The Best Anime Protagonists Who Became Villains

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Summary

  • Not all anime protagonists remain heroes, some spiral into darkness due to tragic events or a thirst for power.
  • Iconic characters like Artoria Pendragon, Light Yagami, and Lelouch Lamperouge shift from hero to villain dramatically.
  • From twisted versions of themselves to quests for revenge, these heroes turn into ruthless antagonists.

“As an avid anime fan, I’ve come to appreciate that not all protagonists are paragons of virtue. Sometimes, even the most ordinary, imperfect characters can succumb to darkness, forever altering their initial heroic roles. Even when they once shone brightly as the main characters, their rapid transformation into adversaries can tarnish their previously stellar performances.”

Wow, these stories are fascinating! It seems like the authors had a knack for turning the most noble characters into dark villains, demonstrating that even the brightest stars can succumb to darkness. This collection highlights some of the most dramatic transformations – from a paragon of virtue who morphed into a relentless dark paladin, to an innocent bystander who was corrupted by his father’s influence and became evil.

6. Artoria Pendragon – Saber Alter (Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel)

When The Most Righteous Of Heroines Fall

In an alternate portrayal, the spirit of Artoria (or Arturia) Pendragon as a Heroic Spirit, known as Alter, is a distorted and despairing reflection of the noble King of Knights. Her feelings of remorse were amplified by the tainted Grail, leading to her transformation into the darkest manifestation of Camelot’s ruler.

Once radiantly wielded by its noble bearer, Excalibur now bears the taint of Morgan LeFey’s corrosive energy. The once healing light of Avalon Sheat has transformed into a potent source of decay and rot, corrupting all it touches. This former heroine, now a villain, forsakes her honor in pursuit of power, aiming to alter the destiny of her crumbling kingdom through ruthless means.

5. Light Yagami (Death Note)

Started As A Vigilante, But Turned Into A Drunk With Power Psycho

When Light Yagami obtained the Death Note and experienced the exhilarating feeling of controlling life and death, there was a shift within him. Over time, he transformed into a brooding vigilante, eventually becoming a relentless and disturbed individual willing to go to any lengths to achieve his objectives.

In a nutshell, Light Yagami, initially a powerful and noble hero, transforms into a villain due to the corrupting influence of power. A pivotal moment in the story occurs when his alter-ego, Kira, starts dominating him, particularly as he devises an intricate plan to vanquish L. Overcoming his main adversary made Light feel invincible, leading him down a path towards insanity, where the Kira persona completely took over.

4. Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass)

A Revolutionary Leader Turned Into A Dark Avenger

I, an onlooker, bear witness to a remarkable figure, a grand strategist named Lelouch. Guided by his unwavering principles, he rises against those who sought to inflict destruction upon his kin and imprison his sister in a vicious cycle of violence and political oppression. As the narrative unfolds, Lelouch gradually surrenders his moral authority, as the enigmatic power of Geass begins to subdue him.

His descent into moral gray areas signifies the conclusion of his career as a revered revolutionary figure, transforming him into a relentless, vengeful character who will go to extreme lengths to retaliate against those who harmed his loved ones. He has effectively transitioned from hero to antagonist; he’s been tainted by darkness and is forever altered by his brush with evil.

3. Griffith (Berserk)

A Coward Who Gave Away His Humanity For Power

Once a shining example of chivalry and exceptional leadership, Griffith’s transformation into darkness is among the most startling instances of a hero-turned-villain in anime lore. The seeds of this downfall are sown when Guts departs from the Band of the Hawk on his personal journey. This departure leaves Griffith without one of his top soldiers, an event that leads to a series of unfortunate events. Over the course of a year, Griffith is captured and subjected to extreme torture before eventually being rescued by his comrades.

In a state far removed from his past glory, Griffith found himself prepared for a crucial event as a rare Eclipse, happening every two centuries, activated an ancient artifact in his possession: the Behelit of the God Hand. This moment presented him with a stark choice: give in to darkness and sacrifice his friends for power, or endure weakness and impotence. His metamorphosis into the loathsome, cruel, and monstrous character known as Femto epitomizes wickedness.

2. Eren Jaeger (Attack On Titan)

Saw No Way Out But To Make Humanity Unite Against Him

Eren’s journey, starting as a powerless villager in Eldia, evolving into its champion, and ending up as an adversary to the world, represents a harsh and violent metamorphosis that left countless fans of Attack On Titan astonished. Despite the storyline often concealing Eren’s reasons for his descent from hero to antagonist, it becomes apparent that his goal has always been to improve the world.

In due time, upon unveiling the authentic source of the Titan’s power and the role Eldia played in the Great Titan War, I realized that the sole path to halt the relentless cycle of violence was annihilating this cursed power once and for all. While his tactics were debatable, the outcome was as he had foreseen. In hindsight, this antagonist proved to be a self-sacrificing hero, albeit the series finale was one of the most disheartening twists in anime history.

1. Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto & Naruto: Shippuden)

A Rogue Ninja Who Spent His Life Burning Bridges

Initially, Sasuke was a content and well-behaved child. However, a tragic turn of events occurred on a particular night when his brother plotted to annihilate their entire family. This incident left an indelible scar on Sasuke’s life and propelled him towards a vengeful journey. Over time, this path led him to become a significant adversary in the series. Sasuke’s descent into darkness is quite a rollercoaster, demonstrating that even the most promising students can transform into ruthless foes if provided with the right opportunities.

Before Naruto can eventually make sense prevail (with the help of their friendship), he remains steadfast in his intention to destroy anyone and everything dear to him as part of his revenge against his older brother. Ironically, unaware of this consequence, by killing his brother he also erased the last family member who cared for him from existence.

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2025-01-07 13:34