Typically an anime series has some sort of conflict. That’s usually how the story develops. A good conflict keeps fans engaged. Rivals, antagonists, or villains, go hand-in-hand with conflict – conflict can’t exist without two opposing figures.
While a difference in ideals or moral values is how a good rivalry starts some characters end up with enemies unintentionally. Whether it’s because of stupidity, inflated ego, or missing red flags, some heroes end up creating the very thing they are forced to fight against.
10 Genkai Missed All The Red Flags (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Years before Yusuke is forced to fight him, Toguro is a normal human. He has a passion for fighting demons and a need to be stronger. His friend and lover Genkai, was never concerned about him. Unfortunately, because she ignores his thirst for strength she misses all the signs that indicate his dark intentions. By the time they meet again during the Dark Tournament Arc, Genkai is too old to stop him. Toguro wouldn’t have gained the demonic power he yearned for if Genkai had refused to fight in the Dark Tournament. He also wouldn’t have been around to fight Yusuke if she had killed Toguro in her prime.
9 Father Was Made From Hohenheim’s Blood (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)
Before he is called Father, the leader of the Homunculi is simply known as the Dwarf in the Flask. He is trapped inside a flask until he meets a slave who takes the name Von Hohenheim. Not only did Hohenheim assist the Dwarf in the Flask with gaining power, but the Homunculus is created from his blood. Most of the Dwarf in the Flask’s power is gained by manipulation, but if it wasn’t for Hohenheim he wouldn’t have gained an opportunity to manipulate the king.
8 Prince Endymion Ignored His Kingdom (Sailor Moon)
Before Beryl becomes evil she is an Earth Sorceress that works for the royal family. During her time in the castle, she falls in love with Prince Endymion. Unfortunately for her, he falls for Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom.
Beryl becomes jealous and possessive of Prince Endymion. She was willing to wage war against the Moon Kingdom against the Prince’s wishes. While her choices and her eventual death at the hands of Sailor Venus were her own fault, it’s clear Prince Endymion had been ignoring the problems in the Earth Kingdom. If Prince Endymion had done something about Berly’s jealously before it got out of hand, the Moon Kingdom would have never been destroyed.
7 Jiraiya Trained The Akatsuki To Kill Him (Naruto Shippuden)
The Akatsuki wasn’t an evil organization initially. The founding members Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan wanted to bring peace to the Shinobi world, especially the Village Hidden in the Rain. Jiraiya taught them the ideology of peace and trained them to become Shinobi. Although Jiraiya had good intentions, he’s the reason the three founding members of the Akatsuki become so powerful. If he hadn’t trained them to become ninja, they wouldn’t have had the power to threaten the Leaf Village or the power to end his life.
6 Kikyo Saved An Evil Human (Inuyasha)
Naraku is demon who was once a human named Onigumo. Onigumo tricked the leader of the thieves, who angrily blew up their location. Onigumo ends up severely burned because of it. After surviving the explosion, he made a pact with several demons who consumed his old body in exchange for a new one. Onigumo would have died if he hadn’t been discovered by the Priestess Kikyo. She nurses him back to health and because of this Onigumo falls in love with her. Like Queen Beryl his possessiveness causes him to make a pact with demons and is reborn. If Kikyo hadn’t been kind to Onigumo, Naraku would have never been born.
5 Ura-Acca And Acca Created Frill (Wonder Egg Priority)
While most enemies are created when the hero wrongs them in some way, Frill is the creation of Ura-Acca and Acca. Frill is an artificial human that Acca and Ura-Aca created to act like a daughter. Her programming is so advanced and so human-like she even has the capability to emulate and express human emotions.
However, they quickly realized her jealously and need for affection canceled her ability to feel empathy. She ends up killing Acca’s wife and causing his daughter to commit suicide. Acca and Ura-Acca intended to create a perfect daughter but ended up making a complete monster.
4 Itachi Damaged His Brother Beyond Repair (Naruto)
Itachi states he’s responsible for who Sasuke has become. He may have been protecting the Leaf Village when he killed his entire clan, but he also creates Sasuke’s rage and resentment by keeping him alive. It’s unclear if Sasuke would have been better off knowing the truth, but Itachi’s lie definitely didn’t help Sasuke. Not only did Itachi torture Sasuke with the images of their parent’s deaths, but Itachi almost seemed to gloat over the fact that he killed them. Sasuke may not have ended up so damaged if Itachi had handled it differently.
3 Aizen Revealed The Soul Society’s Broken System (Bleach)
Aizen is probably the greatest manipulator in anime. He manages to trick all the members of the Gotei 13 and infiltrate the deepest parts of their leadership. Aizen’s betrayal is a hard lesson for the Soul Society as it shows them how damaged their leadership network is. The internal issues within the Soul Society are the only reason Aizen is able to infiltrate. If they had done a better job they wouldn’t have been tricked so easily.
2 Goku Created An Enemy and A Friend (Dragon Ball)
Piccolo is Goku’s friend, but originally he’s created to destroy Goku. Goku’s fight with King Piccolo facilitates Piccolo’s birth. When he’s born he retains all of King Piccolo’s memories. Piccolo enters the 23rd Martial Arts Tournament with the intention of getting revenge on Goku for killing King Piccolo. In the end, Goku manages to beat Piccolo who vows to continue his quest for vengeance. Luckily for Goku, Piccolo’s outlook on revenge changes the next time they meet. Goku may have been the one to create his enemy, but he also manages to create a friend.
1 The Hero Commission Changed What It Means To Be A Hero (My Hero Academia)
When All Might first trains Midoriya to receive One For All, he states that heroes used to be different when they weren’t obsessed with money and power. While many would blame All Might for the current state of hero society, it’s really the Hero Commission that is to blame. Heroes are valued for their popularity and rankings rather than their good deeds, which forces heroes to align with that kind of thinking in order to become successful. Frustrated with the current state of hero society, Stain began killing heroes in order to send a message. Luckily, Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida are able to stop him. However, if the Hero Commission hadn’t changed what it means to be a hero, Stain would have never become a villain.
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