10 Hated Anime Characters Who Betrayed The Main Character

The anime protagonist is one of the most important aspects of a release, as they are the face of the series. Charismatic, relatable, and noble protagonists, such as popular characters like Goku or Naruto, serve as a way for the viewer to connect with the story. As such, when these heroes get betrayed, it tends to stick with fans long after the final episode airs.

Although there have been times in which the motives behind these betrayals can be understood, there are more examples of irredeemable and horrid treachery that turn once beloved characters into hated individuals. When this happens, fans cannot help but harbor a rage and resentment that does not disappear, even when these events are truly well-written.

10

Ginjo Kugo – Bleach

While the Bleach anime has no shortage of unlikable characters, there are only a handful who managed to remain beloved parts of the series while also harnessing the hatred of fans. Ginjo, one of Ichigo’s former mentors turned evil mastermind, is one of these individuals. After losing his powers, the protagonist was left wandering the world in search of help, giving Kugo the perfect opportunity to strike.

The man helped Ichigo control and master his complex and mighty Fullbringer abilities, giving the boy a pinch of hope of returning to his friend’s side. Woefully, this was all a deception created by Kugo, who was only interested in stealing the protagonist’s strength for himself. This betrayal cut deep into Ichigo’s soul, as he saw Ginjo as a trusted friend and ally, only to have his trust shattered.

9

Soo Won – Yona of the Dawn

Yona of the Dawn is a series that has been widely considered among the best fantasy anime ever created, not only because of its amazing cast, but also because of its rich lore and complex story. Still, one of the most pivotal points of this outstanding show comes right at the start. Instead of a party waiting for her back home to celebrate her 16^th birthday, Yona is told that her father, the Emperor, has been killed by one of his trusted advisors.

The murderer turns out to be none other than the protagonist’s first love and close friend, Soo Won, who had long held a deep desire for revenge against Yona’s father. Heartbroken and with nowhere left to go, the princess is forced to run away in exile, knowing that the man whom she once loved is responsible for all her pain. While it can be argued that Soo Won was justified in his actions, this does not take away from the anger fans feel about what he did to Yona.

8

Rachel – Tower of God

Among the best dark fantasy anime released over the last couple of years, Tower of God stands out for its dire and intense storyline. This series takes a much bleaker approach to the dungeon-crawler genre, showing the moral and political issues that come with such a world. The perfect example of this is the betrayal carried out by Rachel, Baam’s childhood friend and self-proclaimed chosen one.

After being deemed unworthy of reaching the top of the tower and having her wish granted, Rachel is told by the Floor Guardian to kill Bamm, as doing so would grant her a new opportunity. As such, when the time comes for the final test to take place, the girl pretends to be hurt, only to push her friend to the abyss once he comes running to help her. While Rachel is still a great character overall, fans cannot yet let go of her sudden and cruel betrayal.

7

Sho Fuwa – Skip Beat!

Love stories are quite popular among anime fans, as they tend to show the best in humanity. Viewers love watching souls connect and fight for one another, even against the most insurmountable odds. Nonetheless, they can also highlight the many dangers of romance, and the protagonist of the aptly called One Piece of Shojo, Skip Beat!, knows all about that.

Before beginning her journey to become a popular idol, the main character had traveled to Tokyo to support her boyfriend, Sho. Despite all her sacrifices, once the man became relatively well-known, he decided to confess he never cared for her, and he only saw her as a servant to do his housework while he rose to the top. Even after this shocking act of treason, Kyoko went on to become one of anime’s most iconic singers, all out of spite.

6

Griffith – Berserk

Betrayals in anime are not all that uncommon, as having one of the protagonists’ trusted allies or friends break their trust is a simple but effective plot device to keep audiences engaged. Yet, there have only been a few times in which this idea has had such a lasting effect as Berserk’s Griffith, one of the series’ most divisive characters. After suffering greatly in captivity, the leader of the Band of the Hawk became convinced that he deserved better than what life had given him.

To obtain the power he desired, he made a deal with a group of demons known as the God Hand. In exchange, the man had to sacrifice the lives of all his comrades, a decision that he made almost instantaneously. As if this were not tragic enough for Guts’ story, who lost all of his friends during this event, Griffith went on to become the ruler of his own nation, enjoying his life as if nothing had happened.

5

Kyubey – Madoka Magica

Most of the best magical girl anime have a distinctive and adorable pet that accompanies the heroines and guides them in their new responsibilities. Madoka Magica took this innocent and beloved trope and turned it into a truly terrifying concept by making Kyubey, the ancient being who offers the girls their powers, a cruel and treacherous creature.

Despite the promise of happiness made by the cat-like entity, the series quickly revealed that Kyubey never had any interest in the well-being of the witch hunters. By the end of the show, it was revealed that this adorable pet was nothing more than an overseer, looking for innocent souls to tarnish and sacrifice to keep order across the universe.

4

Malty Melromarc – The Rising of the Shield Hero

Hailed by many as one of the best shows the isekai genre has ever produced, The Rising of the Shield Hero is an unconventional series, not only because of its protagonist’s defensive abilities, but also because of its politics. The world of the series is not full of fantastical and friendly creatures, but instead is a corrupt and brutal society where a single mistake can cost you everything.

Naofumi’s mistake, as expected of one of the most relatable isekai protagonists, was trusting the wrong person, in this case, the former princess Malty. When told she would be in charge of supporting the Shield Hero, this arrogant woman saw him as a burden to her legacy, as well as a political rival. As such, she accused Naofumi of assaulting her, causing him to vanish and be branded a criminal, all while this vile person laughed at his misfortune.

3

Kawaki – Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

The Boruto series is arguably one of the most controversial sequels of all time, due to the massive changes it made to the world of Naruto. Nevertheless, while its many filler arcs can be unappealing to fans, certain storylines are quite enjoyable, like the rise and fall of Naruto’s adoptive son, Kawaki.

Terrified of losing the Seventh Hokage to the imminent threat of the Otsutsuki clan and its members, the former Kara member decides to use his power to entrap Naruto and Hinata inside a pocket dimension. He then uses Eida’s power, one of the most broken and god-like in the entire franchise, to alter the timeline and blame Boruto for his crimes, resulting in the Uzumaki being forced to flee from his home while Kawaki enjoys a good life in Konoha.

2

Kanjuro – One Piece

The world of One Piece is home to many beloved characters, from the Straw Hat Captain Luffy to the adorable Doctor Chopper. On the other hand, this amazing series has also spawned some of the most vile villains the anime industry has ever seen, with Kanjuro being one of the most disliked. First introduced as a loyal servant of Oden, the former leader of the Land of Wano, Kanjuro spent many years pretending to be an ally to the Straw Hats.

It was not until the heroes reached the ancestral land of this character that he revealed himself as a traitor who had long ago sold his comrades to regain power and respect among the elite of the island. Worse of all, his betrayal was the direct cause of the death of Ashura, a noble warrior and member of the Nine Scabbards, which caused much commotion among fans. Kanjuro’s life as Orochi’s puppet was indeed tragic, but it does not justify the actions he committed.

1

Shoji Endo – Nana

Nana, objectively one of the best romance anime involving adults, has been a constant source of heartbreak and stress for fans over its several decades of existence. The series takes a realistic and dark approach to the dilemmas of growing up in an ever-changing and often cruel world. Hachi, one of the protagonists of the show, is the victim of many tragedies, but only a handful have hurt as much as the betrayal of her boyfriend, Shoji.

Despite their happy beginnings as a couple, these characters began to drift apart slowly, causing the deep insecurities and immaturity of the man to show. Instead of openly talking about his needs with Hachi, Shoji preferred to engage in an affair with one of his coworkers. When his girlfriend began to suspect, he tried to hide what he had done, until it became impossible for him to, breaking Hachi’s heart after months of leading her on.

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou

Writers

Jin Tanaka, Akiko Inoue, Junki Takegami, Shinzo Fujita, Shouji Yonemura, Yoshiyuki Suga, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hirohiko Uesaka, Michiru Shimada, Isao Murayama, Takuya Masumoto, Yoichi Takahashi, Momoka Toyoda

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  Mayumi Tanaka

  Monkey D. Luffy (voice)

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  Kazuya Nakai

  Roronoa Zoro (voice)