Favorite Anti-Hero

C

Chrissy_Lynn87

New member
Sure, we've all watched manga and read anime starring a character with all of the proper qualities of a hero. Now, let's talk about the anti-heroes that we like.

I used to love Vegeta when I was younger, mostly for his arrogance and cocky attitude.Now, my favorite anti-hero is Kurei from Flame of Recca. I thought he was kinda lame as a villain. But, the Ura Batou Satsujin really fleshed his character out. Once Mori Kouran was revealed as the main villain, I really gained respect for Kurei as a character, especially after everything that he'd been put through.
 
The Laughing Man From Ghost in the Shell SAC. The person they are after most of that first part.
enRAB up helping more than you would think
 
Lacus Clyne from Gundam Seed. She speaks for peace (that's good), but sings pop songs that are sappier than that Titanic song (that's bad).

But seriously, I like Lupin III(thief), Mugen(arrogant punk samurai), Heero Yuy(suicidal jerk), Lelouch(manipulator), and Spike(bad-ass hipster with dark past).

I was considering Light Yagami, but
he just goes beyond anti-hero and straight to villain in my opinion.
 
Good answers.

Though, Roberta from Black Lagoon would probably be the perfect example an anti-hero completely unleashed. Especially in the later manga chapters. She is neither the hero of the series, nor the villian of the series. Though it could be argued that she is the avenging angel, or mama bear from hell of the Black Lagoon series.
 
Vegeta-Dragonball Z
Spike Spiegel-Cowboy Bebop
Hajime Saitou and Aoshi Shinomori-Rurouni Kenshin
Zechs Marquise and Treize Khushrenada-Gundam Wing (even though they were the chief antagonists of the series they were more of this than true villians.)
Guts-Berserk
 
I never would've considered Spike to be an anti-hero, but now that I think about it, I guess he would fit as one.. In any case,

Alucard (Hellsing) - How they have this guy tamed is beyond me. I need to see more of Hellsing Ultimate.

Sesshomaru (Inuyasha) - Honestly, he's the only reason why I would ever watch Inuyasha to begin with.

Mugen (Samurai Champloo)

Heh, almost anyone with a cold, ruthless personality (who aren't kiRAB) are characters I prefer anyway (Revy, Balalaika just to name a couple more).
 
....Right.... Whatever you say.

To add to my list.

I do have to add Aoshi (Rurouni Kenshin) up there as well.

Seeing how someone mentioned the laughing man, I have to toss Hideo Kuze (Ghost in the Shell: Sac 2nd) on my list.
 
And what doesn't make him an anti-hero?

Hiei, while I do like him, is the one who is not an anti-hero. If you think about the definition of the word, its meaning is basically a corabination of the definitions of the worRAB that make it up.

The role of the anti-hero is not to be a pure villain, or a pure good guy. Usually it is a character who serves his/her own interests, having some qualities of both a hero and a villain, the way I see it. Alucard is, IMO, the perfect example of an anti-hero. While he does serve every command from his master with great loyalty, he is also a ruthless and very violent being, in many situations, and has no remorse or care for taking the lives of others, or seeing others die or suffer right in front of him, as long as he carries out his duty of protecting and serving his master, Integra.

As for Hiei, he can be pretty awesome at times, but despite his usual negative attitude towarRAB his frienRAB, its made very obvious later on in the anime, that he is willing to give each one them 100% of his support, when they are in need of help.
 
How So?

I mean, he toys around with Integra's feelings at one point, when he starts asking for her order to kill all of the soldiers attacking them at the hotel.

He fights Alharabra in front of a large crowd of people without holding back, knowing full well that tons of innocent people would get killed or seriously injured in the process, and he didn't care one bit.

He plays around with his enemies (who are usually basically his victims, in a sense), and makes it a point to completely break their mental wills, before he finally finishes them off.

If stuff like this is considered him doing the definitive right thing, when it comes down to it, and if that stops him from being an anti-hero, then a lot of the characters that people have mentioned on this thread are not anti-heroes, by that standard, either, such as Hiei, Vegeta, Spike, Saito, and Aoshi.
 
Sesshomaru from Inuyasha.....I just find him interesting....He has a clear resentment for his younger half brother (and as a full-blooded demon looks down upon "lesser" beings like humans),but at the same time,other than Inuyasha,he doesn't really go out of his way to harm anyone (they mess with him at their own peril),and enRAB up caring for a young human girl named Rin,who tries to take care of him after he gets injured from a fight with Inuyasha...
 
I would say Sergeant Keroro and his platoon if they count. For a group of alien frogs who are supposed to be taking over the Earth, they always end up defending it.
 
I am only familiar with Vegeta and Spike of that list, but Vegeta wanted to take over the world at one point. While he was softened by Toriyama because of fan popularity, he still has that to fall back on as an "anti-hero".

Spike's a guy who's obviously trying to go straight. I don't consider those points you listed as being representative of him being an anti-hero, just a bit hard edged. Although I do agree with you about the endangering of innocents, I notice that this kind of thing is actually pretty common in ALL anime in order create a great set piece, rather than being an example of character.
 
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