The sheer number of amazing characters in shonen anime absolutely boggles the mind at times. The excellent writing and strong characterization of these fictional people make them so intensely believable that they transform into some of the best parts of the overall experience. There are many shonen anime that feature these memorable characters that have become a staple of pop culture ever since they’ve made their debuts.
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While nailing a good anime protagonist is pretty hard in its own right, it’s the act of creating a compelling villain that is truly challenging. While most of these characters end up getting shoehorned into certain villainous cliches, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This is especially true in the case of some truly vicious shonen villains, who won’t stop until they’ve satiated their unending bloodlust. The following shonen anime villains fit this statement to a T.
10Frieza – Dragon Ball Z
Lord Frieza is one of the most diabolical villains of all time. He’s also an absolute tyrant who has no problem with killing off an entire planet just to snuff out any threat against his tyrannical reign.
Even during his horrid exploits on Namek,Frieza wastes no timein letting viewers know that he simply doesn’t care about anyone or anything around him. People, friends and foes alike, drop around him like flies whenever he wishes for this to be the case.
9Stain – My Hero Academia
Stain is literally a bloodthirsty villain that uses blood to fuel his Quirk. He’s a powerful and passionate villain whose intensity gives birth to a wave of diabolical villains who truly believe in the concept of anarchy itself.
It takes a herculean effort from the members of Class 1-A to put a stop to the terrifying acts of this villain. Even after his capture,Stain’s presence is still feltwithin the events ofMy Hero Academiato this day.
8Rize Kamishiro – Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoulis an anime that had a ton of promise, in no small part due tothe vicious nature of the ghouls in the show. No one personified this bloodthirstiness more than the woman who turned Kaneki into a ghoul, Rize Kamishiro.
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While she seemed like a normal girl, Rize’s true identity was that of a vicious ghoul who liked to toy with her victims before utterly decimating them. It took a stroke of good luck for Kaneki to avoid her onslaught, although this did lead to a part of Rize staying with Kaneki for good.
7Ryomen Sukuna – Jujutsu Kaisen
There are several bloodthirsty villainsinJujutsu Kaisenwho could’ve made this list. However, none of these cursed spirits even come close to the sheer power and inhumanity of Ryomen Sukuna.
The fact that Itadori has managed to suppress this spirit with such finesse is extremely impressive. Hopefully, this lovable protagonist can suppress the bloodlust of the cursed spirit inside him…but it’s clear that Sukuna will play a greater role in the events to come.
6Hisoka Morow – Hunter X Hunter
Hunter X Hunteris one of the greatest shonen anime of all time, and it’s a shame that the series keeps going into a hiatus over and over again. Nevertheless, the show has still garnered its fair share of fans, namely due to its highly engaging antagonists.
One such character who truly fits the title of a bloodthirsty shonen villain is Hisoka Morow. The man loves the very act of fighting itself, to the point where he’s addicted to the rush of battling strong opponents before snuffing their life for good.
5Dio Brando – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Dio Brando is one of the most iconic and entertaining villains in shonen history. His eccentric personality combined with a relentless thirst for power makes him one of the most diabolical characters to even feature in an anime.
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Even when he should’ve died, Dio somehow manages to make his way back from the grave and pester the descendants of the Joestar clan once again. He’s an excellent villain who deserves all the praise in the world for being such a riveting character…despite his literal bloodthirst.
4Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez – Bleach
TheArrancar arcmight’ve felt like a rehash of the brilliant Soul Society arc inBleach, but that shouldn’t take away from the engrossing nature of the antagonists present in this saga. One such character who is extremely entertaining is Grimmjow.
He proves to be a thorn in Ichigo’s side for the longest time before the Substitute Shinigami finally defeats him in one of the best battles in the series. This aggressive and sadistic villain might not have the greatest morals around, but Grimmjow has surprisingly become one of the more beloved characters in the anime due to how infectious his personality can be at times.
3Garou – One Punch Man
The idea of a Hero hunter going out of his way to beat the crap out of every hero around to settle a personal agenda sounds like a great origin story for any villain. InOne Punch Man, this brilliant backstory is given to Garou, one of the students of the Silver Fang.
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The relentless thirst for battle exhibited by this villain shows why he deserves a spot on this list. Garou might be no match forthe might of the great Saitama, but that doesn’t mean he’s unable to satiate his unending bloodthirst regardless.
2Barry The Chopper – Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemistis one of the greatest shonen anime of all time. Both the first adaptation and Brotherhood are pretty exciting in their own right, withthe character of Barry the Chopperbeing equally psychotic in both of them.
The spirit of this serial killer might be more hilarious inBrotherhood, but that does nothing to mask just how much he craves the very act of killing itself. In fact, he’s so obsessed that he even goes so far as to try and carve up his own body!
1Hidan – Naruto
Naruto Shippudenwas at its very peak when the Akatsuki was terrorizing the world with their antics. This led to various members of the group taking center-stage as powerful antagonists who never stopped in their collective quest to revive the Ten Tails.
That being said, each member also had agendas of their own, with Hidan’s being the clearest of the lot. He craves the act of killing and uses his own body like a voodoo doll of sorts to harm his opposition, which is one of the most disturbing things inNarutoby a country mile.
