Top 5 cruelest anime villains of all time!

The cruelest anime villains of all time.

In media as popular and vast as anime, there are several characters that can be hated by fans - whether because they are annoying, cowardly or perhaps because they are well-written villains (like Mahito from Jujutsu Kaizen).

But we don't want to talk about the hated characters, including we already have an article about that. No, today we seek to present the most vile beings that can appear on our screens.

Here we go, for the cruelest anime villains out there!

First, we need to understand what it really means to be evil or vile. A person who steals can be considered bad, right? But what if she steals to survive, if hunger pushes her to do so? In that case, would I still be a bad person?

And a murderer? Is he inherently evil? And what if he did kill in self-defense? What if he does it for pleasure? This last situation certainly seems worse, doesn't it? We are not experts in morality, so we cannot dictate what is right or wrong.

However, there is something that most people agree on: the reason an act is committed directly influences how it is perceived. An act can be considered detestable for the reason behind it, or even the absence of one. After all, nothing is scarier than someone empty inside, seeking to fill it with anything, regardless of the consequences.

Many of these characters committed unforgivable and inhumane acts that we cannot explain.

Griffith (Berserk)

Griffith is, without a doubt, one of the most complex and hated villains in the anime world. Although the joke: “Griffith did nothing wrong” is reasonably common among Berserk fans, it only alludes to how twisted this character is.

Starting out as the charismatic leader of the Band of the Falcon, Griffith is a visionary who dreams of building a kingdom of his own, whatever the cost. His ambition is accompanied by an impressive lack of scruples, nothing is beyond his capabilities, even the murder of children. However, Griffith's plans don't work out, and he ends up being imprisoned.

Even with nothing, without his power or prestige, his former companions put themselves in danger to rescue him. And how does Griffith thank them? Not hesitating to sacrifice them: those who trusted him most, those who just lost their lives to save him.

In one of the most treacherous and brutal acts in anime history, known as the Eclipse, Griffith offers his entire band of mercenaries to demons, condemning them to unparalleled torture and suffering. His transformation into Femto, a member of the God Hand, only intensifies his cruelty, making him an almost divine entity of pure evil and manipulation. Griffith's horror lies in his ability to betray and destroy those who loved him, all in the name of his inordinate ambition.

This does not demonstrate even ⅓ of the evil done by Griffith.

Johan Liebert (Monster)

Johan Liebert is the embodiment of absolute evil (almost literally). He's not just a mass murderer; Johan is a master manipulator who uses his intelligence to instigate chaos and destruction in the lives of everyone who crosses his path. His disturbing childhood, full of psychological experiments, shaped him into a cold and calculating being, capable of influencing and destroying lives with just words.

What makes Johan truly frightening is his complete lack of remorse and ability to hide his true nature behind an angelic face. He is the human monster, whose evil is not derived from superpowers, but from the pure and simple manipulation of human psychology.

Bondrewd (Made in Abyss)

Bondrewd, also known as the Lord of Dawn, is a villain who personifies science without morality. In "Made in Abyss", Bondrewd is a researcher obsessed with knowledge of the mysteries of the Abyss, willing to sacrifice anything, including the life of his own daughter (as well as several other children), to achieve his goals.

His cruel and inhumane experiments turn him into a monster who justifies his actions by scientific progress. Bondrewd is terrifying because he firmly believes his atrocities are justified and even necessary, making him a cold, calculating antagonist whose actions leave deep scars on his hapless "test subjects."

Actually, forget some of it, Bondrewd doesn't believe his actions are justified, he doesn't think they need to be justified. For him, there is nothing wrong with what he does. With Bondrewd there is no guilt; therefore, there is no need to justify anything.

Shira (Blade of the Immortal)

Shira is one of the most sadistic and disturbing villains in the anime world. In "Blade of the Immortal", Shira is an antagonist who displays pleasure in causing pain and suffering. He not only kills, but also tortures his victims with a sadism that is both disgusting and terrifying.

We can't mention here the disgusting acts that Shira does casually, but we also don't want to leave our readers in the dark, so let's give a little context: Shira does everything to capture children and women alive. He is driven by an insatiable desire for violence and destruction, and his lack of any trace of redemption or humanity makes him one of the scariest villains of all time.

His cruelty is raw and unjustified, making him a true nightmare for anyone who crosses his path.

Masao Kakihara (Ichi the Killer)

Masao Kakihara, from "Ichi the Killer", like Shira, is a villain who stands out for his complete and total devotion to sadism. As a sadistic yakuza, Kakihara finds pleasure in inflicting pain on both himself and others. His quest for extreme sensations and his impressive tolerance for physical pain make him a uniquely disturbing antagonist, represented very well in the manga artwork.

Kakihara has no limits in his cruelty, and his insatiable desire to find someone who can satisfy his appetite for pain and destruction makes him truly terrifying. He is a villain who not only accepts, but also celebrates violence, elevating his cruelty status to almost mythical levels.

In some ways, he may be worse than the others mentioned by us, his devotion to causing pain and suffering is almost religious, bordering on fanaticism.

These villains are not just evil characters who have committed one bad act or another and can be redeemed; they are embodiments of psychological terror and boundless cruelty. Each of them brings a distinct form of evil, whether through manipulation, excessive ambition, pure sadism or unethical science.

They will always be remembered not only for their horrific actions, but for the lasting impact they leave on both the characters and viewers.

If you're ready to face the true face of evil, these villains are the pinnacle of cruelty in the anime world. Do you agree with us? Were any villains missing? Tell us in the comments!