From stereotypes to complex characters

Key points

• Anime villains have evolved from one-dimensional to complex, with tragic backstories and noble intentions.
• Characters like Vegeta and Light Yagami have become anti-heroes with morally gray motivations.
• Recent anime have introduced deeply human and sympathetic villains like Shigaraki Tomura and Zeke Yeager.

Anime villains were simple. They were powerful, ruthless and often predictable. Their motivations were simple: rule the world or tear it apart. There is no backstory, no complexity, just pure evil. But over time, anime storytelling has evolved and things have changed. Today, anime villains have morphed into something more nuanced, layered, and, dare we say, almost relatable.

To be precise, the villains have gotten deeper. Suddenly we see antagonists with tragic pasts, conflicting morals, and even noble intentions. We see how anime has gone from one-dimensional villains to antagonists we can't help but reflect on.

When bad was just bad

The days of one-dimensional villains

Originally, anime villains were designed to be, simply, hated. They wore their black cloaks, cackled menacingly, and had all the subtlety of a brick to the face. These villains were powerful beings with an insatiable lust for destruction, world domination, or personal revenge.

Frieza, for example, wasn't exactly reflecting on his place in the cosmos or dealing with existential angst. He was ruthless, cold-blooded and just plain evil. If he was in a scene, it was because he was there to fight or to monologue about his plans to rule the universe. And the fans loved it.

I doubt I need any introduction, but just in case, I am the mighty Frieza… and yes, all the horrible stories you've heard are true.

There's something cathartic about seeing a simple villain defeated by a noble hero. But as time went on, audiences wanted more depth and, well, the creators of the anime delivered.

When the antagonists have calmed down

Bad boys who made us think!

As anime has grown in popularity, the genre has evolved, and so have its offenders. Anime creators began experimenting with characters that blurred the line between hero and villain. Instead of mustache-twirling evildoers, we started seeing characters like Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z Hiei Yu Yu Hakushoand even Gaara da Naruto. These characters, while initially positioned as antagonists, had their own complex backstories and motivations that were not purely “evil”, but came from a place of grief, loss, or survival.

People cannot win against their own loneliness – Gaara

Take Vegeta, for example. At the beginning he is a proud and power-hungry Saiyan intent on proving himself superior to Goku. But as the series progresses, we see Vegeta's character transform. He begins to bond with others, questions his motives, and even falls in love. He became the man we rooted for, a true antihero in every sense of the word.

Bad guys with a cause

Around the 2000s we entered what some might call the “golden age” of anime villains. They were characters with morally gray motivations who weren't easy to dismiss as mere villains. Enter villains like Light Yagami from Deathnote, Shogo Makishima from Psycho-Pass, and Lelouch Lamperouge from Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. These characters don't want to destroy the world; they want to change it, each with their own vision of justice, however twisted it may be.

I understood that killing people was a crime. There was no other way! The world needed to be fixed! – Light Yagami

Light Yagami begins with arguably noble intentions. He wants to rid the world of criminals using the mysterious Death Note, a notebook that kills anyone who writes his name. But as he gains power, his initial righteous intentions are overshadowed by his growing god complex. By the end of the series, we're left wondering if Light was ever truly a “good guy” or simply corrupted by power?

The era of relationality: when bad guys make us think

More recent anime go a step further, introducing villains who are not only complex but also deeply human and, brace yourselves, sometimes even sympathetic.

Shigaraki Tomura is an example of how trauma can shape one's worldview. His past of abandonment, neglect, and an accidental family tragedy is heartbreaking, making his subsequent descent into evil all but inevitable. Shigaraki's story reveals how society can fail its citizens, pushing someone down a dark path.

And then there's Zeke Yeager. His view of humanity is bleak, but his past sheds light on the reasons behind his ideology. As we uncover the layers of his character, he stops being just an antagonist; he becomes a person shaped by the cruelties of his environment. Zeke's character reminds us that not all villains are born; some are made by their circumstances.

Why we need complex villains in anime

Complexity makes villains unforgettable

So why are anime villains evolving from classic “villains” to characters that are almost as compelling (if not more than) the heroes? The answer lies in the fact that audiences want stories that reflect the complexities of real life.

Real-world “bad guys” are rarely evil just for the sake of being evil: they are often the product of their environment, their experiences, and their choices. Reflecting this in anime, creators invite audiences to think critically, even empathize, with characters who would otherwise be easy to hate.