The main characters in most anime are expected to be nice and kind to serve as role models to the people watching. They highlight the differences between the good and the bad, and they also stress how the good always triumphs over evil.But, there are times when mangaka decides to go down a different route altogether. They create main characters who are different from the others. These characters inject a breath of fresh air, which makes them extremely popular among fans. With that in mind, here are the characters who have done more bad than good.
8 Yagami Light – Death Note
It is easy to see why Yagami Light is not considered to be a hero. When he picked up the Death Note, Light just wanted to punish the criminals, but as the story progressed, his desire began to grow. Yagami Light became a serial killer, who murdered anyone who dared to oppose him.
Light manipulated tons of people and even caused his father's death. His desire to play God became so powerful that he was unable to distinguish right from wrong. He got his comeuppance in the final episode of the series.
7 Lelouch VI Britannia – Code Geass
Lelouch is an extremely popular character. He was in no way an out-and-out villain, but he wasn't a role model either. After gaining the Geass, Lelouch knew that he had enough power to change the world. He decided to build a better world for his sister, but he knew that the path to achieving peace would not be so simple.
Lelouch committed all kinds of villainous actions such as betraying his followers and manipulating other people including his friends. However, his biggest inhuman act was using his Geass on his cousin which led to her ordering the massacre of countless innocent people. This incident cemented his place as one of the more heartless main characters, and by faking his death, he managed to unite the entire world.
6 Griffith – Berserk
Once considered the savior of the Midland Empire, Griffith developed into a truly frightening individual after the eclipse. When the God Hand laid down the choice for Griifth to either go back to his normal life or sacrifice the members of the Bank of Hawk to gain insurmountable power, the White Hawk chose power.
Griffith's choice resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Band of Hawk members. But, Griffith didn't stop here, he wanted to punish Guts even further. So, he decided to violate Casca out of his resentment towards Guts.
5 Hyakkimaru – Dororo
Hyakkimaru's story is an extremely sad one. His greedy father, who wanted more power, exchanged Hyakkimaru's limbs for fertile lands. So, when he grew up, Hyakkimaru only had one thing on his mind, and it was revenge. After a talented craftsman gave made artificial limbs for Hyakkimaru, he set out to kill the demons and retrieve parts of his body.
On his journey, Hyakkimaru suffered a lot, but his hardships only spurred him on. Nothing would change his mind and when he finally came close to his goal, he did not hesitate to kill his brother.
4 Alucard – Hellsing
Alucard is the main lead of Hellsing. He is an extremely powerful vampire, who has the power to slaughter entire armies on his own. He is armed with a variety of different powers, which include immortality, regeneration, and superhuman strength.
All these abilities make Alucard one of the strongest anime characters. With such outrageous powers at his disposal, Alucard is a proper killing machine, who has no qualms about killing people.
3 Dio Brando – JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
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Dio Brando is the definition of evil. He was taken in by George Joestar after his father died. Instead of being grateful to George Joestar, Dio planned to kill him and take all of his riches. Dio was also extremely callous, as seen when he perpetrated the death of Jonathan's dog.
Dio didn't stop there, and he continued to torment Jonathan in every possible way. When he found out that Erina liked Jonathan, Dio forcibly kissed her. When Dio became a vampire, he murdered multiple innocent people, and before killing, he also toyed with them.
2 Thorfinn – Vinland Saga
Thorfinn is the main character of Vinland Saga. He is the son of the great warrior, Thors. He always looked up to his father and wanted to emulate him in every possible way, however, things quickly went south when Thorfinn decided to accompany Thors on his voyage.
Thorfinn was captured by the enemy and Thors had to willingly give himself up after which Askeladd's men killed him. Thorfinn hated Askeladd, but he chose to stay with his group and wait for an opportunity to kill him. While he bided his time, Thorfinn killed tens of people as he wanted to get stronger.
1 Tanya – Saga Of Tanya The Evil
Tanya is the main protagonist of Saga of Tanya The Evil. She is a ruthless killing machine, who treats other people as mere objects. Tanya is very calculating, and she plans her every move meticulously.
Tanya's ruthlessness and intelligence enabled her to advance through the ranks very quickly. She is very strict when it comes to discipline in her platoon and if a person disobeys her, she does not hold back on the punishment.