One of the main draws of anime lies in the genre’s ability to flesh out even the most static of characters into compelling personalities. Because it its rich storytelling, the genre produces plenty of anime villains who deserve their own anime. All sorts of sympathetic anime antagonists exist, giving studios tons of content to work off of. These villains offer a new perspective on the original content, one that is otherwise impossible through the protagonist alone.
Scar of Fullmetal Alchemist presents a window into Ishvalan society you never see in the primary storyline. On the flipside, a villain like Hunter X Hunter‘s Hisoka is so fascinating you would watch 150+ episodes worth of him stuck at the DMV just for more screen time. Of all the anime characters deserving of their own series, the most pressing ones might just be the anime villains. Sometimes, bad people give you the best content.
1. Hisoka Morow – ‘Hunter X Hunter’
If you enjoy being creeped out, a spin-off focused on Hisoka Morow of Hunter X Hunter would be right up your alley. To put it bluntly, Hisoka is a sociopathic murderer who loves bloodshed and other people’s pain. He does whatever it takes to amuse himself, regardless of how it impacts others. Sometimes, that means helping people, but typically it means betraying them. Hisoka is unapologetically selfish, yet his relentlessly sadistic nature makes for a fascinating character study.
His terrifying nature might be too much for a series as long as Hunter X Hunter, but a 12-episode spin-off on his origin story could be amazing.
2. Madara Uchiha – ‘Naruto’
Naruto boasts an impressive cast of worthy villains, but the one with the greatest spin-off potential is definitely Madara Uchiha. With a ninja career that began at age five, Madara grew up as a member of a heavily persecuted family. Due to his rough upbringing, he sees the world as inherently corrupt and therefore wants to destroy it to make room for something better.
Madara’s story not only would give insight into every other member of the Uchiha family, but also Konoha’s history. If Boruto is the sequel, Madara would be the prequel.
3. Tomura Shigaraki – ‘My Hero Academia’
The villains of My Hero Academia operate on motivations applicable to real-world struggles, such as loneliness and rejection. Excluded from society, many of them simply want to belong. Some suffer from mental illness, others blindly follow their own causes, and a particular few simply love violence. Tomura Shigaraki acts as a perfect distillation of all the other villains – he loves violence, nurses a deep grudge against heroes who failed to rescue him as a child, and he sure as hell fits in nowhere.
What’s more, with his attachment to All Might’s rival, All For One, he’s a perfect foil for the series’ protagonist, Izuku Midoriya. A spin-off series about all the villains in My Hero Academia, with Shigaraki at the helm, would offer a fascinating and compelling look at villainy born out of society’s own prejudice.
4. Esdeath – ‘Akame Ga Kill!’
Some people would watch an Akame ga Kill! spin-off centered around Esdeath just to be able to look at her. Attractiveness goes a long way, but there is more to Esdeath than her looks. Although Esdeath is a social Darwinist who tortures enemies simply because she’s stronger, she’s also generous and fair to her subordinates to the point of inspiring deep and lasting loyalty in them.
This is a marked difference from the other villains in the series, who extend their villainy to their henchman. Esdeath’s mind offers a fascinating place to explore, and a spin-off centering on it would be welcome.
5. Sōsuke Aizen – ‘Bleach’
At first, Sōsuke Aizen of Bleach appears as a mild-mannered nerd who plays by the rules of sympathy and understanding. More importantly, he comes across like a loyal and dependable member of Soul Society. Therefore, no one expected him to fake his own death, then come back with the intention of destroying the organization he once served.
How great would it be to see his betrayal from his perspective, in more detail than the original series could provide?
6. Scar – ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’
Scar of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood technically qualifies as a villain, but the explanation behind his actions makes him a sympathetic one. Scar desires revenge for the literal genocide committed by the Amestrian military against his people, the Ishvalans. But with a mind mired in grief, he ends up killing Winry Rockbell’s parents, two Amestrian doctors who were trying to help him recover from his injuries. Ultimately, he comes to the conclusion that hate begets hate, and it’s his job to stop the cycle.
Not only would an anime about Scar give viewers the opportunity to get to know him better, it would also provide insight into the Ishvalan people before they were slaughtered en masse. Do other surviving Ishvalans feels the same animosity toward Amestris? And where did Scar get his training, and from whom?
7. Shougo Makishima – ‘Psycho-Pass’
Although Shougo Makishima of Psycho-Pass is inarguably villainous, he’s more nuanced than other, more generic anime bad guys. While he never hesitates to commit horrific acts of senseless slaughter, he also has a larger goal in mind, and it’s hard to argue with. In the world of Psycho-Pass, ordinary people are pre-judged as criminals by the Sybil System, and depending on its verdict, they can be killed or thrown into prison without ever doing anything illegal. Makishima’s goal is to destroy that system.
Because he isn’t at the center of the series, his true nature is never made quite clear. Is he a vicious murderer using societal change as an excuse, or is he an intelligent, sensitive man who wants the best for his everyone? A spin-off from Makishima’s perspective could help answer those questions.
8. Vicious – ‘Cowboy Bebop’
As his name suggests, Vicious of Cowboy Bebop lives life on the brutal side. He’s perfectly willing to assault or even murder other people if it suits his interests, and he rarely displays anything resembling compassion. Why would a spin-off from such a ruthless man’s perspective be worthwhile?
First of all, he’s heavily involved with organized crime – that in and of itself is just cool. But more importantly, Vicious acts as the moral counterpart to the protagonist, Spike Spiegel. Although Spike falls on the side of good, he can be alarmingly passive about things he should care about; Vicious reveals what Spike could become if he ever lost his compassion. Seeing a spin-off from Vicious’s perspective would give viewers a glimpse into both the space mafia’s origins as well as those of its fearsome leader.
9. Kirei Kotomine – ‘Fate/Stay Night’
The villains of Fate/Stay Night all boast fantastic origin stories, but Kirei Kotomine lies in a category all his own. Born with a defect within his personality, Kirei is incapable of any feelings of love, joy, or accomplishment. His biggest struggle pits him against his own nature, which drives him to believe joy as a whole is a sin. As a result, he takes the teachings of his church too far and only receives joy from the misery of others.
The story of a child growing up emotionless makes for a compelling, if sad, storyline, especially as you would watch that detachment grow into depravity. Yet, these are the types of stories that make for fascinating, if complicated, characters.