Top 10 Revenges in Anime

Script written by Kurt Hvorup

Top 10 Revenges in Anime

Anime and vengence-fueled adventures sure seem to work well together. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Revenges in Anime.

Today we're taking a look at the most heated and emotional examples of revenge that anime has to offer. Be they quiet and melancholy affairs or loud and bombastic duels, nothing quite beats the sight of revenge-seeking characters going to any lengths necessary to serve up a cold dish of vengeance. Also, in case the title of the video wasn’t obvious enough, there will be spoilers.

#10: Kurapika Kills Uvogin
“Hunter x Hunter” (1999-2001)

The last of the Kurta clan, the Hunter known as Kurapika seeks to track down and kill every member of the Phantom Troupe, the gang responsible for his clan's destruction. This eventually brings Kurapika to the attention of Uvogin, a physically-capable member of the Troupe who lacks remorse for his various misdeeds... if he even remembers them. The subseqent duel swiftly goes inKurapika's favour thanks to his use of a special chain, and soon after Uvogin is left at the mercy of a killing blow.

#9: Van vs. The Claw
“Gun X Sword” (2005)

Hatred is frustrating, especially when the other person has no idea you despise them. In “Gun X Sword”, this is the predicament faced by Van, a wandering combatant whose wife was killed by a villain known as The Claw. Seemingly a straight-forward case of vengeance-seeking, things become more complicated when Van confronts The Claw for the last time – and The Claw treats him as an old friend. The sheer frustration and anguish that Van feels is clear as crystal, which makes the subsequent victorious battle and takedown of The Claw all the more satisfying.

#8: Alex Row's Final Act
“Last Exile” (2003)

For some characters, the drive for vengeance overcomes all – including self-preservation. Case in point: Captain Alexander Row of the battleship Silvana seeks to find and kill Delphine, the woman he blames for his fiancee's demise. During the events of “Last Exile”, Row falls into Delphine's captivity and is hung up as a prisoner... which puts him in an ideal position to snap Delphine's neck. Sadly, this occurs as Delphine's ship is being destroyed, meaning Row's success is short-lived.

#7: Gohan Defeats Cell
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Where the father falls, the son rises... and he is not merciful. Towards the end of the Cell Games Saga, the responsibility of destroying the monstrous alien Perfect Cell falls to Son Gohan. Driven by more than just duty, Gohan witnessed his father Goku's sacrifice and the death or injury of many of his allies and friends. Thus, it builds to a fittingly brutal climax where Gohan and Cell battle one another with Kamehameha waves. It's quite cathartic to see Gohan push back and utterly vaporize Cell, achieving peace after so much turmoil.

#6: Mikoto Kills Shiro
“K” (2012)

Over the course of the anime “K”, Red King Mikoto seeks out the mysterious Colorless King, who murdered his friend Tatara Totsuka, with the intent of killing him. Trouble is, the Colorless King – being a fox spirit – has transfered his essence to the body of a student known as the Silver King, Adolf K. Weismann. In an unexpected act of sacrifice, however, Shiro permits Mikoto to kill him in order to end the tyranny of the Colorless King. This scene is so unique because few revenge quests manage to end on as respectful of terms as this.

#5: The Vengeful Waifu
“School Days” (2007)

Revenge is a slippery slope, that's for sure. In the twelfth and final episode of “School Days”, high school student Sekai is left in a state of despair after her lover Makoto has abandoned her for fellow student Kotonoha. After he fake pregenancy ruse backfires, Sekai quite literally loses her mind. In an extreme bout of homicidal action, she brutally stabs Makoto to death, metaphorically ripping apart the show’s love-triangle cliché in the process. Unfortunately, this inturn seals Sekai's fate of being killed by Kotonoha.

#4: Train vs. Creed
“Black Cat” (2005-06)

What a strange turn of events. Based on a manga that ran from 2000 to 2004, “Black Cat” follows bounty hunter Train Heartnet in his mission to track down his ex-partner Creed, who murdered Train's dear friend Saya. The anime plays out as a string of close encounters and endless pursuit, as Train is driven to take Creed into custody. When the two confront one another in their climactic battle, Train has the chance for a killing blow – but opts instead to destroy Creed's Imagine Blade. A unique twist on revenge, Train's act of mercy sets up Creed to change his ways by series' end.

#3: Sasuke Kills Itachi
“Naruto: Shippuden” (2007-)
Though Sasuke Uchiha's later obsession with vengeful slaughter and his killing of Danzo certainly shouldn't be ignored, it's this battle between brothers that draws our eye. Sasuke's initial motivation in “Naruto”, and later its sequel series “Naruto: Shippuden”, is based on avenging the destruction of the Uchiha clan at the hands of his brother Itachi. This drives Sasuke to accumulate power and build his team, biding his time until he can properly corner and kill Itachi. All of this serves to make the final drawn-out confrontation all the more tragic, as it slowly occurs to Sasuke how misguided his anger at Itachi has been.

#2: Lelouch Ends His Parents' Existence
“Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2” (2008)

Boy, has Lelouch gone through hell and back during his revolution. Having witnessed and even caused the deaths of friends and family over the course of the series, it's not hard to see why Lelouch would begin to tip over the edge. Yet it's quite horrifying to watch the young man slip into borderline villainy when confronted with the truth about his mother's demise and his father's plan involving Ragnarok. Driven to anger, Lelouch opts to sever his father and mother from reality, causing them to slowly dissolve into nothingness. And thus, Emperor Lelouch was born.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

The Citizens of Sotoba Killing the Vampires
“Shiki” (2010)


Roy Mustang Burns Lust
“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” (2009-2010)


Kogami Hunting Down Makishima
“Psycho-Pass” (2012-13)


The Entire Story
“Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo” (2004-05)

Casca's Final Duel With Adon Coborlwitz
“Berserk” (1997-98)

#1: Afro Battles Justice
“Afro Samurai” (2007)

Duels like this only come around once in a while. Our sword-wielding hero Afro has a simple quest: to avenge the death of his father at the hands of the gunslinger Justice. To that end Afro – wearing the requisite Number 2 headband – battles his way through foe after foe, all in the hopes of facing Justice in lethal combat. After four episodes of buildup, the ferocity and fluidity of Afro and Justice's final battle is truly awe-inspiring, acting as a cathartic climax to an enjoyably intense series.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite example of revenge in anime? For more emotionally-charged Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.