In anime, many main antagonists have an active role in undoing the hero's efforts. Whether dominating them in an early appearance or continuously showing up to put obstacles in their path, these villains make the most of what screen time they are given.
However, there are just as many evildoers who only show up near the final act of the story, often relying on the hype built around their legends to speak for them. By identifying those who meet such criteria, we can better discern whether or not their absence in the narrative was for the better.
10 The Shadow Lord Was Almost Never Seen & Only Confronted During The Reclamation Of The Kingdom (Deltora Quest)
The Shadow Lord was a malevolent entity that oppressed the kingdom of Deltora by scattering the only sacred gems that could defeat him across the land. A villain with no redeeming qualities, he subjugated thousands through the military might of the gray guards.
However, he has almost never left his chambers, instead relying on henchmen to do his bidding. When Lief finally confronted him, he was in awe at the villain's insidious appearance.
9 DIO Played A Much Less Active Role In Stardust Crusaders Than He Did In Phantom Blood (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
In the first act of JoJo's, Dio played an extremely active role. He destroyed his adoptive brother's life and directly raised the zombies that would serve as his minions.
However, the vampire took a much more secondary role in Stardust Crusaders. He only had a single fight with the heroes and never even saw Jotaro before the encounter in Cairo. He wasn't even responsible for creating many of his own henchmen, as Enya assumed that task instead.
8 Kaguya Was The Abrupt Final Villain Of The Fourth Ninja War (Naruto)
Kaguya is notorious for how abruptly she was introduced to the series. Despite having not even existed in the whispers of any of the series' characters, she quickly made her debut in the series' final hundred episodes and served as the greatest threat Team Seven faced at the time.
While Black Zetsu's influence somewhat justifies her presence because he had been around since the beginning of Shippuden, many fans felt cheated out of the battle with Madara, given how suddenly an established villain was exchanged for a new one.
7 The Demon King Only Showed Up After The Ten Commandments Were Defeated (Seven Deadly Sins)
The Demon King was presented as arguably the most powerful character in the Seven Deadly Sins universe. However, he only appeared on Britannia after the Ten Commandments were defeated, significantly reducing how optimally he could crush his enemies.
Moreover, he used Meliodas' body to fight Ban and wasn't able to overpower him despite the fact that the Greed Sin had already lost his immortality. His failure can be partially excused since his son was actively fighting for control of his body.
6 Porco Only Became The Jaw Titan After Ymir's Death (Attack On Titan)
Porco was one of Marley's secret weapons, having eluded Eren's sight until his invasion of the city. This was because he had only recently acquired the powers of a titan shifter after Ymir forfeited her life.
Although Porco may not be the strongest character in the series, he had arguably the highest offensive potential. His mouth was powerful enough to crush Lara Tybur's crystallized body, which in turn could withstand hardened punches from Eren.
5 Father Let His Children Do The Work For Him (Fullmetal Alchemist)
While Father had a presence in the early acts of Fullmetal Alchemist, he allowed his homunculus "children" to work on his behalf. Given his unnatural appearance and tendency toward idleness, he seldom took direct action and even released the Elric brothers after kidnapping them.
Father only took a more proactive role once Sloth's transmutation circle was complete. Although he nearly managed to destroy and consume the power of God, he was ultimately brought back down to Earth for a final climactic battle against Edward. With Greed's help, his body was disintegrated.
4 The Emperor Only Used His Imperial Arms As A Last Resort (Akame Ga Kill!)
The Emperor's imperial arms was intended to safeguard the kingdom from potential threats. However, since its user had been groomed by the influence of Minister Honest, he was willing to turn it against the populace if necessary to exterminate Tatsumi and Wave.
While the Emperor made numerous appearances throughout the short series, he never actually gave his own orders or fought battles. His lack of experience was partially responsible for his ultimate defeat and the fall of his kingdom to Night Raid.
3 The Major Spent Most Of His Time Cackling From His Zeppelin (Hellsing)
While the Major was the mastermind behind the Millennium Organization's assault on London, he played a remarkably inactive direct role against Integra Hellsing's forces. He almost never engaged in direct combat and wasn't even alarmed when his zeppelin was breached at the conclusion of the battle.
His only fight against Integra ended in disaster, as he missed most of the shots he took against her despite their close proximity. His final moments were spent with a smile on his face, as he had already caused an unfathomable amount of damage and death.
2 Ragyo Finally Arrived After Two Red-Herring Villains (Kill La Kill)
Ragyo was the mother of Ryuko Matoi and the most formidable life fiber user in the Kill La Kill story. Despite her tremendous power and nearly successful scheme to eradicate the human race, she only appeared after the series had faked its final villain twice.
The first red herring was Satsuki Kiryuin, who accepted blame for the death of Ryuko's father. Nui Harime was the second, the girl who actually killed Isshin Matoi and managed to invoke the hero's darkest tendencies.
1 Vicious Was The Leader Of The Syndicate & Arch-Nemesis of Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)
Vicious once shared Spike Spiegel's life of crime in service to the Syndicate. He made one early appearance in the series before disappearing until its final act.
Shortly after Julia's death, Spike's invasion of Vicious' compound was as heartbreaking as it was legendary. Though he managed to kill the criminal kingpin, the wounds he suffered in the process were too grievous to survive. He collapsed with a smile on his lips, having finally been given the opportunity to reunite with his beloved.