Anime has plenty in the way of ner-do-wells, and with the vast array of stories told, some of them are likable and even understandable in their twisted way. Then there are the other kinds of scoundrels -- the ones who make viewers want to break their screen in a fit of rage, as seen in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Code Geass and more. These are the anime characters that, be they antagonists or protagonists, have zero redeeming qualities and are worthy of the scorn they receive.
King Hamdo (Now and Then, Here and There)
Now and Then, Here and There is a tough series to watch. To call the series sad would be an understatement -- it's unforgiving. As excellent as the series is, viewers can't help but want to take a cold shower once all is said and done, and the main villain of the series only exacerbates that feeling. King Hamdo isn't just an unlikeable character -- he's downright infuriating.
King Hamdo is what would happen if someone fused the ranting and raving maniacal mind of Adolf Hitler with the impulsive cruelty of Caligula. Some anime antagonists out there have a psychotic streak or even relatable personalities, but King Hamdo's insanity makes Light Yagami look rational -- at least Light had a sense of justice. Hamdo flips emotions on the drop of a hat, cares nothing for the soldiers who fight and die for him and treats his loyal right-hand woman Abelia like a punching bag. He also forces young boys he captures into soldiers, uses girls for heinous acts and believes he is the only one who can save the world. And let's not forget that atrocious bowl cut!
Naru Narusegawa (Love Hina)
Tsundere characters are an everyday staple in anime, but there's a right way and a wrong way to create one. Naru Narusegawa of Love Hina fits into the latter category, and the fact that she's written in a way where the viewer is supposed to sympathize with her is baffling.
Naru is manipulative, obsessive, mean-spirited and throws punches under the slightest provocation. Her love interest, Keitaro Urashima, isn't flawless, but the poor man is constantly insulted and assaulted to the point where he becomes used to the abuse. The worst part is that this is all played for laughs. Keitaro's conditioning is so bad that in Love Hina: Spring Movie, when he accidentally touches Naru's breast (a running gag that gets real old fast), he recoils and apologizes with tears. To have someone afraid for their wellbeing to the point where they cower and cry like a child due to fear of physical harm is sad. Naru doesn't need a boyfriend; she needs a domestic abuse charge.
Makoto Itou (School Days)
Manipulation and cheating abound in the series School Days, with most characters stabbing each other in the back or throwing each other under the bus for their own gains. Still, no character is quite as bad as Makoto Itou.
This guy makes even the most womanizing playboy look like the man of the year in comparison. Getting one of the cutest girls in school to be his girlfriend seemingly isn't enough for him -- and after bedding a multitude of girls, inevitably pitting them against each other, he discovers that one of them, Sekai Saionji, is pregnant. However, rather than taking responsibility or even experiencing a moment of self-awareness, Makoto moves along with his scandalous ways and destroys the lives of more girls. Many anime viewers cheered at his eventual death, and for good reason.
Shou Tucker (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Alchemy is a science that requires sacrifice, and sometimes knowledge is discovered at a high price. However, some prices are so high that few would cross such a line, no matter what the scientific breakthrough. Shou Tucker of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ignores such virtues as animal and human rights, rolling with whatever sick experiments he can get away with.
Shou Tucker is known as the Sewing Life Alchemist -- a scientist renowned for creating chimera. Messing with animal life in such a way is already worthy of concern, but he does the unthinkable when he intentionally fuses his daughter Nina with the family dog Alexander, creating an abomination. Such an inhumane experiment brings about the first chimera that can understand human speech and speak. Still, anyone with a shred of morality would be appalled, and it's all the more heartbreaking considering how loveable Nina is.
When Edward nearly beats Shou to death out of righteous fury, all the Sewing Life Alchemist can say is that the two of them are the same due to their sinning against nature. Edward may have committed a mistake, but at least he is attempting to amend his mistakes. In contrast, Shou has no remorse, viewing his sins against his own flesh and blood to be an appropriate sacrifice.
Nina Einstein (Code Geass)
Fangirls are a part of being famous. Princess li Euphemia -- the popular princess of the Brittanian Empire -- knows this well. But what happens when a sycophant is in love with a princess and will go to absurd heights to do literally anything for them? When it comes to Nina Einstein, two things come to mind: tables used for questionable means and racist-fueled potential genocide.
Nina Einstein of Code Geass is a quiet Ashford Academy student turned maniacal scientist who will do anything for her one-sided love. Delusional and compulsive, Nina is highly intelligent, yet acts as though she has no idea that a bomb she helped create would kill millions of people. Her lack of self-awareness is staggering, and her disturbing obsession with Princess li Euphemia stems from a single act of kindness from Euphemia in the past. Nina's racism is also a critical factor, especially since Nina doesn't explain why she feels such appalling xenophobia. Her erratic emotional behavior and unexplained love of tables certainly don't help her case.