10 most controversial anime villains, ranked

The most controversial anime villains raise the greatest debates in the fandom since their motivations and the eventual outcomes of their actions are all so ingrained within the viewers. These characters do not exist to engage in evil just for the sake of it— they represent, rather, complex moral dilemmas that challenge the boundaries between what is right and wrong.

From their tragic backstories and sudden betrayals to unrelenting cruelty, through these antagonists the narrative is pushed into morally gray areas, causing audiences to question their beliefs.

It may well be as memorable as it is divisive. Here are 10 controversial anime villains, ranked from most controversial to least controversial.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and includes spoilers from the anime.

Griffith, Dabi, and 8 other controversial anime villains of all time, ranked most to least controversial

10) Dio Brando (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Dio Brando as seen in anime (Image via David Production)

Dio Brando from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure stands to be one of the most controversial anime villains due to his ruthless ambition, crafty manipulativeness, and plain cruelty.

He was born with extreme hatred toward humans. Therefore, this lust for power made him commit unspeakable deeds, starting from murdering his adoptive father to turning people into mindless servants.

This vampirism spell affected him, raising his evil to near invincibility. His utter disregard for life, coupled with his obsessive behaviors regarding dominance, makes Dio a terrifying antagonist, and his charisma, combined with complex motives, turns him into a villain whom fans simultaneously hate and find oddly compelling.

9) Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa: The Animation)

Junko Enoshima as seen in anime (Image via Lerche)

Junko Enoshima ranks among the most controversial anime villains, driven by her obsession with despair and the enormous scale of her hate. She is manipulative and the puppeteer of "Ultimate Despair," a character who can get others to commit cruel deeds just to spread chaos.

This cutesy, punk look of hers conceals the most messed-up mind in the series, and makes her very exciting and utterly revolting to watch. Junko managed to do everything that would leave a dent in her world, from running a killing game at school and brainwashing a bunch of people.

8) Gendo Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Gendo Ikari as seen in anime (Image via Production I.G)

Gendo Ikari, the mysterious antagonist from Neon Genesis Evangelion, is arguably one of the most controversial anime villains. His morally ambiguous motives and ruthless actions make him one of them.

Moved by the feeling of being able to meet his late wife again, Gendo manipulates everybody around him to achieve that aim at all costs, even his son Shinji, and ultimately, all of humanity.

The cold-blooded and ruthless attitude of this character makes him detestable, yet sympathetic, due to his readiness to sacrifice anyone for the sake of his goals. Gendo's actions bring along disastrous results, hence putting viewers in a dilemma on the thin line between love and obsession.

7) ⁠⁠Hisoka Morow (Hunter x Hunter)

Hisoka Morow from Hunter x Hunter is one of the most controversial anime villains. He is unpredictable and cryptic, a sadistic character who mainly derives his pleasure from fighting people who are strong.

Hisoka's creepy obsession with fighting powerful enemies, especially young characters like Gon and Killua, adds more weirdness to his personality.

Even though he oozes bad guy vibes, Hisoka's charisma and multi-dimensional personality have won over fans and blurred the lines between antagonist and anti-hero, starting many arguments among fans.

6) ⁠⁠Sousuke Aizen (Bleach)

Sousuke Aizen as seen in anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sosuke Aizen from Bleach is considered one of the most controversial anime villains due to his betrayal and complicated personality. First, he was shown as a tender captain and then turned out to be a manipulative, power-mongering mastermind. This scheme to overthrow Soul Society, with his overpowering might and intellect, amazed and made him fearsome.

The peacefulness that Aizen portrays draws a thin line between heroism and villainy, even as he commits hideous deeds. He makes fans raise questions regarding loyalty and morality.

5) Father (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Father as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Father, from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, definitely has to be in the top five most controversial anime villains due to his cold, calculating nature and godly ambitions.

A homunculus, originally made from a flask, Father has a plan to sacrifice an entire nation for absolute power. He hardly cares about human life, to him— merely tools for the grand design.

What makes him controversial is his twisted quest for perfection and the ambiguous morality that befits creation. Father's desire to transcend humanity coupled with the manipulation of his "children", that is, other homunculi, leaves a chill.

4) Griffith (Berserk)

Griffith as seen in anime (Image via Studio 4°C)

Griffith, from the anime Berserk, is one of the most controversial anime villains ever written, considering his betraying his only friends was very shocking. Griffith used to be the charismatic leader of the Band of the Hawk, who gradually gets consumed by his ambition, to the point where he tries to sacrifice all of his comrades in the infamous event of the Eclipse to attain godhood.

The horrific act, by which he becomes the demonic Femto, puts on the screen an even greater contrast between Griffith as a former hero and his falling to monstrous villainy. His acts are so destructive to the characters in the story but give the audience a hard time comprehending such loyalty and price for power.

3) Muzan Kibutsuji (Demon Slayer)

Muzan Kibitsuji as seen in anime (Image via Ufotable)

Muzan Kibutsuji is the main antagonist of Demon Slayer and is undeniably one of the most controversial anime villains ever. Being the first demon, he had sought power and immortality relentlessly, making it clear that he was responsible for many deaths and had troubled lots of people by turning innocents into other demons against their will.

His cold, manipulative nature and willingness to destroy any who would stand in his way make him a force of terror. One would say that it is precisely Muzan's lack of remorse and wholly contemptuous regard for human life that makes him such a complicated moral villain.

2) ⁠⁠Dabi (My Hero Academia)

Dabi as seen in anime (Image via Studio Bones)

Dabi ranks among the most controversial anime villains in My Hero Academia, with his tragic backstory and twisted motivations. Born Toya Todoroki, Dabi is the eldest son of Pro Hero Endeavor. His descent into villainy is driven by his harsh emotionally neglectful father, driving him to seek vengeance.

The revelation that Dabi is a Todoroki shocked the hero community, challenging perceptions of heroism and what exactly a legacy of toxicity will do.

1) Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

Eren Yeager as seen in anime (Image via MAPPA)

Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan ranks first among the most controversial anime villains because of how he completely changed his role from hero to anti-hero and ended up being a threat to the entire world. Having started with some noble intentions of protecting his people, he changed his ways after finding out how cruel the world truly is.

His decision to destroy everything in his path, the Rumbling, causing untold destruction and death, shocked fans and blurred the lines between a justified war and genocide. Eren was one of those characters whose actions make fans sweat over morality for having chosen to do something.

Final thoughts

The most controversial anime villains challenge viewers with morally complex queries. Characters like Griffith, who broke the trust of the Band of the Hawk with his betrayal, or Junko Enoshima, who enjoyed spreading despair, are great examples of how such antagonists can be deeply unsettling and even divisive.

None of them, however, hold a candle to the downright controversy that is Eren Yeager, whose major swing from hero to global threat in Attack on Titan makes him the most debated villain in anime history.

These characters' legacies endure, making one remember them long after the final credits roll.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay