10 anime characters like Shigaraki from My Hero Academia

Characters like Shigaraki from My Hero Academia and why (Image via Bones).
Characters like Shigaraki from My Hero Academia and why (Image via Bones)

Characters like Shigaraki are an interesting topic when considering who he became at the end of the My Hero Academia series. He turned into an avatar of destruction and someone who just wanted to create chaos, a trope that is much more common in anime than what someone may think initially.

There are some characters like Shigaraki in anime, especially when it comes to his final form in the series, because these villains often seek the destruction of everything around them. Some of them are even downright ruthless and mindless regarding destruction, becoming much bigger threats to some degree.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series on this list. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.


10 anime characters like Shigaraki from My Hero Academia


1. Kid Buu (Dragon Ball Z)

Kid Buu in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)
Kid Buu in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

There is a strong argument to be made: Kid Buu is the best example among anime characters like Shigaraki, and that is because he is a being that is destruction incarnate. Kid Buu is an entity of pure evil and destruction, as was highlighted in Dragon Ball Z when he destroyed Earth and everyone who was there, excluding Goku, Vegeta, Mr. Satan, and Fat Majin Buu, who all escaped to the afterlife.

Much like Shigaraki, Kid Buu just wants to destroy everything in his path, and it has to be said that the latter is a lot more ruthless than the former. The moment Kid Buu showed up, Earth itself was destroyed, which is something that no other Dragon Ball villain had accomplished until that point.


2. Mahito (Jujutsu Kaisen)

One of the best examples among anime characters like Shigaraki (Image via MAPPA)
One of the best examples among anime characters like Shigaraki (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami and My Hero Academia author Kohei Horikoshi are known friends, and there has always been this theory that Mahito is based on Tomura Shigaraki. Not only do they have similar looks, and their powers require them to make physical touch with their hands, but they also work as avatars of destruction.

Mahito is the Curse that was the result and physical embodiment of human hatred, so he was focused on creating chaos and destruction. The Shibuya Incident was the character's peak, taking the lives of Nanami Kento and Nobara Kugisaki in the process.


3. Shinobu Sensui (Yu Yu Hakusho)

One of those characters like Shigaraki... although for different reasons (Image via Studio Pierrot)
One of those characters like Shigaraki... although for different reasons (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Yu Yu Hakusho villain Shinobu Sensui is one of those anime characters like Shigaraki because their motivations are the same and their origins are somewhat similar. Regarding the first point, both people want to destroy humanity and cause havoc, although it is fair to say that Sensui's way of doing things is a lot more focused and specific.

Regarding their origins, both were exposed to the worst of humanity, although it is fair to say that Sensui's case was more notorious and extreme. However, they also had mental breakdowns, and their personalities were distorted because of their traumas.


4. Donquixote Doflamingo (One Piece)

One of One Piece's most iconic villains (Image via Toei Animation)
One of One Piece's most iconic villains (Image via Toei Animation)

An element that can make anime characters like Shigaraki, especially in the version at the end of the My Hero Academia series, is the desire for destruction. When it comes to One Piece villains, no one embodies that better than Donquixote Doflamingo.

The main difference between several anime characters like Shigaraki (and even the character himself) is that Doflamingo has a tragic backstory. Still, the story never shows him as someone to be pitied. He is a monster through and through, wanting to cause mayhem across the seas.


5. The God Hand (Berserk)

The God Hand in the manga (Image via Hakusensha)
The God Hand in the manga (Image via Hakusensha)

It is fair to say that the God Hand are actually five characters, but their motivations as these evil entities are rooted in the same thing and usually work as a single unit. That is part of the reason they are so influential in the larger world of Berserk and the events that take place there.

The God Hand are former humans who reached a higher plane and became cosmic and demonic entities who grant others the chance to turn into apostles. They serve evil itself and want humanity to fall victim to the worst of their nature, much like the other characters like Shigaraki, although this has been taken to another level with the God Hand.


6. Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

Another of those characters like Shigaraki (Image via MAPPA)
Another of those characters like Shigaraki (Image via MAPPA)

Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan qualifies as one of those characters like Shigaraki because they both have similar trajectories as people who only got worse as time went on in their respective stories. That is something that turned them into avatars of destruction who basically want to see the world turn.

Naturally, Eren's case was a lot more extreme because it led to the death of the vast majority of the human race in his story. But it stems from the same feeling of insanity and desire for destruction, even if the character tries to excuse himself for trying to do it for his friends.


7. Tesuo Shima (Akira)

Shima in the movie (Image via Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co. Ltd)
Shima in the movie (Image via Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co. Ltd)

Another element that defines characters like Shigaraki is that sometimes power can fall into the wrong hands, which happened with the My Hero Academia villain and Tetsuo Shima in the Akira series. Whether it's in the manga or the movie, Shima has been fairly consistent in that regard.

Tetsuo grew up in a version of Japan that went through World War III and nuclear warfare, eventually unlocking psychic powers. This new role as an Esper drove him to insanity and led him to become a tyrant eager to destroy everything in his path and cater to his most deranged desires.


8. Cath (The Seven Deadly Sins)

Cath's final form (Image via Studio Deen)
Cath's final form (Image via Studio Deen)

There is no denying that Cath is one of the most divisive final villains in The Seven Deadly Sins because of the twist and what it represents for the story. However, it is also true that it is one of those anime characters like Shigaraki because of its role as an agent of chaos and destruction.

Cath Palug is an entity of chaos that took form because of its desire to destroy and protect Arthur. It wanted him to reach his position as King of Chaos. It is one of those anime characters like Shigaraki due to its constant desire to cause havoc with everything surrounding it.


9. Father (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Another one of those anime characters like Shigaraki (Image via Madhouse)
Another one of those anime characters like Shigaraki (Image via Madhouse)

Father is the main antagonist of the Fullmetal Alchemist series and a good example of characters like Shigaraki because of their desire for destruction and control. There is a strong argument to be made that Father is a lot more focused and intelligent than Shigaraki, although it has to do with the way both characters were constructed.

He absorbed the knowledge of the Eye and became an individual looking for control and dominance worldwide. Father is also an entity of pure evil and wants to destroy those who oppose him.


10. Ryomen Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Sukuna in the first season of the anime (Image via MAPPA)
Sukuna in the first season of the anime (Image via MAPPA)

Another Jujutsu Kaisen antagonist and one more of those anime characters like Shigaraki is Ryomen Sukuna. In terms of personality, abilities, and origins, Sukuna and Shigaraki are nothing alike, but both are individuals who are always looking for chaos and destruction.

As an antagonist, Sukuna doesn't have grand ambitions or goals and just wants to fight strong opponents and cause chaos. His exploits in Shibuya were a very good example of that, with him murdering thousands of people simply because he wanted to do it.


Final thoughts

There are more anime characters like Shigaraki from My Hero Academia, albeit with some differences in motivations, abilities, or even in terms of storytelling qualities. Be that as it may, the desire for chaos and destruction remains the same.


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Edited by Toshali Kritika
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