The 10 Best Anime Shows Where the Villains Win

Most stories, including anime, often follow an uplifting path, filled with compelling characters, intriguing plots, and dramatic events that culminate in the triumph of good over evil. A prime example is Naruto, where hard work and good intentions consistently lead to victory. However, some fans crave a different kind of narrative—one with a bit more bite, where the villain actually achieves their goals.

These darker conclusions, though often considered “bad endings,” can sometimes serve the story best. When the heroes and their good intentions simply aren’t enough to stop the forces of evil, it can lead to a more impactful and memorable resolution. This list will explore the top 10 best anime shows where the villains win, considering factors such as overall quality, writing, story depth, character development, fan and critical reception, and—most importantly—how effectively and logically the villain’s victory was executed within the narrative.

1. Terror in Resonance – 2014

While director Shin’ichirô Watanabe is known for bittersweet finales, as seen in Cowboy Bebop, his series Terror in Resonance pulls no punches. This underrated classic follows two superpowered teenagers who plunge Japan into chaos, forcing the police and military into a desperate race against time.

In a twist on typical villainy, the protagonists themselves, Nine and Twelve, are the antagonists. Their goal is to expose systemic flaws by instigating a national crisis. Even though they ultimately die (by their own choice), they succeed in proving their principles, albeit at the cost of national security. Terror in Resonance delves into themes of war and societal imperfections, and while the characters’ motivations are complex, their actions—orchestrating the destruction of a country—are undeniably a win for their destructive cause.

2. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion is often lauded for having one of the best endings in anime, a testament to its meticulous writing, poignant bittersweet conclusion, and expert resolution of all narrative threads. The series follows Lelouch as he wields a newfound power to lead a rebellion against the tyrannical Britannian Empire, fueled by a desire for Japanese liberation and a personal vendetta.

This entry ranks lower on our list due to ongoing debate about whether Lelouch truly qualifies as a villain. However, his ruthless and cunning methods, despite ultimately leading to the world’s salvation, certainly fit the criteria. The villain’s victory in Code Geass perfectly aligns with the show’s themes and narrative flow. Lelouch masterfully manipulates his own public persona to become the ultimate symbol of hatred, thereby allowing himself to be destroyed and, in doing so, eradicating the world’s animosity. Even though his final act is a good deed, Lelouch, as an anti-hero, still achieved his ultimate objective through morally ambiguous means.

3. Fate/Zero

Fate/Zero stands out as arguably the strongest entry in the Fate franchise, largely due to its profound moral complexity and significant philosophical depth. The story centers on the Fourth Holy Grail War, a brutal conflict where various mages and their summoned historical Servants battle to the death for the Holy Grail, a legendary artifact said to grant any wish.

While most characters in Fate/Zero operate in a morally gray area, Kiritsugu Emiya comes closest to being a hero, despite his willingness to kill for the sake of peace. Yet, even though he “wins” the war, his wish for world peace ironically leads to more suffering and destruction. Furthermore, the Grail also grants Kirei Kotomine’s insidious wish for universal destruction. This grim conclusion, where Kirei’s nihilistic desires are fulfilled and Gilgamesh gains profound, dark knowledge, cements the villains’ ultimate success in this otherwise perfect action anime.

4. Devilman Crybaby

The Crunchyroll Awards, while a source of modern debate, were less polarizing in 2018 when Devilman Crybaby took home the Anime of the Year award. This series begins when Akira, while helping a friend, becomes possessed by a demon, leading him to fight other demons in an attempt to protect humanity. However, he quickly finds himself in over his head.

In an anime defined by its relentless depiction of death, gore, and violence, a villain’s triumph feels like an inevitable conclusion. Devilman Crybaby consistently builds towards a devastating climax from its very start. While Akira does defeat Satan’s army, he dies in the process, and humanity along with Earth are annihilated. The complete destruction of both humanity and the planet heavily signifies a villain’s definitive victory, solidifying Devilman Crybaby as one of the darkest anime series ever made.

5. Trigun

The 1990s classic Trigun is enjoying a resurgence, with a second season of its remake confirmed for 2026, promising a faithful adaptation of the original ending. While fans await the new conclusion, they can revisit the 1998 series to witness its tragic finale. Vash, the protagonist, famously adheres to a strict no-kill policy. However, pushed to his limits by his brother Knives and rival Legato, Vash is ultimately forced to compromise his deeply held ideals.

Ranking Trigun on a list of villain victories is complex because Vash does, in a technical sense, win by defeating Legato and protecting his friends. Yet, this outcome is precisely what Legato desired: to shatter Vash’s pacifism and force him back onto a path of violence, thereby “proving” that killing is necessary. Trigun stands as one of the best “hero doesn’t kill” narratives due to the compelling contrast between its main characters, including Wolfwood, Legato, and Knives, all of which culminates in a truly tragic conclusion.

You may also like:

• • Top 6 Most Hated Villains in Isekai Anime
  • 8 Best Anime Movies With Breathtaking Visuals
  • What Are the Best Anime From The 2000s?

6. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Another Crunchyroll Anime of the Year winner, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners plunges viewers into the brutal world of Cyberpunk 2077. After the unjust death of his mother, David Martinez seeks revenge against the corrupt government and gangs responsible, joining a crew and enhancing himself with a cybernetic spine. However, his quest leads him down a far more tragic path: addiction, losing his sanity, the deaths of his friends, and ultimately, his own demise.

Any hope for a happy ending in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was quickly extinguished, as the show brilliantly chronicles David and his friends’ slow, agonizing decline within its dark and oppressive world. By the finale, David is so far gone that death would be a mercy. The series concludes with a brutal slaughter of the main cast, leaving only one survivor to live a lonely existence on the moon. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners stands as one of the best sci-fi anime shows for its unflinching portrayal of a dystopian future and its devastating impact on its characters.

7. Berserk (1997)

Berserk is widely hailed as the greatest manga of all time, and while its conclusion is still pending, fans eagerly anticipate a satisfying end. The 1997 anime adaptation, however, focuses on the Golden Age arc, a narrative segment renowned as one of the most tragic in both anime and manga history. Born into a living hell, Guts finds purpose and camaraderie with the Band of the Hawk. Yet, Griffith’s ultimate betrayal shatters everything, leaving Guts with nothing but a consuming thirst for revenge.

Though the anime only covers a portion of the larger Berserk saga, the 1997 series concludes definitively with Griffith’s victory, making it a clear candidate for this list. The horrifying event known as the Eclipse is almost universally recognized by fans as the most gruesome and tragic moment in anime, brutally massacring the main cast and leaving Guts and Casca profoundly scarred, both physically and mentally. Griffith achieves his long-sought dream through an unspeakable sacrifice, a culmination that the anime masterfully sets up through his complex motivations, past failures, and intricate dynamic with Guts.

8. Attack on Titan

Similar to some other entries on this list, Attack on Titan doesn’t present a clear-cut victory for any single party, powerfully emphasizing the tragedy and cruelty of war. However, Eren Yeager technically achieved his goals by initiating the Rumbling and annihilating most of civilization. Even so, this didn’t truly secure Paradis Island’s future; it only perpetuated the cycle of conflict and self-preservation. Though Eren himself died, his actions didn’t save humanity, leaving behind barely anything to salvage.

Despite having an ending conceptually similar to Code Geass, Attack on Titan’s finale proved polarizing, largely due to its rushed execution, which keeps it from ranking higher on this list. Nevertheless, Eren is undoubtedly a clear-cut villain who, to a significant extent, accomplished his objective, a goal that twisted the narrative through profound plot developments. Attack on Titan’s ending delivered a stark message about war and provided a perfect, albeit tragic, conclusion to the story, solidifying its place as one of the best anime of the 2010s.

9. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is renowned for being one of the most over-the-top anime shows ever, famous for its distinctive weirdness, unique art style, and eccentric characters. As fans eagerly anticipate the recently announced Steel Ball Run anime, they can revisit Stone Ocean, which follows Jolyne Cujoh and her allies in their desperate struggle to prevent Father Pucci from resetting the universe.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is no stranger to dramatic twists; after all, Dio survived Part 1 while Jonathan Joestar did not. However, Stone Ocean elevates this to an entirely new level. Pucci truly attains “heaven” and achieves his goal of resetting the universe. Although Emporio ultimately defeats him before he can fully realize his vision for this new universe, Pucci still accomplished a significant portion of his objective. This undeniably counts as a victory for the villain, with the anime delivering a brilliantly executed final episode.

10. Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion famously features multiple endings, and the original anime series’ conclusion is often too ambiguous to definitively say whether the villains won, despite Shinji’s internal growth. With humanity teetering on the brink of extinction, Shinji is the last hope, but he must confront his inner demons and personal struggles to thwart SEELE’s apocalyptic plan.

While the series left much to interpretation, the movie, The End of Evangelion, presents an almost definitive victory for the villains, SEELE. Their goal was to unite all of humanity into a single consciousness, and though they didn’t fully achieve this in the way they intended, they did utterly destroy the world, leaving only Shinji and Asuka as survivors. Like many entries on this list, the villains don’t achieve an absolute, perfect victory. However, Neon Genesis Evangelion’s ending aligns perfectly with its profound themes and messages, making it entirely coherent within the narrative. This chilling conclusion is a major reason why it remains one of the greatest anime of all time.