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[SolVanderlyn]

SPOILERS FOLLOW, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE ALL-ENCOMPASSING NATURE OF THIS THREAD, YOU MUST STILL MARK THEM.

My vote has to go to Nagato, from Naruto.

Essentially

Spoiler

the Darth Vader of the Naruto world, Nagato is a tragic hero pushed past what he could handle. He loses everything he ever cared about, and goes insane as a result. His motivations are that of an empathetic villain - they stem from a desire for vindication - but they're so out there and insane that you can't support him, despite being able to feel bad for him. He's the perfect villain because he has just enough "good guy" in him to keep him interesting while still managing to be a villain you want to see brought to justice, and he has a relation with the main protagonist that doesn't feel at all forced or contrived.

Not to mention he is one of the most powerful characters in the series, and has possibly the greatest amount of variation in his abilities, including becoming Mega Man:

This was a hard choice to make. Runner-ups:

2. Uchiha Madara from the same series. Loses out to Nagato for being childishly stubborn in his motivations.

3. Enel, from One Piece. He had such an insane amount of control over his particular piece of the world/story arc. He really felt invincible.

4. Shishio from Rurouni Kenshin. There weren't many redeeming qualities to him, but he was effective as a villain because of this. It's not like he's not able to be empathized with, and he has a tragic story, but his personality, motivations, and methods clearly labeled him as a bad guy, and put him squarely in the "magnificent bastard" category. Only he'd been scarred to the point where his magnificence was purely internal. His exterior was simply "badass" by the point we meet him.

5. Arlong, from One Piece. There are actually villains that are more interesting and effective than him, but he was the first big bad to leave a huge impact on the reader/viewer. The payoff from watching his backstory with Nami to

Spoiler

his beatdown from Luffy

was amazing, and since he did it first it left a huge impression.

 

[RocketRacoon]

Frieza

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

It's Yohan Liebert from Monster.

 

[super-famicom]

Aizen from Bleach.

 

[SkullHydra]

It's Yohan Liebert from Monster.

This is correct, although Greed from FMA: Brotherhood is my favorite.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Aizen from Bleach.

I saw this coming. This guy is the Marty Stu of villains.

 

[injurai]

Came for Nagato. OP has it covered.

 

[Subpar Spatula]

I would say Eboshi or other similar "villains" from Studio Ghibli. I understand villains that want to have power, take over the world, etc. but they're generally very simple.

 

[kyser73]

Aizen from Bleach.

.

 

[Xpike]

Light Yagami, especially during the first half

 

[Betty]

Makoto Itou from School Days.

You will never find a bigger asshole than this guy right here.

 

[Megalosaro]

Objectively the best. Many villains that will be in this thread will owe their existence to him, yet won't be as good.

 

[Hypron]

[JJBA Part 3 ending spoilers in this thread]

Dio, from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. He's a complete douchebag with no redeeming qualities (apart from his fabulousness) - he's pretty much pure evil but he's extremely entertaining nonetheless. His Stand,

Spoiler

The World

, is my favourite Stand in the whole series too (well, technically

Spoiler

Star Platinum: The World is the same stand I guess so it's a toss up between the two

). The ability to

Spoiler

stop time is just too damn cool, as is the way he uses this power

.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

Is this some Shounen-Thread?

I would say Johann from Monster is a good villain.
The other one is this rat from Shinsekai Yori, especially since his motives are totally understandable.

 

[- J - D -]

Aizen from Bleach.

Look at this anime Michael Cera lookin dude.

 

[ckohler]

Medusa from Soul Eater.

Spoiler

She's a master manipulator. She has plans within plans. She's cocky as hell and loves it. She tortured her own child into insanity and her plan is to cause the entire world to go insane.

 

[PirateKing]

No one is worse than this guy from "Berserk". Don't really want to mention his name just so you can experience what leads up to the "Eclipse"

 

[TheGreatDirector]

MASTER ASIA

Every other villain loses to this guy.

 

[Weiss]

Fucker wrecked Spike every time they met. Vicious had nothing on him.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

No one is worse than this guy from "Berserk". Don't really want to mention his name just so you can experience what leads up to the "Eclipse"

<3 my boy




Are we covering only anime or mangas too? :<

Is Gendou Ikari a villain? He has my votes if he is one.

 

[RadioJoNES64]

No one is worse than this guy from "Berserk". Don't really want to mention his name just so you can experience what leads up to the "Eclipse"

 

[sophora]

MASTER ASIA

Every other villain loses to this guy.

My man. Undefeated of the East!

 

[73V3N]

Does Lelouch count as a bad guy?

well, that or Johan Liebert.

 

[Secret Fawful]

Like, if we're talking complex villains with great motivation and interesting stories, it either goes to Johan Liebert or Gendo Ikari every time. If we're talking straight-up 100% evil balls to the wall villainy, 04 FMA Envy takes the fucking cake, and Brotherhood Envy could too if he wasn't nerfed so bad to build up Pride and Wrath.

Vicious is a classic anime villain too. I also really liked Kazundo Goda from 2nd Gig.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Neferpitou (HxH)

 

[Megalosaro]

Bitch ruined EVERYTHING

 

[jbug617]

From One Piece:

Blackbeard

Doflamingo really came up in the current arc though.

 

[darkwing-buck]

lol

 

[Subpar Spatula]

Every one keeps bringing up Hunter x Hunter when anime is brought up...

Should I watch it?

Edit: nvm too many episodes

 

[Tyrant Rave]

Every one keeps bringing up Hunter x Hunter when anime is brought up...

Should I watch it?

Yes, it's worth your time.

 

[Imperial Bishop]

Shishio
Doflamingo
Blackbeard
Frieza
Dio Brando
Griffith
Hao Asakura
Mereum
Father
Sensui
Orochimaru
Vicious

Too many to count.

 

[Fuzzery]

Hisoka

 

[Lulubop]

Naruto? For real? The only Shonen villains that can hang with Seinen ones are like Meruem.

Anyway Johan.

 

[Spyder_Monkey]

You were expected to say something else, but it was me, Dio!

 

[umop_3pisdn]

It's Yohan Liebert from Monster.

Johan is sort of in his own category, which actually makes it a lot more complicated for me. In a lot of ways he's more of an idea. That is a large part of what makes him so imposing, since he essentially plays the role of the Antichrist, through his ability to seem or become something other than 'human'. It's also reflected by the central theme of Monster (love, essentially), the resolution of which is the resolution of the conflict proper. What I'm saying is, in a way the conflict in Monster is more about a dual or opposing nature within humanity itself, Johan is just the outline or silhouette to contain all of that. So Johan is more of an archetype, an opposite, or a shadow, he represents the human capacity for darkness in the same way the Kurtz does in Heart of Darkness. He's remarkable, but he's not fully real. I have a hard time putting my finger on it, but something about him makes it very hard for me to consider him a 'villain', at the very same time that he seems like he should be the most fitting to have that word applied to him.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

Hisoka

<3 love that clown <3

 

[jrush64]

Aizen has been mentioned... I'll also say this guy, Tsukishima from Bleach,

Because of what his powers can actually do. Seriously messed with ichigo's head.

Light from Death Note.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

*OP picks villain from Naruto*

*it's not Orochimaru*

wat.jpeg


Anyway, Oro is the GOAT.

Even his laugh in the Sarutobi fight still gives me chills.

 

[TacticalFox88]

The Answer is Aizen.

ALWAYS Aizen.

Until your anime villain becomes a meme AND is loved to the point where even saying his name dominates discussion, then you won't ever have best villain.

 

[Moaradin]

Johan from Monster

Griffith from Berserk

DIO from JoJo

Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter

Meruem from Hunter x Hunter

these

 

[Rydeen]

Fucker wrecked Spike every time they met. Vicious had nothing on him.

He's like the best Batman villain Batman never had.

 

[Lulubop]

these

This is good.

 

[Sakura]

This guy.

 

[sonicmj1]

My favorite villains tend to be the irredeemable bastards with a particularly strong tie to the protagonists, like Gauron in FMP or Dio in Jojo. But I also really like Squealer in From the New World because he so powerfully brings out the conflicts of the setting in a way that makes him both loathsome, tragic, and entirely understandable.

Bitch ruined EVERYTHING

the fuck?

 

[belushy]

Sensui and Toguro from YYH

 

[Angelus Errare]

I can't see how anyone places Meurem above Neferpitou. I mean Meurem was powerful but he really didn't do anything "OMG this guy is just evil!" He was mostly a spoiled brat. Neferpitou was psychologically breaking kids down and shit on some "I'm going to destroy someone you grew to love then bring him back and have him beat your ass then promise you to restore him only to be like...I can't lololol deal with it!" kind of way.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

My favorite villains tend to be the irredeemable bastards with a particularly strong tie to the protagonists, like Gauron in FMP or Dio in Jojo. But I also really like Squealer in From the New World because he so powerfully brings out the conflicts of the setting in a way that makes him both loathsome, tragic, and entirely understandable.



the fuck?

ugh squealer! yes ofc !

im soooooooooo with you on that one ... such a complex and harrowing character. aaaaaaa

 

[FootballFan]

Frieza and this dude:

No one is worse than this guy from "Berserk". Don't really want to mention his name just so you can experience what leads up to the "Eclipse"

 

[WorldStar]

 

[SatoAilDarko]

Dio, from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. He's a complete douchebag with no redeeming qualities (apart from his fabulousness) - he's pretty much pure evil but he's extremely entertaining nonetheless.[/SPOILER].

First one that came to mind. I love how the dude becomes the villain to an entire family over generations. His actions drive events even when he's gone.

Charismatic and definitely evil. Literally kicked a puppy. What's not to love.