When it comes to betrayal in anime, it’s usually pretty shocking because most anime shows do a great job of keeping the traitor hidden. Traitors in anime can either be the main or supporting characters, but the hurt of their betrayal still hits pretty hard. Even if a character is suspected and proven to be one, some fans will still find it surprising.

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Though betrayal is a normal thing in the world of anime, some characters who turned out to be traitors were pretty obvious. The way they act and their actions might seem good on the surface, but it was crystal clear that there was something dark brewing deep within them. When they betray their comrades or family, no one was really surprised and saw it coming a mile away.

10 King Bradley (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

It was pretty obvious that there is something up with King Bradley. The way he disposed of the Freezing Alchemist, Isaac McDougal, in the first episode of Brotherhood was quick and unnatural. Plus, the way he acted so nice and friendly to the Elric brothers when they appeared was a little creepy. He was eerily calm no matter the situation and something just didn’t seem right. He also had a seemingly perfect life with having a great job, was respected by his subordinates, and had a wife and son, whom he and his wife adopted.

However, in shonen anime, a perfect life either doesn’t last long or there’s a dark secret behind closed doors. Sure enough, King Bradley was revealed to be Wrath, a Homunculus created by Father. Finding out he was a traitor wasn’t really surprising and if anything, it was more shocking to find out his son Selim was the Homunculus Pride.

9 Annie Leonhart (Attack On Titan)

Maybe at first, it wasn’t so obvious about Annie potentially betraying everyone, but it was clear that she was someone to look at whenever she appeared on-screen. She carried herself as a mature, quiet young lady who would help her comrades when they asked for help. But it was obvious that she seemed to keep her distance from them and preferred being by herself.

When the Female Titan appeared and managed to catch up to Eren, the way it fought was similar to Annie’s style. Eren caught onto this easily so by the time it was officially revealed that she is the Female Titan, no one was surprised. Though her comrades were willing to stop her, it didn’t make her betrayal any less hurtful.

8 Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto)

Considering that his goal in life was to kill his older brother Itachi, it wasn’t surprising at all when Sasuke betrayed Naruto and the village. The promise of more power was just too good for him to pass up and he defected from Konoha to join Orochimaru. He knew that the former Sannin wanted to possess his body, but Sasuke let him think that one day he would and used Orochimaru to get the power he promised.

There was no turning back for Sasuke and eventually, he fought Itachi in one-on-one combat. After learning the real reason why Itachi betrayed the village and slaughtered their family, Sasuke set his sights on destroying Konoha. Luckily for fans, Naruto literally beat some sense into him and Sasuke has since focused on keeping Konoha safe.

7 Anthy (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

For anyone who watched the 1997 series, Anthy might’ve seemed meek and sweet, but fans could see that there was something brewing deep down. At first glance, Anthy seems like she’ll just follow whatever orders are given to her and doesn’t have any emotions or thoughts on her own. However, deep down, Anthy was a dark and vengeful woman because of all the abuse she’s been through. Fans knew it was only a matter of time before she snapped, and betrayed either brother Akio or Utena. It was obvious she didn’t want to be under her brother’s control, but it was also clear that he had a hold on her (thanks to the abuse he subjected her to) and she would follow his orders even if it meant betraying Utena.

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However, fans probably didn’t expect her to betray Utena by literally stabbing her in the back. Anthy was torn from this but believed she didn’t deserve to be free from her curse. Utena didn’t let the stab keep her down and continued to fight for Anthy to free her despite this betrayal.

6 Griffith (Berserk)

Griffith never really hid his ambitions and his want for power so it was only a matter of time before he did something drastic to get it. However, fans probably weren’t expecting him to sacrifice his comrades in a horrific and brutal fashion. After being rescued by Guts and the Band of the Hawk, Griffith started the Eclipse and saw he could have power once again. Gaining this power meant sacrificing his comrades and he didn’t hesitate to do so.

Fans could only watch as the Band of the Hawk were brutally killed one by one and it was horrifying and sad to watch. The members had followed Griffith and believed in him and his visions for years but were sacrificed all so he could have power.

5 Sailor Neptune And Sailor Uranus (Sailor Moon)

It was a little surprising that Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus betrayed the Sailor Scouts to join Sailor Galaxia, but it wasn’t that surprising. Both of them were usually a little standoffish with the other Scouts and would work with them sometimes. It was clear that they along with Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn had a different way of doing things even if they clashed with Sailor Moon and the others. When Sailor Galaxia appeared, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus sold their souls to her in order to stay safe from her plans.

Sadly, this betrayal led to the deaths of Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto. However, this betrayal was part of their real plan which was to get close enough and use the power given to them to steal Galaxia’s Star Seed.

4 Himiko Toga And Twice (My Hero Academia)

Why Overhaul thought the League of Villains would work peacefully with him (especially after killing Magne) is anyone’s guess. Himiko and Twice were chosen by Overhaul to be given to him as an act of trust between the League and the Shie Hassaikai. It was clear that they weren’t happy with this decision, but went through it. The two of them worked pretty well with the Yakuza members and orders from Overhaul with little problem.

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This proved to be a ruse and Himiko and Twice decided to betray the Shie Hassaikai when the heroes infiltrated the headquarters. After Deku defeats Overhaul, Twice tells Shigaraki that Yakuza leader is on the way to the hospital which leads Shigaraki and the others to ambush the transport.

3 Ryo Asuka (Devilman Crybaby)

His betrayal was inevitable since he’s the one who made Akira into a demon. At first, it seemed like Ryo was supportive of Akira and his assimilation with Amon, the demon inside him, but it was all part of Ryo’s grand plan. His seeming disgust for demons was actually a disgust for humans and believed them to be weak. He betrayed Akira by showing the public his transformation and this put many of Akira’s loved ones in danger.

This betrayal led to them being hunted down by angry mobs and brutally killed by them which caused Akira to go on a rampage. When Akira confronted him, Ryo showed his true form which turned out he is really Satan. Ryo/Satan set up for Akira to become a demon because they wanted him to be safe when demons take over the world.

2 Fujiko Mine (Lupin The 3rd)

Fujiko’s career makes it pretty obvious that she lives life on her own terms. Fans of Lupin the 3rd know there’s a 50-50 chance of her betraying Lupin and the gang when there’s a high-priced treasure on the line. Fujiko loves money and living a luxurious life so she isn’t afraid to use her looks and charm against Lupin because she knows he’s an easy target. Daisuke and Goemon don’t trust her and try their best to keep an eye on her, but Fujiko knows how to make a quick getaway.

She is a perfect balance of all the men’s skills and the perfect example of a femme fatale. Lupin, Daisuke, and Goemon might be masters in their respective skill sets, but Fujiko is the personification of the saying “a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none, but better than a master of one”. She makes no apologies for her actions, but fans know she isn’t out to harm the guys.

1 Fumito Nanahara (Blood-C)

His interactions with Saya were friendly since he made her breakfast and lunch for her, and that’s what made it obvious that he was hiding something. Plus, he even admitted to her that she was special to him and very important. Considering that this is a horror fantasy anime, a confession like that comes with consequences. In this case, Fumito was revealed to be the main villain who was drugging the food and drinks he gave Saya to keep her memories repressed.

He even hired others and manipulated the environment around Saya all for an experiment to see if she would revert back to her old personality. It wasn’t really shocking when he revealed himself to be the mastermind behind everything. Fumito being the classic ‘nice guy’ in a horror anime made it obvious that he either wasn’t going to live long or had a dark secret.

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