hirokawa views human beings as the real parasites, exploiting the Earth’s resources and dominating other species. His extreme environmentalist views lead him to believe that humans must be culled for the betterment of the planet, and he becomes a ringleader in a conspiracy to achieve this goal.
4 Danzo Shimura (Naruto)
Willing to Go to Extreme Lengths to Protect His Village
Danzo Shimura from Naruto cares deeply about his village, Konoha, but his methods to protect it are brutal and extreme. He believes that strong leadership, even if ruthless, is necessary to ensure the survival of the ninja world.
He’s the one responsible for brainwashing Itachi Uchiha into slaughtering the entire Uchiha Clan and stealing their Sharingans. He justifies his actions by claiming he’s just doing what’s best for Konoha, but his despicable actions make him hard to sympathize with.
3 SEELE (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Aims to Carry Out A Cataclysmic Event, Believing That it Could Take Humans to the Next Stage of Evolution
SEELE is a mysterious council that runs NERV, an organization that deploys Evangelion units to protect humanity from the threat of angels. Their primary goal is the completion of the Human Instrumentality Project, a plan to literally unite humans as one through a unified consciousness. Like Emperor Charles from Code Geass, they believe doing so will end human suffering.
Their actions aren’t the least bit moral, being perfectly willing to manipulate NERV members and sacrificing the lives of the teenage EVA pilots for the greater good.
2 Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)
Desire to Exterminate Titans Turns Radical
The protagonist of Attack on Titan, Eren Yeager, has had a seething hatred for Titans ever since his mother was killed by one. Since then, he embarks on a journey to kill every Titan in existence, joining the Survey Corps to do so.
However, as the series goes on, Eren’s goal of protecting humanity and his people becomes a more radical mission. His ultimate plan, known as the Rumbling, involves using the Founding Titan’s powers to unleash millions of Colossal Titans to destroy the world outside Paradis Island.
1 Light Yagami (Death Note)
Using the Death Note to Kill Off Criminals Gives Him a God Complex
For a series full of morally ambiguous characters, the rise and fall of the protagonist, Light Yagami, is the most fascinating to watch. He’s an ordinary but brilliant high-school student who discovers a mystical notebook that allows him to kill anyone he wants, which gives him the idea to impose his own idea of justice on the world.
While Light initially targets serious criminals, he eventually turns his focus toward anyone who dares oppose his plan, including law enforcement and innocent people. Light believes that he is the only one who can create a perfect world with no crime, which is how he justifies his killings.