8 anime where the villain wins

Most anime, and stories in general, follow a trend of good defeating evil and claiming victory in the end. That's not always realistic, though. Besides, themes get boring when they become overused. This article will cover eight anime where the villain succeeds in their goals.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Here are 8 anime where the villain achieves their goal

1) Hellsing Ultimate

Despite losing the war, The Major in the anime Hellsing Ultimate certainly won a few of his battles. His goal was to create a massive death toll, and that he did achieve. Defeating Alucard was a feather in The Major's cap. Although he was eventually shut down, this anime antagonist achieved most of his goals.

2) My Hero Academia

Stain, also known as the Hero Killer, committed many dirty deeds in My Hero Academia. His mission was to purge the society of heroes who chose their path for immoral reasons. His vigilante ideology may make Stain an anti-hero in the eyes of some anime fans. However, Stain killed numerous pro heroes, cementing his status as a villain.

3) Berserk

At the price of every friendship and bond he has, Griffith achieves ultimate power. Griffith brutally betrays everyone close to him and offers them as tributes to the Godhand. As his closest friends suffer horrifying deaths all around him, Griffith gives into evil and becomes the fifth member of the Godhand.

4) Death Note

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Although Light Yagami did not end up on top of the new world he planned to create, he certainly got a lot done. Light passed judgment upon countless people, condemning them to death. He also bested prodigy detective L, who was the main antagonist for the majority of the anime. Although he was taken down in the end, winning the intellectual death match with his rival L is a significant win for Light.

5) Devilman Crybaby

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At the end of this bleak anime, the protagonist and his lover both die. All of humanity is destroyed as Satan rises to power. The Earth becomes a lost cause, and God obliterates the planet to prevent further damage.

6) Neon Genesis Evangelion

Seele logo (Image via Evangelion Wiki)

In the end of this popular mech anime, only a few heroes are left alive. The survivors are left in a hollow world with nothing they can do to fix it. The shadowy organization, Seele, has achieved its goal by initiating The Human Instrumentality Project. Their plan succeeds, essentially forcing every human soul to merge into one.

7) Speed Grapher

Anime villain Suitengu is the ultimate winner in Speed Grapher. The criminal collects all the Yen in Japan and plants a bomb. He sets all of Japan's currency and the Roppongi Club that he despises in one building. He then detonates the bomb, ravaging the national economy and killing the heroes of the anime.

8) One Piece

Here, the term "villain" is subjective. Obviously, the Straw Hat Pirates are the protagonists in this anime. The Navy is an arm of justice for the World Government, but the general consensus is that the World Government is comprised of grossly wealthy crooks. Therefore, many of the Navy's actions are built on an immoral foundation.

During the Battle of Marineford, the Navy succeeded in the execution of Ace. It certainly didn't go as the Navy had planned, and One Piece isn't over yet. But Luffy's big brother did indeed die at the hands of a Naval officer.

Summary

The events listed in this article were chosen based on the impact that they had on their respective anime. Most of the anime in this article concluded after the villain achieved their goals. However, that rule does not apply to My Hero Academia and One Piece. Additionally, the plans for Berserk are still being hashed out, so there may be more to come before the end of Griffith's story.

Edited by R. Elahi