Some heroes are only a bad day away from becoming the evil they swore to fight. There is something thrilling about a protagonist walking a tightrope between heroism and absolute destruction.
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When anime strips its characters bare, what’s left is raw humanity. These are the stories that rise from ruin.
Anime has a way of makinga protagonist righteous and determined, but sometimes, they might not be stable, embodying a mix of good and evil. As anime fans, we all root for them, but we know that if things had gone differently, they would have been terrifying.
Moreover, these protagonists wrestle with themselves, adding to the overall narrative complexity and character development. Here are some protagonists who would make great villains if pushed too far or turned on the world:
10Yuji Itadori
A Hero Teetering On The Edge Of Villainy
Jujutsu Kaisen
Yuji’s journey in the world of sorcery has been a constant internal struggle. The fact that he is a vessel toSukuna, the king of all curses, creates tension between his identity and his darker side.
The recent altercation against Mahito in the Shibuya arc shows the potential for Itadori to slip into villainy. Coupled with the presence of Sukuna, Yuji grapples with the concepts of life and death in ways other characters in the series don’t.
His immense strength and resolve to accept his dark side would make him a dangerous villain.
9Gon Freecss
The Dark Side Of Innocence
Hunter x Hunter
Gon’s love for his friend and relentless pursuit of his goals make him a protagonist to root for. However, Gon’s emotions run deep, and when he completely loses himself to reach, there is a thin line between the Gon we know and an unhinged version of him.
Gon’s childlike attitude makes him trust people, and he has been shown many times that the world is complex. Hence, what if his trustworthiness morphs into cynicism?
The same passion that makes him admirable could work against him. A character who feels everything deeply and is willing to sacrifice it all has the potential to become as dangerous as any villain you could imagine.
The Power of The Demon Within
The Seven Deadly Sins
Meliodas walks the thin line between good and evil. If you really observed his character, it would have been easy for him to embrace darkness. He has the qualities of a great villain - unmatched strengths, a terrifying lineage, and a violent past.
Meliodas may joke around and act carefree, but the mask cracks when he is pushed too far. Also, the fact thathis life revolves around Elizabethmakes him more dangerous.
We’ve already seen what happens when he thinks he lost his only love, Elizabeth, and what if he blames the world for it? Even as a hero, Meliodas is despicable, and as a villain, he would excel if he had nothing to lose.
The Madness Of A God With No Limit
One Punch Man
In One Punch Man,Saitama does not fear anythingbecause nothing challenges him. While Saitama does not have a single evil bone in his body, what happens when he realises he does not want to be a hero and decides the world isn’t worth protecting?
Hence, what could anyone do if he did not care anymore and chose to turn on humanity? He is a god among mortals, and if he ever lost his sense of humanity, he would be the greatest villain anime has ever seen.
6Naruto Uzumaki
The Rage Of An Abandoned Child
Naruto grew up ina village that despised himand refused to see him as anything but a monster. Imagine he did not seek their acknowledgment and vowed to make Konoha village suffer for what they did to him.
There are many portrayals of Naruto’s destructive capabilities in the series, such as his fight against Pain, his training with Jiraiya, and many others. Kurama is another possibility of Naruto becoming the ultimate villain.
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Kurama often whispered hatred into Naruto’s mind, so what if he had listened? Naruto’s will never to back down makes him an inspiring hero, but it also makes him an unstoppable nightmare for Konoha and the shinobi world if he turns on them.
5Akira Fudo
A Demon With A Human Heart
Devilman Crybaby
Originally, Akira was a kind and gentle boy who was too soft to fight back against evil until he gained the devil’s power. When the demon Amon took over his body, he gained the demon’s memories, power, and rage but kept his humanity intact.
Hence, Akira vowed to protect his people from demons with his newly found power. Akira is a hero because he still protects his people, but what happens if he completely loses himself to darkness? He would just be another villain with destructive capabilities.
A Mercenary With No Master
Guts was a child soldier, and he fought for Gambino, who saved him as an infant. However, Gambino raised him with cruelty, and when he turned on the boy he once saved, Gut had no choice but to kill him.
The moment Gut’s comrades, the band of the hawks, were slaughtered should have turned him into evil. Casca, his only light in the darkness, was defiled before his eyes.
As a villain, Guts would be a man who knows there is no justice, doesn’t believe in redemption, and understands that power is the only truth. And a villain with this mindset would make the world burn.
A Power That Has No Equal
Dragon Ball
As a villain, Goku is a nightmare no one would ever want to consider. He lives for the thrill of battle, and the villain with this orientation would only bring the word pain.
The Saiyan man belonged to a warrior race that once burned down planets for nothing more than sports. As for Goku, his instinct to destroy was suppressed by the kindness of the people who raised him.
Since Goku loves fighting, if one takes away the moral compass that keeps him in check, Goku becomes a monster seeking out the strongest warrior and not caring if planets are destroyed.
2Lelouch Lamperouge
The End Justifies The Means
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Lelouch has a burning desire to free Japan from the imperialists and to protect his sister. While his goals are noble, his methods are ruthless.
He manipulates and sacrifices all for what he believes is the greater good. In other words, his sense of justice blinds him from the consequences of his actions. His ability to command loyalty and achieve his goals is both a strength and a flaw.
Hence, in a situation where his resolve shifts from the liberation of his country to absolute dominion, it would be the beginning of the end because he has already shown evil tendencies while achieving his noble goal.
A Man Lost To Himself
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
The entire life of Gabimaruwas spent in the service of an assassination group that only used him as a weapon. He hopes to make amends and find redemption for his violent past.
One of the things that makes Gabimaru a complex character is his internal struggle because he is not inherently evil, but a man shaped by circumstances. The love for his wife drives his pursuit of redemption, but as things stand, the memories about his wife might be a facade.
Hence, if he discovers that his sole purpose in seeking redemption is nonexistent, he might descend into darkness and embrace his evil self. If Gabimaru finds no purpose in life, it will make him a destructive force and a compelling villain.
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