Spoiler warning, as some characters are not introduced as villains.
An anime is only as great as its villains. OK, maybe that does not hold up for every show, but it is a requirement for the industry's most popular series. A battle shonen lives and dies on the (consistent) quality of its antagonists, and the same can be said for thrillers, dramas, horror, and most other genres. Hell, even some comedy anime have villains!
The Best Female Anime Villains of All Time
Some are charismatic, others are terrifying; these are the greatest and most iconic female anime villains ever. They are easy to both love and hate.
The roles of villains can be overlooked since long-running shows typically cycle through many of them, but they're just as important as the protagonists. There are tons of anime, but not all of them have eye-catching villains. However, there are a handful of baddies that have withstood the test of time and are hailed as the very best to date. Let's take a look at some of the best anime villains.
Here are some criteria:
- In the name of variety, only one villain per anime.
- Only anime, so no manga villains. Someone like Chainsaw Man's Makima has a ways to go before she becomes her manga version.
- The characters are only loosely ranked since, obviously, this discussion is subjective.
- TV series, not movies.
Updated December 27, 2025, by Mark Sammut: This article has been updated with a few more anime villains, along with fresh links.
36 Fyodor Dostoevsky (Bungo Stray Dogs)
An Intellectual Powerhouse With World-Altering Ambition
Bungo Stray Dogs
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2023-00-00
- Japanese Title
- Bungou Stray Dogs
- Studio
- Bones
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kafka Asagiri
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Bungo Stray Dogs takes a season or two to get going, but once it hits its stride, the anime is constantly fantastic. In a series packed with intriguing heroes and villains, Fyodor still stands out as someone particularly special. He is generally the one pulling the strings behind most of the catastrophic events that happen throughout the story, and he wants to change everything. Ultimately, his main goal is to eliminate people with abilities, which would include himself.
Fyodor speaks about saving the world, and he uses this justification to regularly commit heinous acts that, more often than not, result in widespread chaos and avoidable deaths. He is Dazai's intellectual equal, but he is also way more ruthless, cruel, and long-lived.
35 Iwao Washizu (Akagi)
An Anime Villain Who Loves To Gamble With The Lives Of Others
Akagi
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- 2005 - 2006-00-00
- Network
- Nippon TV
- Directors
- Yuzo Sato
- Japanese Title
- Touhai Densetsu Akagi: Yami ni Maiorita Tensai
- Studio(s)
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Nobuyuki Fukumoto
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
The Akagi anime adapts a mere fraction of the manga, so it only showcases a sliver of Iwao Washizu's deranged nature. The story follows Shigeru Akagi, a thrill-seeker who becomes addicted to mahjong gambling, causing him to seek out steeper bets. Eventually, he faces off against Iwao, an eccentric old guy who uses the board game as an excuse to psychologically torture his opponents. Iwao is absolutely unhinged and delights in pushing Shigeru to take bigger and bigger risks, but he is also willing to put himself on the line and, for the most part, avoids straight-up cheating.
The manga took about 20 years to complete the match between Akagi and Iwao, as the arc started in 1997 and came to an end in 2017. It lasted for over 200 chapters, and it was an incredible and wild ride. The 2005 anime ended more than a decade before the match's end, but it adapted the opening chapters really well.
34 Lio Shirazumi (The Garden Of Sinners)
A Terrifying Anime Villain In A Series Filled With Complex Characters
The Garden of Sinners
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2013 - 2013
- Network
- Tokyo MX, Niconico
- Japanese Title
- Kara no Kyoukai
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
The Garden of Sinners is a series of movies based on Type-Moon light novels, but it was adapted into a TV version, so it kind of qualifies! Just let me have this one...The Garden of Sinners is one of my favorite anime.
Also, to be clear, you should watch the full movies.
Although nowhere near as well-known as Fate, The Garden of Sinners is loosely related to Type-Moon's most famous franchise, to the point of one movie even including a character, Tomoe Enjou, who looks very similar to Emiya. Following a non-linear structure and touching upon some pretty heavy psychological and philosophical themes, the anime is dense, ambitious, and not all that accessible. Generally, movies 2, 5, and 7 are considered the best in the series, and two of those revolve heavily around Lio Shirazumi.
An obsessive stalker made worse by a power that changes him in every way, Lio starts as weak and mild-mannered before transforming into a murderous psychopath with a killer fashion sense and questionable eating habits. Especially in movie 7, Lio is absolutely detestable, and he treats Shiki, the female protagonist, as something of a plaything. He is not cool, charismatic, or enigmatic; he is just awful, in the best possible way.
33 Yujiro Hanma (Baki)
The Worst Anime Dad Ever (Well, One Of Them)
Baki The Grappler
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- January 8, 2001
- Japanese Title
- Grappler Baki
- Studio
- Group TAC
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Keisuke Itagaki
Anime is not lacking in god-awful fathers, but Yujiro is a special type of monster. Earth's strongest fighter (or creature, to be exact) is vicious, terrifying, and relentlessly ruthless. While not completely devoid of humanity or incapable of acts of kindness, Yujiro believes that power is the only thing that matters, and he constantly seeks to push Baki beyond his limits (or break him in the process). Even his "good" deeds are driven by arrogance or boredom, and he commits murder and other vile acts without showing any hesitation.
Yujiro could have just been a goal for Baki to chase, resembling a plot device or symbol rather than a proper character. However, the original 2001 and Netflix's 2018 continuation reveal just enough about the villain to avoid this fate, all the while still surrounding him with an air of mystery.
32 Gendo Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
OK, Maybe He Is The Worst Father In Anime
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 1995 - 1996
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Shinseiki Evangelion
- Studio
- Gainax, Tatsunoko
- Creator(s)
- Hideaki Anno
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
An argument could be made that Neon Genesis Evangelion's main villains are the Angels, as they wiped out most of humanity and are behind some of the most uncomfortable scenes in anime history (Asuka's death). That said, Gendo is, ultimately, NGE's real antagonist, despite being initially presented as the leader of the human force designed to fight against the invading Angels. Pretense aside, Gendo's actions are driven entirely by a desire to be reunited with his wife, which might sound sweet if the process didn't involve mass murder.
Even if he was genuinely trying to protect humanity, Gendo's relationship with Shinji would be enough to classify him as one of anime's greatest villains. He psychologically torments his son, forcing him to shoulder responsibilities and face hells that he is not remotely equipped to handle.
31 Hitogami (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation)
An Obviously Manipulative Human God That Is Shrouded In Mystery
- Release Date
- January 11, 2021
- Network
- Tokyo MX, KBS Kyoto, BS11
- Directors
- Sayaka Tsuji, Yoshitsugu Kimura, Ayumu Uwano, Yui Kanbe, Takahiro Tamano, Chihiro Kumano, Ouri Yasukawa, Mihiro Yamaguchi, Michiru Itabisashi, Kento Shintani, Nao Miyoshi, Shingo Fujii, Asahi Oka, Fumiaki Kataoka
Cast
-
Yumi UchiyamaRudeus Greyrat's Former Self(voice) -
Tomokazu SugitaPilemon Notos Greyrat (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu
- Studio
- Studio Bind
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator
- Rifujin na Magonote
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
For all the criticism it gets, isekai has many great villains. Re:Zero's Witches of Sin are all around intimidating, while Slime's Yuki is slowly building up his presence in the anime. No Game, No Life and The Saga of Tanya the Evil have similar god villains that work well within the context of their stories. Speaking of Tanya, she is essentially a villain protagonist, and the same can be said for Overlord's Ainz.
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If asked to pick the most intriguing isekai anime villain, Mushoku Tensei's Hitogami (or Human God) would be the first to come to mind. Showing up sporadically to give Rudeus cryptic advice that usually proves to be helpful, Hitogami is very clearly a master manipulator, a fact that does not escape the protagonist. However, Rudy often has no option but to follow Hitogami's counsel, all the while trying to figure out the latter's true goal.
Human God has not done that much in the anime so far, but he is captivating.
30 Squealer (From The New World)
A Far More Intriguing Anime Villain Than Initially Apparent
From the New World
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- 2012 - 2013
- Directors
- Satoshi Kon
- Writers
- Seishi Minakami, Satoshi Kon
- Japanese Title
- Shinsekai yori
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Based On
- Novel
- Creator
- Yusuke Kishi
From The New World is a bit of a messy show at times, especially during its first half. Still, the anime steadily transforms from a strange coming-of-age journey to a psychological war drama that finds superpowered humans going up against monsters who are treated as inferior. While the latter should be more sympathetic, as they are looked down upon heavily, the former are generally presented as the heroes.
A large part of that dynamic is built upon Squealer, a manipulative monster rat who initially seems to be friendly with the two main humans but eventually becomes the leader of the villains. Also, Squealer kidnaps a young girl and breaks her mentally, turning her into a weapon. He does some pretty awful stuff that makes him unforgivable, even if his desire to break from his oppression is admirable.
29 Hyakunosuke Ogata (Golden Kamuy)
A Well-Written Anime Character Who Is Not A Traditional Villain
Golden Kamuy
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2018 - 2023-00-00
- Studio
- Geno Studio, Brain's Base
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Satoru Noda
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Golden Kamuy only has great characters, and almost none of them fit seamlessly into "hero" or "villain" archetypes. Sure, Asirpa is probably the most "good" core person, and Sugimoto is generally trying to make amends for his past actions. However, pretty much everyone has well-defined motives that (often) add an element of selfishness to their journeys, and they have enough nuance to come across as complex personalities with redeeming elements.
Ogata is the closest to an exception, at least in the sense that he is arguably the only villain in the story. Even then, he is hardly 100% evil, and he spends quite a bit of time working alongside Asirpa and Sugimoto. However, Ogata is searching for the gold entirely for selfish reasons, something he keeps tightly hidden from everyone else. Furthermore, he is extremely vicious and feels no empathy, and he does not hesitate to kill except in situations when he believes it might not be advantageous to him. His backstory is extremely dark and shaped his outlook on the world, one that makes him believe that everyone is just as much of a murderer as he is.
28 Shigaraki Tomura (My Hero Academia)
One Of The Most Famous Anime Villains In Shonen... And He Is Literally A Villain
My Hero Academia
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Japanese Title
- Boku no Hero Academia
- Studio
- Bones
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kōhei Horikoshi
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, Crunchyroll
Shigaraki Tomura is the primary villain of My Hero Academia. He was a murderous lunatic who had no qualms about sending people to the hereafter. Shigaraki wanted to upend all the hero associations and bring chaos to the whole world. Initially, he had very little patience, but he got better with time.
Shigaraki's physical abilities were rather incredible. He had enhanced strength and speed, both of which made it difficult to subdue them. His original Quirk, Decay, enabled him to disintegrate anything that he touched with his hand. Shigaraki also inherited All For One, which allowed him to steal the Quirks of other people.
All For One is also a great villain, but Shigaraki is arguably the more complex character.
27 Kyubey (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Not Your Average Magical Girl Anime Mascot
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
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- 2011 - 2011
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
- Studio
- Shaft
- Creator
- Magica Quartet
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Dark magical girl anime existed before Puella Magi Madoka Magica, but the latter popularized and, arguably, perfected the concept. These types of stories tend to always have cute mascots who, usually, bestow the girls with their powers, dragging them into fights to protect humanity. Initially, Kyubey seems like a relatively traditional take on this archetype, albeit one that is a bit colder than most mascots.
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However, as more about this universe is revealed, Kyubey goes from a cute cat who grants girls the opportunity to actualize their wishes to a manipulative monster who specifically seeks to turn his magical girls into the things they are meant to fight. For someone who looks like a plush toy, Kyubey is very unsettling.