The world of anime is filled to the brim with fantastical characters and bombastic personalities. It's a medium where the extravagant thrives, leading to a plethora of iconic villains that fans grow to love. Some anime villains boast charisma so powerful that they become more popular than the anime's own main character. But not every villain is as beloved by fans as others.
Whether for their uncomfortable morality, displeasing designs, or cruel intentions, some villains are so utterly detested that fans hate seeing them take screen time. These characters become objects of disgust, though sometimes that is their exact purpose.
10 Tower Of God: Fans Learned To Despise Rachel
In Tower Of God's first episode, fans were introduced to the characters Bam and Rachel. While not much was explained about these two or where they came from, viewers were told that Bam was a good kid who just wanted to be reunited with his friend.
At first, many fans wanted Bam to succeed. But as the series progressed and it became clear just how toxic and manipulative Rachel was, fans started to see her in a different light. This culminated in an ultimate betrayal where Rachel attempts to kill Bam, garnering fans' hatred in the process.
9 Naruto: Danzo Shimura Is The Source Of All Tragedy
Throughout Naruto, many of the anime's cast underwent extremely tragic events that shaped their lives forever. These moments of tragedy defined their motivations and, in some cases, made them monsters.
One of the most iconic examples of this is Sasuke Uchiha, whose entire clan was massacred when he was a child. Behind this massacre was Danzo Shimura, who manipulated events and forced Itachi into committing such an unspeakable crime. Fans couldn't help but hate Danzo after learning about his involvement in the tragedy.
8 The Rising Of The Shield Hero: Malty Melromarc Ruined The Main Character
The Rising Of The Shield Hero is one of the most popular isekai of the new generation. The anime has become wildly successful following its first season, garnering a massive fanbase and critical acclaim. The story follows Naofumi Iwatani as he's transported to protect a new world.
The beginning of the anime introduces a potential ally named Malty who swiftly betrays Naofumi and turns the Kingdom against him. Fans went from loving Malty to despising her for the lies she spread about Naofumi and the dark path she set the main character down.
7 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: Shou Tucker Betrayed His Daughter
One of the most iconic memes in anime fandom stems from a tragic storyline in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The character Nina Tucker is ubiquitous in anime discussion boards for her unfortunate demise.
Fans were torn apart when viewing these episodes for the first time as they witnessed a compassionate scientist turn into a deranged alchemist responsible for experimentation on his own daughter. Shou Tucker was a beloved character before he went utterly insane and became the most hated man in all of modern anime.
6 Berserk: Griffith Sacrificed His Best Friends
Berserk is one of the most celebrated, influential, and critically acclaimed manga of all time. It's a dark fantasy that stuns fans with its gorgeous displays of the most horrific acts of violence ever put to the page. In addition to its amazing art, Berserk also has some of the most complex character arcs in all of fiction.
The character Griffith was once beloved for his charming personality and captivating motivation. But when Griffith turned on his own men and sacrificed them to become Femto, fans felt Guts' rage and grew an intense hatred for the character.
5 Naruto: Kabuto Was Once Team Seven's Ally
When fans first met Kabuto during the events of the Chunin Exams arc, he appeared as a helpful, slightly mysterious ally who could lead Team 7 with a sense of experience and wisdom that they severely lacked.
On more than one occasion, Kabuto directly saved Team 7 from being disqualified from the exams, which made it all the more heartbreaking when he revealed himself as Orochimaru's spy. Kabuto was a beloved character at the time for how helpful he was to the team, but that quickly turned to hatred from the villainous twist.
4 One Piece: Akainu Went From Intriguing To Detestable
The world of One Piece is both fascinating and still quite mysterious. There are so many things fans don't know about its history and power structure. Many figures in positions of leadership became really intriguing to fans for that very reason, such as the original three Admirals.
These characters boasted immense power that fans couldn't even fathom yet. But that sense of intrigue quickly disappeared when Admiral Akainu killed off One Piece's most beloved brother, Portgas D. Ace. Akainu became a dishonorable man that day and earned himself the vitriol of One Piece fans everywhere.
3 Naruto: Obito Uchiha Represented Naruto's Worst Story Tendencies
Obito Uchiha is a unique case in the Naruto fandom. Many viewers felt Obito was a sympathetic villain who led to some of Naruto's most interesting arcs and story beats. By many metrics, Obito is a fantastic and beloved character.
But Obito also represents some of the worst elements of Naruto's writing, such as the infamous talk-no-jutsu. Naruto arcs have a tendency to end with Naruto himself monologuing at a villain about why they should reform his ways. While this works sometimes, many fans felt it was pushed too far in the case of Obito.
2 Death Note: Light Yagami's Motivations Became Less Honorable
Death Note is one of Shonen Jump's most challenging and unique stories of the last twenty years. It's an anime about justice, criminal reform, and the legal system with compelling arguments for many different, contrasting perspectives.
Death Note relies on its audience at least partially believing in Light's drastic mission to save the world. But as the story goes on and Light becomes more and more maniacal, fans begin to turn on the character and realize he's nothing more than a serial killer. While some find truth in his message, Light is ultimately unhinged by the end of the series.
1 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: King Bradley Was A Villain In Disguise
At the start of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, King Bradley surprised fans by being a calm person who seemed to support the main characters in their eclectic behavior. Viewers were delighted to see a leader figure who wasn't a jerk or out to get the protagonists.
Unfortunately, it wasn't long before fans realized King Bradley was a facade and that the real monster underneath became one of the story's greatest villains. While fans don't think King Bradley is a bad character, it's hard to find such a despicable villain likable.
