God complex can be described as a trait that elevates the self-esteem of an individual to such an extent that they start looking down upon everyone else. Although it’s a phenomenon all too present in the real world, there’s no shortage of such personalities in the anime medium. And, many of the anime characters with a god complex wield frightening power to match their disturbing attitudes.

Pride comes before a fall, and these anime characters are as prideful as they come. Whether it’s narcissism or plain rudeness, these characters avoid seeing the errors of their ways and adhere to a strict mentality putting aside their values, characteristics, and morals. Nevertheless, there are plenty of examples, even if most anime characters who fit this bill are villains.

And, in today’s article, we’ll take a look at some of the best anime characters with a god complex who think that they’re better than everyone else. So, without any further ado let’s get started.

10. Meruem – Hunter × Hunter

The league of anime characters with a god complex is incomplete without the inclusion of Meruem. In Hunter × Hunter, Meruem was the most powerful offspring of the Chimera Ant Queen and he was known as the “King” of the Chimera Ants. Being a representative of the newly born species, Meruem considered himself to be the precipice of evolution.

Initially, he was a cruel and violent leader which was clearly reflected in his arrogant behavior as well. Upon his arrival, he made clear that he was superior to all other forms of life and showed no mercy in killing and cannibalizing anyone he deemed to be disrespectful. Although Meruem made it past his god complex at a later stage, the fact can’t be changed that he was a relentless ruler.

9. Gilgamesh – Fate

Gilgamesh can precisely be called the most compatible guy in the Fate franchise but the secret behind his charisma is his significantly hysterical personality. An ancient king who desired to own everything he could get his hands on, Gilgamesh is driven by greed and his own interests at any given moment. He’s a selfish, egoistic, and dominant villain who likes to bully his opponents.

While the Holy Grail wars are meant to be fought by heroes of legend, Gilgamesh certainly makes the case for legendary villains being in the mix as well. Not many are fond of this character but his existence in the entirety of the Fate franchise is remarkable which certainly makes him a very popular face in the anime community.

8. Lelouch Lamperouge – Code Geass

Code Geass follows the story of a high-school student Lelouch Lamperouge who finds himself in the possession of a supernatural power called “Geass”. Being obsessed with the thought of destroying the tyrannical Royal Empire of Britannia, Lelouch pledges to free Japan and create a new world that would be better for everyone.

Using high-powered mechs, his mind-controlling Geass power, and his intelligence, Lelouch does whatever it takes to overcome his opposition. However, it doesn’t take long for Lelouch’s moral compass to shift. In his quest for absolute power, he makes his own sister a part of the collateral damage. This just not makes him a compelling character but also, one of the best anime characters with a god complex.

7. Pain – Naruto Shippuden

Nagato aka Pain made it clear, the day his best friend died, that he was going to change the world for the good. While Akatsuki began as an evil anime organization striving for world peace, Pain changed it under his leadership by developing a religious-like ideology. He believed that he was the one who can save the world from more war, destruction, and suffering.

“Salvation will come after inflicting as much pain on the world as possible” – these are Pain’s words and he strongly followed this throughout the series. His thought-provoking idea of inflicting pain upon the people to grow caused mass casualties. For sure, Pain desired world peace but at the cost of thousands of doomed lives which was extremely irrational.

6. Dio Brando – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Dio’s charisma can be understood by the fact that he was the only villain for almost half of JoJo’s series meanwhile, heroes kept changing. His vampiric condition and surprising appeal afforded him a considerable reputation with those who crossed his path in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. His villainous acts included mass murders and cruelty to both his followers and non-followers.

Although Dio never called him a god or something but his actions and behavior towards others made him look like that. He even had a cult of zealous followers who feverishly followed and supported his claims. Dio’s new lot in life enabled him to enact every vile fantasy with the strength to back it up.

5. Enel – One Piece

If you didn’t skip the Skypiea arc in One Piece then it’ll be easy for you the recall who Enel was. Initially, Enel was the first biggest threat to the Strawhats as he had control over all the territories of Skypiea. He declared himself to be the God of Skypiea and anyone who disobeyed him was welcomed for massive bolts of lightning.

He possessed an advanced form of observation Haki that allowed him to keep close watch over his “subjects”. As a result, no one tried to go against Enel because the people of Skypiea wholeheartedly believed him to be the god. Thanks to Luffy’s insulating rubber body Enel got a reality check of his false claim of authentic divinity.

4. Eren Yeager – Attack On Titan

Eren Yeager is that kid who gets bullied in middle school and becomes a cynical badass in high school. The best thing about the final season of Attack On Titan was it transformed an innocent, uncertain, and emotional kid into a man carrying the future of Eldians on his shoulders. His development as an Eldian hero is one of the best things about the latter half of the series.

Since his childhood, Eren envisioned taking revenge on the Marley army and he crossed all the boundaries to achieve that single goal. However, his differentially unique ideology of freedom put the lives of 80% of humanity at stake. As the end neared, he started justifying that his method is the only way to repair the world. Although Eren was doing everything for the sake of humanity, the cost for it was very high.

3. Father – Fullmetal Alchemist

Father truly represents the community of anime characters with a god complex and this is not a cliché. Despite his humble beginnings as the dwarf in the flask, Father sought to strike out and even replace God by creating a transmutation circle that would encompass the entire planet. Along the way to his ultimate goal, he used humans as mere tools and treated them like guinea pigs.

Creating a group of Homunculi and setting up the stones for engulfing the entire country in warfare was all part of Father’s big plan to become the strongest entity in existence. With the power he managed to steal, Father was nearly successful in reaching the heavens themselves however, his grandiose and over-ambitious plans soon proved to be his final doings.

2. Sōsuke Aizen – Bleach

Sōsuke Aizen’s reputation in the anime community is that of “best anime villain of all time” and it pretty much tells a lot about his character. In Bleach, Aizen is shown to claim that he alone can “stand in Heaven” and become something gods wish they could become. Whatever happens in the series is all Aizen’s plan and that’s his most fearsome trait.

Aizen’s ultimate goal of overthrowing the Soul King, the closest thing to a god in the Seireitei, and taking his place in the Royal Realm is something no one would’ve expected after his first encounter. Through his years of training, he also gained some degree of immortality and unmatchable Zanpakutō powers that truly makes him the prime example of God complex.

1. Light Yagami – Death Note

Light Yagami would have been a typical high school student if he hadn’t gotten his hands on a Death Note. A simple-looking notebook changed his life drastically as it granted death to anyone whose name is written on it. After receiving the Death Note, Light started punishing the evildoers of society and granted them a cruel death.

He wanted to eradicate evil from the world and soon Light began fancying himself to be the manifestation of justice and the “god of the new world”. However, it wasn’t long before he was assassinating innocent people to preserve his identity. Unintentionally, Light reached a point where he became a monster himself which even he wasn’t expecting.

Which one of the following anime characters with a god complex is your favorite? Feel free to comment down your thoughts and make sure to recommend some other characters like the ones listed above, also don’t forget to share this article with your fellow otaku friends.

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