25 Best Anime Supervillains Of All Time

2. Tetsuo Shima - Akira

Fullmetal Alchemist
Toho

Akira is a tale of power corrupting, and Tetsuo Shima is the unfortunate figure around whom this degradation revolves, as we see teenage bike gang member turn into a threat on humankind.

The story is a tragic one. Boy crashes into government experiment, boy awakens in himself god-like psychic powers, boy goes on existence-threatening rampage until he’s brought down by his former best friend, Kaneda.

Tetsuo’s character undergoes a serious moral test brought on by this power, seemingly embracing his newfound strength and even killing those close to him before even he realises it’s too much.

It’s in some ways a classic telling of the once-spurned child taking revenge on his past tormentors. Tetsuo is at first troubled by his near-omnipotence, but he eventually embraces and enjoys them even, as he dons a cape and begins to seek revenge on a world that he believes hurt him.

Where Akira succeeds best is bringing the fantastical down to street level. Tetsuo is one in a group of unassuming orphans caught up in something much bigger, and seeing someone so young undergo such a battle of will makes you almost sympathise with his struggle.

Putting a child in that antagonist role gives the final act much more impact, too, and encourages emotion with the viewer, who witnesses Tetsuo’s every step on the path to villainy and back again.

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