Manga protagonists are usually portrayed as righteous heroes in most stories. After all, they’re chivalrous, gallant, and easy to look up to. However, not all main characters are good guys. Some are vile, heinous, despicable villains. As distasteful as it may sound to some people, manga with evil mcs are getting really popular these days. They allow readers to look at the world through the villain’s eyes and maybe even make us empathize with them. If you enjoy questioning society and its values, these may be just what you’re looking for. So, here’s our list of Top 10 Manga Where the MC is a Villain!
List of Best Manga Where the MC is a Villain
10. Redo of Healer (Kaifuku Jutsushi No Yarinaoshi)
Keyaruga is a healer who is used as a slave by the princess of the kingdom and abused by his party. Later on, he gets a chance to rewind time and comes back in time with memories intact. He has terrific plans in mind for his revenge.
Summary
“Healing magicians cannot fight alone.’ Keare, who was bound by this common knowledge, was exploited again and again by others. But one day, he noticed what lay beyond healing magic, and was convinced that a healing magician was the strongest class. However, by the time he realized that potential, he was deprived of everything. Thus, he used healing magic on the world itself to go back four years, deciding to redo everything. This is a heroic tale of one healing magician who became the strongest by using knowledge from his past life and healing magic.“
9. The Hero Laughs While Walking the Path of Vengeance a Second Time
This manga is about a boy named Ukei Kaito who was summoned to another world as the Hero and was ordered to defeat the Demon Lord. But, after he defeated the Demon Lord he was betrayed by his trusted comrades. He gets a second chance and promises himself that he’ll dedicate himself to getting his revenge.
Summary
“Ukei Kaito fought a desperate struggle in order to fulfill his role as a summoned hero. He defeated the Demon Lord and saved the very world, only to meet an end filled with betrayal. The companions that he’d trusted throughout his journey betrayed him and killed him by sticking a blade through his chest. It was then that he swore to himself. He swore that, if given another chance, he would no longer so rigidly cling to the concept of “faith.” He swore that, if given another chance, he would dedicate himself to enacting the most atrocious act of revenge possible. He swore that, if given another chance, he would do things right. I’ll kill every single last one of you I swear it And so, he died, leaving behind not but a series of menacing last words but his story had yet to end. A voice resounded through his head and informed him that there was more to his fate than what lay beyond the grave. The following is a system message. Tutorial Mode has been terminated.“
8. Overlord
Lord Ainz is both badass and merciful, and he makes for a great main character. The art style in the starting chapters is pretty bland but the story has deep meaning and is sure to grab your attention.
Summary
“After the popular MMORPG game, YGGDRASIL was shut down, the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown led by skeletal overlord Momonga finds themselves transported into the world of the game. With no way to leave or make contact with the outside world, Ainz Ooal Gown must travel around in order to solve the mystery, while being able to kill and cause chaos as they please due to their seemingly limitless power.“
7. Shamo
This manga is about a model student who murders his parents on his sixteenth summer and feels no guilt for his actions and continues committing horrific crimes with no remorse.
Summary
“Ryo Narushima was a model student all the way up until his sixteenth summer when he murdered his parents. He feels no guilt for his cruel actions and continues committing horrible crimes like assault and rape. However, Ryo is not a hundred percent evil for he still takes care of his sister and is sometimes even charitable. Unfortunately, society’s condemnation of young criminals such as him makes it nigh impossible for Ryo to ever be redeemed.“
6. Akumetsu
Akumatsu takes place in a near-future timeline in which Japan suffers an economic collapse due to bank corruption. Shiina Nagasawa meets our main character, Akumetsu, as her classmate, Shou Hazama. He begins murdering corrupt politicians one by one until he is killed.
Summary
“It is a time of economic unrest in Japan, thanks to the corrupt politicians and businessmen who are running the country. In order to support her family after her father’s company goes bankrupt, Shiina Nagasawa makes the decision to enter the world of prostitution. On her first night on the job, however, a masked man she recognizes as a classmate appears and brutally murders the head of the party after giving a speech criticizing the government. More and more of these violent murderings of prominent people by masked vigilantes begin to occur, and the question arises what exactly is evil?“
5. Code Geass
Lelouch is an exiled prince hiding from the Brittanian Empire who can assassinate him anytime. During an incident, he gets the power of Absolute Obedience. With this newfound power, he turns ruthless and devises a plan to bring down the Britannian Empire.
Summary
“Lelouch Lamperouge, formerly Lelouch vi Britannia, is the exiled prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, and he’s been sent to Japan along with his sister Nunnally. One day while investigating a terrorist attack, Lelouch finds a mysterious woman named C.C. who grants him the power of Geass, which can be used to control others. With this strange and destructive ability, Lelouch begins a rebellion to avenge what he has lost and in the process will change the world.“
4. Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer
A knight serving his princess must decide if he’s ready to become the villain she needs.
Summary
“One day a talking lizard asks college student Yuuhi Amamiya to become a Beast Knight and serve Princess Asahina Samidare in her quest to stop the evil mage Animus from destroying Earth with his biscuit hammer. After being saved by the princess from a golem created by the mage, Yuuhi agrees to work for her. However, Princess Asahina actually wants to save the planet so that she can destroy it herself, and if Yuuhi continues to follow her, then he must embrace the role of a villain.“
3. Death Note
Light Yagami, the son of a police officer who is bored with his regular life, has the brilliant idea of creating a perfect world by eliminating all the bad people. He aspires to be the new God in his new world. But his plans are thwarted by a prodigy detective named L Lawliet. Death Note is one of the most popular manga globally and you’ll definitely not regret giving it a read.
Summary
“Light Yagami is a prodigious high school student who just so happened to find a Death Note dropped by Ryuk, a god of death. Inside the notebook is a list of rules on how to use it and what it does, which is kill those whose names are written in it. At first, Light was skeptical, but when it’s proven to work, Light realizes that the Death Note can be used to change the world. He adopts the alias “Kira” and decides that he will levy justice by executing criminals with the Death Note. This doesn’t sit well with everyone, and so brought in is the genius detective L. The superior intelligence of Light and L as one struggles to maintain his cover and the other seeks to expose it...”
2. Hellsing
Hellsing is a manga/anime that revolves around an organization in England that fights evil with evil. The organization is called Hellsing and its leader is Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Her greatest weapon is Alucard, a genetically modified vampire with super vampiric strength.
Summary
“Vampires exist. It is the duty of Hellsing, an organization sponsored by the British government, to hide that frightening fact and protect the blissfully unaware populace. Along with its own personal army, Hellsing also has a few secret weapons. Alucard, an incredibly powerful vampire, has been controlled by Hellsing for years. Although he dislikes being a servant to the Hellsing family, he certainly enjoys his job as Hellsing’s vampire exterminator. Seras is a fledgling vampire and a former policewoman. Although reluctant to embrace her new self, she is still a valuable member of the organization. Integra Hellsing, the current leader, is usually fully capable of fulfilling her duty, but lately, vampire activity has been on the rise. Unfortunately, the cause is more alarming than anything she could have imagined. A group long thought dead has been plotting in secret since their apparent destruction over 50 years ago. Plotting to plunge England, and perhaps the entire world, into war.“
1. Monster
Arguably one of the best villains in the history of manga, this story is about a famous neurosurgeon who saved an orphan instead of the mayor when he’s put in a situation where he can only save one of them. If you enjoy dark psychological thrillers then this manga is just for you.
Summary
“Johan Liebert would have died a young boy had he not been treated by Kenzou Tenma, a famous neurosurgeon who had to decide between saving the orphan or saving the mayor of Düsseldorf. Tenma believed he made the right choice, despite being disgraced and shunned for it until he learns what has become of Johan. Years after his life was saved, Johan has become a monster who has committed terrible atrocities, and Tenma takes it upon himself to right the wrong he is responsible for.“
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it, our top 10 manga where the mc is a villain! We hope that you’ve found what you were looking for and will enjoy reading them. If you think another manga deserves a spot on the list be sure to let us know in the comments. We’ll include them the next time we make a list and you’d help other people who are looking for similar manga to read.
Also, be sure to check out other manga/anime recommendations by clicking here
