Top 10 Anime Anti-Heroes

The last thing you expect an egotistical rich kid to do is put all his money into a card game. But it makes him even richer so whatever works. Cold as ice, rich as a king, and orphaned since birth, with only his little brother Mokuba acting as his moral compass, Kaiba wants to be the best, and this sets himself as the primary rival for protagonist Yugi for the whole the series.

This man loves one thing and one thing only: to fight. As one of the 13 Captains that oversee and provide defense for the afterlife, you could say he’s more of a good guy. That is, unless there’s a strong enemy involved; then screw the rules and bust out the sword! Friends, associates, enemies; Kenpachi will slice them all up just for the thrill of it.

When you live in a city that thrives on vice of every kind, you need to be a special kind of crazy to make it. Unless you’re Revy, in which case you thrive on it. Part of the pirate/mercenary group Lagoon Company, Revy’s day job consists of “acquiring” cargo, making deliveries, and blowing the crap out of people. Foul-mouthed and moody as hell, this femme fatale won’t hesitate to riddle you with bullets.

This guy takes being a big brother to a new level. The elder sibling of the anime’s secondary main character, this ninja is remembered for killing his family (save his little brother) and joining the terrorist group Akatsuki. But Itachi was actually a scapegoat, and eliminating his clan prevented a coup d’état that could’ve resulted in another Shinobi war. Sparing his brother allowed him to one day surpass and kill Itachi.

When you’re born from pure sin, you’d expect nothing but evil to come out it. And then there’s Greed, the Homunculus who rebelled. Abandoning his creator to satisfy his own luxurious needs; Greed is defiant – almost invulnerable – yet he cares for his underlings. He even makes a heroic sacrifice against the demonic Father.

A true anti-hero if there ever was one; Scar is a survivor of his homeland, Ishbal, which was consumed in Civil War. Blaming State Alchemists for the slaughter of his people, he becomes a serial killer that delivers lethal justice by blowing the hell outta his enemies. While he never quite quenches his thirst for vengeance, Scar eventually joins the Elric brothers to defeat the Homonculi and sever the cycle of hatred that consumed him for so long.

He’s a gun-wielding Dracula in service to England who battles crazy Catholics and Nazi vampires – that’s the definition of badass right there. The embodiment of violence and death, Alucard is bound to the Hellsings, a family who serves Queen and country and protects against the things that go bump in the night. Thank God he’s on our side, because given the smallest excuse, he’ll rip you to pieces before you know it.

Despising his birthright as prince of Britannia, Lelouch lived a quiet life studying and caring for his disabled sister Nunnally. That changed when he was given the power of the Geass, and he took up the vigilante life. Staging a revolution, Lelouch battled against his heritage, former comrades and his own power-hungry desires. However, we remember when he selflessly masqueraded as Britannia’s enemy, then gave his life to unite the world in peace. Hats off to you, Lelouch.

You voted for him, so here he is: The straight-A student who declared himself God of the New World. After finding a mysterious book that has the power to take a life, Light begins a crusade to rid the world of evil – or at least what he perceives as evil. Former coworkers and anyone who gets too close to uncovering his secret are also fair game. Of course, that’s all in day’s work for this would-be-deity.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Smoker “One Piece”
- Sasuke Uchiha “Naruto”
- Piccolo Daimao “Dragon Ball Z”
- Nagato aka Pain “Naruto: Shippuden”
- Spike Spiegel “Cowboy Bebop”
- Dark Schneider “Bastard!!: Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy”

He’s tried to destroy the Earth just as many times as he’s saved it. As a Saiyan Prince, Vegeta’s only goal in life is to become the most powerful being in the universe. And that’s not just a pipe dream; he’s got enough power to do so. Both ally and rival, enemy and comrade, this Super Saiyan is not to be messed with.

Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favourite anime anti-hero? For more of your favorite top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.