Top 20 Most GRUESOME Anime Villain Deaths Ever

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Gruesome Anime Villain Deaths.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the nastiest ways anime antagonists have met their maker.

Did we miss any brutal death scenes? Let us know in the comments below!

“One-Punch Man” (2015-)

There’s brutal, there’s merciless, and then there’s just plain disrespectful. Unfortunately for the Deep Sea King, his final moments lean towards the latter. At first, his siege on humanity was going pretty well. But, then he came face to face with Saitama. Let’s just say the fishy fiend quickly discovered why they call him the “One-Punch Man.” It’s a quick end, but rest assured, it wasn’t painless. In fact, the King’s remains are so grotesque, they might not even be worth burying. The only mercy here is that the Deep Sea King became sushi before he had to deal with the embarrassing aftermath.

“Berserk” (1997-98)

Guts doesn’t know the meaning of the word “mercy.” Especially when up against apostles. So, when he ran into the Snake Lord, he decided a point-blank shot from a mechanical arm cannon wasn’t good enough. Neither was chopping it to bits or shooting with a crossbow. No, in order to really make the slithery villain suffer, Guts pierced with every single arrow he had. He even let the monster catch fire, too, just for good measure. The resulting body is not a sight for sore eyes, that’s for sure. Although, the fact that Guts made an apostle beg for mercy should tell you everything you need to know.

“Akame ga Kill!” (2014)

Ironically, Prime Minister Honest was anything but. So, by the end of the season, his comeuppance was long-overdue. But it was all worth it to see Leone finally get some vengeance. Clearly, she was the right one for the job, since not even a few gunshot wounds stopped her from turning Honest’s skull into a bloody meatball. Given everything the Minister did, Leone could’ve chosen any number of vicious ways to finish him, and they all would’ve been satisfying. But, at the end of the day, there’s just something vindicating about Leone doing it with her bare hands. Even if it did leave a big mess behind.

“Sabikui Bisco” (2022)

As if his initial death wasn’t bad enough, Kurokawa decided to come back for round two. And, it went about as well as his first. After all, it’s saying something when an arrow to the face isn’t even the most painful part. No, in a cruel twist of fate, Kurokawa survives just long enough to see his Tetsujin body be overwhelmed by Rust-Eater mushrooms. From there, all he can do is wait and scream as he’s squashed like the bug he is. If Kurokawa’s first two deaths are any indication, it’s probably best if he just stays down this time.

“Sword Art Online” (2012-)

As everyone knows, if you die in the game, you die in real life. But, somehow, Miller missed that memo. After Kirito gave him a game over, the Subtilizer didn’t understand that he lacked a body to return to. On the bright side, Miller had some old friends like Alicia to welcome him into the afterlife. The downside is that he’s the one who murdered them in the first place, and they all hold a grudge. The last we see of Miller, he’s being dragged below Underworld by the spirits of everyone he’s wronged. Talk about being haunted by your past.

“Mobile Suit Gundam” (1979-80)

As far as dramatic ends go, decapitation via bazooka is pretty high on the list. In fact, it’s so high, the word “overkill” doesn’t even come close to describing it. But, that’s just Char Aznable for you. All season long, he made it clear he was going to exterminate the Zabi family, or die trying. Of course, no one expected him to do it with so much flair. In the end, it’s almost poetic that Char’s salute is the very last thing Kycilia Zabi ever saw. But, at the very least, she can take solace that she went out with a real bang.

“Chainsaw Man” (2022-)

On paper, this devil’s plan should have been foolproof. The hunters were trapped in an illusory hotel with no food, no plan, and no hope for escape. The only issue? The omnipotent Eternity Devil still felt pain. So, with literally all the time in the world, Denji got to sawing. Since he had a never-ending supply of devil blood at his disposal, he could keep it up for, well, eternity. Luckily, Denji didn’t have to wait that long. Despite the devil’s name, it only ended up lasting three days. By then, the Eternity Devil was just happy to be put out of its misery.

“Vinland Saga” (2019-)

Despite his best efforts, King Sweyn’s tenure ends with his legacy and his crown covered in blood. It’s all because of Askeladd, who storms into the room with the bombshell that he’s Britannia’s rightful heir. Then, in true Askeladd fashion, he wastes no time taking the throne for himself. There’s a quick slice of a sword, and just like that, the former king’s head is now rolling on the ground. The swift and heartless manner in which Sweyn dies is nothing short of pitiful. Especially since Askeladd has the gall to smile as he does it. This was no mere murder; it was an execution.

“JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind” (2018-19)

Even the cruelest, most vile deaths imaginable have to end at some point. Alas, the same can’t be said for Diavolo’s fate. He can be hit by a car, die in excruciating agony, and then immediately wake up to do it all again. Rinse and repeat for all of eternity. Sometimes he drowns, sometimes he’s stabbed, sometimes he’s awake during his own autopsy. But, no matter what, Diavolo always suffers. That’s what he gets for thinking he could challenge Gold Experience Requiem. The Stand’s ultimate attack is so dangerous, it makes every other mode of death seem positively charitable. Yeah, remind us to stay on Giorno’s good side.

“Attack on Titan” (2013-)

They say the bigger they are, the harder they fall. But, in the case of Bertholdt’s death, he’d already been cut down to size. As a pathetic, limbless human, he spends his final breaths begging for mercy from the very squad he once betrayed. It’s hard to feel too bad for him, though. On the contrary, it’s somewhat poetic that he’s devoured by the same Titans he tried to let loose on Paradis. If there’s any saving grace in Bertholdt’s demise, it’s that he didn’t live to see his Titan powers wreck his home. Unfortunately, there’s no such luck in saving his legacy.

“Black Bullet” (2014)

Revenge is a dish best served bloody. After it’s revealed that the one who caused a string of recent disasters surrounding the Gastrea was none other than her own brother, Kisara decides to put an end to his political career in typical Tendo clan fashion. Her condition may prevent her from fighting for long periods of time, but she only needed a second to unleash a sword swing that was so precise that it managed to slice her bro’s head open with rather explosive results. The icing on the cake obviously being the delayed reaction. Wonder what was running through this guy’s head before he realized it was about to split open?

“Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans” (2015-17)

There may have been other members of Gjallarhorn who were more deserving of receiving a crushing death, but there’s no denying watching this melodramatic and somewhat pathetic noble get his comeuppance was wholly gratifying. Turns out his own paper-thin attempt to avenge his troops ended up landing him right at death’s door, when a wounded Akihiro decided to get his own revenge for all those Tekkadan had lost. The fact he got to crush the dude inside his own Mobile Suit until he was nothing more than a stain was especially satisfying.

“Psycho-Pass” (2012-13)

He may have been Makishima’s right hand man, but it appears that wasn’t enough to entitle this guy to an epic death like his boss. Instead, he once again served as a reminder of just how devastating the power of the Dominator can be. His ideals regarding the destruction of the Sibyl System may have been absolute, and he was certainly no slouch on the draw, but none of that did him much good when his head ended up exploding in a visceral display of gore. It pays to be an Enforcer.

“Danganronpa: The Animation” (2013)

Guess it only makes sense that someone who spent so much time setting up elaborate killing games would save the craziest execution for herself. After being exposed and having her precious despair fail in the face of her victims’ combined hope, Junko decides now would be a great time to jump on the crazy train and end her own life via the ultimate execution. Battered by baseballs, burned at the stake, launched into space and ultimately crushed. It may be more style than substance, but no one can deny Junko’s end was one nobody is liable to forget.

“Overlord” (2015-18)

A mercenary with a nasty habit of collecting the medals of her slain victims, often in the most brutal ways imaginable, it was only a matter of time before this femme fatale messed with the wrong adventurer. As it happened, she fell straight into the grasp of Ainz Ooal Gown. As payback for her slaughtering his temporary companions, Bone Daddy decides the most suitable way for her to leap off the mortal coil would be to be get slowly crushed to death via a rather beasty embrace. Might sound like Albedo’s wet dream but it turns out to be beyond Clementine’s most painful nightmares.

“Hellsing Ultimate” (2006-12)

By no means the traditional way of killing off a vampire, but we can’t deny its effectiveness. Following the death of her romantic interest at the hands of the mind-bending Nazi, Seras finally fulfils her dark destiny and consumes blood, transforming into a complete vampire in the process. Now strong enough to lay the smackdown on the Millennium officer, the young Draculina ushered in her new un-life by dragging Zorin’s face across a wall at such speed its shredded it into bloody chunks. Alucard would be proud.

“Death Note” (2006-07)

A fierce devotee of Kira, Mikami proved to be Light’s most useful tool during his conquest, having him use the Death Note to take care of any obstacles or pawns no longer useful to the New God’s cause. He may have been a loyal subordinate, but that worldview was shattered when he found out his saviour was nothing more that a mortal man with delusions of grandeur. Needless to say, he did not take it well, choosing to stab himself instead. Live by the pen, die by the pen.

“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind” (2018-19)

Forever volatile and well-skilled in ice skating, this frosty member of the Hitman team might have ended up suffering the most painful end out of the lot of them. While his White Album looked to have put both Giorno and Mista in a deep freeze, he found himself in the dire position of getting a face full of Gold Experience’s fancy footwork, which served to jam his head onto a spike until his armour has been totally flooded with blood. Ironic that it took dying to get this Stand User to finally chill out.

“Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14)

Royal Guard, Chimera Ant, Kiter Killer. This was one bad kitty. Thankfully its nothing a little Nen-powered fist to the cranium can’t solve. Fuelled by rage after discovering that there’s no way for his friend to be brought back, Gon goes full on alpha, his body transforming into that of an adult, with enough strength to even outdo a demon like Pitou. While a single punch is enough to incapacitate him, Gon made doubly sure to waste all of the cat’s nine lives, dropping enough Janjaken until the ant’s head was reduced to a blue mulch.

“The Rising of the Shied Hero” (2019)

While not garnering as much hate as a certain lying princess, the leader of the Three Heroes Church was still a scumbag with an ego larger than his congregation. Armed with a false Holy Weapon, the Pope’s divine magic nearly spelled doom for the Cardinal Heroes. He may have been convinced his faith was strong enough to best the so called Devil of the Shield, but that that was proven to be just another part of his hubris when Naofumi unloaded a Blood Sacrifice on him. It’s going to take more than a prayer to come back from that.