From sociopaths to downright monsters, anime villains have become infamous for being the perfect foil to our beloved protagonist of any good story. Whether they are fueled by curiousity, a deep hatred for the world, or pleasure, these are some of the most infamously crazy anime villains that we recognize today as being some of the best (technically, the worst) to ever do it.
5. Hisoka Morow (Hunter x Hunter)
Call him creepy, call him a complete clown, what you cannot deny is that Hisoka embodied almost all of the darkest aspects of being a hunter. Similar to characters like Gon or Netero, he always sought an opponent that could push him past his limits and provide a good fight. Whether he showed any compassion whatsoever in doing so is unquestionably, a big fat NO, but what Hisoka provides for the narrative of the long-running shonen is that of the element of surprise.
No one knows what Hisoka is thinking, or what his motivations are. And that precisely makes him one of the most unpredictable and terrifying villains in all of anime. Oh, and of course, we can’t forget that: Bungee gum has the properties of both bungee and gum.
4. Blackbeard (One Piece)
At Wano’s conclusion, both Big Mom and Kaido have lost their titles as emperors. However, the world’s most lethal pirate has yet to be defeated. Blackbeard still roams the seas, continuing to add powerful Devil Fruit users to his crew. Cunning, ambitious, and skilled in battle, Blackbeard epitomizes the traditional sense of what it means to be a pirate.
He has undoubtedly committed more atrocities than most of the series’ other villains and has yet to answer for any of them. Based on his current successes, it’s possible that he may even become king of the sea.
3. DIO (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
DIO’s character was custom-made and tailored with coolness in mind. For one, he’s an immortal vampire that could shoot lasers from his eyes, summon zombies, and even stop time itself. Arrogant and prideful, he is almost deserving of his god complex when considering how many heroes he’s killed.
2. Orochimaru (Naruto)
Orochimaru has never really been meaningfully defeated in the grand scheme of Naruto’s long-running arcs. He did not grovel for redemption like Obito and Nagato to get in Naruto’s good graces. This was particularly made even more impressive when considering his multiple atrocities. In addition to abducting and experimenting on innocent people, Orochimaru nearly destroyed the Leaf and successfully assassinated Hiruzen Sarutobi.
To make matters worse, he corrupted Sasuke, which nearly resulted with the enslavement of the entire planet. Should Orochimaru have had his way, nothing would have remained of Naruto’s home.
1. Johan Liebert (Monster)
Cunning, calculating, and extremely nihilistic. From the moment he is introduced into the series, Johan seems to have a death wish, and his own personal philosophies drive the bulk of the narrative of Monster. If someone is a “true nihilist”, they believe all values hold no meaning – they do not believe in religion or have any loyalties to anyone or anything. They only seek to destroy. This is why Johan’s sociopathic and destructive nature make him the coldest villain in all of anime; These traits turn Johan into a terrifying depiction of monsters that could be disguised as a human.