Anime is filled with vicious villains who have committed some of the worst betrayals in history. Most of these betrayals come from villains who weren’t always bad. They were once heroes or allies with the main character of the franchise, turning their backs on their friends in a moment of desperation.
Some characters were always evil and revealed their true motives when the time was right. These characters are deceptive, manipulative, and for most of the series that they’re part of, at least a few steps ahead of the good guys.
Nobody can see a good anime betrayal coming, and that’s why they’re so brutal. Most of the darkest anime betrayals of all time come when the viewer and the main character is least expecting it, leaving them wondering how everything went so horribly wrong.
10
Kokushibo Becomes a Demon
Demon Slayer
- Created by
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Koyoharu Gotouge
- First Film
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Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train
Kokushibo is one of the best villains in Demon Slayer, but he wasn’t always. Before he was the Upper Moon Rank One Demon, he was one of the strongest Demon Slayers in history alongside his brother Yoriichi. Yoriichi was always stronger than Kokushibo (real name Michikatsu Tsugikuni), and Kokushibo couldn’t handle the difference in their strength.
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Instead of humbling himself and accepting that he would always be the second best, Kokushibo accepted Muzan’s offer to become a demon. Kokushibo became much stronger and killed a lot of the people he once called allies. It’s a dark turn for a character that once destroyed the very beings he decided to join.
9
Rob Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno are Cipher Pol Agents
One Piece
- Created by
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Eiichiro Oda
- First Film
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One Piece: The Movie
For the most part, One Piece is a pretty straightforward series. Monkey D. Luffy’s enemies are heavy-hitters in the Navy, evil Warlords, or dubious pirates that look to get in his way. Nobody could have seen that Rob Lucci, Kalifa, Blueno, and Kaku were actually agents of Cipher Pol 9 and Luffy’s newest problems.
Not only were these characters villains, but they also forced Nico Robin to join them. They’re a brutal gang of thugs who do what they want with their own twisted sense of justice. Luckily, Luffy was able to unveil Gear Second and Gear Third against CP9, defeating them for the time being.
8
Sasuke Turns His Back on the Leaf
Naruto
Sasuke spent most of Naruto: Shippuden as a villain. He’s a complicated character with a brutal past and more trauma than most other characters in anime. When he was a child, he found out that his older brother had annihilated his entire clan and never understood why.
When Sasuke found out that Itachi killed his fellow Uchiha to protect the Leaf, he couldn’t handle it. He turned his back on everyone and everything he once knew to get revenge for his brother. He joined the Akatsuki, fought against Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi, and became one of the strongest villains in the entire series.
7
Takauji Annihilates the Hojo Clan
The Elusive Samurai
Takauji Ashikaga is a character that transcends words. He’s closer to a force of nature than an actual human being. He started The Elusive Samurai as one of the strongest leaders and soldiers that the Hojo Shogunate could rely on. By the second episode, he’s the cornerstone of their downfall.
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Takauji led the betrayal of the Hojo Clan so that he could install his own shogunate. His betrayal couldn’t have been more brutal, as he made sure to kill everyone involved with the Hojo Clan. If it wasn’t for Tokiyuki’s amazing evasion skills, he would’ve fallen with the rest of his clan.
6
Dio Kills Jonathan’s Dad
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Created by
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Hirohiko Araki
- TV Show(s)
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JoJo Bizarre Adventure
Before Dio Brando was one of the best villains in anime, he was a normal kid. Well normalish, as his malicious tendencies could help themselves around Jonathan Joestar. During Phantom Blood, the first part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Dio Brando is living with the Joestars as one of their own.
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By the end of Phantom Blood, Dio has racked up more betrayals than anyone could have believed. He forced himself onto Jonathan’s girlfriend, poisoned Jonathan’s dad, and even burned Jonathan’s dog alive. It was an early indication of just how cruel and evil Dio Brando truly is.
5
Walter Joins Millenium
Hellsing Ultimate
Walter was one of the most loyal characters in anime before he completely changed. In Hellsing Ultimate, Walter is the ultimate butler and the right-hand man to the head of the Hellsing family, Integra Hellsing. Walter was Integra’s advisor, protector, and even acted as a father figure when she needed him most.
Walter was always jealous of Alucard’s godlike abilities. He couldn’t stand that he was constantly playing second fiddle to the most powerful weapon the Hellsing family had. When the Hellsings went to war with Millenium, Walter switched sides, gaining godlike abilities of his own at the cost of his humanity.
4
Aizen Betrays Soul Society
Bleach
- Created by
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Tite Kubo
- First Film
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Bleach: Memories of Nobody
Bleach is one of the biggest shōnen anime series of all time and one of the “Big Three”, next to Naruto and One Piece. It’s a series so influential to the shōnen genre that it’s hard to imagine what the genre would be like without it. There aren’t too many unexpected moments in shōnen series, but Bleach has one of the biggest in all anime.
Aizen was one of the strongest characters in Bleach and one of the Gotei 13. He betrayed his fellow Soul Society members when he defected and tried to overthrow the Soul King, leading to an all-out war. It was a shocking and brutal betrayal that will be remembered for a very long time.
3
Rachel Pushes Bam
Tower of God
Rachel was a hero before she became a villain. She was the first person that Bam ever met, and she taught him everything he knew before he entered the Tower. Bam only wanted to be friends with Rachel as well, and he went out of his way more than once to protect her.
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During an important exam, Rachel pushed Bam to his death. It’s a moment that came out of nowhere, as up until this point in the series, nobody could have suspected Rachel’s true intentions. Rachel is then revealed to be a manipulative, deceitful character who will kill anyone in her way if it means climbing another floor.
2
Reiner and Bertholdt are Titans
Attack on Titan
- Created by
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Hajime Isayama
- First Film
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Attack on Titan: The Crimson Bow and Arrow
The first episode of Attack on Titan is one of the most memorable in anime because of how brutal it is. Eren and his family live peacefully until a giant Titan shows up and destroys the wall protecting them. This leads to a massacre of almost everyone that Eren knows, including his mother.
Years later, Eren is a soldier fighting for humanity next to Bertholdt and Reiner. Under a ton of stress, Reiner reveals that he’s one of the Titans responsible for the slaughter of Eren’s village. It’s one of the most unexpected, heart-wrenching betrayals in anime because Eren considered these two his close friends.
1
Griffith Sacrifices the Band of the Falcon
Berserk
- Created by
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Kentaro Miura, Kouji Mori
- First Film
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Berserk: The Golden Age Arc 1: The Egg of the King
Berserk made a name for itself as one of the darkest anime series of all time. Griffith’s betrayal of his allies is a major reason why, as the Eclipse is not only a major event in the series, it defines it. Griffith was the shining leader of the Band of the Falcon, leading his band of mercenaries from victory to victory.
After Guts left the group (to become a person Griffith would respect more, ironically), Griffith lost it. He slept with a princess, got charged with treason, and was imprisoned. He was eventually freed by his Band, but his mind was gone. He then used the Crimson Behelith to sacrifice almost everyone, killing just about everyone who he was called friend.
