The involvement of anime villains is very crucial for the success of a series. Their character build-up becomes very essential for the storyline depending on how important their role is and for a better rivalry it’s a must to have a better villain in the arsenal as well. And, there isn’t a lack of such antagonists in the community but have you ever wondered, which is the most popular anime villain?

Villains in anime can really make or break a series, they determine the success rate of the show after all they create tension and conflict in any show. The protagonists of Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and Demon Slayer are all amazing & loveable, but the antagonists also share an equal part in a show’s popularity.

In short, a great anime villain is equally as important as a show’s hero, and in this segment, we’ve collected villains from every genre and demographic of anime out there. We’ll take a look at the top 10 most popular anime villains according to MyAnimeList (MAL). So, without any further ado let’s get started.

10. Ryomen Sukuna (7,858 votes)

Ryomen Sukuna is the strongest cursed spirit ever existed in the realm of Jujutsu Kaisen however, before his death, he was also a Jujutsu Sorcerer protecting human lives by staking his own but not anymore. During his prime, Sukuna executed thousands of curses & humans vice-versa but his rampage didn’t stop there.

Even after his exorcism, he used Yuji as a vessel and continued his death troll to increase further. Except for Gojo Satoru, everyone else in the series fears the presence of Sukuna and this pretty much gives hint about his true powers. Sukuna can be considered as one of the coolest anime villains and because of Yuji, he has gained a lot of popularity as well.

9. Madara Uchiha (10,807 votes)

In the history of anime, there aren’t many characters like Madara Uchiha who gives the vibes of a one-man army character. He is dominantly the strongest villain in the entire series of Naruto. He possesses a god-like aura and the power level difference between him and his opponents is phenomenal. The abilities he acquires as a Ninja is way more than the characters in Naruto.

The antagonists of Naruto are well-written and that’s the reason fans love them. They are just crazy about them and the ideology these characters follow. Madara also envisioned putting an end to the prolonged war and to do so he wanted to trap the entire world in a never-ending infinite dream, but he ended up killing many people to accomplish his goal.

Moreover, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Madara single-handedly fought the entire 4th Division and ended up executing them all by using his special skills Sharingan & Rinnegan. It’s not like anyone else hasn’t done the same thing, but the class & personality Madara brings in are not seen anymore in the new-gen villains.

8. Griffith (12,397 votes)

If the success of a villain is determined by the number of fans hating a specific character, then Griffith will surely be among the chosen ones. He has pretty much done heinous crimes which can’t be explained at all and the betrayal of friendship is one among them. Griffith is the main antagonist of the manga series Berserk by Kentaro Miura.

After meeting Guts, Griffith defeated him in battle and forced him to join the Band of the Hawk and later on, the dynamic relationship between them became the primary focus of the series. However, same Griffith was responsible for the annihilation of the entire Band of Hawk. He never hesitated to achieve his goal which is why he’s praised for how he serves as a foil to Guts and his development into a villain.

7. Dio Brando (13,800 votes)

Villains come and go, but the legacy of Dio Brando never vanished from the anime community. Doesn’t matter whether you’ve watched JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure or not, but for sure you’ve heard the name of this guy. The way Dio has been portrayed in the series is epic and it just makes viewers love him even more.

JoJo fans know very well how strong the personality and impact of Dio are on the plot of the series. As soon as, he comes in the picture the tingling in the whole body begins as fans can’t stop thinking about what’s next now. Seriously, you can’t hate a character like Dio and that’s why he’s one of the most popular anime villains of all time.

6. Gilgamesh (14,400 votes)

Gilgamesh is not just a selfish and arrogant villain but he’s also one of the most overpowered anime characters out there. His existence in the entirety of the Fate franchise is remarkable which makes him widely popular in the anime community, thanks to his beautiful character design as well.

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. 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.

5. Meruem (15,139 votes)

The league of overpowered anime characters especially the villains is incomplete without the inclusion of Meruem. Meruem was the most powerful offspring of the Chimera Ant Queen and he was known as the “King” of the Chimera Ants. He served as the main antagonist of the Chimera Ant arc which was the most crucial and darkest arc of the series.

Initially, Meruem was a cruel & violent leader and it was clearly reflected in his arrogant behaviour. He considered himself superior to all other forms of life and showed no mercy in killing and cannibalizing any Chimera Ant he deemed to be disrespectful. His arrival in Hunter × Hunter was quite late but his frightening aura and impact on the storyline were speechless.

4. Johan Liebert (18,877 votes)

Johan Liebert is arguably the best villain in anime history and no one can replace him in any terms. Neither superpowers nor any kind of special abilities, but with just his incredible intellect Johan was able to wreak havoc. He served as the antagonist of Naoki Urasawa’s popular series “Monster”.

Johan’s paradox and his strange charisma put him at the very top of the anime villain rankings. He is the only one who managed to break through this list just by the power of his tactical mind. He was able to terrorize an entire city’s population just by playing mind games. This separates him from the rest of the villain’s hurdle, who require unique powers to make their mark.

3. Askeladd (20,154 votes)

There is always a certain character who looks more badass & dominating than the main protagonist, and Askeladd is one such personality who stands out even more in the strong supporting cast of Vinland Saga. He’s even more popular than the lead hero of the series, after all, a whole season revolved around him.

Askeladd is a very cunning and mysterious bandit who commanded a mercenary band of Vikings. After assassinating Thors, he took in Throfinn in his group as well and made him a merciless & brutal warrior. When his band was wiped out by Thorkell, Askeladd pledged his service to Canute to achieve his goal of keeping Wales safe from the Viking invasion.

Being an excellent swordsman, he is a great fighter and his biggest strength lies in his intelligence and ability to strategize & adapt. He is quick to act and seize what he wants. Askeladd is more like a phenomenal leader but, the truth lies in the fact that he was the antagonist of the series.

2. Hisoka Morrow (33,718 votes)

The one thing which you’ll like about the Hunter × Hunter series is the diversity of characters in it, especially the antagonists. Their introduction at each stage of the story makes the viewers jump out of their seats and Hisoka is one such character who made his appearance at the very beginning of the series.

His character design will make you remember a Joker, but don’t pretend him to be one. He’s more dangerous than he looks and Gon & Killua realised it during the Heavens Arena Arc. Unfortunately, the audience never got to witness the rivalry between Gon & Hisoka but, fans will always remember the name of Hisoka as one of the most charming villains in anime history.

1. Light Yagami (87,824 votes)

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. But, despite this fact, fans admired him a lot which is why he’s the most popular anime villain on the charts of MyAnimeList.

After receiving the Death Note, Light started punishing the evildoers of the society and granted them a cruel death. He wanted to make an evil free world but, as time passed he became the biggest criminal himself. He ended up killing hundreds of innocent people making him the greatest anime villain of all time.

Which one of the anime villains is your favorite of all time? Feel free to comment down your thoughts and make sure to recommend us 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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