Summary
Every good story needs to give fans someone to root for and someone to root against. But a great story gives fans someone to root against and makes viewers care about them. The best way to do that is through a redemption arc. There’s just something about anime villains that makes them ripe for redemption.
The bad guy going good is a bit of a trope when it comes to anime - but it isn’t a bad one. Even some of thebest anime villains of all timehave ended up joining the light side. Watching a bad guy grow into a good guy is often half the fun of watching an anime, whether it’s predictable or not.
Endeavor was easily one ofMy Hero Academia’sleast likable characters when he debuted. He came across as arrogant, brash, and ruthless. Rather than being a real hero, it was clear all he cared about was becoming the top-ranked hero. He might not have been a villain, but he often acted like one.
Then fans found outwhat he did to his familyand theyreallystarted to hate him. However, during the Remedial Course Arc, he began to show a different side to himself. Seeing what he’s done to Shoto, he begins to praise, rather than criticize, his son in an attempt to mend their relationship. Ever since, he’s been on the right track, endeavoring (pun intended) to become a better father and hero.
Mereum is easy to hate. From his first appearance as the newborn Chimera Ant king, he shows nothing but pure evil. He kills without thought, only cares for himself, and plans on taking over the entire world. Plus, he’s significantly overpowered.
Then he meets Komugi and, little by little, Mereum starts to show a softer side. Through his conversations with her, the king realizes humans aren’t as insignificant as he once believed, and he develops a major soft spot for the little blind girl. Ultimately, Mereum never completely stops being a villain, but his newfound respect for humanity does make him switch up his plans from genocide to mere domination. Mereum and Komugi’s final scene is one of thesaddest inHunter X Hunter’s history.
It’s no wonder Crona started out badly. His mother, Medusa Gorgon, experimented on him and fused him with the weapon Ragnarok in an attempt to make a Kishin. For most of his life, Crona was nothing more than a brainwashed tool.
Then Maka Albarn and her friends come along. After defeating him, Maka touches Crona’s soul and tries to befriend him - kicking off his redemption arc. Crona joins the Death Weapon Meister Academy and does everything he can to prove he deserves his redemption. What makes this arc extra special though is how he stumbles - later, Crona is manipulated into poisoning his DWMA professor. This relapse adds a little realism and differentiates Crona’s journey from more traditional redemption arcs.
For much ofFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Greed is a pretty one-note villain. All he wants to do is gain immortality and remind everyone just how greedy he is. If someone were to tell fans early on that greed would directly lead to the main villain Father’s downfall, they would have laughed in their face.
Yet after his soul was transplanted into Ling Yao’s body, Greed slowly began to change as the two built a kind of mutual respect. When Ling is at risk of being destroyed by Father, Greed sacrifices himself and uses his “Ultimate Shield” ability to make the villain’s body vulnerable. Greed may be a supporting character in the anime buthis redemption arc carries serious weight.
At first, Reiko shows a complete lack of humanity. The only thing that sets her apart from her fellow parasites is the fact she seems slightly more interested than normal in experimenting on humans (rather than simply eating them). Not exactly an improvement.
Things only begin to change after she gives birth to a human baby. Initially, the child is just another experiment, but over time she develops a genuine bond with the child. Towards the end of the anime, Reiko sacrifices herself to protect the baby, dying in a hail of bullets. Her actions cause protagonist Shinichi to question much of what he thinks he knows about the parasites and what he’s becoming.
An argument could be made that a lot of anime falls on the villains becoming allies trope a little too often. However, that doesn’t mean the villains' redemption arcs aren’t all without merit. Franky is a prime example. Introduced in the anime as a local gang leader, Franky and his mates beat up and humiliate Usopp in the middle of the street. It’s an act that instantly left Frankie on fans' hit lists.
When Luffy and Co. find their beaten buddy, they go after Franky in what is one ofthe show’s most iconic battles. Following the fight, we learn that Frank has a surprisingly tragic backstory that does a great deal to humanize him. Franky not only decides to become a Straw Hat pirate himself, he ends up becoming one of the show’s most beloved. These days it’s hard to believe he was ever a villain at all.
Itachi’s redemption arc is still pretty unpopular with someNarutofans. Some villains have done things so heinous they’re hard to forgive - no matter how tragic their backstory is. In Itachi’s case, he helped wipe out his entire family except his brother, Sasuke. He just tortured him.
It’s later revealed that Itachi never wanted his clan to die. Through years of explanation, exposition, and flashback arcs the real Itachi has been revealed. As a young man, he was put in an impossible position and has beaten himself up ever since. When Itachi’s multiple sacrifices are finally revealed, it’s one of thesaddest scenes in all of anime. Some fans remain unconvinced, but it’s this moral complexity that makes Itachi’s arc such a strong one.
8Bakugo
More Than A Bully
My Hero Academiadeserves some credit for not rushing Bakugo’s redemption arc. Bakugo began bullying Deku when the two former friends were just children but stepped things up after learning Deku wanted to attend U.A. Despite the fact Deku just wants to be friends, Bakugo does his best to make life miserable for him during their first year at U.A.
Bakugo isn’t just a jerk to Deku. He’s awful to pretty much everyone and shows a total lack of respect for fellow students and teachers alike. Thankfully, as the anime has progressed and friendships have been forged through fire, Bakugo has slowly softened. Eventually, Bakugo even opens up to Deku and apologizes. During the “Dark Deku” arc, Bakugo is desperate to bring his friend into the light and admits why he was such a bully. He never thought Deku was inferior - just the opposite.
Thorfinn’s journey throughoutVinland Sagais one heck of a rollercoaster. He starts as a cute, idealistic boy who worships his father, Thors, even though he’s given up his warrior ways. Yet, after seeing his father butchered by Askeladd, the young boy is warped into something very different - a cold-blooded killer.
The first season ofVinland Sagais a classic tale of revenge, as over the years, Thorfinn sacrifices everything in his search for revenge and his quest to become the ultimate warrior. Thorfinn is repeatedly put through the wringer but never finds what he’s looking for. Eventually, he realizes he’s on the wrong path and gives up on his goal, becoming a total pacifist in Season 2. This leads to thekind of switch-up few other anime have managed.
For many fans, Vegeta’s redemption arc is the gold standard. It’s not particularly complicated, philosophical, or morally complex - it’s just a lot of fun. He first arrives on Earth as part of Frieza’s army, ready to conquer the planet in Frieza’s name. But after being defeated by Goku and learning of what happened to his home planet, Vegeta turns on Frieza.
After being stranded on Earth, he gives up on trying to become stronger than Goku and surrounds himself with people who love him. Over time, one of Earth’s greatest enemies becomes one of its greatest heroes. It was a long journey but worth it. Vegeta’s redemption arc is so iconic it became the template for similar arcs, not just inDragon Ball, but in other anime too.
