It is a commonly accepted fact that minor villains of anime are not stronger than the main antagonist. This is both to build momentum in the story as well as illustrate the hero's progression in power (as secondary evildoers are first to be  defeated throughout the course of the ongoing narrative).

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However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, minor villains are even deadlier than their better known counterparts. Not every anime lets the main villains stay the top dog, sometimes allowing henchmen to rise up in the ranks and overpower their "masters."

10 Feitan (Hunter X Hunter)

Feitan Fighting A Chimera Ant Queen In Hunter x Hunter

At one time, Feitan's strength would have been dramatically overshadowed by Chrollo Lucifer's. The Phantom Troupe leader had the ability to steal the powers of others, rendering him a serious threat to those who would oppose his objectives..

However, after a Nen condition restricted him from ever using it again, Feitan now possesses a number of advantages by which to dispatch his employer if he chooses to. His claws, sword, and disorienting speed are all excellent utilities that would deliver the spider's head to his death, powerless to fight back.

9 Cheap Trick (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Cheap Trick on Rohan's back - JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable

Almost certainly created through Kira's aggressively irresponsible usage of the Stand arrow, Cheap Trick was a sentient Stand that latched onto his targets and killed them when someone else peered at their back.

It was impossible to remove or damage him since whatever harm was inflicted against the demon would be reflected on their "user." Unlike Yoshikage Kira himself, this makes it virtually impossible to defeat Cheap Trick. Rohan Kishibe was only able to exploit his terrain to rid himself of the gremlin, though Reimi Sugimoto's haunted alleyway is not a utility accessible by most.

8 Walter (Hellsing)

Walter C Dornez Hellsing

Walter's betrayal was a defining moment in Hellsing Ultimate. His wires were as sharp as steel and abundant enough to pose a threat against Alucard (a man who could decimate armies and defeated Alexander Anderson, perhaps the strongest paladin in history).

This puts him at a tremendous advantage over the Major, Millennium's maniacal and corpulent leader. Surprisingly, his master was below average in combat skill, possessing terrible accuracy and low proficiency for battle. It may have been account of his robotic body, but it did not grant him notable durability for his final fight against Integra.

7 Gigantomachia (My Hero Academia)

Gigantomachia in My Hero Academia.

Gigantomachia is significantly stronger than Shigaraki as it stands at the end of the forth season. He was capable of decimating entire mountainsides, nearly wiping out Gran Torino through the sheer force of his fists.

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Further, his body is profoundly durable, with unrivaled strength that had yet been seen since the days of All Might himself. This gives him favorable odds in a battle against Tomura, as his "Decay" quirk has not yet evolved to destroy large surfaces in an expedient amount of time.

6 Kabuto (Naruto)

Kabuto in his snake form confronting Naruto.

Kabuto was the assistant of Orochimaru, the main antagonist of the original Naruto series. Though there would be greater threats in Shippuden, his strength had evolved to vastly overshadow that of his former master (and most other villains of the narrative).

Through his experimentation, he mastered a snake iteration of Naruto's sage mode jutsu and had integrated the abilities of the Sound Four into his own body. The orphan's power grew so prodigiously that Sasuke and Itachi's combined efforts were nearly not enough to defeat him.

5 Mad Pierrot (Cowboy Bebop)

mad pierrot cowboy bebop

While not explicitly affiliated with Vicious, Mad Pierrot was a minor villain that was easily the most powerful in Cowboy Bebop. He carried a greater arsenal and possessed much more durability than his Syndicate counterpart, surviving direct fire from a spaceship and nearly killing a fully prepared Spike.

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His only real weakness is through cats (as they trigger his PTSD) and blunt objects (since a massive statue would ultimately crush him). Nonetheless, his ability clearly eclipses his criminal counterpart's, who perished by Spiegel's hand despite the cowboy's considerable injuries at the time of their battle.

4 King Bradley (Fullmetal Alchemist)

At one point, Father's radiant power would have been enough to decimate King Bradley and any other of his individual homunculus children. However, their final fights by the end of the series evince different results.

The progenitor of homunculus was struck by the same earthen alchemy that Bradley managed to avoid in spite of the injuries he had already sustained during his match against Scar. Considering Father's desperation, sluggishness, and vulnerability to physical attacks, it follows that the Wrath Sin should be able to defeat him.

3 Grayroad (Seven Deadly Sins)

Grayroad hides in the darkness as white cracked faces surround her in The Seven Deadly Sins

Though Grayroad may be weaker than Zeldris or Estarossa within the Seven Deadly Sins universe (on account of those with specific exemptions to her power, such as the blessings given to Merlin or the Archangels), she is virtually indestructible against almost any typical foe she fights. The caliber of attacks levied against her is inconsequential due to her unique ability.

The demon's commandment of passivism rapidly ages whomever it afflicts until all that remains is an aged husk. While this might entail that Grayroad could not attack her opponents either, she is able to spawn monstrous servants that would fight in her stead.

2 Esdeath (Akame Ga Kill!)

Esdeath pointing her sword

Esdeath was the general of the Imperial Army and the leader of the Jaegers. She commanded copious amounts of ice, able to fell monsters as tall as islands and even freeze time itself.

Though the Emperor's nearly destructible imperial arms would pose a challenge, Esdeath is adept at finding and exploiting weaknesses within her opponent. Her lack of Tatsumi's durability and speed may prove a challenge against him, but the caliber of her offensive would well compensate for these deficiencies. Given how only a few punches to the monarch's weak spot were required to defeat him, it follows that Esdeath's attacks would have even more immediate success.

1 Vanilla Ice (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

vanilla ice from jojo

Vanilla Ice had often prostrated himself as the inferior servant of DIO, one whose life was in his lord's hands. However, a meticulous glance and understanding of their respective Stands may evince that his power has the potential to surpass his master's.

When completely submerged in "Cream," Vanilla Ice becomes an indestructible ball of death that DIO could not hope to touch using the power of the World (demonstrated through his reluctance to attack Joseph Joestar's Hamon shield). Therefore, he must only fight defensively in order to defeat the vampire after he cornered him in his chambers.

NEXT: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: 5 Ways Dio Could Have Killed Jotaro (& 5 He Was Doomed To Lose)