Anime Heroes Who Turned Evil

Key Takeaways

• Protagonists turning into villains in anime is rare but engaging due to complexities.
• Complex backstories drive characters like Lelouch, Vegeta, and Homura to dark paths.
• Tragic hero to villain development is seen in Eren, Griffith, Takizawa, and Walter.

It isn’t rare to see antagonists of a show switch sides, but it is definitely rare to see protagonists go down a dark path and end up as villains or even the main antagonists of the show.

Often, such characters are loved by the fans due to their complexities and backstories, which leads them to these actions. We’ll not just focus on characters who became villains permanently. but also those who went down a dark path for a short time.

Spoilers below for various anime.

8

Lelouch Vi Britannia

Code Geass

Lelouch, our main protagonist in Code Geass at the start, is the exiled prince of Britannia who aspires to create a better world for his sister Nunnally. Lelouch is shown to be a protagonist who has great ambitions and intellect. When C.C gives Lelouch the Geass power, Lelouch takes on the role of Zero and starts working towards his rebellion against his father’s oppressive regime.

Lelouch goes on a darker path here as he inadvertently orders his sister Euphemia to massacre a group of Japanese citizens, which triggers mass bloodshed. Although this was originally by accident, Lelouch fully takes on the role of antihero from here onwards. Lelouch becomes a cold and calculating villain in the eyes of everyone, as he is ready to sacrifice whatever is necessary for his cause.

7

Homura Akemi

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Homura Akemi in Puella Magi Madoka Magica is perhaps one of the saddest and most heart-wrenching cases of heroes turning into villains. She begins as a timid girl who becomes a magical girl to save her friend Madoka from a tragic fate.

As the story progresses, however, she lives through the same timeline and in desperation, falls into a morally gray area. Her turning point comes in the Rebellion movie when her obsession to protect Madoka ends up with her betraying Madoka herself. To prevent Madoka from ascending to godhood and erasing her existence, Homura becomes a self-proclaimed demon by rewriting reality itself and taking control of Madoka’s powers.

In the end, Homura’s actions were driven more by love and although her actions are quite understandable, it remains that her actions were selfish, to say the least.

6

Kai Hiwatari

Beyblade

If you grew up in the ’90s, you probably still remember when Kai betrayed the Bladebreakers in the first season of Beyblade. When the Bladebreakers go to Russia for the final battle against the Demolition Boys, Boris subjects the Bladers to intense training in Balkov Abbey.

However, it seems that Kai is holding on to some secrets as we see him venture into the Abbey alone later, where Boris tries to convince him to join them over the speakers. At first, Kai is resistant, but when he finally sets his sights on Black Dranzer, he agrees to become part of the Demolition Boys, driven by the power that the Beyblade possesses.

When Kai appears in the battle against the All-Starz from the Demolition Boys, everyone is shocked. Although he later makes his redemption, this is a turn of events that no one expected.

5

Vegeta

Dragon Ball Z

Vegeta’s character is arguably one of the most complex ones in Dragon Ball Z and throughout the series, we’re constantly reminded to not underestimate the prince of all Saiyans.

After the end of Cell Saga, it seems that Vegeta has finally taken the role of an earthling. However, when the threat of Buu approaches, Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta with the help of Supreme Kai try to put an end to Bibidi’s plans. It’s here that Vegeta learns Bibidi’s ability to bring out the power in a person by using the evil they possess.

In a shocking turn of events, Vegeta willingly gives up control of his mind so that Bibidi can restore him to his former self. Vegeta ends up killing a lot of people and fans finally get to see the fight they’ve been waiting for when Goku and Vegeta go head to head against each other after so long. Although Vegeta makes his redemption later, this is a great reflection of Vegeta’s character in a nutshell.

4

Seidou Takizawa

Tokyo Ghoul

Seidou Takizawa’s transformation into the Owl in Tokyo Ghous is likely the saddest and most disturbing one in the history of anime. Originally, Takizawa was an investigator for the CCG who wanted to eliminate ghouls and bring a positive change in the world.

However, after he is captured by the Aogiri Tree, a powerful ghoul organization, Takizawa’s shift comes as he is subjected to extreme torment and brutal experiments that turn him into a half-ghoul. Continuous psychological and physical torture eventually breaks Takizawa and eventually, he succumbs to the temptations and reemerges as the Owl, a ghoul that eats both ghouls and humans.

Takizawa’s case is less of a villain and more of a tragic hero who had all of his humanity stripped off of him.

3

Walter C. Dornez

Hellsing Ultimate

Walter C. Dornez was originally a butler to Sir Integra Hellsing; however, out of a mix of obsession and a burning desire for legacy, Walter wanted to kill Alucard to prove his own worth and combat his fears of becoming old.

Although the narrative was far from perfect, the fact remains that Walter’s desire to surpass Alucard had been there since he was 14. His ambitions were a lot more complex than what meets the eye because he did not just intend to destroy Alucard, but planned to die regardless of the outcome.

In his pursuit of this goal to find the meaning of his own, Walter went through a flawed process of vampirification by the Millennium Doctor, which transformed him into a vampire. The process also made him much younger, but because it was rushed, it caused rapid deterioration. Even while fighting Alucard, the Angel of Death became aware that time was not on his side but pushed ahead. His desperation led to his tragic transformation into a villain, one which was driven by a desire for meaning at the cost of his own humanity.

2

Eren Yeager

Attack On Titan

Attack on Titan had already become one of the best anime when its first two seasons aired, but perhaps no one could have predicted the outcome of the show would be this.

Eren Yeager is the definition of a tragic hero turned villain. Originally the main protagonist of the show, Eren is shown to be a young boy who wants to protect humanity so that it can one day flourish against the Titans.

From the very start, Eren is shown to be zealous and ambitious. However, the turning point comes in the later seasons when Eren learns about Marley’s oppression of Eldians. This triggers him to end the cycle of violence by using the Rumbling.

The massacre of innocents in Marley confirms that Eren has lost the line between right and wrong. When the story unfolds its finishing chapters, fans are forced to question what it even means to seek freedom if it comes at the cost of others’.

1

Griffith

Berserk

When it comes to heroes becoming villains and top betrayals in anime history, we just have to mention Griffith from Berserk. Griffith is originally the leader of the Band of the Hawk who aspires to build his kingdom. This inspires unwavering loyalty from his comrades, especially Guts.

However, as the show progresses and Griffith suffers a series of defeats and capture by the kingdom of Midland, Griffith is left broken. With his dream now shattered, he makes a fateful decision during the Eclipse to sacrifice his own comrades to get god-like power. This leads him to become Femto. The worst of it comes when he betrays Guts and Casca and watches them get slaughtered in pursuit of his ambitions.