Parijat Ghosh 
Otakus know best how anime used to be, the overall cliché of good fighting the bad. We had pure evil maniacs like Orochimaru, chaotic manipulators like Light Yagami, and the epitome of everything bad. Now, standing in the era of modern anime, the appeals of villains have changed. So far, we have started rethinking whether we are siding with the hero or not. They come with complexities, layers, back stories so heart-wrenching we come to tears. Let’s talk about this.
Sympathetic Anime Villains
Take the blueprint of Itachi Uchiha, and paste it on others. Maybe this is why Itachi was the most loved character of Naruto. And now we see that transition in most modern-day anime villains. Most of these villains are not villains; they are anti-heroes. Take Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan. Did Eren start as a soldier to protect humans? Yes. Did he also destroy a fraction of that population? Also yes. But it wasn’t a selfish reason. He had convinced himself it was the only way of saving his people, the Eldians of the Paradis Island.
Ideals Shaped From Pain & Trauma
These good-turned-bad antagonists are the result of one simple thing. Past experiences. Past experiences that are so fatal that you ultimately lose the moral compass you always carried with pride. We have a great candidate to explain this. Yes, Suguru Geto from Jujutsu Kaisen. Once, a strong-willed boy saved people from curses, crashed out on the same humans, calling them “monkeys”. Why? Because he was losing everything he held dear. Friends, accomplices, all in the name of saving those who don’t bat an eye at the struggles of young sorcerers.
Two Sides, To Equal Perspectives
Modern anime blurs the lines between heroes and villains, both in a fight to exist and take the last jab. Oftentimes, the only thing that sets the two apart is perspective- whose story are you following and relating to. Dabi and Todoroki share the same parents who shaped their morals and ideals, and yet they fell out on two sides of the spectrum. While Todoroki turned into a hero, Dabi let the trauma lead his rage. Which, let me tell you, is the practical answer to that extent of pain.
We Relate, We Understand
Collectively, the entirety of this generation is going through something unspoken, undetected. And yet it’s there. And that’s why we understand why these villains are villains. Maybe if you had watched your wife die like Akaza, you too would have chosen his path. Maybe if you had watched your closest friends and peers risk death before your eyes like Geto, you too would have flipped out. It is like we collectively hate the action, but understand the intent and cause.
Pick Your Villain – Anime villains are going to get more iconic, dangerous, and yet depressing. And, we know we will stan them all on our otaku journey. Unless you are into the evil-EVIL ones (Yes, talking about the Sukuna fanboys and fangirls). But, they say, no judgment in the anime community.
If you have any questions regarding Anime villains, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more content, stay tuned. As usual, like, subscribe, and share our articles as we here are trying to build a community of people High on Cinema!
