There is a good reason why villains rarely win in anime: they stick to the same strategies, even when they are proven not to be effective. These villains are stopped by the heroes at every turn and somehow never catch onto why they cannot succeed.
Yet, some villains are more adaptable and dynamic. They can watch and analyze a situation and change their tactics to fit the situation. If a plan is thwarted, they try something new. They learn from their mistakes and use those experiences to come back stronger and give the heroes a run for their money.
10 Sesshoumaru Learned To Value Human Life In Inuyasha
Sesshoumaru was a very serious and cruel character at first. He hated humans and had no reverence for their lives, which was part of the reason he hated his sword and its powers. Since it could not kill in the traditional sense, it was not useful to the cold-blooded Sesshoumaru.
However, after being nursed back to health by a human child, Sesshoumaru began to change his outlook on both his sword and humans. He even used it to bring the child back to life after she had been attacked.
9 Yukako Acknowledged Her Mistreatment Of Koichi In Diamond Is Unbreakable
Yukako Yamagishi went rogue after falling in love with Koichi Hirose. She was so obsessed with him and his life that she did not stop to think about how evil she was being. She even went as far as to kidnap and torture Koichi, who was shocked and terrified by Yukako’s behavior.
However, after Koichi bested her in combat, using Echoes in interesting and creative ways to escape her torture-mansion and stop her, he saved her from certain death. Yukako was moved by this and learned the error of her ways. Though she did not do it perfectly, she tried to act better going forward.
8 Greed Learned What True Friendship Was In Fullmetal Alchemist
Greed was a homunculus sworn to Father and the other homunculi, each named after one of the seven deadly sins. However, unlike many of the other homunculi, who suffered painful and untimely deaths, Greed got stuck inside another person’s body.
While sharing a body with Ling Yao, Greed started to see the effects of companionship and bonds. So, when push came to shove, Greed sacrificed himself to leave Father open to attack. Unfortunately, Greed died in this effort to redeem himself. Still, his time within Ling taught him a lot about human nature.
7 Dracula Realized The Error Of His Ways In Castlevania
Dracula was understandably distraught by the loss of his wife, Lisa Tepes. In the first few episodes of the show, fans see how much she taught him. She encouraged him to expand his limited view by meeting people and seeing the world. However, when she was murdered, that all went out the window.
In his last moments, he came out of his rage and regretted the destruction he waged on the world and his son. Upon learning of his mistakes and their outreach, he allowed Alucard, his son, to kill him.
6 Noragami’s Bishamon Came To Terms With Her Role In The Loss Of Her Regalia
Bishamon blamed Yato for the loss of her regalia so many years ago. However, she never stopped to think about the part she played in their corruption. She had too many regalia, and as such, she did not have enough time and attention to divide amongst all of them, meaning some felt neglected. They turned corrupt because of this, and Yato had to kill them before they caused widespread damage.
When history repeated itself, Bishamon did not want to hear about her complicity. However, thanks to Yato and her most trusted regalia, she learned why the corruption was occurring and was able to take responsibility for her actions.
5 Vegeta Turned From Villain To Family Man Over The Course Of Dragonball
Vegeta had a lot to learn, and not just in terms of personality. When Vegeta first appeared, he was arrogant, always angry, and had no idea how to treat other people. After his defeat, he was forced to come to terms with his lack of skill and his poor character.
Eventually, as Vegeta continues with the heroes and helps them in their pursuits, he becomes a better person. Of course, he still experiences a lot of internal struggle. He would not be Vegeta without his trademark short temper after all. However, he learns both from his mistakes and those around him.
4 Sasuke Uchiha Finally Gave Up On Revenge In Naruto
Sasuke Uchiha called himself an avenger, and he was willing to sacrifice everything to gain enough power to kill his brother. This view was narrow-minded, and as he struggled for power and strength, he watched Naruto Uzumaki both catch up to and surpass him.
This enraged Sasuke, and eventually, Sasuke went rogue and became a villain. However, by the end of the series, he realized how misguided he was, and he learned from Naruto’s endless hope and perseverance. Sasuke taught Naruto many things as well, and the two grew closer together.
3 Hanami Realized The Need To Keep Gojo Out Of The Picture In Jujutsu Kaisen
Hanami was one of the least impulsive and most level-headed of the special grade cursed spirits that Yuji Itadori and his friend fought against. Unlike Hanami’s comrade, Jugo, who was extremely hot-headed and rushed into fights with both Gojo Satoru and Ryomen Sukuna only to be decimated, Hanami approached more cautiously.
Hanami recognized the need to avoid Gojo. So, when the cursed spirits attacked during the Kyoto Goodwill Event, they made sure to lock Gojo out. When Gojo did finally break through their barriers, Hanami made a quick escape, knowing their defeat would be swift if they stayed.
2 Isabella Chose Her Children Over The Demons In The Promised Neverland
Isabella spent the whole series as an antagonist, but when it finally came down to it, she chose to help save her children. She was a Mama and, therefore, raised children to be slaughtered, but she did this to secure her survival. When she was young, she had hope, but that had all been crushed by the farm system.
When she sees her children, Ray, Emma, and Norman achieve the impossible and then keep avoiding capture, she was inspired, and she devised a plan to help them. She had relearned hope from the children, and, as a result, she switched sides.
1 Jellal Goes From Evil Wizard To Dark Sorcerer Hunter In Fairy Tail
Jellal Fernandes was a Dark Mage who was influenced by strong dark magic. He committed various atrocities, including using slave labor to try and bring back the evilest mage the world had ever known. On top of that, Jellal had a lot of making up to do for the way he treated Erza Scarlet as well.
However, after the Tower of Heaven arc, his altercation with Natsu Dragneel, and his acquaintance with Erza, he comes to terms with his crimes. As an effort to atone for these wrongdoings, he formed a rogue guild that hunted down Dark Mages and stopped them.
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