Villains had a tough job in 2019 with all the great heroes and heroines we had. With 2019 being a strong year for anime, there is a plethora of series that could have made the list. There are certainly more than 10 horrible villains throughout the year, so be sure to check out the series that don’t make the list.
This list looks exclusively at villains. This is separate from antiheroes such as Saitama from One Punch Man and antagonists such as Askeladd from Vinland Saga. All the anime on this list began airing during the winter 2019 season to the fall. Anime that started prior and continued into the season will not be counted.
10 Tsukasa Shishioi – Dr. Stone
Kicking off the list is Tsukasa Shishioi. Tsukasa is Senkuu’s rival in the Dr. Stone series. While Senkuu wants to revive the petrified world and restart civilization, Tsukasa agrees with him. However, Tsukasa is tired of the hierarchy adults have over kids. He vouches that he will destroy every stone statue of an adult he can get his hands on, as well as Senkuu.
While Tsukasa is MIA for most of the first season building his empire, you can bet he’s going to be ready for a fight in season two. Dr. Stone was adapted by studio TMS Entertainment during the summer 2019 season. The anime is 24 episodes with a second season projected to air sometime in 2020.
9 Joker – Fire Force
Joker is a third-generation pyrokinetic wanted by the Special Fire Brigade. Although a self-proclaimed antihero in the series, Joker is very much a villain. Joker is first seen in the anime when he invades the Rookie Fire Soldier Games. When noticed by Shinra, he defends himself being much stronger than Shinra at the time.
Before leaving he reveals that he knows some information about Shinra’s past. Joker would make returning appearances later in the show. Fire Force was adapted by David Production studio during the summer 2019 season. The anime is 24 episodes with a second season projected to air during the summer 2020 season.
8 Akito Souma – Fruits Basket 2019
This entry contains manga spoilers. Akito Souma is the God of the Zodiacs and the head of the Souma household. She is frail due to illness and doesn’t leave the main Souma household unless its to greet family. Akito is known for her emotional manipulation, striking fear into the hearts of the other Soumas, specifically Yuki.
Akito has a deep hatred for Tooru (Toru), stemming from her jealousy of being well-liked by the other Soumas. Fruits Basket 2019 was adapted by studio TMS Entertainment during the spring 2019 season. The anime is 25 episodes with a second season projected to air during the spring 2020 season.
7 Garou – One Punch Man 2
The greatest talent produced from Bang’s dojo, Garou was known as the Hero Hunter throughout One Punch Man’s second season. As his name implies, Garou went around searching for high ranked heroes to destroy. Garou grew stronger after his time in the Bang dojo elevating to a Dragon+ rank villain.
During the season, he takes out many S-ranked heroes with his signature move, God-Slayer Fist before being forced to retreat by Saitama. One Punch Man 2 was adapted by studio J.C. Staff during the spring 2019 season after Madhouse studio had adapted the first season. The anime is 12 episodes and has been confirmed for a third season.
6 Zeke Yeager – Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
Zeke Yeager, also known as the Beast Titan, made his mark during Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 in a scene known as Beast Barrage. Considered on par in strength with Levi Ackerman, Zeke in Beast Titan form hurled crumbled rocks across vast distances at the Scouting Legion, striking commander Erwin Smith.
At the current point of the anime, Zeke is the largest current threat to saving humanity. Attack on Titan season 3 Part 2 was adapted by Wit Studio during the spring 2019 season. The anime is 10 episodes and is projected to air its final season during the fall 2020 season.
5 Touichirou Suzuki – Mob Psycho 100 II
Regarded as one of the best anime from 2019, Touichirou Suzuki plays the villain in Mob Psycho 100 II. Known as Boss, Touichirou is the boss of the group Claw. Claw is a terrorist organization made up of Espers, humans with psychic powers. Their intention is to overthrow the government and eventually take over the world through the power of Touichirou. The self-centered mob-boss, pun intended, only cares about himself and getting stronger, evident when he tries to absorb Mob’s powers. Mob Psycho 100 II was adapted by studio Bones during the winter 2019 season. The anime is 13 episodes and aired for two seasons.
4 Overhaul – My Hero Academia 4
While he isn’t the main villain in the series, Overhaul is the main villain during the first half of My Hero Academia’s season four. Overhaul, whose real name is Kai Chisaki, is the leader of the Shie Hassaikai (Eight Precepts of Death), an organization of Yakuza that believes that the rise of heroes was their downfall. Overhaul’s quirk is called Overhaul and allows him to disassemble and reassemble anything he touches.
The Shie Hassaikai end up teaming with the League of Villains in attempts to take down the Hero Organization. My Hero Academia 4 was adapted by studio Bones during the fall 2019 season. The anime is projected to be 25 episodes and is still airing during the current winter 2020 season.
3 Isabella – The Promised Neverland
One of the many villains, and voted antagonist of the year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, Isabella is the main villain of The Promised Neverland. At first glance, Isabella is seen as a character that you would like. She lives at the Grace Field House, an orphanage that raises kids.
Referred to as Mama by the kids, she isn’t raising the kids to become adults, but as food for demons. While Emma, Norman, and Ray work to break the kids out of the orphanage, Isabella works to keep everyone in. The Promised Neverland was adapted by Cloverworks studio during the winter 2019 season. The anime is 12 with a second season projected to air during the fall 2020 season.
2 Ai Magase – Babylon
Ai Magase had one of the most sinister powers we saw during 2019 with the power to drive people to suicide. With such power, Ai is desensitized to the world she lives in going to extensive lengths to get what she wants. This is through torture, as seen with Zen Seizaki where is forced to watch the butchering of his assistant Hiasa Sekuro in episode seven. Babylon was a series that got outshine by some large names during its season. The anime was adapted by studio Revoroot during the fall 2019 season. The series is 12 episodes and aired for one season.
1 Muzan Kibutsuji – Demon Slayer
Rounding out the list is Muzan Kibutsuji from Demon Slayer. Muzan is a demon but unlike the other demons, he has a larger goal than eating humans. Seen as who the first demon would be, Muzan is the leader of the Twelve Kizuki (Demon Moons). Muzan’s appearance is of a young man with pink-red eyes and pale skin, but he can change his appearance.
He values strength and sees no purpose for humans and weak demons. His goal is to become perfect. Demon Slayer took the anime community by storm during the spring 2019 season. The 26-episode anime was adapted by studio Ufotable and is projected to air a sequel film sometime in 2020.