Anime often presents characters initially seen as villains, only for their stories to reveal how wrong our opinions were about them.❀ These characters may seem cold and cruel initially, but as we learn more about their backstories, they become far more complex. Whether it's a tragic one, a misunderstood moti𓄧ve, or being judged too quickly, these characters challenge our perceptions and make us reconsider what it truly means to be a hero or a villain.

Take Itachi Uchiha from Naruto, for example, who was introduced to the audience as a cold-blooded murderer whose true intentions are revealed to be far more complicated, as he sacrificed everything he loved for the greater good. Sim🍬ilarly, Saitama from One Punch Man appears as a seemingly apathetic and overpowered figure, but his search for meaning and purpose adds much more magic to his character. Such characters exist to remind us that there’s often more to a story than meets the eye.

10 Kusuo Saiki - The Dis⛎astrous Life Of Saiki K.

As In The Title, A Psychic Hero With A Disastrous Life

Written by Shūichi Asō, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is an anime that follows the story of Kusuo Saiki, a young guy with all sorts of psychic abilities, but he really wishes he didn’t have them. Kusuo wants to live a no𒈔rmal life but is often misunderstood when he tries to do so.

His powers always cause problems, and he always has to deal with the chaos created by theಞ people around him. That's w꧙hy the title of the anime perfectly sums up the kind of life he leads.

9 ♔ Meruem - Hunter X Hunter

The Lonely King Of The Chimera Ants

Meruem first appears in the Chimera Ant Arc as the ruthless King of the Chimera Ants who sees humans as nothing more than pr🌠ey and has no regret over his actions. Over time, the character of Meruem goes through a major change, largely because of his bond with Komugi, a human with whom he builds a connection bas๊ed on trust and respect.

Alღthough his thirst for power ultimately led to his doom, and there's no denying Meruem is a ruthless killer, his relationship with Komugi showed us a side of him that longs for a connection.

8 🔯 Nico Robin - One Piece

Falsely Known As The Devil Child Of Ohara

One of the me🤪mbers of the Straw Hat Crew,🔜 Nico Robin, is a fan favorite not just because sh🌺e's incredibly cool but also because her backstory is both heartbreaking and brilliantly written. Nico Robin was the only survivor of Ohara, a place where scholars used to study forbidden history.

All her life, she kept hiding from the World Government for her involvement in researching the Void Century, a💙 topic they had forbidden. As a consequence, th❀e government spread lies, labeling her as the "devil child," a trauma that stuck with her until she joined Luffy and the crew, who saw that her true motive was entirely scholarly.

7 👍 Saitama - One Punch Man

He’s More Than Just A Hero For Fun

Some anime fans complain that Saitama is a one-dimensional character with little depth since he can defeat his enemies with just one punch. People🔯 often forget that Saitama's character ꦐisn't about power, but about searching for a🍸 purpose, somet🎃hing many of us struggle to find.

Saitama was once just a lazy guy who pushed himself to the limit and became so strong that no one coul♑d keep up. But instead of being proud, all he really wants is to find someone💜 who can challenge him, showing that he's not the shallow character people think he is.

6 Koro-Sens💃ei - Assassination Classꦐroom

The Smiling Koro-Sensei Of 3-E Is More Than He Lets On

K🐻oro-sensei, the always-smiling teacher of Class 3-E, grew up in the slums where he became an assassin who would kill anyone for the right price. His life gave him a chance to redeem himself, as the dying wish of a woman he loved, Aguri Yukimura, pushed him to leave his past be💃hind and become a teacher.

There, he gave his students the task of killing him before the academic year ended,🦩 or he would destroy the Earth. But he wasn't trying to be cruel; he was only pushing his students to exceed their potential and become the best they could be.

5 Naruto Uzumaki - Naruto 🧔Series 🎐

His Depressing Childhood Could Have Altered His Journey

Who would have guessed that an annoying kid with yellow hair and unmatched charisma would grow up to become the Hokage of the people who once saw him as a monster? Throughout his childhood, Naruto faced prejudice in the Hi♏dden Leaf Village, not only from kids his age but even from adults, because they feared the power inside him.

Back when the Nine-Tailed Beast attacked the village,♓ it was sealed🎃 within Naruto, making him a Jinchuriki, which was considered a curse. So, instead of seeing him as just a vessel, people blamed him personally for the destruction Kuruma or Obito caused.

4 Lelouch Vi Brittanica - Code Geass 🍃 🃏

The Rebel Prince Of The Holy Britannian Empire

Lelouch Lamperouge was born into a noble family but was banished by his father, Emperor Charles of the Britannian Empire, someone Lelouch despised throughout his childhood. Therefore, he made it his mission to defeat this e𒆙vil, but he did things that mad🦄e him seem just as evil.

Lelouch was a morally complicated character who used manipulation and caused countless deaths along the way. Yet, it’s hard to deny that his goal was to create a better world. From a tragic prince to a misunderstood vigilante, Lelouch’s story shows how difficult🔯 it can be to stay on the path of what’s right.

3 Ereꦦn Yeager - Attack On Titan

A Messiah For The People Of Paradis, A Devil For The Rest Of The World

Many see Eren Yeager as one of the most villainous characters ever, but his actions have a deeper reas🐲on behind them. He just wanted to end the centuries of suffering the Eldians had faced, especially the ones bound to Paradis.

Attack on Titan began by introduciꦕng viewers🀅 to the people living on the island of Paradis, surrounded by walls on all sides as the terrifying Titans roamed nearby, ready to kill without hesitation. As the series went on, we found that things weren’tﷺ as simple. The Titans weren’t the true villains; it was humans outside the walls who were the real evil, and Eren just wanted to end this oppression in the most violent way possible.

2 🐻 Prince Zuko - Avatar: The Last Airbender

One Of The Greatest Redemption Arcs In Entertainment

Banished prince of the Fire Nation, Zuko's story is one of the fin🐲est Redemption arcs you'll ever see in the entertainment industry. Misunderstood his whole life by his nation and even being banished by his father, Zuဣko carried a trauma that stayed with him literally as a scar.

So, he made it his mission to one day make his father proud, a goal that led him to suppress a kinder side within him. At first, we saw him as a villain, but as his story unfolded, we got a glimpse into his inner battles ,and he eventually became a bꦅeloved character.

1 Itachi Uchiha -ꦯ Naruto Series

Again, Tough Choices Made For The Greater Good

From the first episode of tꦫhe original Naruto, Itachi Uchiha is hinted at as a cold and ruthless character, willing to do anything, as he wipes out his entire clan, including his parents🐼. Everyone saw Itachi's story through the eyes of his brother Sasuke, who hated him and eventually killed him.

However, the writers surprised us all later, when the𝓀y revealed that Itachi was working for a greater cau﷽se. When the Uchiha clan was planning a coup against the Hidden Leaf Village, Itachi followed the orders of Konoha's leaderꦇship, making him one of the most misunderstood characters in anime history.