The first thing that normally draws me in to an anime is it’s world. A good example of this is my love for One Piece. While One Piece does indeed have several good qualities, none are as impressive as it’s world. Eiichiro Oda did a brilliant job with mapping out the world and being creative with each aspect of it.
2.) Relatable Characters
When watching not only anime but anything, it is interesting to view characters who have similarities to us. This is because we can put ourselves in their shoes and feel more emersed in what we see. In some cases we can even understand exactly where a character is coming from, allowing us to feel more emotion towards him or her.
3.) Unrelatable Characters
It was necessary to separate relatable and unrelatable characters because they both bring a completely different feeling to the viewer. Unlike relatable characters, unrelatable characters normally bring up something new within us. Often times they cause a change in us to occur so that we want to try and accomplish something we haven’t before. Maybe something that previously seemed impossible now seems within grasp.
4.) Animation
To go along with a world, the animation is something that will draw you in before you even watch a show. Studios like Bones and Madhouse are so good that most people watch all of their shows just because it was animated by them.
5.) Music
Music is essential in almost all forms of entertainment. In anime, since most of them focus on getting good animation, it’s harder to find good music in anime. While this isn’t a great thing, it also means that the ones with good music shine out above others.
Although Lord Boros has one of the coolest designs in anime, he is surprisingly simple. Boros didn’t get as much screen time as many would have liked. All we know is that he has tremendous power and traveled from planet to planet searching for an opponent who would be a challenge. While these things already make Boros an interesting antagonist, it’s not what put him on this list. He is here because unlike most other villains who have never lost and end up losing, he doesn’t complain. Boros respects Saitama for being able to beat him and even understood that Saitama wasn’t using his full power.
A truly fearsome adversary. Cell is my favorite villain from Dragon Ball Z because of his intelligent yet psychotic attitude. When first introduced he even brought in some horror elements to this show that was previously so upbeat. Cell is also partially responsible for bringing out the Super Sayian 2 transformation in Gohan Son, albeit not in a pleasant way.
Originally from the hit game Persona 4, Tohru Adachi is a sly, psychotic villain who was blessed with power. He is originally seen working in the police force but is secretly working against them. The animated version of Persona 4 did Adachi justice, having him lurk in the shadows up until the end. The fact that he wasn’t revealed as the villain until the last few episodes was impressive. Small hints and clues pointed towards him being the antagonist the whole time but nothing to completely give it away.
Chrollo Lucilfer is the definition of someone who does things by actions rather than words. As one of the strongest characters in Hunter x Hunter, Lucilfer is an extreme threat that never shows weakness. He always and only acts with precision and complete knowledge of a situation. From his extremely enjoyable fighting style to his amazing intelligence, Lucilfer is always a joy to watch.
A king with everything the world has to offer. Gilgamesh is a very popular character from an extremely popular series. His cool design, his always calm demeanor, and his incredible strength are some of the things that make him so entertaining to watch. Gilgamesh also has one of the coolest Noble Phantasms in the series called the Gate of Babylon. He took out several of the strongest servants in the Holy Grail War without taking so much as a scratch. Anything Gilgamesh wants, he shall receive.
Almost all of the other characters on this list are likable in a maniacal sort of way. That is not quite the case for Meruem. While the first impressions of him are as evil as one can imagine, killing women and children without remorse, most will still end up feeling for him in the end. Meruem is also one of the few antagonists you will see find love. Perhaps one of the reasons he isn’t in my number one spot is because it’s hard to see him as an antagonist, despite the atrocities he’s committed.
Everything a villain has to offer is expressed through the character of Donquixote Doflamingo. He is smart, strong, privileged, and straight up psychotic. His character design is also very interesting as well as his “Ito Ito no Mi”devil fruit, which he has full mastery over. Doflamingo is also the first person in the show to completely show off an awakened devil fruit. It is rare to see him without a smile on his face, albeit a psychotic one that only grows the angrier he gets. Doflamingo also shows a large amount of love towards his crew which is nice to see because it makes him seem slightly more humane. However, easily my favorite part about him is the fact that he spouts more impactful quotes than anyone else on the show. Every time a word comes out of his mouth, expect it to have meaning behind it.
“Pirates are evil? The Marines are righteous? These terms have always changed throughout the course of history! Kids who have never seen peace and kids who have never seen war have different values! Those who stand at the top determine what’s wrong and what’s right! This very place is neutral ground! Justice will prevail, you say? But of course it will! Whoever wins this war becomes justice!” Doflamingo said during the war at Marineford. This is easily my favorite quote in all of One Piece and further signifies why I think Doflamingo is the best anime antagonist.
The Other Side of Anime 