12 Anime That Make You Root For The Villain

There's a big spoiler alert on this one, as calling Griffith the villain kind of ruins the first big arc of Berserk. But, the fact that this guy goes from one of the most likeable deuteragonists in anime to one of the most despised villains of all time is a testament to how vile and evil he is. Yet, even despite all that, you can't help but still want him to succeed.

Berserk (written by the late great Kentaro Muira) is a legendary fantasy epic that throws a tonne of misery your way. One of the most prominent examples is in The White Hawk Griffith. He's the leader of the Band of the Hawk, a mercenary group that the protagonist (Guts) belongs to, and he's so easy to fall for.

Griffith is confident, gentle, brave and steadfast in his dreams of owning his own kingdom. The problem is, he becomes so obsessed with his goals that he's willing to sacrifice and brutalise those that he loves, which is where his heel turn as a despicable villain comes in.

Despite his transition into villainy, you still root for him, as success in his mission will result in peace within the world. You despise him yet want him to succeed. This conflict of interest is one aspect of what makes Berserk such a god-tier series.