Summary
In many shounen and seinenanime, tragic backstories are practically a requirement—because what’s character growth without a little lifelong emotional trauma, right? These injustices make us feel for the characters, drawing us into their journey. But trauma is a crossroads: some characters rise above it, others take a dark detour.
The villainous ones often end up mirroring the cruelty they once faced, becoming the very monsters that hurt them.They’re usually lonely, revenge-obsessed, and one motivational speech away from aredemption arc that never came. Maybe no one hugged them enough? Honestly, if you lived through what they did… would you really still be the hero?
There are many anime characters who have experienced trauma and injustice and came close to becoming villains; therefore, it’s not possible to include every character in this list. If a character you have in mind isn’t listed, feel free to share them in the comments with others.
10Takashi Natsume
Natsume Yuujinchou (Natsume’s Book Of Friends)
Takashi Natsume has had a rough time—since childhood, he could see youkai, those spooky supernatural creatures. Because of this, his family and everyone around thought he was weird and kept their distance (except his mom and grandma, who were the real MVPs). Despite all the awkward stares and social exile, Natsume stayed kind-hearted and empathetic.
Thanks to his grandma’s mysterious book, he connected with the past and those creepy beings, growing into a wise guy who chose good over evil. Sure, he faced isolation and misunderstandings, but instead of turning into a villain, he picked love and understanding—basically, the youkai whisperer who refused to go dark!
9Kotoura Haruka
Kotoura-san
Haruka is one of the rare folks born with telepathy, able to hear other people’s thoughts—which made everyone around her freak out and misunderstand her. Friends and family ended up pushing her away, giving her the cold shoulder and zero trust. The loneliness and rejection left her with some serious emotional scars.
On top of that, some people tried to exploit her powers and bullied her both physically and emotionally. But did she turn villain? Nope! The game-changer was meeting Manabe Yoshihisa, who wasn’t scared or judgmental about her abilities—instead, he showed kindness. Despite all the pain, Haruka stayed sweet and gentle, just wanting love and acceptance, not revenge or world domination.
8Killua Zoldyck
Hunter X Hunter
Killua, the cheerful kid from the infamousassassin family Zoldyck, has a pretty dark past. In that family, kids grow up under strict discipline, tough training, and plenty of physical punishment. Killua was tightly controlled and pushed hard by his dad Silva and big brother Illumi—talk about a heavy family load!
They expected him to be a cold, heartless assassin with no feelings, basically a villain in training. But nope, Killua kept his cool, holding onto his empathy and conscience. Thanks to his close friendship with Gon and the gang, he stayed human instead of turning into a supervillain. In the end, love and friendship won—take that, Zoldyck pressure!
7Crona
Soul Eater
Crona fromSoul Eateris one walking emotional trauma in a cloak. Raised by Medusa—who thought “parenting” meant turning your child into a science experiment—Crona was fed fear instead of love and got a demon sword (hi, Ragnarok!) installed like some haunted Windows update.
With zero empathy training and 100 percent anxiety, Crona became a walking panic attack. But despite being villain material 101, Crona didn’t go full evil. Why? Maka. With patience, kindness, and the superpower of not running away screaming, Maka helped Crona see a sliver of hope. Turns out, even if the world calls you a monster, a little love can reboot your humanity.
6Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto
Naruto was basically handed the job of being a Jinchuriki — a baby with a giant fox demon (Kurama) sealed inside him. This totally wrecked his childhood. The whole village saw him as a walking disaster and treated him with fear, hate, and some serious side-eye. He was bullied, ignored, and left all alone with no one to talk to since he was also an orphan.
But Naruto? He never gave up. If he had, he might’ve gone full dark side. Instead, his endless need for love pushed him to improve himself and value others. Thanks to his legendary “talk no jutsu,” he even turns villains into friends. Eventually, the village accepts him—and finally, the kid with a demon inside becomes the village hero!
5Naofumi Iwatani
Tate No Yuusha No Nariagari (The Rising Of The Shield Hero)
Naofumi is one of four heroes summoned to a fantasy world, but instead of fanfare and glory, he gets hit with betrayal speedrun-style. Within days, his only ally, Malty, accuses him of a crime he didn’t commit—yeah, false accusation speedrun world record. The kingdom shuns him, the people hate him, and the other heroes act like he smells like expired potions.
With only a shield (aka the least flashy weapon ever), he can’t even fight properly on his own. Sounds like perfect villain origin material, right? But instead of turning evil, Naofumi finds true allies like Raphtalia and Filo, discovers trust, and swaps revenge for protection. His shield? Used for saving, not smiting.
4Ganta Igarashi
Deadmen Wonderland
Ganta gets thrown into Deadman Wonderland, a terrifying prison full of death-row inmates and nonstop torture—totally not a fun place. He’s innocent, yet faces brutal abuse from guards and prisoners alike, both physically and emotionally. Sounds like the perfect recipe to become a villain, right?
But nope! Despite all the crap, Ganta chases justice and truth. Thanks to his friends and Shiro’s unconditional love and protection, he learns to trust again and keeps his humanity intact. Though his creepy powers freak him out, he uses them to protect loved ones—not to become a killer. While other Deadmen lose themselves to hate and revenge, Ganta stays the good guy, proving you’re able to suffer and still be awesome.
3Hyakkimaru
Dororo (2019)
Hyakkimaru was born missing 48 organs, limbs, and senses because his dad made a devilish deal and sacrificed them to demons—then just left him to die. Growing up as a half-human, half-demon patchwork, life was anything but easy. People feared and shunned him, leaving him lonely and misunderstood.
Even though he sees the world as a brutal, strange place and struggles with his humanity, he never turns villain. Instead, he hunts down demons to reclaim his missing body parts, getting one step closer to being fully human with each victory. Thanks to Dororo’s friendship and kindness, plus Dr. Jukai’s help, Hyakkimaru chooses healing over hatred and proves you can be a badass without going evil.
2Ken Kaneki
Tokyo Ghoul
Kaneki begins as a quiet, gentle young man whose life is shattered when he’s attacked by Rize—the girl he thought liked him. After a life-saving operation, he awakens as a half-ghoul, half-human, caught between two worlds that reject him.
Haunted by hunger, isolation, and a fractured identity, Kaneki endures unimaginable suffering, including brutal torture at the hands of Jason. Despite the trauma and the darkness pressing in, he never fully becomes a villain. What anchors him is his empathy—his desire to protect others and not lose his humanity. Kaneki’s story is not about giving in to hate, but resisting it, even when pain and loss make it the easier path. He remains a tragic, yet ultimately human, figure.
1Thorfinn Karlsefni
Vinland Saga
Thorfinn witnessed his father’s death as a child and lived solely for revenge. He grew up surrounded by war, bloodshed, and brutality, serving under Askeladd like a silent shadow, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Deprived of love, education, and a real childhood, he was fueled by hatred. But when Askeladd is killed by someone else, Thorfinn’s only purpose vanishes.
Perhaps killing him himself might have pushed him into villainy—but instead, the loss triggers deep reflection. Enslaved and broken, he begins to confront his past. He learns the value of life and forms a vow never to kill again. His dream of a peaceful Vinland leads him away from darkness. Thorfinn’s journey is proof that even those born in chaos can choose the light.
