A final villain in anime may end up in a battle, conquered, spared, or redeemed, but one way or another, they mark the hero for good. They also often end up as fan favorites because of their over-the-top behavior and characteristics and the way they bring out the best in the hero.
Memorable final villains come in many different styles in the anime world. Sometimes it’s their evolution/devolution that’s fascinating; other times it’s an extreme personality. For some villains, it’s their pure capacity for evil that puts them on the list.
10 Dr. Tenma Abandons Astro Boy, But Eventually Sees The Error Of His Ways (Astro Boy)
In the classic anime Astro Boy, Dr. Tenma is an evil father figure – negligent, disreputable, and the creator of Atom, or Astro. He created Astro out of grief for his own son's death, and for a time simply raises Astro as his own son. But after a while, Tenma comes to resent the fact that Astro will never grow older, and he abandons him. Astro grows up adopted by Professor Ochanomizu, but has to confront his nefarious father and his army of evil robots many times. Eventually, though, he convinces Tenma to change his ways.
9 Piccolo Jr. Swears To Conquer Goku And The World Even After His Defeat (Dragon Ball)
As Piccolo Daimao is dying, he spits out Piccolo Jr., his last reincarnation. Jr. spends three years training for the next World Martial Arts Tournament – and his revenge. With his creepy green skin, bandaged look, and those powerful hits, he's a formidable opponent, and one of the memorable final villains of Dragon Ball. The grunts and growls as he fires up, and his sinister laugh as he wreaks havoc on not only Goku but the entire stadium, puts him over the top in the villain category.
8 Tetsuo Shima Implodes With Insecurity And Too Much Power (Akira)
Tetsuo Shima is a complicated villain from the classic anime Akira. He doesn’t start out as a bad guy, but what eats away at Tetsuo is his massive inferiority complex. Kaneda tries to treat him like a brother, but he’s too jealous, and feels like he’s being bossed around. Tetsuo has a bad temper and acts on impulse. Once he gets the powers of the Espers and survives after they try to kill him, he goes on a rampage, even losing his physical form.
7 Kyubey Offers Girls A Deal From Hell (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Kyubey appears to be a cute cat, but this kitty from Puella Magi Madoka Magica is proof that looks are skin deep. In reality, he’s not a cat, but an incubator, and incubators need human emotions to generate energy. They prey on adolescent girls by offering to grant them wishes.
In exchange, they tell the girls they’ll become “magical girls”. In reality, they’re thrown into a life of endless battle and struggle against what they are told are witches – all while their emotions are harvested.
6 A Final Battle With Vicious Is The Fitting End For Both Him And Spike (Cowboy Bebop)
"A ravenous beast. The same blood runs through both of us. The blood of a beast who wanders, hunting for the blood of others." The quote captures Vicious’ philosophy of life and death as a lifelong criminal in Cowboy Bebop. He and Spike grew up on the street together, but when Spike wants to leave the Red Dragon crime syndicate, and a love triangle develops with Julia, it turns them into enemies. After Vicious kills Julia, there’s really no other way to end the story than with a battle between equally dangerous foes.
5 Chrollo Lucilfer Has No Problem With Mass Murder (Hunter X Hunter)
Chrollo has a distinctive look, with his cross-shaped tattoo and garish fur coat. Despite his looks and charisma, though, it’s his volatile personality and capacity for cold-blooded mass murder that make him the supreme villain of Hunter x Hunter. He leads the Phantom Troupe in their massacre of the Kurta people, including children and elders, without remorse. To add to the gruesome nature of the act, he had them remove their scarlet eyes.
4 Lil’ Slugger Is A Primordial Boogeyman That Comes Form Tsukiko Herself (Paranoia Agent)
Paranoia Agent's Lil’ Slugger is no human villain. He’s not even a supernatural bad guy in the usual sense. Lil’ Slugger appears in the first episode to attack Tsukiko Sage, then proceeds to torment several victims through the thirteen episode series by preying on their emotions.
The finale reveals that Lil’ Slugger is a kind of boogeyman Tsukiko created from her childhood fears. It comes into reality by way of the mass hysteria of the 21st century, concentrating the world's malaise into a force of its own.
3 Ragyō Kiryūin Crushes Her Own Heart (Kill La Kill)
Ragyō Kiryūin, wife of Sōichirō Kiryūin and mother of Satsuki Kiryūin and Ryūko Matoi, emerges as the truly twisted villain of Kill la Kill. She has no qualms about using her own baby daughters for her dangerous Life Fiber experiments. Throughout, she’s vain and arrogant, cruel and manipulative, and values luxury and Life Fibers over all human life, including her own. In a fitting end for the alien parasite-loving villain, she smirks as she reaches in to crush her own heart.
2 Mild-Mannered On The Outside, Johan Liebert Is A Truly Sadistic Sociopath (Monster)
Johan Liebert is created by Dr. Tenma when he performs brain surgery and saves Johan's life. But with that well-meaning act, he creates a monster. Liebert is the result of a secret eugenics program designed to create superior humans. Johan and his sister were subjected to brutal experiments, and Liebert grew up to be cruel and violent, even as he maintains the façade of a friendly and mild-mannered person. One of his favorite hobbies is grooming future serial killers.
1 The Major Is A Depraved Nazi Who Designed Super Vampire Soldiers (Hellsing: Ultimate)
The Major is a Nazi, so his wickedness is a given. However, the former first lieutenant of the SS goes above and beyond in his occult project to create super vampire soldiers. He’s foiled by Alucard and Walter Dornez, but escapes, only to emerge decades later in Argentina. He’s now head of the fascist Millennium organization, bent on igniting an endless round of conflict and war throughout the world. In the end, like his Nazi hero, his only goal is violence and bloodshed.