Ask John: Who’s the Most Evil Anime Villain of All Time?

Question:
In your opinion, John, which anime villain is the most evil and malicious of all time? Orochimaru and Freeza are probably the most famous in this category but surely there’s someone else far worse than them.


Answer:
Given the fantastical nature of anime, its abundance and variety of villains should be no surprise. Several of them immediately spring to mind as candidates for particularly ruthless and malicious characters. Gatchaman’s distinctive Berg Katz may be considered if for no other reason than the sheer staggering number of henchmen he/she sacrificed in the effort to conquer the Earth. Gundam’s Char Aznable is certainly one of anime’s most charismatic villains, so colorful and magnetic in personality that otaku may overlook Char’s near successful attempt to end all life on Earth. Fuma Monou of the X movie is memorable for his swift and wholehearted embrace of merciless antagonism. Harara Hagakure of the 1996 Kakugo no Susume OVA series may be one of anime’s most brutal villains ever. Death Note’s Light Yagami is certainly one of anime’s most devious villains. Orochimaru of Naruto is especially formidable and singularly ruthless. Dragon Ball’s Freeza epitomizes the megalomaniacal overlord with godlike destructive power.

However, in my recollection, the most dispicably and dangerously evil anime villain I’ve ever witnessed was a normal man, not a superhuman, supernaturally enabled human, or an alien. The despotic leader Hamdo of the 1999 television series Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku (Now and Then, Here and There) exemplifies the same characteristic personality that we believe allowed Adolph Hitler to rise to power. Hamdo is a genuine psychotic with a personality so compelling, charismatic, demanding, and overbearing that he literally bullies everyone around him into submission merely through his very pressence. He’s especially dangerous because his psychotic amorality justifies his actions, so he has no remorse or hesitation, nothing akin to normal human sympathy. He routinely exploits, tortures, and kills children and the defenseless without even considering the horrific immorality of his actions. Even selfish monsters like Orochimaru and Freeza are aware that they’re evil. Hamdo has absolutely no hesitation or reservations about his horrifically cruel reign of terror because he doesn’t even comprehend that his actions actually impact other people’s lives. He’s pure megalomaniacal id with no morality or conscience whatsoever, and the terrifying ability to exert his apocalyptically destructive will. Unlike fantastical monsters whom viewers know will ultimately be opposed by heroes, Hamdo is a character whom real life has proven possible. He’s not a character easily dismissed as fantasy or a villain who could never really exist. He is the ultimate epitome of genuine human monstrosity, which makes him far more terrible and terrifying than cackling aliens, snake ninja, or self-righteous high schoolers.

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