Everyone loves a great villain. They help to drive the narratives of some of our favorite stories by creating struggles and conflicts within these worlds. They act as the perfect foils to our most admired protagonists, and seldom their thoughts and actions even challenge the same values and ideals we hold true within ourselves. However, while that may have been the intention when these characters were conceived, it doesn't mean they will be successful.
Sometimes fans find villains who are touted to an unreachable status and never quite meet their expectations, while others are unremarkable and poorly imagined.
Updated by Kristy Ambrose on April 12th, 2021: Now that anime is everywhere and almost everyone is watching it, there's a lot mere to choose from when it comes to heroes and villains. Streaming services have also jumped on the serialized animation for adults bandwagon, resulting in a variety of new shows that include video game adaptations and remastered versions of classic titles. It makes sense that we would be able to add a few more names to our list that include both classic names along with some new characters.
12 Lame: The Jiggle Butt Gang (Fairy Tale)
For decades, there have been plenty of evil organizations in the anime genre. Few become fan favorites among anime diehards, and some even fall into a category of ridicule— like the jiggle butt gang.
These Jiggle Butt Secret Art users have a variety of abilities like adjusting their butts in a triangular pattern and releasing a massive cloud of gas with deadly consequences. There are also variations of the technique that involve fiery gas bubbles and farting in a victim's face. If their name wasn't annoying enough, the fact that they were even considered a threat might make matters worse.
11 Great: Gendo Akari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
There have been some rather terrible fathers throughout the history of TV and cinema but very few can compare to the disgrace that is, Gendo Akari. As a viewer, you're made to hate him before he even appears on the screen, and he doesn't even try to change your opinion.
From the jump, he has no qualms about putting his estranged teenage son in the pilot's seat of a giant mechanical death machine and forcing him to fight some transdimensional demon. He is only concerned with how he can use his son to further his agendas, even if it is at the cost of his life. His diabolical brilliance, all-or-nothing attitude, and deeply flawed character traits make him one of the greatest anime villains of all time.
10 Lame: Team Rocket (Pokémon)
If there's one thing that everyone can count on surviving a nuclear apocalypse, it's Pokémon. And while it's one of the most beloved franchises of all time, its longest-tenured villains of Team Rocket's, Jesse and James do it no favors.
They have been harassing Ash since the series began, so for that alone, they are iconic. But aside from that fact, they are absolutely atrocious. The duo exists as a punching bag for Ash and his crew, and their poorly conceived schemes are on par with that of an elementary school student. Jesse and James inspire as much fear as a moldy piece of Wonderbread.
9 Great: Vicious (Cowboy Bebop)
Widely regarded among fans of the genre as the "gateway" anime, Cowboy Bebop also happens to be home to one of the greatest anime villains of all time.
Vicious is the human personification of the innate thirst for power and destruction. He only desires control of the Red Dragon Syndicate, and he'll kill anyone and do anything to ensure his success. With his cold, sadistic, and sociopathic tendencies, he serves as the perfect contrast to Spike's more warm, passive nature. From striking quotes to evil schemes outlined at a genius level to some downright ridiculous fighting skills, vicious resides among the upper echelon of anime villains.
8 Lame: Nakamura, Head of Section 6 (Ghost in the Shell)
His full name is Nakamura Buchô, and he appears in both the original 1995 animated movie along with episodes of the Solid State Society. He's equally lame in every appearance and symbolic of the arrogance and ineptitude that resulted in the creation and eventually the escape of Project 2401 in the first place.
Unfortunately, thanks to his political ties, he always seems to escape any real consequences for his failures. At most, he's demoted or resigns his post, but the Major and her companions in Section 9 never really get to him, which makes him all the more infuriating and generally a lame villain.
7 Great: Frieza (Dragon Ball Z/Super)
Quite possibly the most iconic and easily recognizable anime villain in history is the remorseless Frieza. Without even mentioning the incredible writing behind him, his design alone inspires fear and awe in fans of all ages. He killed the main character's entire race and even kidnapped the child prince of its kingdom, shaping him into a killing machine.
Even when he's telling the truth, you can never be too sure of his sinister motives. From his first form to his sixth form, they all have a unique design coupled with fearsome new powers and techniques that add to his mystique. After 30 years, he still reigns supreme over other Dragon Ball villains.
6 Lame: Kaguya Otsutsuki (Naruto)
There are plenty of other villains that could take this position, maybe even others from the Naruto franchise, but few equal the disappointment of Kaguya. She does have some pretty interesting abilities, like merging with nature to control her environment, the power to read minds, feelings, and emotions, and turning any living thing to ashes with a single pinprick. However, while Kaguya is incredibly powerful, she lacks the depth and substance of a true villain.
The way she was built up to be the ultimate evil did not meet the final product and ultimately led to some rather quick and disappointing moments for the series.
5 Great: Griffith (Berserk)
Griffith has a very complex and compelling backstory that lends itself to his depth as a villain. For the majority of the series, he is one of the main protagonists that you wish to succeed in his dream of becoming a king. That is, until his eventual turn to the dark side.
His fall from grace comes at the heels of one of the most inhumane and menacing betrayals in anime history. From the beginning, he is clear in his intentions that he will do whatever it takes to become king, and he isn't afraid to ruffle any feathers in the process. He lives in a grey area between good and evil. While he has done some truly disturbing and destructive things, he is no longer the person he was before the eclipse event.
4 Lame: Queen Nehelenia (Sailor Moon SuperS)
Considering that SuperS is everyone's least favorite season of Sailor Moon it would make sense that it also has the lamest villain. Some things about this popular series haven't aged well, and Queen Nelehelenia is one of those things. Ironically, one of the things that made her so boring was her shallow and superficial obsession with her looks.
Queen Nehelenia's main motivation was to stay young and beautiful forever. It's the stock, sexist portrayal of a female villain, and it's cringeworthy. After she is defeated, a redemption arc is suggested for her in which she learns something about the beauty within, so at least there's some hope she'll make better choices in the future.
3 Great: Johan Liebert (Monster)
Johan is like a cross between Hannibal Lecter and The Joker. He is a shrewd and emotionless serial killer, who employs his cunning, intelligence, and talent for manipulation to carry out his plans.
The thing that makes him such a terrifying villain, a true monster, is his humanity. His social adaptability, charisma, and calm collected nature make him appear disarming to his victims. The terror of Johan is that he could be the person sitting next to you on the train, that cashier at the grocery store, or even someone you've known for years.
2 Lame: Selemene, The Goddess of the Moon (Dota: Dragon's Blood)
Nobody likes a bully— especially the cowardly, narcisstsic type that sends others to do the heavy lifting and demands constant worship for doing nothing. Selemene doesn't have much more going for her than that. She manipulates and seduces her victims and only attacks people who can't fight back, namely youths and children, often using strict religious dogma.
Her favorite minion, Luna, is actually the complete opposite when it comes to being an effective bad guy. However, Luna is symbolic of how destructive an emotionally dishonest person is, as fans can't help but wonder what she was like before Selemene seduced her and warped her mind.
1 Great: Yagami Light (Death Note)
Death Note is an iconic series that dates back to the 1990s when the manga was first released. Its main antagonist, Yagami Light, is one of the most effective and savage villains in literary history, never mind the world of anime.
In this case, the focus is on Light from the original anime series as opposed to the character in the manga or the live-action Netflix series. What made it so good was the use of the villain as the main character, and this villain actually triumphs, at least for a while. As it is with most villains, it's his own self-delusion of grandeur that gets him in the end.