Many action and adventure anime feature battles, tournaments, and fight sequences during which the heroes win through willpower and teamwork. Their friendship bonds and care for one another help them overcome any obstacles the villains set forth.

RELATED: The Best Written Anime Protagonists Of The 2000s

Unfortunately, this approach can work for the antagonists just as well as it does for the heroes. There have been many times in which the villains have succeeded thanks to their teamwork. The protagonists often make a comeback, using these defeats as learning experiences. From the Red Lotus' win over Tenzin to Ash's loss against Ritchie, teamwork defeated the heroes.

Warning: The final entry contains major spoilers for those who have yet to catch up with the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.

10 The Red Lotus Cornered Tenzin In The Legend Of Korra

Legend of Korra Tenzin vs Ghazan, Ming Hua and Zaheer

When the Air Nomads found themselves at the Red Lotus' mercy in Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Tenzin tried to buy time for his people to escape. To do so, he had to take on an impossible mission: fighting the entire Red Lotus at once. Unfortunately, there was only ever one outcome for this decision.

What set Tenzin apart from Aang was his refusal to run away. Tenzin put up an impressive fight and held off the foes for a while, but he suffered defeat in the end. The Red Lotus had masters of all bending styles. Plus, they worked well together.

9 Avatar: The Last Airbender's Zuko And Azula Betrayed Iroh

Iroh helping Katara and Aang in Avatar: The Lasst Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender's Uncle Iroh was a former Fire Nation general and a member of its royal family. He turned against his homeland following his son's untimely death. After facing the error of his ways, he decided to fight to preserve the world's balance, protect the spirits, and serve the Avatar as a White Lotus member.

He encouraged Zuko to follow the same path, and in doing so, he tried to save Zuko from the pain of learning the same lessons he did. However, Zuko succumbed to his sister's manipulations. In the end, the sibling duo turned on Iroh and threw him in a Fire Nation prison. Though he lost, Iroh saved the day by helping Aang and Katara escape.

8 The Paths Of Pain Killed Jiraiya In Naruto: Shippuden

Jiraiya beating up Pain in Naruto

Jiraiya was a Toad Sage and one of the Legendary Sannin. Even Itachi Uchiha recognized his power and ability, so fans were surprised when he finally felt defeat.

In Naruto: Shippuden, Jiraiya faced the Paths of Pain, who overwhelmed them with their numbers. Claiming Jiraiya's defeat was at teamwork's hands is only a technicality. In reality, the Paths of Pain were one man, Nagato. Although, Nagato still worked with Konan and the rest of the Akatsuki. There were many Naruto characters stronger than Jiraiya, but there were not many.

7 The Hanged Man And The Emperor Destroyed Avdol And Polnareff In Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

The Joestar among the spirits of their fallen friends

In Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Jean-Pierre Polnareff resolved to kill the human/Stand duo, J. Geil and The Hanged Man. Unfortunately, he ran into trouble when Hol Horse and The Emperor showed up. Polnareff was too headstrong to take on The Hanged Man and The Emperor, and when Avdol tried to stop him, Hol Horse shot Avdol.

In the end, Polnareff lost and had to regroup to fight this antagonistic duo later. Luckily, Avdol's death was a hoax, but this was one of Polnareff's most humiliating defeats.

6 Demon Slayer's Gyutaro And Daki Almost Killed Tengen

Gyutaro and Tengen wage war against one another.

Though the Demon Slayer heroes came out on top by the end of the fight, the battle between Daki, Gyutaro, Uzui Tengen, Tanjiro Kamado, Inosuke Hashibira, Zenitsu Agastuma, and Nezuko Kamado was touch and go for a while.

After they thought they had Daki on the ropes, Gyutaro emerged to protect his demon sister. He struck down each of Tanjiro's allies, and the Sound Hashira, Tengen, was no exception. Like the rest of the crew, he fell at Daki and Gyutaro's hands. This tragedy was no surprise, as the demon duo ranked among Demon Slayer's most powerful demon moons.

5 The League Of Villains Outmaneuvered Aizawa And Took Bakugo In My Hero Academia

Bakugo captured by the League of Villains in My Hero Academia.

The League of Villains kidnapped My Hero Academia's Katsuki Bakugo and tried to convert him to their cause after infiltrating one of U.A.'s training exercises. They found a way past Shouta Aizawa (Eraserhead) and Sekijiro Kan (King Vlad).

The League of Villains has many strong members, so it is no surprise they overtook the heroes. Not only did the League of Heroes outmaneuver the pro heroes tasked with taking care of the U.A. students, but they also defeated the heroes (both pro and in training), escaping with Bakugo. At that moment, all the heroes felt defeated in some way. However, the U.A. teachers had a lot to answer.

4 Konohamaru Lost To Ao And Kashin Koji In Boruto

Konohamaru vs Koji Kashin

In Boruto, Konohamaru was the Third Hokage's son, a Jonin, and a teacher. Yet, he struggled to keep his students, Boruto Uzumaki, Sarada Uchiha, and Mitsuki, safe on multiple occasions.

Perhaps the worst of these instances was Konohamaru's loss to Ao and Kashin Koji, who worked together to outpace this shinobi. Though Ao and Koji didn't always see eye to eye, their teamwork was enough to incapacitate Konohamaru. In the end, Konohamaru's students had to step up to the plate. To fans' dismay, this was one way Konohamaru failed as a teacher.

3 Pokémon's Ash Lost To Ritchie In The Indigo League

Anime Pokemon League Ash Versus Ritchie

Ash Ketchum may have been the hero of Pokémon, but he was not the winner of the Indigo League. He couldn't even beat his friend, Ritchie, who had a similar aesthetic, philosophy, and team as his own.

RELATED: 10 Anime Heroes That Are Just Lonely

While anime, especially in the Kodomo (kids) genre, often sees the hero win their final battles, Ash was not so lucky. His defeat taught him about what being a trainer means, but that lesson did not come easy. In the end, Ritchie and his Pokémons' teamwork won the day and knocked Ash out of the competition.

2 Death Note's Light Yagami Lost To The Combined Efforts Of L, Near, And Mello

Light Yagami uses deductive reasoning in Death note

Death Note's Light Yagami may not be a hero in the conventional sense, but he was the hero of his story. In reality, he was evil, and the Death Note's power gradually corrupted him. By the series' end, Light was a serial killer with a god complex.

RELATED: 15 Best Anime Fights Of The Decade

In some ways, Light Yagami was his own undoing, but in more literal terms, his defeat came at L, Near, and Mello's hands. L laid most of the groundwork for uncovering Kira's identity. Together, Near and Mello drove the final nails in the coffin. While the teamwork here was not contiguous, each of Light's three primary foes contributed crucial pieces to the puzzle.

1 The Disaster Curses And Geto Captured A Crucial Jujutsu Kaisen Hero

Geto meeting with curses in Jujutsu Kaisen

Major Jujutsu Kaisen manga spoilers ahead! Though Psuedo-Geto's plan has yet to unfold in the anime, the manga has fans on the ropes. Geto and the Disaster Curses knew they couldn't win against Satoru Gojo, the strongest JJK sorcerer alive. However, they had a plan to lock him in the prison realm.

Despite the sorcerers' best efforts, Gojo eventually found himself trapped within a powerful artifact that created an extradimensional prison no sorcerer nor curse could escape. Though he didn't die, Geto removed him from the playing field and defeated him.