The Best Demon Kings in Anime

Summary

• Demon Kings in anime vary from monsters to allies, with imposing strength and a range of roles in stories.
• Not all Demon Kings are antagonists; some, like Badigadi, embody specific traits and interact favorably with mortals.
• Anime Demon Kings like Muzan wield immense power, inciting fear among the characters, dictating terms, and manipulating their creations.

In most other media, Demon Kings are meant to be feared and revered, with little wiggle room in terms of amicability. Unsurprisingly, the anime industry has carved its own path with “demonic” storytelling, painting many of these dark lords in a more favorable light. And the few who remain in a life of depravity become truly horrific, ruthless nightmare-fuel, enhanced by their coldhearted, spine-chilling character designs.

For the sake of authenticity to the title, not just any devilish fiend with some authority over the dark side will be considered; fans are looking for the real regal stuff here (so sorry, Chainsaw Man!) Therefore, only those who rightfully boast a Demon King/Lord title qualify for this list.

Updated on January 19th, 2025, by C.M Edwards : A recurring trope in many modern anime is the existence of a Demon King. The anime world is filled with dark and tormenting villains and antagonists who possess evil powers and rule over legions of demons. These characters sit on their thrones to be worshiped by all who know their power and fear them without question as they rule with an iron fist and a merciless attitude. Every story must have a villain, and while most are monsters, not all demon kings are antagonists. Demon Kings possess great strength and are often placed in the hero’s story as a looming threat, reluctant ally, or something the hero is in debt to. When a demon king appears, it is cause for great caution, as a single transgression could prove fatal. Sometimes, multiple Demon Kings appear at once to bestow a warning, wisdom, or both. Here are more of the best demon kings in anime.

15

Badigadi

One Of The Eight Demon Kings

Jobless Reincarnation is one of the most bountiful anime worlds ever created, filled with numerous races, monster subtypes, and deities that operate in everyday life. In season 2 of Jobless Incarnation, Rudeus encounters Badaigadi during his stay at Ranoa Magic Academy.

Badigadi is the Demon King of Immortality and the fiancé of Kishirika. Badigadi presents himself as a very sociable entity that may look down on mortals but sees a fair amount of value in their existence. Badigadi loves to fight and holds the utmost respect for the strong. His loud and intrepid attitude matches his massive physique and direct nature.

14

Gomah

King Of The Demon Realm

Dragon Ball Daima is the newly released series in the Dragon Ball franchise, and it introduces a smorgasbord of new facts and lore that expand and rewrite some of the current canon of the universe. One of the new characters introduced is Gomah, the King of the Demon Realm.

Gomah is a small, impish-bodied creature with green skin and fangs. He claimed the title of demon king after Gohan slayed Dobura during the Buu Saga. Gomah’s abilities fall in line with characters such as Garlic Jr. and Babidi, as he can use magic and has a tricky disposition.

13

Klem

Demon King Of The Soul

Klem is one of the rulers of demon kind in How Not to Summon a Demon Lord. Summoned during the demon king revival ceremony, Klem arose from her former seal, a massive horned humanoid demon, but chose a different form, resembling a young girl instead.

Once a piece of the main body, which all demon lords were a part of after losing a battle, Klem now exists in the mortal plane as a member of the Diablo’s party. Klem is a very kind and sweet person, but has a ruthless mentality when provoked. Klem can be as sweet as sunshine, but she can go berserk when treated poorly and unleashes unspeakable power on anyone seeking to harm her or her friends.

12

Sukuna

The King Of Curses

Sukuna’s name alone is enough to strike fear in all Jujutsu Sorcerers except Satoro Gojo. With a history spanning thousands of years with gallons of bloodshed, Sukuna is known to be a heartless and unbelievably cruel curse user who takes pleasure in causing as much dismay and hardship as possible.

While he is not in his strongest form currently in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, he has still been an adequate threat that remains on the periphery of all Jujutsu Sorcerers.

11

Demon King Of Seven Deadly Sins

The Father Of Meliodas

The world of Seven Deadly Sins is filled with characters of cataclysmic power that can turn entire kingdoms into dust. Meliodas alone is known to be one of the strongest forces of nature in the world, but still comes second to the ruler of the demon clan, the Demon King.

The Demon King is the father of Meliodas and Zeldris, and also the source of their powers, having created the Ten Commandments and, in the process, granted them their strength. The demon king towers over mortals with no remorse in his presence and commands the utmost respect and terror from all his kin.

10

Ariel

King Of The Teretect Species

Ariel sits upon her throne of gluttony and rules over all demons and spider-folk alike; she is the oldest device among the races of demons and is the source or origin of all arachnid creatures that reside in the other world or “demon world.” Ariel seeks to destroy Kumoko with deadly prejudice for her mere existence and for inadvertently attacking her soul.

Ariel possesses great magical abilities along with two devastatingly powerful techniques: Gluttony, which allows her to devour all before her, and Humility, which grants her pseudo-godhood.

9

Kishirika

Demon Emperor Of Resurrection

While adventuring with Eris and Ruijerd, Rudeus came across what he thought was a weird little girl; However, it turned out to be Kishirika, the demon king.

On the outside, Kishirika comes off as a ditsy young child who has no clew about her surroundings, having been on the verge of starving to death until saved by Rudeus. But Kishirika possesses the power of a demon king and grants Rudeus an eye that can see the future.

8

Ainz Ooal Gown

Leader Of The Great Tomb Of Nazarick

Suzuki Satoru didn’t plan on being a Demon Lord for all eternity, but sometimes nostalgia rewards people in weird ways. This Yggdrasil fan gets more than he bargains for as he unknowingly embarks on his Isekai adventure through the familiar scenery of New World. Claiming the title of Overlord, Ainz Ooal Gown must maintain the appearance of a fearful leader, even when Albedo and Shalltear are shamelessly throwing themselves at him!

Ainz is well-versed in the magical system of the RPG universe and has accumulated substantial arcane spellcasting skills over the years, even if he is adapting a bit too well to the whole evil persona. Nevertheless, the Great Tomb of Nazarick and its quirky, sadistic NPCs have known no better leader than the great Ainz Ooal Gown!

7

Anos Voldigoad

The Deepest Darkness

Anos Voldigoad takes the term “overpowered” and hits it right out of the park, as he has yet to meet a foe that poses any challenge, besides being a time-consuming inconvenience. The Demon King of Tyranny didn’t expect any praise for sacrificing his life to save the world; however, he didn’t anticipate a false idol taking Anos’ place before his reincarnation, either.

Those with common sense quickly follow the true Demon King’s lead as he seeks to irradicate the unjust discrimination that poses as peace in Delzogade and beyond. The confident and charming Anos has his own Fan Union, arguably the Best Parents in anime history, and a loyal army of Demon Elders.

6

Muzan

Father Of All Demons

This trendy Demon King is front-and-center in the third season of Demon Slayer, after allowing his minions to do the brunt of the work and deciding to take a more hands-on approach. According to law, he is the first of his kind, the Count Dracula of Demons and instigator of evil, the relentless thorn in The Demon Slayer Corps’ side. Muzan’s main goal is to propagate the population with his bloodthirsty minions by either luring unsuspecting victims to the dark side or simply ending their existence entirely.

This tyrant is a potent nemesis on the battlefield, equipped with a vast selection of power-ups that improve the efficiency of his killing sprees. Muzan remains in control of his creations through the telepathic link he shared with all demons while flexing his remarkable transformative abilities.

5

Sadao Maou

Lord Of Hell

Satan Jacob decided a name change was in order after a rather abrupt relocation process landed him in the bizarre and laborious human realm. Fortunately for Sadao, he doesn’t have to go it alone, as his faithful sidekick and (surprisingly amicable) arch-nemesis are here to keep him company. Unfortunately, life has become a lot harder since being knocked from his pedestal, and Sadao is forced to sacrifice his usual status to work in the fast food industry as a means of survival.

Despite all these unnecessary hardships, this Demon King stays optimistic and performs to the best of his ability, taking the whole customer service business to heart! It’s no surprise that Emilia has found it hard to hate on Satan since getting to know him better, seeing as the dark-haired devil’s charm is simply irresistible.

4

Shiki Granbell

King Of The Magimech

Shiki Granbell has returned to the 2023 Spring stage after just two short years, amped up to continue his mission across the cosmos with his stunning Shining Stars in tow. Shiki may not be the quintessential Demon King but he is technically Ziggy’s rightful heir (even if his grandfather happens to be a cyborg!) Captaining the Edens Zero comes second nature to this young explorer as he captures hearts and expands his harem, respectfully, of course!

Despite his young age, Shiki is one of the most powerful Ether Gear users around, fueled by the iconic Satan Gravity, allowing him to manipulate the gravitational field around specifically targeted people or areas. He is also one of few fighters capable of accessing the Overdrive function, although he could benefit from a bit more practice in this form. Nevertheless, the Edens Crew loyally follow him into battle, knowing full well that their Demon King will try his darndest to protect them.

3

Diablo

The Strongest Demon King In The Land

Takuma Sakamoto might have been unceremoniously summoned to another world by two bodacious babes; however, he gets extensively rewarded for his efforts after taking up the Demon King moniker and using it to protect the weak. Thanks to his Magic Reflection Ring and incredible elemental powers, Diablo has little to fear; besides wandering hands and excessive nudity.

Despite his prickly demeanor, Diablo unintentionally gathers a harem of beauties during his adventures in the Cross Reverie-type land and, through no effort of his own, manages to regularly charm the socks (and a whole lot more) off of them. Giggles are guaranteed when Diablo is concerned, as he is potentially the most entertaining Demon King of them all.

2

Claude Jeanne Ellmeyer

The Fallen Crowned Pince

Another atypical “antagonist” comes in the form of the dashing Demon King of Regalia of Saints, Demons, and Maidens, whose bark is considerably more potent than his bite. Fortunately, the captivating Aileen keeps the Black Mage in touch with his humanity, allowing him better control over his emotions and subsequently keeping him out of trouble.

As foreboding as he (tries to) look, Claude is actually quite a cutie pie, practically falling for Aileen at first sight. And although he has authority over all the demons, the group of so-called deviants shares a familial-type bond, whereby respect evidently goes both ways. Claude is not one to throw his weight around, unless absolutely necessary.

1

Mephisto Pheles

The King Of Time

There are technically eight Demon Kings buried within Blue Exorcist’s storyline, but it’s pretty safe to say that Mephisto is the most memorable. The eccentric principal of True Cross Academy also goes by the name Johann Faust V and has strong Germanic roots (at least in terms of character design.) Mephisto appears to be overflowing with ulterior motives and has a knack for mind games, but generally sides with the good guys; Rin’s exorcist career would’ve been short-lived if it wasn’t for his meddling uncle.

Mephisto is more formidable than he lets on and is capable of messing with the very essence of space and time, granting him a god-like status. When the occasion calls for it, the Honorary Knight transforms himself into an adorable terrier adorned with an elaborate pink bow kerchief, and the same distinctive elitist attitude. Season 3 of Blue Exorcist has yet to be announced, but considering the six-year gap between seasons so far, fans can only hope that confirmation is around the corner (particularly after ending on such a cliffhanger).