The 12 Scariest Anime Villains Of All Time, Ranked

Like any medium, anime branches into virtually every genre, including and especially the horror genre, both with anime film and television projects. These scary stories range from the gruesome and grotesque to the more atmospherically chilling and unnerving in their impact on audiences. A lot of that terror comes from having a memorable villain at the core of the story, menacing the main characters and imbuing the narrative with an unsettling energy. Even anime shows and movies that aren't necessarily oriented for the horror genre can have frightening antagonists, who often stand out prominently from the other enemies in a given project.

Simply put, a scary villain can elevate anime above the usual rank-and-file baddies, quickly changing the tone of a given story into something more disturbing. To be clear, this is not a list of the best anime villains of all time, but instead the ones that scare us the most. A slight spoiler warning for some of the shows and movies included on this list as the villainous reveal sometimes comes as a major plot twist. For those brave enough, here are the 12 scariest anime villains of all time ranked in order of how potent their respective fear factor is.

Based on the CD Projekt Red video game "Cyberpunk 2077," the Netflix original anime series "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" dives deep into the dystopian metropolis of Night City. The show follows teenagers David Martinez and Lucy Kushinada, along with their gang of friends, who use their cybernetic enhancements to stay alive. This culminates in the group raiding the Arasaka Corporation, a megacorporation that actively exploits and oppresses the denizens of Night City. As David and his friends progress up Arasaka Tower, they are confronted by its head of security, the brutal cyborg enforcer Adam Smasher.

For a character who only shows up in a single episode, Adam Smasher makes the most of the limited screentime that he has in "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners." Casually crushing David and his friends in what are some of the most graphic deaths in recent anime memory, Smasher is a terrifyingly unstoppable force of nature. Making Smasher all the more horrifying is the sadistic observations and taunts he makes as he literally picks apart David and his friends in gruesome fashion. Effectively the final boss in what is one of the best animated miniseries of all time, Adam Smasher puts a gory punctuation to the end of "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners."

Eisidisi, commonly pronounced as AC/DC in reference to his Australian rock band namesake, is one of the antagonistic Pillar Men in "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure." And though many of the heroes and villains in the series have over-the-top and occasionally visceral powers, none are more gruesome than Eisidisi's. He has complete control over his own anatomy, using his blood, veins and arteries, even his brain, to attack his opponents. This makes Eisidisi one of the most prominent body horror characters in the entire anime medium, especially throughout "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure."

True to its title, "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" is one of the strangest anime shows around in relation to its global popularity. Eisidisi is a clear example of this, and he's not even one of the biggest villains in the show, especially compared to DIO. But Eisidisi is the most grotesque foe, with his fear factor fueled by the sheer revulsion from his gory powers. One of the grossest anime villains in recent memory, Eisidisi is absolutely revolting whenever he showcases his lethal abilities.

There are plenty of chilling psychological thriller anime, with one of the most underrated being "Monster," adapting the manga series by Naoki Urasawa. The series follows Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese surgeon living and working in Germany who saves the life of a young boy named Johan Liebert after a local massacre. Years later, Tenma discovers Johan has become a cold and calculating serial killer, though he spares Tenma for saving his life. With Tenma now implicated in Johan's murders, he becomes obsessed with tracking down his former patient to stop him from claiming more victims.

Johan is formed from the classic psychopathic murderer mold, outwardly kind and charismatic, but completely devoid of empathy. What makes Johan so terrifying is how much of a master manipulator he is, secretly orchestrating much of the story and leading an entire shadow network of killers. But compared to a lot of the villains on this list, Johan just looks and acts so ordinary, that is until he adds to his disturbing body count. Unnervingly cunning and virtually merciless, Johan Liebert has a lethal appeal for fans of shows like Netflix's "You."

1995's "Memories" is a must-watch horror anime movie, an anthology flick presenting three standalone science fiction stories that often veer into the creepy side of the genre. The movie's first tale, "Magnetic Rose" is easily its best, with a freighter responding to a distress signal in the middle of a spaceship graveyard. Investigating a space station, the crew finds its interior designed in a classical European style while receiving visions of a beautiful opera singer named Eva. Eva induces hallucinations for the crew to see visions of their past while seducing one of them to take on the identity of the lover she murdered in her life.

"Magnetic Rose" is effectively a haunted house story in outer space, complete with dilapidated old world aesthetics and a literal ghost in the machine. Regarding said ghost, from her first appearance, it's clear there's something off about Eva, escalating into a much more sinister figure. That suspense along with the surreal quality to the story, makes for an anime villain that will stick with viewers even as the movie pivots to a completely different narrative. Ethereal and, quite literally, haunting, "Magnetic Rose" makes it well worth taking the time to watch all of "Memories."

"Princess Tutu" is a postmodern fairy tale, with storyteller Drosselmeyer possessing the power to make his tales come to life. Before passing away, Drosselmeyer wrote himself into his own narrative, effectively preserving his consciousness among the characters and world he created. Even within this fictional world, Drosselmeyer is still interested in telling a good story, usually at the expense of the characters' well-being. Still possessing a degree of creative power in his new form, Drosselmeyer instills conflict and drama into the world, determined to make the tale a tragedy.

Drosselmeyer's scary status comes from the evolution and implications of his character arc over the course of "Princess Tutu." At the start of the series, Drosselmeyer is initially positioned as the story's narrator, introducing the audience to his warm fantasy world and likable characters. However, as the show progresses, he maintains an unhealthy ownership over the characters, manipulating the story to shape it to his preference, no matter the personal cost. A commentary on toxicity from creators and fans alike, what Drosselmeyer represents makes him truly unsettling.

After writing the standout "Magnetic Rose" segment in "Memories," celebrated filmmaker Satoshi Kon made his feature directorial debut with 1997's "Perfect Blue." A love letter to the giallo slasher sub-genre popularized by Italian cinema, the movie follows Mima Kirigoe as she ditches her successful pop music career to become an actor. In response, Mima finds herself stalked by an increasingly aggressive fan which, coupled with the immense stress from her career change, takes a significant toll on her mental health. As people linked to her acting career are brutally murdered, with Mima implicated for the killings, she's unsure if she's actually innocent.

The true culprit, in the shocking ending, is revealed to be Mima's manager Rumi Hidaka, who has descended into murderous madness by Mima's shift to acting. This twist is fueled by just how unhinged Rumi has become, forming an alternate personality convinced that she's the real Mima and determined to replace her. Given the violent lengths the audience has witnessed as part of this mania, Rumi is as dangerous as she is clearly off her rocker. "Perfect Blue" is the scariest animated movie of all time and a lot of that reputation comes from just how horrifying a villain Rumi is, especially once she stands revealed.

Given its prominent superhero bonafides, the series "My Hero Academia," based on the manga by Kōhei Horikoshi, has no shortage of supervillains. Though the show centers on super-powered teenagers training to become heroes at a private high school, the villains are secretly organized themselves. Usurping control of this nefarious ensemble is Tomura Shigaraki, the protege of League of Villains leader All For One, who absorbs his mentor's life force. With his power to absorb the powers of anyone he comes into physical contact with, Tomura sets his sights on the strongest heroes of the world to conquer the world.

Tomura Shigaraki is very much the dark mirror opposite of "My Hero Academia" protagonist Izuku Midoriya, embracing his own super-powered destiny. But just as Izuku is an aspirational and compassionate figure, Tomura is completely out of control and unrepentantly wicked. This instability is clear in Tomura's mental health, even before he stages his coup, going as far as to engage in overt self-harm. An absolute wild card, who's unpredictable even to himself, Tomura Shigaraki grows more terrifying the more powerful he becomes.

With the magical girls fantasy genre popularized worldwide by "Sailor Moon" having become such an anime staple, its tropes were ripe for deconstruction. This is where the 2011 anime series "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" excels, completely subverting the familiar premise in a sinister way. That subversion comes in the adorable form of Kyubey, a white-furred feline-esque creature who grants magical girl powers to those who enter a contract with him. Though this initially positions Kyubey as a fantasy benefactor, his true nature and the binding terms of his agreements makes him a manipulative villain.

A master of deception that almost exclusively targets young girls, Kyubey is an especially twisted predator. So many fantasy stories and fairy tales have mythical creatures and figures grant the greatest desires of the innocent and deserving. Kyubey takes advantage of that assumption to his own wicked benefit, unsympathetic as he harvests the emotional energy from his victims. A wolf in cat's clothing, Kyubey is the most memorable antagonist in "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," completely upending genre expectations when his scary true nature is revealed.

The 2017 anime series "Black Clover," based on the manga by Yūki Tabata, revolves around its own fantasy take on the classic battle between good and evil. One of the most terrifying devils to take on the heroes is a twisted figure named Zagred, who orchestrated the massacre of the elves centuries before the main story. Like his demonic brethren, Zagred delights in human misery and manipulation, but takes this sadistic streak to another level. Zagred is also potently perilous, able to change his surrounding environment through his magic, making any confrontation against him a risky proposition.

Zagred is one of those villains who's just unnerving to look at, with a black and white design, accentuated by wild and soulless eyes. This unsettling quality extends into a bit of body horror, with Zagred capable of creating hungry mouths anywhere on his body, including his own heart. Whenever he's on-screen, it's all eyes on Zagred to see what this horrifying figure will do next as he casts an intimidating presence. Zagred might not be the final enemy Asta and his friends face in "Black Clover," but the villain's impact is felt even after his defeat.

"Cowboy Bebop" is one of the greatest anime series of all time, with its creative team trying to make every episode feel unique, defying conventional genre constraints. The episode "Pierrot le Fou" veers into full-on horror and is named for the story's terrifying antagonist, a delirious killer known simply as Mad Pierrot. After randomly witnessing Pierrot's latest attack, protagonist Spike Spiegel becomes his new target, accepting an invitation to confront the madman at an abandoned amusement park. This leads to a harrowing showdown, with Spike fighting for his life as the theme park's leering attractions creepily whirr to life around him and Pierrot.

With his rictus grin and maddeningly wide eyes, Pierrot is an unsettling sight whenever he comes cackling into a given scene. That he's one of the most formidable enemies Spike ever faces, virtually invulnerable and practically defying the laws of physics, makes him all the more of an intense presence. That Spike triumphs not by outgunning Pierrot but by inadvertently taking advantage of his broken mind, adds to the villain's mystique. Over 20 years later, "Cowboy Bebop" holds up better than ever, and the memorably frightening appearance of Mad Pierrot adds to that sterling reputation.

Given its narrative premise of its main characters hunting cursed spirits around Tokyo, the supernatural anime series "Jujutsu Kaisen" was always bound to have some scary villains. The standout from the series, based on the manga by Gege Akutami, is Mahito, a patchwork cursed human spirit with an unhealthy interest in Yuji Itadori. Unlike the angrier enemies that the Jujutsu Society encounters, Mahito is a playful figure with most of his prey. That makes him just as unpredictable as he is utterly deadly and deceptive, capable of pushing the Jujutsu Sorcerers to their limits.

One of the best death scenes in "Jujutsu Kaisen" has Mahito play the long game with Yuji's friend Junpei Yoshino in an elaborate way to unnerve Yuji. Mahito indirectly murders Junpei's mother, convinces Junpei to feel guilty for it while befriending the vulnerable youth and brutally kills Junpei in front of Yuji. This is often done while Mahito bears an absolutely unhinged grin, something he maintains even in the heat of battle. The level of manipulation and madness Mahito brings to "Jujutsu Kaisen" not only makes him memorably frightening but also arguably the best villain in the series.

Sometimes the scariest villains of all are the ones that appear the most seemingly ordinary and even mundane at first. The greatest anime example of this is Shou Tucker, the most disturbing character to appear in "Fullmetal Alchemist" and its universally acclaimed remake "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood." Shou appears relatively early in both series as a mild-mannered alchemist and family, raising his young daughter Nina and her beloved dog Alexander. However, the shocking lengths Shou goes to continue his alchemic experiments is revealed when he bonds Nina's soul to Alexander's body, turning his own child into a chimera.

Shou's experimentation on his daughter is the most notorious moment in any version of "Fullmetal Alchemist," with the plot twist providing an emotional gut-punch. The moment the Elric brothers realize what Shou has done to his family, exposed by Alexander beginning to speak with Nina's voice, is the most shocking part in the show. What makes this surprise all the more horrific is how casual Shou is about it, failing to recognize the full breadth of the madness and evil he's just committed. Shou Tucker is far from the most powerful "Fullmetal Alchemist" villain, but no other antagonist in the story is anywhere as near outright trauma-inducing.