Fans often pick sides and easily choose their favorite heroes and villains. Heroes like Demon Slayer‘s Tanjiro Kamado and Naruto Shippuden‘s Naruto Uzumaki, and villains like Psycho-Pass‘s Shogo Makishima and Hunter X Hunter‘s Hisoka Morrow enjoy equal fan-following. However, some anime characters do not fit either category.
Like A Certain Magical Index‘s Accelerator, some anime characters are neither the hero nor the villain of their stories. They are antiheroes with problematic and redeeming qualities. Fans, unable to decipher their true intentions and motivations behind them, grow more intrigued with what these characters offer.
10 Guts Is A Cold-Blooded Warrior (Berserk)
Berserk is famous for misleading its viewers. Its main characters aren’t obviously good or evil. Guts’ painful past has made him a lethal and ruthless warrior who does not hesitate to kill anyone who dares to cross his path. A lone wolf, Guts finds a sense of belonging when he joins a mercenary group under Griffith’s warm leadership.
While Guts comes to terms with the impermanence of life, audiences learn that what you see is not what you get. What started with Guts being the bad guy and Griffith the good guy, turned out to be the other way around.
9 Light Takes Justice Into His Hands (Death Note)
Light Yagami is a genius high school student bored with his monotonous life. He comes upon the Shinigami, Ryuk’s Death Note, and begins executing criminals. Light’s feelings for the world he inhabits, or the lack thereof, notably intrigue Death Note fans worldwide.
While Light wants to rid the world of all wrongdoers, his methods are questionable, sparking massive debates even in Death Note‘s fictional world. Fans enjoy and understand the motivation behind Light’s actions but are also wary of his God Complex and selfish desires.
8 Angelo Enjoyed Torturing His Enemies (91 Days)
91 Days‘ Angelo Lagusa’s parents and younger brother were the Vanetti crime family’s victims. The only survivor, Angelo, suffered from survivor’s guilt and changed his identity to survive. Upon receiving word from one of his father’s friends, Angelo returns to his hometown and earns the Vanetti family’s trust.
On his journey to avenge his family, Angelo becomes a killing machine who enjoys torturing and killing his enemies, especially those related to the atrocities committed against the Lagusa family. Angelo ends up becoming the villain of his own story.
7 Alucard Is A War-Loving Vampire (Hellsing Ultimate)
Sir Integra Hellsing’s attack dog, Alucard, is the Hellsing Organization’s ultimate weapon. Alucard is a war-loving vampire who aids vampire hunters in slaying his kind for a safer and better world. He doesn’t even hesitate to kill humans who pose a threat to his ideals.
Despite the pure evil dwelling within him, Alucard chooses not to use his abilities to harm innocent people. Although he is at the beck and call of Sir Integra, Alucard has a mind of his own. He uses his strength and powers justly when he could have easily leaned towards the dark side.
6 Hei Is A Merciless Assassin (Darker Than Black)
Hei is a Contractor in the underground world of Darker Than Black who maintains some likeness of his humanity despite exchanging it for powers. In a world where people sell their humanity, Hei continues to work as an assassin.
Hei doesn’t show any mercy to his targets and gets the job done without too much hassle. An employee at the Syndicate, Hei, does what is required while fighting his demons. While his temper is no joke, Hei tries his best to survive in a world where people have given up their humanity.
5 Eren Wants Justice For His People (Attack On Titan)
Eren Jaeger lost his mother to the Titans in the first episode of Attack On Titan. He endeavored to join the Survey Corps and get justice for his mother by slaying every Titan. However, his path to retribution led him to discover the true nature of the world he lived in and strived to protect.
Upon finding out the truth about Paradis Island and the raging animosity between Eldia and Marley, Eren’s obsession with freedom takes a backseat as he forges a plan to rid the world of his enemies by committing genocide.
4 Moriarty Wishes For A More Just Society (Moriarty The Patriot)
William James Moriarty is Moriarty the Patriot’s main character. An orphan adopted by the Moriarty family as a publicity stunt, Moriarty took it upon himself to help people achieve vengeance. He took great care to plan and help execute various crimes, including but not limited to thievery and murder.
Moriarty builds a reputation that paints him as evil, making him the target of all of society’s hatred. He even fakes his death to give the world the satisfaction of ridding their immaculate lives of his criminal influence.
3 Ray Is A Ruthless Sociopath (Angel Of Death)
Angel of Death‘s Rachel “Ray” Gardner seems like an average young girl on the surface, but her true colors are darker than one could imagine. While Ray appears calm and collected, she is anything but that. Ray lacks empathy and finds it difficult to express and understand complex emotions.
All floor masters think of Ray as ruthless and selfish. As the series progresses, Ray tries her hardest to escape the building, defeating everyone who tries to stop her. During this journey, as viewers find out more about Ray, they see why she is the antihero.
2 Lelouch Wants The World To Hate Him (Code Geass)
Lelouch vi Britannia was the eleventh prince of the Holy Britannian Empire and the son of the object of his hatred, Charles zi Britannia. Lelouch wanted to free Japan from the cruelty of the Empire in Code Geass. Despite his noble and pure intentions, Lelouch’s actions were morally questionable.
Lelouch painted himself as the villain for the world to come together to hate him and work together to get rid of him. In his process of creating an ideal world, Lelouch became one of the best antiheroes anime has ever seen.
1 Spike Is A Notorious Bounty Hunter (Cowboy Bebop)
Spike Spiegel is a space bounty hunter aboard the spaceship Bebop in Cowboy Bebop. With Jet Black, Faye Valentine, and others, Spike embarks upon various adventures, surviving in a commercial and dangerous world. Although Spike is a morally ambiguous character with some bothersome traits, he has an endearing side.
On the one hand, Spike provides shelter to a Welsh Corgi about to be sold off, but still doesn’t hesitate to steal from the elderly, puts others’ lives in danger, and chases bounties without regard for the repercussions of the same.