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Not all heroes wear capes.
And not all villains sit in shadows.
Some of the best anime flips the script—putting the villain at the center of the story. These main characters lie, cheat, manipulate, kill, and destroy—but we still follow them, episode after episode, compelled by their power, pain, and twisted ideals.
In this blog, I’ll reveal the top anime where the MC is the villain, showcasing series where the protagonist is evil, morally corrupt, or operates far outside the traditional hero archetype.
Table of Contents
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1. Death Note – Light Yagami
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Supernatural
Villain Traits: Murderous, manipulative, god complex
Streaming On: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Why he’s a villain:
Light starts with noble intentions—to rid the world of criminals. But with each kill using the Death Note, he becomes colder, more arrogant, and obsessed with control.
He kills innocent people, manipulates friends, and builds a global cult as “Kira”.
Why Watch:
- Mind-blowing cat-and-mouse between Light and L
- Descent from justice to tyranny
- Perfect case of a villain hiding in plain sight
2. Code Geass – Lelouch vi Britannia
Genre: Mecha, Drama, Thriller
Villain Traits: Mastermind, ruthless strategist, ends-justify-means
Streaming On: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Why he’s a villain:
Lelouch leads a rebellion against the empire as “Zero”—but he manipulates people, sacrifices innocents, and plays with lives like chess pieces.
His actions blur the lines between revolution and terrorism.
Why Watch:
- Complex war and political themes
- One of anime’s greatest final plot twists
- A villain MC you’ll root for… and fear
3. Overlord – Ainz Ooal Gown
Genre: Isekai, Dark Fantasy
Villain Traits: Undead overlord, emotionless, domination-focused
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why he’s a villain:
Ainz gets stuck in a game world where he plays the role of a skeletal Overlord. As he tries to conquer the world, he commits atrocities, wipes out kingdoms, and manipulates the people who worship him.
Why Watch:
- Villain MC without remorse
- Strong world-building and power fantasy
- Subtle satire of hero tropes
4. The Rising of the Shield Hero – Naofumi Iwatani (Early Arc)
Genre: Isekai, Action, Drama
Villain Traits: Vengeful, morally gray, antihero
Streaming On: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Why he’s a villain (at first):
Naofumi is falsely accused of assault and becomes bitter, hateful, and distrustful. He uses manipulation, anger, and harsh tactics to survive. While he evolves later, early Naofumi flirts with villainy heavily.
Why Watch:
- Strong emotional shift from victim to ruthless
- Redemption and character depth
- Commentary on betrayal and false justice
5. Vinland Saga – Thorfinn (Season 1 & 2)
Genre: Historical, Action, Drama
Villain Traits: Cold, vengeful, violent
Streaming On: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Why he’s a villain:
Thorfinn isn’t evil—but he’s filled with hate. In his quest to kill Askeladd, he becomes a tool of war, killing without remorse. His youth is consumed by vengeance, making him a weapon rather than a person.
Why Watch:
- Raw portrayal of how vengeance can corrupt
- Historical realism meets emotional brutality
- Redemption arc through guilt and reflection
6. The Saga of Tanya the Evil – Tanya Degurechaff
Genre: Military, Fantasy, Isekai
Villain Traits: Sociopath, war criminal, atheist god-hater
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why she’s a villain:
Tanya is a reincarnated salaryman who defies a godlike being. She becomes a ruthless child soldier, excelling at war and mass murder with no moral hesitation—just logic and efficiency.
Why Watch:
- Unique villain MC in a child’s body
- Strategic war sequences and power politics
- Commentary on atheism, war, and belief
7. Hellsing Ultimate – Alucard
Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Action
Villain Traits: Vampiric monster, merciless killer, loyal only to his master
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why he’s a villain:
Alucard is no hero. He’s a walking apocalypse—he slaughters, taunts, and takes joy in destruction.
Though he fights “for good,” he is evil by nature—controlled, not cured.
Why Watch:
- Visually intense action
- Gothic horror aesthetics
- An antihero that embraces his monstrosity
8. Monster – Dr. Kenzo Tenma (Partially)
Genre: Psychological, Thriller
Villain Traits: Moral guilt, downward spiral, hunted
Streaming On: Netflix (select regions)
Why he’s a villain (by society):
Tenma saves the life of a boy who becomes a serial killer. While he tries to stop him later, the world blames him. He’s haunted, hunted, and begins questioning his own morality.
Why Watch:
- Slow-burn psychological brilliance
- Intense introspection of right and wrong
- What happens when saving a life causes hell?
9. Devilman Crybaby – Akira Fudo
Genre: Horror, Action, Tragedy
Villain Traits: Demon hybrid, loss of control, apocalyptic outcome
Streaming On: Netflix
Why he’s a villain:
Akira becomes Devilman to fight demons, but his transformation leads to collateral damage, relationship loss, and unintentional destruction. By the end, even his heroic intent can’t stop the disaster.
Why Watch:
- Unfiltered emotional trauma
- A tragic villain path you’ll never forget
- Animation that mirrors chaos
10. Future Diary – Yuno Gasai (Co-MC)
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Survival Game
Villain Traits: Obsessed, manipulative, murderous
Streaming On: Crunchyroll
Why she’s a villain:
Yuno is technically a love interest—but her actions drive the story.
She manipulates time, murders innocents, and emotionally abuses the MC to force love. She’s a yandere villain hidden behind affection.
Why Watch:
- Twisted love story
- High-stakes survival game
- Layers of betrayal and insanity
PAA (People Also Ask)
Why do anime have villain MCs?
To explore complex psychological themes, moral grayness, and fresh narrative angles that challenge hero tropes.
What’s the difference between an antihero and villain MC?
An antihero lacks heroic traits but may still have good intentions. A villain MC pursues harmful, selfish, or destructive goals knowingly.
Which villain MC is the smartest?
Light Yagami (Death Note) and Lelouch (Code Geass) are considered two of the smartest villain MCs in anime.
Can villain MCs be redeemed?
Some do (Shield Hero, Vinland Saga), but many (Overlord, Death Note) embrace villainy fully until the end.
Conclusion
Villain MCs break all the rules.
They make choices that shock you.
And they challenge what it means to be right, wrong, or something in between.
These anime aren’t about saving the day—they’re about what happens when power, trauma, or belief twists a character into darkness.
And somehow, we still want to see how far they’ll go.
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