In recent years, anime has seen a major boom in popularity, and that is because more and more people have come to realize that it is a great entertainment medium. Many series have received acclaim because they tell great stories with incredible characters. Like most works of fiction, the main protagonist is the best character because they receive the most development and deal with the most adversity.
A good story also needs great villains, and several series have done a great job of developing their villains. Some anime villains are so well written that they end up becoming one of the best characters in the series. It may not happen often, but there are a number of anime villains who are arguably the best character.
10 Eren Wished To Destroy Humanity To Keep His Friends Safe
Attack On Titan
Most Attack on Titan fans would say that Levi and Mikasa are the series' best characters because of their skills and personalities, but Eren is the real star. He started off as the hero who wanted to save humanity by wiping out the Titans, but he ended the series as the main villain who wants to destroy most of humanity.
He orchestrated several events thanks to the Attack Titan's power to see into the past and future. In the end, Eren wipes out 80% of the human population, and he chose to do so because he wanted his friends to be safe and live peaceful lives.
9 Aizen Was Smart, Charismatic, & Extremely Powerful
Bleach
A lot of Bleach fans were surprised when the manga introduced a new villain in the form of Yhwach, and that is because Aizen served as the villain for the majority of the series. Aizen proved to be smart and charismatic, and thanks to his Zanpakuto, Kido mastery, and overwhelming spiritual pressure, he proved to be extremely powerful.
Aizen orchestrated most of the events in Bleach in order to become the new Soul King. Thanks to him, the Soul Society was plunged into disarray, he is responsible for Ichigo's powers, and he used his hypnosis ability to toy with his opponent's emotions.
8 Madara Uchiha Wanted A World Where No One Lost Any Loved Ones
Naruto
All the setup made it look like Madara Uchiha was meant to be Naruto's final villain, but that honor went to Kaguya instead. Madara was an incredibly powerful ninja, and when he became the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki, he gained god-like power.
He grew up during the Warring States Period and had to bury all of his brothers, who died on the battlefield. He wanted to create a world where children were not forced to fight and die in wars. His plan caused a lot of pain, but he believed it was worth it because everyone would meet their loved ones again in the world created by the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
7 Meruem Goes Through A Significant Character Arc
Hunter X Hunter
Hunter x Hunter took a very dark turn with the Chimera Ant arc, and Meruem proved to be a great villain. As the long-awaited King, Meruem was considered the pinnacle of his species' evolution, and he started out as a cruel and ruthless leader.
After meeting a young girl named Komugi, his human side slowly began to manifest, and he goes on to love her. Meruem battles with his identity, and he becomes far more honorable and mature. Originally he saw humans as nothing but food, but he grows to respect them and their potential.
6 Tomura's Past Turned Him Into The Villain He Is Today
My Hero Academia
In My Hero Academia, most of humanity possesses some type of Quirk, and Villains like Tomura Shigaraki use theirs for evil. Tomura is the leader of the Paranormal Liberation Front, and he is currently fighting for control of his own body.
He wishes to destroy Hero society, and it all stems from his childhood. His grandmother was a Pro Hero who effectively abandoned Tomura's father when he was a child. Tomura's father abused him because he liked Heroes, and this caused Tomura to hate heroes and society. When his Quirk manifested, he accidentally killed his entire family and kept their hands as a source of comfort.
5 Greed Was A Surprisingly Caring Villain
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is considered to be one of the best anime of all time, and that is because it tells a fantastic story with very well written characters. Greed was a Homunculus, but unlike his "siblings," he was not truly evil.
He was created by Father, and like his name suggests, he was very greedy. He wanted everything that life had to offer, but in reality, all he wanted were true friends. When he is killed and reborn, he loses his memories, but he regains his conscience when he kills one of his previous friends. He then sacrifices himself to save his host and weaken Father.
4 Doflamingo Was A World Noble Who Became A Notorious Pirate
One Piece
Over the years, One Piece has introduced a number of memorable villains, but Doflamingo is truly special because of his backstory. He was born a World Noble, but his father decided to take their family to live with the common people, who hate Nobles.
When people learned their true identities, Doflamnigo's family was forced to flee, and his mother died as a result. They were then caught and tortured. He killed his father and attempted to rejoin the World Nobles, but they turned him away. He later killed his brother because he was a Marine spy. His goal ever since has been to destroy the world that the World Nobles rule over.
3 Muzan Kibutsuji Became A Cold-Hearted & Ruthless Demon Because He Fears Death
Demon Slayer
Muzan is the main antagonist of Demon Slayer, and he was responsible for killing Tanjiro's family and turning Nezuko into a demon. He is very smart, ruthless, and cold-hearted, and he has no problem killing his underlings.
Muzan is a great villain because his goal is to conquer death. He nearly died multiple times before he was born, and he suffered multiple life-threatening illnesses, including one that would have killed him before the age of 20. This caused him to fear death, and it explains why he is secretly a coward.
2 Lelouch Became The World's Enemy To Bring About Peace
Code Geass
Code Geass has one of the most unforgettable anime endings of all time, as it brings Lelouch's story to an unexpected, yet satisfying conclusion. Lelouch was a Britannian Prince who wished to free Japan from imperial rule. He also wanted to end his father's reign, as he believed he had his mother killed.
In the end, Lelouch becomes Emperor and sets his eyes on ruling the entire world. He set this entire plan in motion so he could be assassinated in public by the symbol of rebellion he himself created. By becoming the world's enemy, his death was able to bring about true peace.
1 Light Yagami Tried To Create An Ideal World
Death Note
Death Note is a fantastic anime that centers around Light Yagami, a high school student who developed a god complex. One day he found a notebook on the ground that allowed him to kill anyone if he wrote their name in it.
Light wanted to create a world free of injustice, so he targeted criminals. As the story goes on, Light is forced to kill members of law enforcement and a world-renowned detective in order to not be arrested for murder, and he kills many other innocent people as well. Light wanted to rid the world of criminals, but he became its worst one instead.