Governments in the real world tend to have a bad reputation as being self-serving or having no clue how to do their job, but we can't deny that we rely on the power they have over us to do some heavy lifting that citizens aren't capable of. In the world of anime, many stories focus on the lives of the people rather than their world as a whole, and as a result, we don't get to see how their countries are run all that often.
Although we don't see many governments in anime, the ones we do get to see are usually powerful, and most times evil or at least morally questionable. Some of these governments are tiny in comparison to others, being made up of only a handful of people, but what those few can do with the power they have is a terrifying thought.
10 Student Council: Kakegurui
For a series set in high school, these kids seem to have more power than the adults when it comes to running the place. While the student council in Kakegurui may not be a government in a traditional sense, the governing body for Shiritsu Hyakkaou Academy has insane amounts of money and control over its students.
With familial connections to powerful industry leaders aside, these high schoolers have the power to influence a person's entire life outside of the school grounds, going so far as to make "life plans" for those who aren't able to pay their debts on time.
9 Amestris: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Amestris is one of the most terrifying fictional countries in anime. Not only is it an alchemical powerhouse, with its military frontline being made of people who can create infernos with a literal snap of their fingers, but the ones running the show were capable of creating a nation-wide transmutation circle over many years without anyone noticing what they were doing.
It wasn't until Maes Hughs saw the connections that the dominos started to fall for the Amestrian government and they were able to be overthrown.
8 Britannian Empire: Code Geass
Not only does the Britannian Empire have mech suits that were capable of turning the tides of war, but some of its members also gain supernatural powers from immortal beings to add to their already impressive abilities.
With powers ranging from mind control to seeing the future, it's no wonder that the Britannian Empire gained such a strong foothold over the world for so long. Unfortunately for their ranking on this list, it was entirely undone by one teenager with a chip on his shoulder who happened to be decent at chess.
7 Central 46: Bleach
Taking governing power out of the hands of samurai who wield magical swords capable of destroying the world is probably one of the smarter ideas the Bleach world had, even if it backfired horribly. The members of Central 46 were tasked with governing every political and legal issue in Soul Society, and expected the Soul Reapers to follow through with their demands without question.
This would have been fine, except that they were all slaughtered and their orders were replaced by Aizen's, and the Soul Reapers followed them blindly for far too long. Once Aizen's defection was made clear and Central 46 was replaced, they seem to have created a system that works once again, and the Soul Reapers are less eager to blindly follow orders.
6 The Five Kage: Naruto
The power of the Kage in Naruto and its sequel series can't be understated. It's a strange system, not appearing in many other series besides Avatar: the Last Airbender, but having your most powerful fighter as your ruler can present certain problems.
One the one hand, Naruto as the seventh Hokage was able to maintain peace among the shinobi villages for many years, but Gaara's Kazekage predecessor actively tried to start a war for power. It's a delicate balance that seems to have smoothed out since Naruto has ended and Boruto has begun.
5 The Empire: Akame ga Kill
The history of the Empire's power is an impressive resume for rulers. With a reign that lasted over 1000 years, their near-limitless resources, and organizing the creation of the Teigu, they should have remained in power for a significant amount of time.
It was all undone, however, when Honest became the Prime Minister and decided that he wanted even more power than he already had, manipulating the Emperor until the Empire's downfall.
4 The Kais: Dragon Ball
The Kais have a unique governing role, as they are in charge of both the living world and the afterlife. The four Kais are each assigned a quadrant of the universe, and each Kai manages the Guardians of the planets in that quadrant. Those guardians oversee their individual worlds and ensure that their chosen warriors are able to keep the peace, preventing the afterlife from becoming overcrowded like when Majin Buu was at full power.
While powerful in their own right, they are usually outclassed by the warriors of the planets they govern, and take it upon themselves to train fighters who end up in the afterlife to do the fighting for them.
3 Japanese Government: Psycho-Pass
Establishing a totalitarian government that its citizens were happy to be a part of would have been no easy task, but the Japanese government in Psycho-Pass managed to do it.
Shutting off its borders entirely, which has various ramifications in itself, and creating the Sibyl system that would govern the day to day lives of its citizens, it shows that the government has immense political and technological power.
2 Elven Gard: No Game No Life
As the largest nation of Disboard, their power spans over three continents and their pieces take up the majority of the world map. What makes them so much more powerful than the other nations is their magical abilities, giving them an edge over games that has seen them ascend to power and maintain it for longer than any other nation.
Although the up and coming Elchia Federation looks to be on its way to threatening the Elven Gard, they still have a long way to go before they can challenge the Elves for power.
1 World Government: One Piece
This one should be a no brainer as the number one entry, as it is literally a united government that spans the entire world. Considering the power that individual governments have on their own, it's hard to imagine what a worldwide governing body could do if its members put their minds to it.
In the case of One Piece, their power is seemingly limitless, able to maintain the illusion that what they are doing is good, and only answer to one being: Im.