10 Strongest Human Villains In Anime, Ranked

These anime humans put their impressive gifts to use to become terrifying and powerful villains.

What makes anime so popular is its practically limitless possibilities, going as far as human creativity will take it. Because of this, popular series are littered with superhuman characters that can do anything and everything. There's Goku, a Saiyan Warrior capable of destroying planets, and Naruto, a shinobi who can clone himself a hundred times over. There are a lot of examples of brilliant anime where the main characters exceed the capabilities of a normal human.

But humans are also extremely capable, and some creators choose to explore this. Anime focused on humanity often push the characters to the pinnacle of human strength and intellect. They then put these impressive gifts to use to become terrifying and powerful villains. And it's the flawed nature of humans that makes them all the more destructive and chaotic.

NOTE: This list does not include humans capable of using inherent power systems such as Chakra or Nen.

10. Mikey Is The Strongest Member Of The Tokyo Manji Gang (Tokyo Revengers)

Mikey is the leader and one of the founding members of the Tokyo Manji gang. Known as Mikey the invincible, the pocket-sized gang leader is arguably the strongest character in the series. A martial arts prodigy, Mikey rarely loses a fight, and his kicks are described as nuclear.

His true nature is compassionate and kind, but Mikey's leadership role required him to make difficult decisions and live with the resulting consequences. Some of Mikey's actions are synonymous with villainy, and so he earns a place on the list.

9. Shogo Makishima Lead A Revolution From The Shadows (Psycho-Pass)

Psycho-Pass is an incredibly underrated anime that details a futuristic, dystopian world where a criminal is defined by their personality and state of mind instead of by their actions. This is all possible thanks to the Sibyl System, a Hive mind that analyses one's brain chemistry to determine their threat. Makishima is a dangerous man who is criminally asymptomatic, meaning the system can't read him. He uses this freedom to bring about an attempted revolution.

Some view Makishima as an anti-hero, willing to take action against a totalitarian government that sacrificed liberty for security. However, he kills without remorse and targets the innocent if necessary. He's intelligent, ruthless, and incredibly interesting.

8. Tetta Kisaki Uses His Vast Intellect To Manipulate Others (Tokyo Revengers)

Tetta Kisaki is Tokyo Revengers' primary antagonist and the physical embodiment of evil. He's a puppet master, manipulating those around him to carry out his wishes. Physically, Kisaki is nothing special, but his power lies in his intelligence and foresight.

Even with the ability to time travel, Takemichi failed to take down Kisaki time and time again because the villain always had a backup plan in place. His smarts gave a sense of omniscience, and Kisaki often looked unstoppable. He forever changed the lives of characters like Mikey and Draken, and he did so whilst wearing his signature grin.

7. Kenny Ackerman Was Once The Mentor To Humanity's Strongest Soldier (Attack On Titan)

Kenny Ackerman was a villainous character who specialized in killing humans. Despite the ever-present threat of the Titans, Kenny's reputation was so gruesome that some people feared him the most. He lead the Anti-Personnel control squad that clashed with the scouts after they got too close to the truth.

Kenny's skill with ODM gear and a blade is second only to Levi. In fact, it was Kenny who once mentored humanity's strongest soldier. During his lifetime, Kenny killed hundreds of humans, earning him the moniker 'Kenny The Ripper.'

6. Toji Fushiguro Almost Took Down The Strongest Sorcerer Of His Generation (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Despite being born into one of the major sorcerer families, Toji Fushiguro possessed no cursed energy. Instead, he was gifted with supernatural physical prowess that was far superior to anyone else. Because of this, Toji could contend with the greatest sorcerers of his generation, including Satoru Gojo. Rejected by the Zenin Clan, Toji decided to become a master assassin and hunt down sorcerers, regardless of clan.

This was retaliation for his marginalization and Toji was determined to prove his worth in whatever way he saw fit. His skill was so great that he brought Gojo to the brink of death. Unfortunately for Toji, Gojo reached new heights in order to save his own life, and the prodigious sorcerer returned to kill Toji and cement his own place atop the Jujutsu world.

5. Yujiro Hanma's Power Is Akin To A Natural Disaster (Baki The Grappler)

Yujiro Hanma is what you get when one trains their body to its absolute peak. Baki The Grappler isn't exactly reflective of true human capabilities, with most characters capable of effortlessly picking up cars, but all characters are humans with powers born from inhuman discipline and torturous training.

Yujiro Hanma is the strongest of the bunch, a walking human disaster who can take on the entire US military. His other impressive feats include stopping the tectonic activity of an earthquake and knocking out an elephant. In terms of pure physical power, he might be the strongest human in anime.

4. Eren Yeager Transformed From Hero To Villain (Attack On Titan)

Eren was completely human before inheriting the Titan power from his father, so he qualifies for the list. Eren started Attack On Titan as an angry yet good-natured kid with the single-minded goal of killing every Titan. He was the hero tasked with avenging those who had died at the hands of the disastrous Titans.

His motivation was rooted in the seemingly concrete belief that the Titans were evil and humanity was good. But upon discovering the truth about Titans and Paradis, Eren's ideology shifted and the rest of the world became his new enemy. Since then, Eren's personality has warped into that of a cold detached killer, justifying his murderous rampage in the name of the greater good. And with the additional Titan powers he acquired, Eren's genocidal rage almost succeeded.

3. Lelouch Was A Human That Was Gifted An Inhuman Ability (Code Geass)

Unlike most others on this list, Lelouch does benefit from an inhuman power. However, this wasn't inherent, but given to him by CC. His Geass allows him to directly command any individual that makes eye contact with him. However, most of his success can be attributed to his intellect.

The royal outcast uses his Geass to take down the totalitarian Britannian government whilst finding out who is responsible for the death of his mother. As the leader of the terrorist organization 'The Black Knights,' Lelouch is forced into making difficult choices, some of which are villainous in nature. The young protagonist succeeds in liberating the world from Britannian rule but dies as a villain in the eyes of many.

2. Johan Liebert Possesses Unparalleled Understanding Of The Human Mind (Monster)

When face to face with Johan Liebert, the best option is to kill him before he can open his mouth. If unsuccessful, it's almost a guarantee he will manipulate his opponent, drawing out their biggest fears and insecurities and forcing them to embrace their darkness.

As the terrifying antagonist of Monster, Johan traverses the world with no real ambition. Instead, he lives for chaos and misery and uses his unparalleled charisma to achieve these desires. Despite being human, fans of the show felt that Johan was capable of the inhuman. He was an unstoppable force yet to meet an immovable object.

1. Light Yagami Can Potentially Defeat Any Anime Character (Death Note)

In theory, Light Yagami is a human with the power to defeat anyone. As long as he knows your name, you're dead. However, in countless anime, death is nothing more than a minor inconvenience (Goku has died countless times). What makes Light a truly great villain is a combination of his twisted philosophy and superior intellect.

He wants to rid the world of anyone he deems as evil, and he'll kill anyone who gets in his way. His cat-and-mouse game with L epitomizes the brilliance of the show, and Death Note has its place in anime history.