Falling in Reverse once asked, "so why do good girls like bad guys?" The pop-punk band's question missed the mark by a little - people of all genders and qualities love bad boys - particularly when they're anime characters. Some anime bad boys are relatively harmless, but give off an aura of danger and mystique - either that or they aren't mysterious at all, but use anger and aggression to hide their deeper insecurities. A few aren't even "bad" per se - they're just rockin' that wild aesthetic. Meanwhile, some of them are actually villainous - which is exactly what makes them so compelling. They're sexy, they don't play by the rules, and they're layered. Often, these characters have excellent motivations for their less-than-ideal behavior - but even when they don't, viewers still want to know what makes them tick. Which of these characters is the best anime bad boy? That's up to you. Vote up your faves to let your voice be heard.
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Sure he's constantly getting into fights and transforms into a freaky monster, but Kyo Sohma secretly has a heart of gold. The contrast between his behavior and his true feelings are part of what makes him such a great character.
Rin Matsuoka is Haru's rival and childhood friend. He begins the series aggressive and cocky - but he also cries, repeatedly. The great thing about anime bad boys is that you get to see a full range of emotions, a criteria Rin absolutely fulfills.
Itachi is probably one of the most tragic anime bad boys on the list. To protect his younger brother and his village, he's willing to do anything - even destroy his entire family.
It's hard to get creepier than a demon who collects the souls of children - but it's also harder to get hotter than Sebastian Michaelis in a butler uniform.
As a member of the League of Villains, Dabi is a total bad boy. He's also blisteringly hot - both literally and metaphorically.
Not every anime bad boy is an excessively violent villain - some are just surly boys with emotional baggage. Haru Yoshida is the latter - while he can be soft and loving, he also has a tendency to get into fights and misunderstand others due to his own difficult upbringing.
For many anime bad boy fans, Sesshoumaru was an early heartthrob. He's a powerful demon who starts the series as a villain but ultimately comes around and helps his brother defeat the real bad guys.
Izaya Orihara sells information to others, with his own profit and amusement guiding his choices rather than any kind of moral system. Watching him at work is one of the most fascinating parts of Durarara!
Akutagawa Ryunosuke is a member of the Port Mafia, and he can be vicious and sadistic in pursuit of his goals. Still, for some viewers it's hard to suppress the urge to touch his two-tone hair.
Naofumi doesn't start the series as a bad boy, but after being betrayed and manipulated in the new world he's transported to, his personality undergoes a dramatic shift. He becomes bitter and angry, but also appealingly self-reliant.
All Lelouch has to do is look slyly at an enemy to get his bad boy nature across. While he does have good intentions - to free Japan from an oppressive regime - he's more than happy to use underhanded means to achieve his goals.
The entire appeal of Kyouya Sata is his bad boy nature. He comes off as rude and abrasive - especially toward his girlfriend - but most of it is driven by his fear of abandonment.
Depending on how you look at him, Light Yagami is either a depraved genius who lost track of his humanity or a passionate anti-hero who is working hard to rid the world of crime. Either way, he's serving looks.
Some of the best anime bad boys are also anti-heroes. While Shougo Makishima does some inexcusable things, he does it in order to destroy the horrifically oppressive society he lives in - and that's what makes him such an appealing bad boy.
Toi Kuji is the newest addition to the anime bad boy canon. He's a drug dealer who routinely gets into violent skirmishes, but his true goals lay in protecting his family.
This professional ice skater from Kazakhstan is actually pretty straight-laced, but with his motorcycle and his leather jacket, he certainly looks like a bad boy.
Vegeta starts off Dragon Ball Z as a villain who is seemingly incapable of tender feelings but ends as a grumpy dad. He's everything that's great about anime bad boys - powerful and sexy, but secretly vulnerable.
Marked "bad" from the moment he was born due to his status as a Twilight, Nicolas Brown must scrape together a living as a mercenary - and damn does he look good while doing it.
Griffith might look angelic, but it's only a mask for his sadistic and selfish demeanor. It's hard not to be fascinated by his swaggering confidence, even if the dude is evil.
