10 Worst Anime Villains Fans Pretend to Like

A mysterious villain is central to the story’s events, influencing both its high points and its downfall. Their involvement isn’t just a side plot – it actually makes the hero’s journey stand out more. This is often why villainous characters become so popular with fans; they can be deeply complex or simply visually striking.

Sometimes, fans really admire certain characters and exaggerate their qualities, portraying them as either incredibly brilliant or deeply tragic figures. They’ll often try to justify these characters’ actions, even when they realize the popular image doesn’t quite match reality.

Chainsaw Man’s Makima’s Greatest Control Is Her Own Fanbase

Makima became incredibly popular as a female villain, reaching a level of recognition usually reserved for famous male antagonists like Aizen in shonen anime. She presents herself as kind and caring, but this is simply a disguise she uses to control people. Denji is her most notable target; she treats him like a pet, completely dominating him and ensuring his obedience.

Makima’s ending felt rushed, and her absence was noticeable in later parts of the story, as it lost a strong, intimidating figure. However, the biggest problem isn’t the character herself, but how fans perceived her. She was often reduced to a one-dimensional portrayal focused solely on her manipulative side and appearance, losing sight of her complexity.

In JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Dio Is Fun to Watch, And That’s About It

Dio Brando is a hugely popular villain from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, now famous for the many memes he inspires. Despite his popularity, his motivations as a villain are surprisingly weak. He lacks a strong reason for his evil deeds, and his hatred for the Joestar family seems unjustified, considering they were far kinder to him than his own father.

He wants power, and that’s pretty much it – which doesn’t make for a very deep or interesting villain. People mostly love him because of his memorable looks and lines, like his famous “Oh? You’re approaching me?” While he’s entertaining, he isn’t a particularly well-developed bad guy.

Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter Is a Predatory Clown that Fans Curiously Support

Hisoka, introduced early in Hunter x Hunter, immediately stands out as unique among the Hunter Exam candidates. He’s driven by a desire for challenging battles and has a twisted moral compass, readily killing others simply for his own enjoyment. While he acts as a major villain for several story arcs, he’s also opportunistic and will shift his allegiances to suit his needs.

Watching the story unfold, I noticed Hisoka shifting into more of a side character – a really strange one, admittedly. He’d occasionally help the heroes, which was unexpected. It felt like he had the potential to be a major villain, but that possibility faded as things went on. Honestly, what really bothered me, though, was how he acted around the younger characters – it was just… unsettling.

Sukuna’s Heian Era Arsenal Can’t Always Defend Him in Jujutsu Kiasen

While Jujutsu Kaisen has gained a lot of attention for its attractive male characters, it also features a compelling story and well-developed cast. The series’ popularity is undeniably boosted by its appealing visuals, something the villain, Sukuna, seems to understand. Sukuna is widely recognized as a purely malicious character, motivated by a desire for power and lacking any moral compass or concern for human relationships.

This villain feels rather one-dimensional when compared to more complex characters in Jujutsu Kaisen, like Geto. It’s also clear his defeat was predetermined, protecting him from real consequences and making it hard to see him as a genuine danger. His win against Gojo didn’t feel earned; it seemed more like the author simply wanted him to succeed.

Zeke’s Worldview Was Too Rigid and Nihilistic in Attack on Titan

The characters in Attack on Titan all experience intense trauma and could benefit from therapy. However, their pasts don’t excuse their choices – Zeke Yeager is a prime example. He suffered emotional abuse as a child, with his father prioritizing his own beliefs over genuine affection. Combined with the hardships of being born an Eldian, this led Zeke to devise a plan to eliminate the entire Eldian race, a solution that ultimately doesn’t seem logical.

His plan only addresses the problem from one perspective and doesn’t truly protect Eldians from harm. As a result, Zeke, who initially appeared brilliant and calculating, ends up being easily used by his brother. He was simply struggling with depression, not displaying deep insight, despite what some believe.

Dabi Was Too Broken to See He’s Burning the Wrong People in My Hero Academia

Dabi’s backstory as Toya is one of the most heartbreaking aspects of My Hero Academia, and it’s easy to see why fans feel sympathy for him. Endeavor placed immense pressure on Toya, and when Toya couldn’t meet his father’s expectations, Endeavor simply told him to give up. This deeply hurt the young boy and eventually led to the tragic events that transformed him into the villain known as Dabi.

Although Dabi’s past is tragic, it doesn’t justify his later cruel actions. He had the option to reconnect with his family, but he chose to seek revenge on his father instead. While his anger towards Endeavor is understandable, his hatred for Shoto—who was also a victim of abuse—shows a distorted perspective, as he unfairly targeted someone who suffered alongside him.

Esdeath’s Atrocities From Akame ga Kill! Gets a Pass Because of Her Pretty Privilege

I’m a huge fan of villains, and Esdeath from Akame ga Kill! is often brought up as one of the greats, but I always wonder how much of that is just because she’s… striking. Honestly, she’s not a villain with some grand, complex plan. The show makes it really clear she likes hurting people, and does it purely out of sadism. There isn’t much depth to her motivations beyond enjoying the act itself, which makes her a pretty straightforward, if terrifying, villain.

Esdeath’s strong feelings for Tatsumi felt forced and didn’t fit her personality, as she struggled to understand others’ emotions. Her ‘love’ wasn’t genuine; she was possessive and only cared about having Tatsumi, regardless of what he wanted. So, when people claim they could ‘fix’ her, they’re often simply drawn to her appearance and strong personality, rather than truly understanding her as a character.

Griffith From Berserk Is a Fantastic Villain, Just Not a Great Human Being

Griffith is often considered one of the most compelling villains in anime, and he truly embodies evil. What makes his story so captivating is how realistically he falls from grace – from a celebrated hero to a vengeful villain. He represents the dangerous side of human nature, where unchecked ambition can lead anyone to make terrible choices, and Griffith’s betrayal of his friends perfectly illustrates this.

It’s one thing to appreciate Griffith as a well-written villain, but quite another to excuse his actions, especially regarding Casca. Unfortunately, many fans cross that line, going from understanding his villainy to actually defending his terrible deeds. They seem to forget that his lack of redemption is why he’s such a compelling antagonist, and he doesn’t need their approval to be impactful.

Kaguya Fans Are Coping Over Madara’s Defeat in Naruto

Several villains in Naruto felt more deserving of being the final boss than Kaguya did. While she’s certainly powerful and a formidable opponent, her sudden appearance felt rushed and undermined the carefully built-up threat of Madara. It seemed like she was introduced simply to create a final battle before Naruto and Sasuke could have their ultimate clash.

The villain isn’t very convincing because her reasons for doing what she does aren’t strong enough to justify her actions. Plus, she appears suddenly without any hints beforehand and doesn’t change or grow as a character. Despite what some fans say, she remains one of the weakest villains in Naruto.

Muzan From Demon Slayer Is Literally One of the Least Impactful Villains in Shonen

When Muzan first appeared, many fans noticed a resemblance to Michael Jackson, which quickly turned him into a popular meme. However, beyond that comparison, he isn’t a particularly compelling or mysterious villain, and doesn’t feel like a truly frightening opponent for the demon slayers. He’s also incredibly arrogant, and that pride ultimately leads to his defeat.

Initially, he appeared calm and strategic, but his easily provoked anger quickly showed he wasn’t a very good planner and made rash choices. He killed several lower-level demons from The Twelve Kizuki because Rui hadn’t completed his task. This was a foolish move, considering those demons were dangerous – Rui himself nearly defeated Tanjiro, and it took the Hashira to intervene.

2025-10-21 04:45