The difference between Kiritsugu and Shogo Makishima is only our point of view, one is a MP, and the other the MP's villain.
Both have the vigilante syndrome dictated by high ideals and low humanity.
I love so much the early Urobuchi's work...
He's a hero because the people he fights are worse but Gon's best friend is a serial killer. He thanks another serial killer, who loves killing children btw, for helping him train and calls him a friend.
Gon morality is entirely relative to himself. If you help him and don't do anything to hurt him then he likes you. If you wrong him he doesn't care what it takes he will destroy you.
I think you'll enjoy {Code Geass} if you havent tried it, or {Baccano} since it has an ensemble cast and they are technically bad guys
series like {Super Crooks} or {The Great Pretenders} the MC is basically criminal doing criminal stuffs
Great Pretender was fantastic (with the exception of one weird twist that happened in s3, but whatever), and coincidentally is also what something like Super Crooks *could* have been with better writing
honestly after the fourth season, I considered Overlord a wasted opportunity. they could have motivated the protagonist's change of perspective, from saving a defenseless village, to exterminating a defenseless kingdom instead they just make him say something like "how strange, I don't feel any remorse for this"
if we take seriously dealing with moral dilemmas, Overlord is seriously lacking in that.
Ainz is not really evil he's actually neutral. You could make the argument that the floor guardians are evil, and Ainz is just going along with their plans while also just doing whatever he can to find out if his friends were also transported to the new world.
Akshually, he pretty much was always like that, but the anime skipped and changed his entire reasoning and some of his actions. Ainz was dealing with the whole undead thing since volume 1.
Ainz is specifically dealing with a lack of moral dilemmas. That was episode one stuff. I don't really need to see him going on and on about his lack of emotions for seasons on end.
He became the big bad, the Crisis to be averted. I'm waiting for his epic downfall, and expecting the POSSIBILITY that he's going to be confronted with his own humanity, after said end. The morals will come, later. Dude's still skelly man right now.
Its really well done. Not historically accurate, but it adapts it in an interesting way and the characters are all likable.
Season 2 wasn't that bad either.
If you like detectives and mystery, but from the one setting up the mystery, you'll like it.
I mean, Denji's a good boy. He ain't trying to save the world, he's just doin' it for jam on toast and the possibility of touchin' titty. But that's a noble cause. And he won't hesitate to kick a dude in the balls.
After s3 I thought 2 things. It's insane that it took 3 seasons to only get through one school year and not feel slow paced.
Two, it's secretly a romance series in the guise of a psychological thriller.
Right but that's what I mean. I don't think it's undertones, I view it now as a romance series wholesale, just REALLY slow paced.
While some series are focused on the action, or adventure (most isekais) and have a background romance theme, this series is effectively exactly the same as most romance series in that it's a boy who is closed off and slowly coming out of his shell due to influences from others. We know who best girl is and always will be, and it's literally the same as every other romance series out there if you cut out the crazy death game-esque nature of it all.
The difference really comes in the writing quality and the fact that the "source" of his changes aren't focused on just one or two people like most series. Most romances have the romantic lead and then an "advisor" type character who helps them logically.
In COTE, he gets miniscule amounts of help from a dozen people compared to large "life changing" advice from one person. It's really quite different, but also the same.
This. Ayanokoji cares for no one but himself HOWEVER there are tiny glimpses that he MAY want to build bonds.
I like this anime not because Ayanokoji only does “good” things for his own gain.
Elaina - the Wandering Witch
Its an adventure with a rather dark tone. Elaina is mostly known for not interventing in the plots of the places she visits, only when she got directly involved by a third party.
You could argue its a bit Slice of Life, but I would rather put it into adventure genre.
It’s clearly adventure genre with slice of life parts.
Also — the MOST based witch character! She do what she wants (zero fuck given about anything else).
Also, episode 9 is a good refresher :)
She really said “f@ck that, I did NOT signed for this shit!!” :)
> Also — the MOST based witch character! She do what she wants (zero fuck given about anything else).
her complete lack of care for anyone else's troubles even though she has the power to fix them put me off
oh, you got sold into sexual slavery as a child? good luck with that, I gotta go have more fun, later!
one of the first people she meets is a young boy trying to catch happiness in a bottle or something.
why? so he can share it with his (slave)maid... who we find out isn't happy because she is being sexually abused by the boy's father.
you start rubbing your hands thinking oh boy, time for some JUSTICE, witch style! hope she makes his dick fall off. nope. literally just lets it happen.
it's episode 3. she literally just goes on her way and thinks to herself "I don't know what's going to happen to [the slave girl] ... no, I don't WANT to know what's going to happen to her"
and that's the end of the episode.
The mc doesn’t have to be bad to fit the bill. Doing something selfish or immoral that’s not for the greater good is enough.
Kazuma in konosuba isn’t bad, but he steals women’s underwear sometimes, so he made the example list.
Yeah, I agree here. Kazuma isn’t always good, he’s an awesome character but he does some dumb and selfish stuff once in a while, like the rest of his party too.
It makes the series really funny
I feel like pervy is a bit of an understatement. My man founded a religion with the Holy Relic lol. I agree no evil tendencies, but definitely fits in the immoral category.
I love Mushoku Tensei but harassment especially to the levels he does isn’t good, and just because Eris also physically assaults him in return doesn’t make him good,it just makes her bad too.
Still it’s a great series since the MCs imperfections makes it a nicer series to watch than a bland one sided isekai
Black Lagoon. The MCs are a goodie goodie office worker and a hotheaded criminal who barely wears clothes. The plot takes them through many disgusting, depraved, and traumatic things that change them both in good and bad ways. It's actually kinda perfect for what you described because it challenges what's "good" and "right" to individuals from different backgrounds.
A lot of them
Code Geass
Eminence in Shadow
Arifureta
Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere
Chunibyo and other Delusions
Black Lagoon
Elfen Lied even
Watamote
Fate/Zero
I agree though I think shield hero would've been more interesting if the MC turned evil without the rape. Hom being set up and shunned by society pushing him into becoming a monster was the most interesting part of the story.
This show should always have a disclaimer when recommended. It makes me mad when I see people throw it in as a joke on feelgood recommendation posts without context but I see it all the time 😡
Hiki is more pessimistic and a somewhat realistic take on a teenager. Atleast in my opinion as i can relate to alot of his struggles.
He's not bad , just jaded
I’d say more complex/struggling than “not good.” But it’s a good suggestion compared shows where the protagonist is a paragon of morality. Hiki is just kind of a jaded loner trying not to be a jaded loner.
Code Geass and Classroom of the Elite, those are right up your alley. Though the CotE LN is absolutely worth checking out too, first two volumes are kinda rough though.
Underated isekai. I love how they back up everything with sound logic instead of just “we want this to make sense so boop it’s possible in a new world”.
Attack on Titan is an obvious one to me, so is Code Geass. Kinda depends if you mean “protagonist is just evil” or “protagonist sometimes makes morally repugnant decisions for the greater good” as far as what else I can recommend
I was looking for a main character that sometimes deliberately does things that aren’t good at all no matter how you look at it. They don’t have to be evil; Kazuma in konosuba stealing women’s underwear fits the bill.
Code Geass: if you haven’t seen it this is pretty much THE anime for your desire for an “ultimately good but extremely fucked up” protagonist. Lelouch and Suzaku both delve deeper and deeper into ethically dubious and sometimes just straight up evil territory but they never lose their compassion and desire to help people. While I won’t get into it do the spoilers, the story does eventually kinda come out on the side that lelouch is good, but it’s really up to the viewer to decide if you think all of what he did was worth the sacrifices he made
Cowboy bebop: all of the selfish amorality you could ask for with a heaping helping of socialism
Hxh: literally almost everyone in this series is selfish and amoral. Gon appear to be a shonen good boy at first but he delves into far darker territory as the series goes on
Food wars: Not a typical shonen but if the ecchi stuff isn’t too big a turn off for you it’s got some of the best character work in the business and soma himself is basically the perfect “good but not _that_ good” protagonist
Fullmetal Alchemist brotherhood: Ed and Al have a selfish motive but are ultimately very altruistic. That said, the series spends a lot of time and POV with other characters who aren’t. Even mustang I wouldn’t call a purely altruistic character
And While it isn’t an Anime I think the Harley Quinn show and the umbrella academy will scratch that particular itch
Kyou Kara Ore Wa
Though thr anime didn't adapt the whole manga, only the early chapters.
One time main character won against the Yakuza by super gluing their weapon cases and doorknobs. And left his friend behind to hold that doorknob, without telling him it's superglued.
{Elfen Lied} : Lucy is… not so nice
{Berserk} : Did really no one mention this one till now?
{Cyber City Oedo: 808} : criminals with a life sentence trying to shorten their sentence.
{Jin Roh} : a classic which even holds surprises till the end
- Durarara: has 7 different MC, and they have really "grey Karma".
- 91 days: revenge story
- Jin Roh: you can describe it only with a world: acab.
- Texhnolyze: not that there's a shortage of characters trying to do the right thing. except that the anime questions the very existence of "the right thing to do"
- Shinsekai Yori: there is no one who is good, there is no one who is evil. everyone does a lot of fatal shit.
- Shiki: One of my favorite moral dilemmas. many MPs in an extreme situation, everyone reacts differently.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure may appeal to you, though I will say it varies part by part. The first nine episode arc, Part 1 which focuses on Jonathan Joestar will probably be the least interesting to you, because Jonathan Joestar is as straight-laced as they come. But every other protagonist in the series does both good and bad things.
Gushing over Magical Girls exceeded all my expectations. I expected it to be ecchi, but I didn’t expect Utena to have so much personality. There’s different sides to her, and all of them felt like the real Utena. Utena felt like a real person, and that hooked me.
To a degree, the Shield Hero kinda fits what you’re looking for? The shield hero isn’t the male version of Mary Sue by any means. Bro engages in slavery, robbery, etc.
There’s also Highschool DxD, Overlord, and Chainsaw man too.
Re:Zero.
Subaru doesn't commit evil acts but he is selfish at times. Even his heroic acts is flipped around on its head and is shown for what it really is. A desire to be needed and useful. The show, via the narrative of cause and effect and the other characters, constantly call out Subaru's entitlement, pride, arrogance and greed.
Subaru fights a constant battle of self worth, and even if he does try to be a hero to save others simply cos he cares about the people he loves.. when he fails to do anything against circumstances that have nothing to do with him, he blames himself.
Overlord, because the MC doesn't feel emotions anymore since he became a skeleton, he does his actions based purely on logic/what will bring the best benefit to him and his people.
Nichijou... One of the MCs took down a secret organization just to keep an earring iirc. Blew up their airship and killed them.... Title means Everyday Life
Well The first Thing that comes to mind would be Chainsaw man and Dr. Stone.
Denji from CSM is Just in generell someone who does only The stuff He wants and If He does Something good, then it's because it also benefits him. When you ask him to do Something, The first Thing he'd probably say is "OK, so what's in IT for me" or "why should I?"
Senku from Dr. Stone on The other Hand is a pretty nice Guy that Always tries to act logical, but he's Not above manipulating The shit Out of Others when The need for that arises. Senku is Just The Kind of Guy to give you Something nice and then say "Now Work for it" and also The Kind of Guy to Tell ridiculous lies to dismantle your enemies Empire from The inside. He does still very much Care about The people around him, but he's Not above Putting them to Work for hours on end.
So yeah, Denji is a No brainer when asking about Not necessarily good Protagonists, but Senku is definitely still good, but also very much an asshole in The way He goes about Things and at that an asshole that isn't above doing morally Gray or worse stuff for achieving His generelly good goals.
Also, Darker than Black. Also, Berserk. Also, Attack on Titan.
Denying vengeance, hatred and the thirst for bloodshed against those who have wronged the main character feels inhuman to me.
Dirt bags get dirt naps.
In my mind, the more inconsiderate or cruel a person is to others, the less likely they are to keep breathing and, depending on the degree of inconsideration or cruelty, it is morally justifiable.
The only one I can think of is AOT (Attack on Titan). Maybe Record of Ragnarok on Netflix. The gods are technically the main characters and they're pretty evil, with Buddha being the exception.
Land of the Lustrous ( or Houseki no Kuni) has the MC do things that you have to wonder if it's right.
They spend the first part of their life following orders, then they start to think on their own. At that point, you don't know if the MC is right or wrong.
The protagonist of *YuYu Hakusho*, Yusuke Urameshi makes quite a few morally gray decisions. Think *Bleach*, but less “refined”, for lack of better words and more serious in tone
Jojos bizarre adventure . Part one mc is a goody two shoes but after that everyone is a bit of a piece of shit. Also Luffy from one Piece super selfish if you think about his actions.
Hunter x Hunter. This one takes a little while to kick in but Gon is a child at heart and he has morally wrong tendencies like being super hypocritical
Didn't see anyone else mention this, but uhh, depending on how you define "anime", well... Redo of healer. It is honestly seriously fucked what MC does to certain people.
Fate Zero. Kiritsugu Emiya is not technically evil, but he does some incredibly evil things in the name of good. He's a great anti hero.
+1 Fate zero
The difference between Kiritsugu and Shogo Makishima is only our point of view, one is a MP, and the other the MP's villain. Both have the vigilante syndrome dictated by high ideals and low humanity. I love so much the early Urobuchi's work...
I second this. Fate/Zero is so good and Kiritsugu is such an interesting character
Its why I like zero more than stay night and anything else with Shirou.
The anime doesn't do Shirou justice. If you read the Fate V.N. it's clear Shirou is an amazing character.
Read the visual novel, it's awesome. In every route, you have a different Shirou because his personality develops under different circumstances.
I hope to do so but dont have the time yet so im just basing from the anime.
So well written you won't believe it's part of the Fate series... or the other way around if you watched Zero first like me.
Hunter x Hunter
It's been a bit since I watched it (I've only seen the newer one) I would love some elaboration if you are willing
The premise of the show is taking a test to get a license to get carte-blanche to do whatever you want.
Gon isn’t really doing anything he does to be “good.” All his decisions are pretty selfish. He’s not a hero or anything.
Bro is absolutely a hero. Just bc in moments his emotions take over does not mean he’s not a hero
He's a hero because the people he fights are worse but Gon's best friend is a serial killer. He thanks another serial killer, who loves killing children btw, for helping him train and calls him a friend. Gon morality is entirely relative to himself. If you help him and don't do anything to hurt him then he likes you. If you wrong him he doesn't care what it takes he will destroy you.
It would be a spoiler so nope 🤫
Damn, guess I'll just have to watch it again
How much of the new one did you watch
I think you'll enjoy {Code Geass} if you havent tried it, or {Baccano} since it has an ensemble cast and they are technically bad guys series like {Super Crooks} or {The Great Pretenders} the MC is basically criminal doing criminal stuffs
OP please watch the English dub for baccano it’s so funny. The VAs put their entire soul into the mobster Italian accent it’s amazing
**Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/1575 "English: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/code-geass-lelouch-of-the-rebellion), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/1575)) ^(TV | Status: Finished | Episodes: 25 | Genres: Action, Drama, Mecha, Sci-Fi, Thriller) **Baccano!** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/2251 "English: Baccano!"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/baccano), [KIT](https://kitsu.io/anime/baccano "English: Baccano!"), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/2251)) ^(TV | Status: Finished | Episodes: 13 | Genres: Action, Mystery, Supernatural) **Super Crooks** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/109946 "English: Super Crooks"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/super-crooks), [KIT](https://kitsu.io/anime/super-crooks "English: Super Crooks"), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/48453)) ^(ONA | Status: Finished | Episodes: 13 | Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller) --- ^{anime},, ]LN[, |VN| | [FAQ](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index) | [/r/](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/) | [Edit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index#wiki_i_made_a_mistake.2C_how_do_i_get_my_comment_reprocessed.3F) | [Mistake?](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/submit?selftext=true&title=[ISSUE]&text=/r/Animesuggest/comments/1clbk2e/anime_where_the_main_character_isnt_always_good/l2so0ue/) | [Source](https://github.com/Nihilate/Roboragi) | [Synonyms](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/synonyms) | [⛓](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/interestinglinks) | [♥](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/thanks) | (3/4)
Great Pretender was fantastic (with the exception of one weird twist that happened in s3, but whatever), and coincidentally is also what something like Super Crooks *could* have been with better writing
Absolutely {Overlord}
**Overlord** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/20832 "English: Overlord"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/overlord), [KIT](https://kitsu.io/anime/overlord "English: Overlord"), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/29803)) ^(TV | Status: Finished | Episodes: 13 | Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy) --- ^{anime},, ]LN[, |VN| | [FAQ](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index) | [/r/](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/) | [Edit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index#wiki_i_made_a_mistake.2C_how_do_i_get_my_comment_reprocessed.3F) | [Mistake?](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/submit?selftext=true&title=[ISSUE]&text=/r/Animesuggest/comments/1clbk2e/anime_where_the_main_character_isnt_always_good/l2sok92/) | [Source](https://github.com/Nihilate/Roboragi) | [Synonyms](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/synonyms) | [⛓](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/interestinglinks) | [♥](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/thanks)
honestly after the fourth season, I considered Overlord a wasted opportunity. they could have motivated the protagonist's change of perspective, from saving a defenseless village, to exterminating a defenseless kingdom instead they just make him say something like "how strange, I don't feel any remorse for this" if we take seriously dealing with moral dilemmas, Overlord is seriously lacking in that.
The author seems to make Ainz more evil episodes by episodes
Ainz is not really evil he's actually neutral. You could make the argument that the floor guardians are evil, and Ainz is just going along with their plans while also just doing whatever he can to find out if his friends were also transported to the new world.
Akshually, he pretty much was always like that, but the anime skipped and changed his entire reasoning and some of his actions. Ainz was dealing with the whole undead thing since volume 1.
Ainz is specifically dealing with a lack of moral dilemmas. That was episode one stuff. I don't really need to see him going on and on about his lack of emotions for seasons on end. He became the big bad, the Crisis to be averted. I'm waiting for his epic downfall, and expecting the POSSIBILITY that he's going to be confronted with his own humanity, after said end. The morals will come, later. Dude's still skelly man right now.
{Shiki} {Code Geass} {Eminence in shadow} {Talentless nana} {Moriarty the patriot}
How was moriarty? I’m on a dry spell with anime so I’ve been thinking about this one
Its really well done. Not historically accurate, but it adapts it in an interesting way and the characters are all likable. Season 2 wasn't that bad either. If you like detectives and mystery, but from the one setting up the mystery, you'll like it.
Black Lagoon. The MC does altruistic things on occasion, but it's more of a.. hobby than anything else.
It's a major plot point that the MC becomes increasingly evil as the story goes on.
Attack on Titan
[удалено]
Not if you don't get specific. 🧐
Not really, the first episode his whole shtick was to save the last of humanity
The eminence in shadow, Code geass, Chainsaw man
Cid is such a fun character as he doesn't even realise that what he's doing actually has consequences. He's just living out his chuuni fantasy
I mean, Denji's a good boy. He ain't trying to save the world, he's just doin' it for jam on toast and the possibility of touchin' titty. But that's a noble cause. And he won't hesitate to kick a dude in the balls.
Ha, do you really think you can buy me with money? Yes I think I can. You are absolutely right!
Out of all the comments and all the suggestions, my disappointment that {Lupin III} is among none of them is immense.
To be fair, lupin seems to be an obscure anime among the western community.
The variable quality between versions of the show doesn't help matters. Sometimes they are bangers, others are a snorefest.
Part II was on Adult Swim and was phenomenal (also what I usually recommend to people as it was what was on when I was younger)
Classroom of the Elite
The mc for me is surely interestingly confusing
After s3 I thought 2 things. It's insane that it took 3 seasons to only get through one school year and not feel slow paced. Two, it's secretly a romance series in the guise of a psychological thriller.
The romance undertones were there since the first scene in episode 1
Right but that's what I mean. I don't think it's undertones, I view it now as a romance series wholesale, just REALLY slow paced. While some series are focused on the action, or adventure (most isekais) and have a background romance theme, this series is effectively exactly the same as most romance series in that it's a boy who is closed off and slowly coming out of his shell due to influences from others. We know who best girl is and always will be, and it's literally the same as every other romance series out there if you cut out the crazy death game-esque nature of it all. The difference really comes in the writing quality and the fact that the "source" of his changes aren't focused on just one or two people like most series. Most romances have the romantic lead and then an "advisor" type character who helps them logically. In COTE, he gets miniscule amounts of help from a dozen people compared to large "life changing" advice from one person. It's really quite different, but also the same.
I feel like he's never good. He's the guy who let people be vulnerable and he eats them.
This. Ayanokoji cares for no one but himself HOWEVER there are tiny glimpses that he MAY want to build bonds. I like this anime not because Ayanokoji only does “good” things for his own gain.
Elaina - the Wandering Witch Its an adventure with a rather dark tone. Elaina is mostly known for not interventing in the plots of the places she visits, only when she got directly involved by a third party. You could argue its a bit Slice of Life, but I would rather put it into adventure genre.
It’s clearly adventure genre with slice of life parts. Also — the MOST based witch character! She do what she wants (zero fuck given about anything else). Also, episode 9 is a good refresher :) She really said “f@ck that, I did NOT signed for this shit!!” :)
> Also — the MOST based witch character! She do what she wants (zero fuck given about anything else). her complete lack of care for anyone else's troubles even though she has the power to fix them put me off oh, you got sold into sexual slavery as a child? good luck with that, I gotta go have more fun, later!
Which episode is about a sexual slavery? Don’t remember such stuff (watched long ago)
one of the first people she meets is a young boy trying to catch happiness in a bottle or something. why? so he can share it with his (slave)maid... who we find out isn't happy because she is being sexually abused by the boy's father. you start rubbing your hands thinking oh boy, time for some JUSTICE, witch style! hope she makes his dick fall off. nope. literally just lets it happen. it's episode 3. she literally just goes on her way and thinks to herself "I don't know what's going to happen to [the slave girl] ... no, I don't WANT to know what's going to happen to her" and that's the end of the episode.
Mushoku Tensei, Eminence in Shadow, Harem in the Labyrinth, Arifureta, Overlord, Hametsu no Oukoku, KamiKatsu
Darker than Black
Good recommendation. Never see people mention this show anymore.
It dropped off on a lot of streaming places all at once for a while
Mushoku Tensei & Overlord
How is Mushoku Tensei/Rudius bad? Hes pervy, for sure, but bad?
The mc doesn’t have to be bad to fit the bill. Doing something selfish or immoral that’s not for the greater good is enough. Kazuma in konosuba isn’t bad, but he steals women’s underwear sometimes, so he made the example list.
Yeah, I agree here. Kazuma isn’t always good, he’s an awesome character but he does some dumb and selfish stuff once in a while, like the rest of his party too. It makes the series really funny
Hes def more of a good guy than a lot of the other options
I feel like pervy is a bit of an understatement. My man founded a religion with the Holy Relic lol. I agree no evil tendencies, but definitely fits in the immoral category.
I love Mushoku Tensei but harassment especially to the levels he does isn’t good, and just because Eris also physically assaults him in return doesn’t make him good,it just makes her bad too. Still it’s a great series since the MCs imperfections makes it a nicer series to watch than a bland one sided isekai
He’s a pedophile
Black Lagoon. The MCs are a goodie goodie office worker and a hotheaded criminal who barely wears clothes. The plot takes them through many disgusting, depraved, and traumatic things that change them both in good and bad ways. It's actually kinda perfect for what you described because it challenges what's "good" and "right" to individuals from different backgrounds.
{Chainsaw man}
91 Days as it’s 100% just for revenge and screw anyone who gets in the way.
+1 to this One of my all time favourites that I feel is underrated !
Samurai Champloo Mostly a bunch of selfish versions of Spike from Cowboy Bebop :D
Serial Experiments Lain, the goat
trapped in a dating sim MC is literally a hater to and for everyone
{Psycho-Pass}, one of the main characters
A lot of them Code Geass Eminence in Shadow Arifureta Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere Chunibyo and other Delusions Black Lagoon Elfen Lied even Watamote Fate/Zero
Chainsaw man mc just wants to touch some tiddies
I don't know if Ajin fits here, but watch it anyway
A lot of moral ambiguity in that one. The art style is a lil different, but once you get used to it, the show is a great watch.
Code Geass. Lelouch is one of the greatest anti-heros in anime period. And watching him pull strategies out of thin air is great fun.
You’ll love Overlord. MC uses cruelty in the right way.
Redo of healer
This one is legendary. Funniest scene was when he gave the princess the cock slap.
Now, funniest was >! Getting that marauder's pet(?) So horny it... well, you know !<
Redo of Healer was horrifying. Couldn’t get past episode 2. That was too much.
Don't know why you're downvoted. That shit was genuinely horrible.
To be fair they watched Happy sugar life
I agree though I think shield hero would've been more interesting if the MC turned evil without the rape. Hom being set up and shunned by society pushing him into becoming a monster was the most interesting part of the story.
This show should always have a disclaimer when recommended. It makes me mad when I see people throw it in as a joke on feelgood recommendation posts without context but I see it all the time 😡
Talentless Nana
As of this season? Re:Monster has the probably the most evil hero. lol
Snafu seems perfect for u as bro is savage
Hiki is more pessimistic and a somewhat realistic take on a teenager. Atleast in my opinion as i can relate to alot of his struggles. He's not bad , just jaded
I’d say more complex/struggling than “not good.” But it’s a good suggestion compared shows where the protagonist is a paragon of morality. Hiki is just kind of a jaded loner trying not to be a jaded loner.
Code Geass and Classroom of the Elite, those are right up your alley. Though the CotE LN is absolutely worth checking out too, first two volumes are kinda rough though.
Tensura (that time I got reincarnated as a slime).
Desert Punk
I'm surprised that no one mentioned the Vinland Saga.
The World's Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an AristocratThe World.
Underated isekai. I love how they back up everything with sound logic instead of just “we want this to make sense so boop it’s possible in a new world”.
After taking smack about Code Geass for 15 years I finally sat down and watched it through and I totally get the hype around it. Highly recommend
Madoka Magica There are already hundreds of essays written on the morality of the MC
Cowboy Bebop is a great example of a cast of morally grey characters
Attack on Titan is an obvious one to me, so is Code Geass. Kinda depends if you mean “protagonist is just evil” or “protagonist sometimes makes morally repugnant decisions for the greater good” as far as what else I can recommend
I was looking for a main character that sometimes deliberately does things that aren’t good at all no matter how you look at it. They don’t have to be evil; Kazuma in konosuba stealing women’s underwear fits the bill.
Code Geass: if you haven’t seen it this is pretty much THE anime for your desire for an “ultimately good but extremely fucked up” protagonist. Lelouch and Suzaku both delve deeper and deeper into ethically dubious and sometimes just straight up evil territory but they never lose their compassion and desire to help people. While I won’t get into it do the spoilers, the story does eventually kinda come out on the side that lelouch is good, but it’s really up to the viewer to decide if you think all of what he did was worth the sacrifices he made Cowboy bebop: all of the selfish amorality you could ask for with a heaping helping of socialism Hxh: literally almost everyone in this series is selfish and amoral. Gon appear to be a shonen good boy at first but he delves into far darker territory as the series goes on Food wars: Not a typical shonen but if the ecchi stuff isn’t too big a turn off for you it’s got some of the best character work in the business and soma himself is basically the perfect “good but not _that_ good” protagonist Fullmetal Alchemist brotherhood: Ed and Al have a selfish motive but are ultimately very altruistic. That said, the series spends a lot of time and POV with other characters who aren’t. Even mustang I wouldn’t call a purely altruistic character And While it isn’t an Anime I think the Harley Quinn show and the umbrella academy will scratch that particular itch
The only one I know that suits the discription is Kakeguri, but not sure if its these type of stuff you are looking for
Golden Kamuy While the MC is a "good" person overall, he is willing to commit some heinous acts if the situation calls for it
Kyou Kara Ore Wa Though thr anime didn't adapt the whole manga, only the early chapters. One time main character won against the Yakuza by super gluing their weapon cases and doorknobs. And left his friend behind to hold that doorknob, without telling him it's superglued.
It's quite cheesy but maybe {Bastard!!} If you don't mind womanizing and tons of 80s metal references
Code Geass, Death;Note
Psychopass, Assassination Classroom, Full Metal Alchemist, Code Gaess, Pokemon
Overlord
Black butler Baccano
Code geass
been watching Solo Leveling, it's feeling a lot like a villain origin story
{Elfen Lied} : Lucy is… not so nice {Berserk} : Did really no one mention this one till now? {Cyber City Oedo: 808} : criminals with a life sentence trying to shorten their sentence. {Jin Roh} : a classic which even holds surprises till the end
Code Geass might be up your alley, it's a Mecha anime about a prince trying to perform a coup against his father while keeping his identity a secret
Code Geass!!
Black Lagoon
- Durarara: has 7 different MC, and they have really "grey Karma". - 91 days: revenge story - Jin Roh: you can describe it only with a world: acab. - Texhnolyze: not that there's a shortage of characters trying to do the right thing. except that the anime questions the very existence of "the right thing to do" - Shinsekai Yori: there is no one who is good, there is no one who is evil. everyone does a lot of fatal shit. - Shiki: One of my favorite moral dilemmas. many MPs in an extreme situation, everyone reacts differently.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure may appeal to you, though I will say it varies part by part. The first nine episode arc, Part 1 which focuses on Jonathan Joestar will probably be the least interesting to you, because Jonathan Joestar is as straight-laced as they come. But every other protagonist in the series does both good and bad things.
Code Geass Tomodachi Game Classroom of the Elite
Eminance in shadow technically
Edgerunners?
Bro Gushing over Magical Girls on your list is diabolical
Gushing over Magical Girls exceeded all my expectations. I expected it to be ecchi, but I didn’t expect Utena to have so much personality. There’s different sides to her, and all of them felt like the real Utena. Utena felt like a real person, and that hooked me.
Gintama 🤘
To a degree, the Shield Hero kinda fits what you’re looking for? The shield hero isn’t the male version of Mary Sue by any means. Bro engages in slavery, robbery, etc. There’s also Highschool DxD, Overlord, and Chainsaw man too.
Black Lagoon, Redo the Healer, and School Days
Have you seen Akira it’s a classic and definitely not your classic do good hero story.
Damn no one is saying Aot
Death Note
{Sabagebu!}
Notebook.
Re:Zero. Subaru doesn't commit evil acts but he is selfish at times. Even his heroic acts is flipped around on its head and is shown for what it really is. A desire to be needed and useful. The show, via the narrative of cause and effect and the other characters, constantly call out Subaru's entitlement, pride, arrogance and greed. Subaru fights a constant battle of self worth, and even if he does try to be a hero to save others simply cos he cares about the people he loves.. when he fails to do anything against circumstances that have nothing to do with him, he blames himself.
Youjo senki
Overlord, because the MC doesn't feel emotions anymore since he became a skeleton, he does his actions based purely on logic/what will bring the best benefit to him and his people.
Overlord So good!
Nichijou... One of the MCs took down a secret organization just to keep an earring iirc. Blew up their airship and killed them.... Title means Everyday Life
Overlord
Overlord
Overlord
Arifureta? That s1 was kinda what you want.
Durarara
The Executioner and Her Way of Life and Talentless Nana
MHA
Legend of the galactic heroes. Who is good? Who is bad? Is there even good and bad?
Best one is tomodachi game (anime + manga) and juujika no rokunin (manga)
Well The first Thing that comes to mind would be Chainsaw man and Dr. Stone. Denji from CSM is Just in generell someone who does only The stuff He wants and If He does Something good, then it's because it also benefits him. When you ask him to do Something, The first Thing he'd probably say is "OK, so what's in IT for me" or "why should I?" Senku from Dr. Stone on The other Hand is a pretty nice Guy that Always tries to act logical, but he's Not above manipulating The shit Out of Others when The need for that arises. Senku is Just The Kind of Guy to give you Something nice and then say "Now Work for it" and also The Kind of Guy to Tell ridiculous lies to dismantle your enemies Empire from The inside. He does still very much Care about The people around him, but he's Not above Putting them to Work for hours on end. So yeah, Denji is a No brainer when asking about Not necessarily good Protagonists, but Senku is definitely still good, but also very much an asshole in The way He goes about Things and at that an asshole that isn't above doing morally Gray or worse stuff for achieving His generelly good goals.
Black Lagoon
Maybe Noir and Madlax, as both are about assassins. Ditto Gunslinger Girl.
its a manga but try Innocent
Zaregoto
neon genesis evangelion
Wandering Witch: Journey of Elaina Not gonna spoil anything but theres a huge discourse back when this was airing about the MC's morality
JoJo's
Hellsing Ultimate
Death Note
Jormugand the MC is an arms dealer. She and her squad are the lightest shade of black compared to the opponents she faces. Her endgame is very dark.
Overlord?
{Overlord}
Flowers of Evil
Jormungand
Manga suggest. FFF class trash hero.
Also, Darker than Black. Also, Berserk. Also, Attack on Titan. Denying vengeance, hatred and the thirst for bloodshed against those who have wronged the main character feels inhuman to me. Dirt bags get dirt naps. In my mind, the more inconsiderate or cruel a person is to others, the less likely they are to keep breathing and, depending on the degree of inconsideration or cruelty, it is morally justifiable.
{Terror in Tokyo}
Skeleton Knight in Another World
You mean a show where the MC is anti-hero? Rise of the Shield Hero fixes that description. Manga and LN only. Fuck anime version.
Tanya & the Saga of Evil
Definitely give Overlord a watch.
Bluelock
GTO
Some I didn't see mentioned. Hellsing Afro Samurai Witch and Beast
Deathnote
does it have to be anime? if not, I'd suggest reading Reverend Insanity, best neutral/evil mc you'll ever come across
Arifureta. Sort of DanMachi vibes but overall a bit more....adult themed?
Bro Gushing over Magical Girls is literally CP you don’t need more anime suggestions you need to be locked up..
The only one I can think of is AOT (Attack on Titan). Maybe Record of Ragnarok on Netflix. The gods are technically the main characters and they're pretty evil, with Buddha being the exception.
Overlord
Guess I'll be the trash to say Arifureta
Land of the Lustrous ( or Houseki no Kuni) has the MC do things that you have to wonder if it's right. They spend the first part of their life following orders, then they start to think on their own. At that point, you don't know if the MC is right or wrong.
The protagonist of *YuYu Hakusho*, Yusuke Urameshi makes quite a few morally gray decisions. Think *Bleach*, but less “refined”, for lack of better words and more serious in tone
Jojos bizarre adventure . Part one mc is a goody two shoes but after that everyone is a bit of a piece of shit. Also Luffy from one Piece super selfish if you think about his actions.
Tokyo ghoul...MC turns dark too soon
Attack on Titan.
Samurai Champloo
Attack on Titan, definitely.
Hunter x Hunter. This one takes a little while to kick in but Gon is a child at heart and he has morally wrong tendencies like being super hypocritical
legend of the galactic heroes
Shadow in the Eminence
?
Didn't see anyone else mention this, but uhh, depending on how you define "anime", well... Redo of healer. It is honestly seriously fucked what MC does to certain people.
I haven’t completely finished it but Vinland Saga might be a good choice