Some of the best heroes in anime weren’t always fighting for the good side. More often than not, a vicious villain will learn the errors of their ways and flip sides, joining the protagonist that they were once fighting.
It’s a great thing to see in anime because of the depth it adds to a character. A lot of villains in anime are one-dimensional. They’re not exciting when they’re on-screen because they have no real motivation, background, or anything else that would make them a good villain.
A hero who was once a villain is always worth watching. These characters are usually some of the most emotionally intelligent, as they went through a lot to get to where they are now. Some of the best heroes in anime were once villains, and they’re usually so powerful that it’s a good thing they changed their ways and switched sides.
10
Teruki Hanazawa
Mob Psycho 100
Teruki Hanazawa was a villain in Mob Psycho 100 during one of the first arcs of the series. He was actually the lead antagonist for his own arc, the Teruki Hanazawa arc, when all of his worst qualities were put on display. As a villain, Teruki was powerful, manipulative, and willing to use his amazing esper abilities against anyone who stood in his way.
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After Mob dominated him in a fight, he quickly changed his ways. He realized that he wasn’t as tough as he thought he was. Instead of continuing his life as a bully, he became good friends with both Mob and his brother Ritsu.
9
Vanir
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! is one of the funniest anime series of all time, and Vanir is a big reason why. He’s one of the strongest characters in the series, serving as one of the Dukes of Hell. After he gets defeated by Kazuma and his crew, he’s reborn as Vanir II and has a change of heart.
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Vanir stopped caring about dominating the world and working for the Devil King. Instead, he just wants to make money. Kazuma and Vanir collaborate on inventions from Kazuma’s old world that Vanir creates, and the two have enjoyed massive profits because of it.
8
Choso
Jujutsu Kaisen
Choso was once one of the strongest villains in Jujutsu Kaisen. He was one of the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings and a master of Blood Manipulation. He stood in Yuji’s way when they first met, and the two had an amazing brawl during the Shibuya Incident Arc.
After their fight, Choso learns that he’s actually related to Yuji. Seeing Yuji as his brother, Choso switches sides and starts fighting alongside his sibling. He’s an amazingly powerful character and a major asset to the Jujutsu Sorcerers, especially during the final events of the series.
7
Turbo Granny
Dandadan
Turbo Granny is one of the most unhinged characters in anime. She started the series as a yokai, or evil spirit, who haunted a tunnel near Okarun and Momo. She’s the primary antagonist of the Turbo Granny Arc, but after her powers were sealed inside Okarun, she made a deal to help him find his kintama in exchange for her powers.
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Turbo Granny is a rare antagonist in that she was never a real villain. Her intentions in Dandadan were actually good, as she wanted to haunt a tunnel that was once a location where girls were assaulted. Joining Okarun and Momo, her intelligence has been a huge asset. Even if she doesn’t act like it, she loves helping the two as they’re pure of heart just like she is.
6
Mio, Tomoe, and Shiki
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
Tsukimichi is one of the best isekai series of the past decade because it’s exactly what it wants to be: a power fantasy. The main character, Misumi Makoto, is one of the strongest characters in the entire series, and somehow, he’s only getting stronger.
Mio, Tomoe, and Shiki were three of the toughest enemies around. Makoto had no idea, and defeated each of them easily. They were all enamored by his power and put their differences aside to join him, serving as loyal allies, love interests (excluding Shiki), and so much more.
5
Lady Nagant
My Hero Academia
- Movie(s)
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My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021)
- First Film
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My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
Lady Nagant is a wonderfully complicated character in My Hero Academia. She was initially an assassin working for the Hero Public Safety Commission who became disillusioned with her work. All For One was able to get into her head, bringing her over to his side for a while towards the middle of the series.
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Deku was able to tell that she wasn’t a genuine villain during their fight against each other. He was able to point out the fact that she fired a warning shot at him and didn’t kill Overhaul either, showing that she wasn’t really on All For One’s side after all. It’s a good thing that Deku brought her back over to the Hero’s side, as Lady Nagant ends up becoming a great asset towards the end of the series.
4
Igris
Solo Leveling
Before Igris was one of Sung Jinwoo’s strongest Shadows, he was the most powerful villain of the first season of the anime. Igris wasn’t a villain the same way the Ant King or Kargalgan were. Instead, Igris existed to test Jinwoo. Ashborn, the first Shadow Monarch, left Igris behind to see if the person who would come to use his powers was worthy of them.
There are few fights in Solo Leveling that Sung Jinwoo doesn’t dominate, and his fight against The Blood-Red Commander Igris is one of them. Jinwoo says to himself that if Igris were to have used his sword the entire time that they were fighting, he wouldn’t have made it out alive.
3
Nico Robin
One Piece
- Created by
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Eiichiro Oda
- First Film
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One Piece: The Movie
Nico Robin is easily the most complicated character in the first few arcs of One Piece. It’s hard to tell where her loyalty truly lied for most of the first half of the series, with her true background finally being revealed during the Water 7 Arc. She’s a powerful character with an amazingly strong Devil Fruit that made her a dangerous villain when she first appeared in the series.
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After Luffy defeated Crocodile and saved Nico Robin’s life, she decided to join the Straw Hat crew. She later defected during the events of Water 7, but Luffy isn’t one to give up on his crew. She rejoins the crew as the arc concludes, and she’s been one of the strongest members of the Straw Hat Pirates ever since.
2
Gaara
Naruto
Gaara had a pretty tough life in Naruto. As a Jinchuuriki, he was treated like an outcast within his own village. His life was eerily similar to Naruto’s, but he was much angrier than the eponymous character. Gaara is one of the most disturbed, scariest, and downright vicious villains before he changes his ways.
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Gaara always thought that to be the strongest, one had to be alone. Naruto changed his mindset when they met, teaching Gaara that real strength comes from connections to others. Gaara took this mentality and ran with it, becoming the Kazekage and an ardent defender of the village that once treated him terribly.
1
Vegeta
Dragon Ball
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First Film
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Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies
Vegeta is the epitome of a villain turned hero. He was once a brutal Saiyan who wanted to destroy the Earth and everything on it. After developing a friendship with his rival Goku (and a relationship with Bulma), he’s become an entirely different person. He’s still a tough warrior, but now, he fights hard to defend the planet he once tried to destroy.
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Vegeta’s character arc is one of the best in anime. It’s slow, realistic, and the perfect example of someone looking at themselves and realizing that the path they’re walking down isn’t the path that they want to be taking. Vegeta has become a proud father, a good husband, and the first person to defend his friends and family from harm.
