Anime fans worldwide have seen several main characters with overpowered skills, thick plot armor, tragic backstories, and crazy plotlines. We have compiled a list of such anime that will make you hold on to your pillow for the upcoming nights in light of the attention that shows like Mirai Nikki and Saga of Tanya The Evil have received from viewers worldwide for their crazy psychopathic main characters.
Psychopaths are usually violent and unpredictable, especially with antisocial characteristics. The levels of psychopathy are observed with extreme ranges of violence, narcissism, delusion, and sadism. Some, not often, are also schizophrenic, and psychopaths are known to be as rare as 1% of the human population. Despite the rarity, their impact is huge on others and may leave scars on them forever.
Mirai Nikki: Future Diary
Popularly known as Mirai Nikki, the anime series has two main characters, Yukiteru Amano and Yuno Gasai. At first sight, it may look like Yuno Gasai, the female protagonist, is the evil, highly unpredictable, psychopathic stalker and is the weirdest and most dangerous psychopathic main character you may have ever come across. Although this has some truth to it, Yukiteru is no less than a psychopath himself.
This shows that psychopaths and mentally deranged characters could be of different extremes and various levels of disparity and violence. Yuki is the first Diary Holder and is compelled to participate in a survival game with 11 other participants who hold similar Diaries, which are known as Future Diaries. Yuki’s biggest ally is his biggest stalker Yuno. As the game progresses, the two start to fall in love with each other.
Yuno has no empathy for others but is obsessed with Yuki, and her Future Diary accounts for Yuki’s future actions. After somewhat being held captive by the yandere Yuno, Yuki begins to fall in love with her, thus showing Stockholm Syndrome. The dangerous couple is crazy and unpredictable and would do anything to gain the power of God.
- Directed by: Naoto Hosoda
- Genre: Action, Supernatural, Survival, Gore, Psychological, Suspense
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
- Studio: Asread
- No. of episodes: 26+OVA
- Release Date: October 10, 2011
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also Read: Watch Order Guide of Mirai Nikki, How To Watch?
Saga of Tanya The Evil
The story has a tragic and quite depressing backstory in which a mysterious, powerful supreme being referred to as X created Tanya.
Tanya Degurechaff was a man in his previous life, but after a powerful defeat from X, X transformed him into a little doll-like girl in his next life. Tanya has the soul and pain and anguish of a man who was ruthlessly defeated and is now reincarnated to seek revenge.
As the reincarnation has made him get cornered in a tight spot, he blissfully accepts his fate and swears to never end the ongoing war. Tanya has become a ruthless and dangerous soldier. She has become the most feared soldier in history.
Also known as the Devil of the Rhine, Tanya has become infamous for her brutal, remorseless acts of violence, arson, destruction, and retaliation.
She views people as mere tools and weapons of war and is unpredictable with her actions. She is considered a sociopath and psychopath, to certain levels of extremity but not as much as Lorio. Lorio is another character who has an unhealthy obsession with Tanya.
Lorio is considered to be a true sociopath and psychopath to extreme levels. He is a rapist, murderer and significantly shows no remorse or guilt feeling for his actions.
He shows Yandere’s personality as he rightfully claims Tanya to be his wife, and he’ll go through hell just to make his dream turn into a reality. Above all, he’s an unconvicted pedophile and sexual molester who is free in public because of his high status and powerful connections.
- Directed by: Yutaka Uemura
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Military, Isekai
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
- Studio: Nut
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: January 6, 2017
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Also Read: 50 Scary Anime Series To Watch On Netflix
Higurashi: When They Cry
Higurashi has an intense plot of mysteries and suspicions. It takes place in a small isolated village called Hinamizawa in the year 1983. A young lad named Keiichi Maebara comes to the village with no certain hopes for living a peaceful life but encounters a group of young girls who seem to be the sweetest souls on earth.
The series is surprisingly horrific and gorey in terms of visuals and has such a meandering plot with interesting twists. Keiichi befriends the group of girls Rena Ryuuguu, Mion Sonozaki, Satoko Houjou, and Rika Furude, who also happen to be his schoolmates. After some suspicions and mysterious actions of the girls, Keiichi desires to uncover the truth.
After trying to make connections between the mysterious killings of innocent villagers and the festival, Keiichi ends up becoming paranoid, thus obtaining the Hinamizawa syndrome.
Keiichi is not the only paranoid psychopathic killer, but the rest of the characters are equally psychopathic. These characters show no remorse for killing people or even suicide. All the deaths have been gorey with disturbing visuals.
- Directed by: Chiaki Kon
- Genre: Gore, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Suspense
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Studio: Studio Deen
- No. of episodes: 26
- Release Date: April 5, 2006
- Where To Watch: Netflix
Also Read: 33 Anime Like Erased That Are Thrilling To Watch
Juuni Taisen: Zodiac War
The story gives us a little introduction to the Zodiac tournament, which is contested by strong intellectuals who each possess the strongest traits from one of the 12 Zodiac animals and spirits that is based on the Chinese zodiac lore. The contestants are involved in ruthless fights, and only one victor remains at the end of the tournament.
The show has such well-written Zodiac warriors as characters who have an innate connection to killing. Some, like Usagi or Inounoshishi, love to kill with distinction or in abundance.
Some don’t have the innate murderous desire, but most of these characters are loosely based on the affinity and strength of each Zodiac animal. Their predator instincts are insane, and one could club them all as a part of a psychopathic and sociopathic hitman’s team.
Although all characters are not psychopathic, all of them show mild to severe signs of psychopathy and sociopathy, which could be clubbed together as antisocial personality disorder. These so-called warriors are driven by either greed or lack of content, which automatically sets them as dangerous and volatile.
- Directed by: Naoto Hosada
- Genre: Gore, Survival, Action
- IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
- Studio: Graphinica
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: October 3, 2017
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also Read: 42 Thriller Anime Shows To Watch That Will Keep You At The Edge of Your Seat
Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied: a sad story for the main character named Lucy. Lucy belongs to a special human species named the Diclonius. Kouta and his cousin Yuka come across Lucy without knowing that she might be a dangerous woman on the run. They welcome her and take her under their care, as she doesn’t seem suspicious.
Lucy has a split personality disorder, which allows her to be the sweetest and most naive character to ever exist, but also, at the same time, she becomes the most vile, ruthless psychopathic killer.
Her darker side is the scariest and the wildest. She has been naturally gifted with short horns on her head and telekinetic invisible hands from behind her shoulders that give her an immense demon-like aura and powers.
Although the bad side of Lucy is shown as an impulsive killer, the Lucy within isn’t a bad person at all. Lucy is also shown as someone who was conditioned to become such a ruthless creature. Ever since childhood, Lucy can be seen as a naive girl, but the way she was raised and the world she had seen made her develop a split personality disorder.
- Directed by: Mamoru Kanbe
- Genre: Gore, Dark Fantasy, Science-fiction, Drama, Horror, Seinen
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Studio: Arms
- No. of episodes: 13+OVA
- Release Date: July 25, 2004
- Where To Watch: N/A
Also Read: 5 Anime Similar To Elfen Lied That You Should Check Out
Angels of Death
The series focuses on the main characters, Rachel and Zack, who are on a dangerous but interesting journey to escape the building that they have been confined in. Rachel Ray Gardner only wishes to die and escape this hell-bound life. She requests the insane psychopathic killer Isaac Froster alias Zack, to kill her once they get out of the building.
The psychopathic character in question is Isaac Froster, who goes by the name of Zack. Zack shows zero remorse when he talks about killing people or his death.
He was reported to be a serial killer before he was brought to the building by Abraham Gray, the mastermind of the building experiment. He was also the king of floor B6, as he murdered all other beings besides him. He was electrocuted multiple times, yet he still survived.
Although Zack is shown as a psychopathic serial killer, there are still some glimpses into his past life for viewers to understand that he was not born like this and that he was conditioned to such a cruel and gruesome environment that compelled him to become the way he is.
- Directed by: Kentaro Suzuki
- Genre: Gore, Psychological, Action, Horror, Mystery
- IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
- Studio: J.C.Staff
- No. of episodes: 16
- Release Date: July 6, 2018
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also Read: Best 7 Anime Produced By J.C. Staff That Should Be In Your Watchlist
Monster
The anime series includes the main characters, Dr. Kenzou Tenma and Johan Liebert. Dr. Kenzou Tenma is a well-respected neurosurgeon and has done various highly successful experiments on people, particularly a young boy named Johan Liebert.
Even though the poor boy was saved from terrible fortune by Dr. Kenzou Tenma, Johan Liebert chooses to grow up as a vil ruthless, heartless psychopathic serial killer. He feels no empathy towards other human beings.
People often mistake him for the naive good-looking young chap on the surface, but little do they know that he is filled with evil thoughts and has murderous intentions. He enjoys the act of killing and the sight of people who fear death and are trying to save themselves.
Besides being a psychopath, he has the most obvious symptom: the God complex, which is the maximum limit of a superiority complex.
He also enjoys being in control of people’s lives as if he is playing a game and he’s the mastermind behind it. He loves to manipulate his victims, thus indicating he’s a dangerous psychopath and is not the mere type to just have a straightforward motive and intentions.
- Directed by: Masayuki Kojima
- Genre: Manipulation, Psychological, Horror, Action, Drama, Mystery
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Studio: Madhouse
- No. of episodes: 74
- Release Date: April 7, 2004
- Where To Watch: N/A
Also Read: 12 Best Anime Produced By Madhouse Of All Time That You Should Watch Right Now
Kakegurui
Set in Hyakkaou Private Academy, the students are heavily involved in gambling amongst themselves. While it looks like any other prestigious private educational institution in the daytime, the school turns into a huge and dangerous gambling den at night.
This is when students show their true selves, considering they’re all rich brats. Our protagonist Yumeko has a surprisingly dark side that she discovers while being involved in this drama.
Although Ikishima Midari isn’t considered one of the main characters of the series, she plays a significant role in setting the narrative of the story. She is shown as a highly unpredictable student out of all the other crazy students. She is suicidal and masochistic, as seen in most of the scenes from the series.
Midari is a psychopathic and compulsive gambler. She doesn’t keep track of what’s at stake and only focuses on short-lived peace and happiness. She is also seen as someone who would risk it all for something futile. And she enjoys taking risks and putting others at risk.
- Directed by: Yuichiro Hayashi
- Genre: Drama, Mystery, High Stakes Game, Psychological, Strategy Game
- IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
- Studio: MAPPA
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: July 1, 2017
- Where To Watch: Netflix
Also Read: Anime Like ‘Kakegurui’ That You Don’t Want To Miss!
Bungou Stray Dogs
A special detective agency is on a mission to track down a mysterious, powerful tiger that haunts the city. The members are supernatural human beings, and the antagonists are also supernatural beings. It is a battle of wits and power.
One of the main characters is Osamu Dazai, a psychopathic (also considered sociopathic) and suicidal detective from the special agency. He has a troubling past due to which he once used to enjoy going on a killing spree and grew fond of it. Although he has now left his past, he seems to distinguish good from bad.
He had to go through quite a lot of traumatic incidents and painstakingly dangerous situations to be able to see the good and the evil. His suicidal behavior sets him off as a psychopathic killer to a seemingly dangerous extent.
But as the series progresses, we see he has changed quite a bit and becomes the perfect match to face off against his opponents, who are equally insane and psychopathic monsters.
One of the stronger antagonists is Fyodor Dostoevsky, a ruthless and merciless murderer who shows signs of a God complex and superiority complex and has committed various criminal offenses.
Fyodor is a psychopathic killer and is under the impression that a special book will give him the truth about the world. He is delusional and is also shown as calculative, manipulative, and an intelligent villain.
- Directed by: Takuya Igarashi
- Genre: Drama, Supernatural, Superpower, Crime, Action, Mystery
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Studio: Bones
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: April 7, 2016
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also Read: 30 Anime Like Parallel World Pharmacy That You Should Watch
Hunter X Hunter
The series follows the story of a group of talented and super-strong best friends who fight various obstacles in order to become the best Hunter in the world, which is just one of their other desires. Sadly, these friends are preyed upon by quite a few, especially Hisoka and Illumi.
Illumi is seen as an over-protective brother of Killua Zoldyck, and he seems like the type of person you should not mess with because of the overflowing dark aura that he gives off. But that is exactly what sets him aside as a psychopathic killer.
He doesn’t develop the appropriate amount of compassion and understanding, but instead, he feeds off of his delusion and superiority complex, which has made him into a psychopathic killer with a dangerous type of love for Killua.
On the other hand, Hisoka could pass off as a pedophile. He is also a psychopathic killer who only has a self-driven motive and doesn’t work well in teams or pairs except with Illumi.
Even as a part of the Phantom Troupe, Hisoka was in it for personal gain and his undying lust and hunger for Gon. He feels no empathy when he kills, and instead, he enjoys the act of hunting down his victims and killing them.
- Directed by: Kazuhiro Furuhashi
- Genre: Drama, Adventure, Action, Shounen, Fantasy
- IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
- Studio: Madhouse
- No. of episodes: 148
- Release Date: October 2, 2011
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Also Read: Top 10 Best Shounen Anime To Watch Right Now
Death Note
Death Note is about a young, ambitious genius student known as Light Yagami. He goes on about killing people he deems unfit and evil after getting mysterious god-like powers from a Shinigami. He does this in the name of justice and has created a buzz in the world among people as the vigilante hero who goes by the name Kira.
Light Yagami seems like a nice guy who’s doing the right things, but this holier-than-thou attitude of his gets him into serious trouble. This leads him to believe that he has become God himself, even though he already suffers from a superiority complex. He slowly becomes a psychopathic and egotistic serial killer who only deludes himself into thinking he has brought justice to the world.
He is an intelligent young man as we see him escape various cleverly planned traps from L Lawliet, his mortal archenemesis. At first, he seems to have a motive behind each killing, but as the series progresses, he becomes impulsive and highly unpredictable with his actions.
He lacks empathy, although he highly respects his father and shows a considerable amount of love and compassion towards his sister and mother.
- Directed by: Tetsuro Araki
- Genre: Psychological Drama, Mystery, Supernatural
- IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
- Studio: Madhouse
- No. of episodes: 37
- Release Date: October 4, 2006
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Also Read: 50 Best Manga Like Death Note You Must Read
Hellsing
As Light Yagami served as an anti-hero role in Death Note, Alucard serves a similar role in Hellsing. Hellsing is about a pitiless vampire named Alucard and his misadventures with other supernatural beings who are a threat to humankind.
As shown in the series, Alucard teams up with the mortals to destroy his own kind. This is a clear indicator that he lacks empathy and compassion.
He is only fixated on killing others for no particular motive. He likes to fight super-powerful and dangerous beings and is hungry for a good fight. But when he finds his opponent to be weak, he gets disappointed and treats them mercilessly.
He has also said that he enjoys the act of putting up a fight against monsters and ruthlessly killing them off in the next moment. He thinks he’s a monster himself that takes on innocent lives for no reason.
A unique thing to note about Alucard is that he doesn’t just enjoy killing his opponents. He likes to see them crushed and humiliated, as stated before. This is a clear indication of a psychopathic serial killer.
- Directed by: Umanosuke Ilida
- Genre Action, Horror, Supernatural, Gore, Violence
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Studio: Gonzo
- No. of episodes: 13
- Release Date: October 11, 2001
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Also Read: 44 Best Anime Like Hellsing That You Need To Watch
Tokyo Ghoul
Coming to the last of the list, Tokyo Ghoul is a fantastic anime series that revolves around ghouls and humans living in the world, with an upcoming dangerous war that could break out anytime soon.
Although the series revolves around the main character Kaneki Ken and his group of ghoul hybrids, the psychopathic characters that steal the show are the antagonists, especially Jason and Tsukiyima.
Jason is one of the strongest antagonists who has been conditioned to such a cruel environment that turned him into a psychopathic killer.
He was under torture like Kaneki Ken, but his reaction is what separates him from Kaneki. He uses the trauma as a motivation for vengeance, which slowly loses its role, and Jason becomes a crazy killer who kills for no reason. Hence, he cannot be reasoned with.
Tsukiyama is first shown as an antagonist who is a psychopathic killer and maybe even a pervert at the core. He doesn’t hesitate to torture his victims because he wants them to be the most delicious meals he’ll ever have.
He becomes obsessed with Kaneki Ken’s scent and taste and is determined to kill him with his own hands. He even pretends to join him in his plans, but eventually, he turns out to be a good guy at heart because of Kaneki’s genuineness.
- Directed by: Shuhei Morita
- Genre Action, Fantasy, Suspense, Horror, Gore, Psychological, Seinen
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Studio: Pierrot
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: July 4, 2014
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also Read: 50 Anime Characters Stronger Than Ken Kaneki From Tokyo Ghoul
