Magic is always a staple of fantasy stories, and any tale set in such a setting will have some form of magical system. Wizards naturally appear frequently as masters of such magic, and though this power can be used for good, it's inevitable that some of them will tend towards evil, such as iconic villains like Voldemort or Saruman.
Evil wizards appear frequently in anime, usually as major antagonists or villains. These vile magicians often impede the hero and their allies by using their wizardry and spellcraft to create obstacles and enemies wherever they go. Though there are countless characters who fit the bill, these are some of the most powerful evil wizards from anime stories.
10 Ares — Banished From The Hero's Party...
Initially a force for good, Ares positioned himself to be a Sage to guide the Hero Ruti to dispense justice. However, when he realizes that his role has already been taken by the more capable Gideon, Ares bullies the former out of the party, insisting that he is dead weight and a burden to the Hero.
Kicking Gideon out of the party soon turns out to be a mistake, as the party begins to fracture and the loss of Gideon affects the party heavily. Ares himself falls into a downward spiral that sees him lose his mind as he attempts to exert total control over the Hero.
9 Babidi — Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball is better known for its mighty martial artists than its adept magicians, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. One specific example is Babidi, one of the major villains of the Majin Buu Saga. The son of Bibidi, Babidi's initial goal in the series is to revive his father's creation, Majin Buu.
In addition to possessing magical powers like telepathy and barrier creation, Babidi is able to control the minds of those with evil in their hearts. He can also provide a large boost to their power, something that entices Vegeta to his side.
8 Wagnard — Record Of Lodoss War
Initially a magic student in Valis, Wagnard was banished for his studies in dark and forbidden magic. In addition, he was cursed so that any time he tried to cast a spell, he would be inflicted with intense pain.
Wagnard overcomes this curse to become a great wizard, with intentions of reviving the great Goddess Kardis and rule over all of Forcelia as an undead king. Between the two series, Wagnard attempts this in various ways, often involving the sacrifice of a powerful high elf.
7 Myotismon — Digimon Adventure
Myotismon is not technically a wizard, being a Digimon made of data; however, he has a lot of powers that are reminiscent of a wizard. He is one of the main antagonists of the original Digimon series, and one of the most intimidating.
Myotismon has various powers resembling those of both vampires and wizards, with the ability to summon bats and use claws of shadow to paralyze foes. Myotismon can also digivolve into various Mega forms, such as VenomMyotismon and MaloMyotismon, which grant him even greater powers.
6 Caster — Fate/Zero
Of the many spellcasters that became Caster in the Holy Grail War, the most evil and vile of these was Gilles de Rais, who was summoned in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Once an ally of Joan of Arc, her death sent him into madness as he turned to the dark arts, killing many in his attempts to summon demons.
As a Caster, Gilles de Rais's main repertoire is in summoning. His Noble Phantasm, Prelati's Spellbook, grants him a massive reserve of mana, allowing him to summon familiars endlessly. He has very little magical prowess outside this, but these two abilities alone make him quite formidable.
5 Rezo — Slayers
The world of Slayers is filled with a number of powerful magicians and wizards, but Rezo the Red Priest may be the most villainous of them all. Blinded due to having a shard of the Dark Lord Shabranigdu sealed inside him, his attempts to restore his eyesight lead him to commit many atrocities.
As one of the five Great Sages, Rezo has a mastery of white magic, shamanic magic, and black magic. While Rezo was once a kind man who used his magic for good, his obsession with restoring his sight drove him insane, and led him to attempt to resurrect the Dark Lord in order to regain his eyesight.
4 Fiamma Of The Right — A Certain Magical Index
Fiamma of the Right is the leader of God's Right Seat, the strongest group of magicians within the Roman Catholic Church. Despite his role as a member of the Church, Fiamma has malevolent intentions, and is responsible for the events that lead to World War III.
Fiamma of the Right's unique magic power is that of the Holy Right, which Fiamma usually invokes in the form of a third arm. Holy Right can do nearly whatever Fiamma desires, including destroying any object, fire beams and create swords of light and flame. Fiamma can only use the Holy Right a certain number of times, however, making his power a limited resource.
3 Matal Mogamett — Magi
Matal Mogamett is a major figure in the magical world of Magi, being not only the chancellor of Magnostadt Academy, but the ruler of Magnostadt itself. Despite his image as a benevolent ruler that cares for the growth of magicians, Mogamett cares little for non-magic users and treats them like livestock within his country.
Matal Mogamett is one of the most powerful magicians in magi, having control over both the White Rukh and the Black Rukh. He is also able to use many spells that allow him to do things like share memories of his past, or control water to summon rain.
2 Ainz Ooal Gown — Overlord
Ainz Ooal Gown is an unusual entry since he is the main protagonist of Overlord, and is not necessarily evil. However, he does occasionally show moments of cruelty and callousness, and his aesthetic appearance certainly brings to mind that of an evil wizard.
As an isekai protagonist, Ainz Ooal Gown is one of the most powerful characters in the series. He has access to countless high-level spells, including those that can summon monsters, create giant cyclones, and even grant wishes. In addition to magic, Ainz Ooal Gown also gains various benefits due to his unique role and status as an undead.
1 August — Fairy Tail
As the Wizard King and strongest member of the Spriggan 12, August was a core member of the Alvarez Empire's invasion of Fiore. While he is a stoic, reasonable person, his connection and loyalty to the Emperor of Alvarez, Zeref Dragneel, made him a terrifying foe for the members of Fairy Tail.
August's uniquely powerful magic gives him the ability to copy almost any magic he sees. While he can't copy every magic spell, he can copy Dragon Slayer Magic, which makes him formidable even against other Dragon Slayers. He could even copy the Fairy Tail guild's secret spell Fairy Glitter.