Villains are some of the most influential characters in anime. Without the villain, no story would ever be complete. They view the world differently, but some still fight for the same cause as the hero. Many villains prove that there is a fine line between good and evil, while others simply have no regard for life itself.

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The villains often experience trauma that many people can relate to, thus they may receive compassion from fans. Their perception of humanity contrasts with socially acceptable ideals, and the majority of the time their reasons make sense.

10 Father Believes That Humans Are Insects (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Father From FMAB Using Powers

Father abandons his own human origins and places himself above all of humanity. He believes that people, in this case Edward and Alphonse, are just tools that he can use to further his plans. He places no value on life if he cannot manipulate and use it.

His ideals contrast with the common belief that human life is superior to other life forms. He treats those inferior to him as insects and explains that one does not consider the life of a bug when they squash it.

9 Tomura Shigaraki & The Suffering Of Villains (My Hero Academia)

Tomura Shigaraki In My Hero Academia

Shigaraki believes that villains do not deserve to be treated as inferior to the rest of society. Villains are also human beings who deal with trauma and suffering. He was rejected by society and in turn, he decides to abandon his humanity to fight those who treat him unfairly.

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The unequal treatment of villains compared to heroes in My Hero Academia portrays how society lacks compassion. Until people begin to treat the League of Villains fairly, they will continue to fight against the heroes.

8 Mahito's Views On The Soul (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Jujutsu Kaisen's Mahito Watching Itadori Break His Domain Expansion

Mahito, throughout Jujutsu Kaisen, manipulates souls. Junpei was one of the unfortunate souls that were tampered with and in a conversation, Mahito asks him if people have hearts. There is this idea that the heart does not truly exist and it is the soul that controls everything. It is not the heart that fosters emotions or feelings, but the soul that exposes them.

Despite the fact that he is intrigued by souls, he believes that the soul and the physical body are the same and hold no value, which allows people to live completely free.

7 Zeref Dragneel Hates That Humanity Is Suffering (Fairy Tail)

Zeref Holding The Book Of END

Zeref finds his way onto Grimoire Heart's ship to talk to Hades about his improper use of Acnologia. Hades' desire to revive Zeref is the reason for much of humanity's suffering. Zeref says that the current era is coming to an end because of all his wrongdoings. Although Zeref is seen as the main antagonist throughout Fairy Tail, his existence proves that there is a fine line between good and evil.

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He has seen countless lives lost over 400 years and realizes the value of human life, something Hades does not yet understand. Zeref states that all of Grimoire Heart needs to repent for their sins and then kills Hades.

6 Doflamingo Donquixote's Views On Justice (One Piece)

Doflamingo From One Piece Smiling And Holding Hand To Face

Doflamingo, better known as Doffy, forces one to battle with the concepts of justice and war. He makes quite the entrance during Marineford and claims that the victors of war determine what justice is. He exposes the fact that one's values are determined by their position within society.

An individual who has lived through war understands the world differently than someone that only knows peace. Doffy makes it apparent that morality itself is constructed by the people at the top of the food chain.

5 Meruem's Inability To Understand Humanity (Hunter X Hunter)

Meruem From Hunter X Hunter With Wings

Mereum, while fighting Netero, exposes the dark side of humanity. He is unable to understand the complexities of classism and why some people have to suffer so that others can thrive. He believes that humans fighting the Chimera Ants in order to protect humanity is not worth it.

RELATED: Hunter X Hunter: 10 Worst Things Mereum Did That Everyone Forgot About

Meruem is not content with the idea that inequality exists among the human race. He uses terror and violence to accomplish his goals, but in the end he is still trying to achieve equality amongst all people.

4 Askeladd Believes That Everyone Is A Slave To Something (Vinland Saga)

Vinland Saga's Askeladd Smirking

Askeladd witnesses something violent at a dinner and explains to his subordinates that every person is a slave. He says that one can be a slave to love, revenge, pain and in this particular case, money. From this viewpoint, no one is truly free until they can achieve self-mastery. Although someone may feel that they are in control, unconsciously their actions and thoughts are determined by something else. One can be controlled by both material items and the human mind.

Askeladd finds that this aspect of humanity is terrible, as people are unable to recognize that when they treat people unjustly, it means that they are controlled by something else.

3 Light Yagami's Last Words (Death Note)

Death Note's Light Yagami Angry

Light's infamous phrase, I am Kira, shows that when one obtains control over who lives and who dies, it can turn them into a monster. Light believes that he is justice and the God of the new world. The Death Note gives him power and turns him into a mass murderer.

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Even when staring death in the face, Light believes he is the only person that can protect the world. The lines between right and wrong disappear as one attempts to fight evil or end a war. Light eliminates much of the evil in the world but yet he is seen as the embodiment of evil itself.

2 Pain's Cycle Of Hatred (Naruto)

Pain from Naruto looking determined with scars during battle.

Pain believes that the only way to achieve peace is to have everyone suffer. During his fight with Naruto, he explains that empathy is the defining factor to achieve his goals. Until the whole world can understand what it is like to lose everything they love, peace is an unachievable dream.

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Pain is trying to achieve justice through violence and cannot see any other way to get revenge for his village, his family, and his friends; Those who suffer will seek revenge, in the name of justice, and then lead to a vicious Cycle of Hatred.

1 Madara Uchiha begs To Wake Up To Reality (Naruto)

Madara From Naruto With His Sharingan

Madara explains that the desire for peace is what starts wars. While talking to Obito, he makes it apparent that everything that one wants will not go the way they plan. Everyone is destined to suffer and that suffering will only result in violence. His wise words come from his life experiences and all the trauma he faced.

He believes that the connection between hate and love cannot be broken, and no matter what one does to find the light, darkness will always follow close behind.

NEXT: 10 Anime Where The Hero Does More Harm Than Good