Rin Matsuoka from “Free!”, Eren Yeager from “Attack On Titan” and Katsuki Bakugo from “My Hero Academia”, these complex individuals defy norms, struggle with their inner demons and capture our imagination. In this article, we’ll dive into the world of anime bad boys. So without further ado, let’s get started.

15. Zora Ideale – Black Clover

From the looks of it, Zora Ideale appears to be a tough guy with metal studs on his face that match his crimson hair quite well. Despite his overall appearance and bad behavior, Zora can be cool when he is irreverent towards authority in the world of Magic Knights.

He enjoys playing pranks on others and hardly discriminates against anyone, except for his disdain for the atrocities of nobles. Zora's carefree nature, unpredictability, and sharp tongue make up for his reputation as one of the anime's bad boys.

14. Ryūnosuke Akutagawa – Bungo Stray Dogs

Akutagawa Ryunosuke is a member of the Port Mafia and can be cruel and sadistic in the pursuit of his goals. He is a complicated man with an even more complicated past, and for some fans it is hard to resist the urge to touch his two-tone hair.

Ruthless and blunt, Akutagawa does not discriminate when it comes to his targets, as he believes in the "law of the jungle". Despite his difficult past, he has shown to have a rather strong moral compass, but he does not like to show it.

13. Izaya Orihara – Durarara!!

Being an anime enthusiast, it’s common practice to dislike the antagonists, but that’s not true for everyone, especially if it’s Izaya Orihara from “Durarara!!”. Considered one of the most popular bad boys in anime, Izaya is a skilled underground information broker.

He sells information to others, with his own profit and amusement guiding his choices rather than any sort of moral system. Izaya's cheerful personality pairs well with his cunning and manipulative nature, preventing him from forming lasting bonds with others.

12. Katsuki Bakugo – Boku no Hero Academia

Bakugo displays genuine anime bad boy traits, ranging from his spiky hair to his arrogant personality. With the sole goal of surpassing All Might as the No.1 Pro Hero, Katsuki appears to be highly arrogant and rude to almost everyone due to being immensely confident in his quirk and abilities.

On many occasions, he has proven himself to be one of the most capable students at UA High School, thanks to his hard-working attitude, skills, and gifted intelligence. He has shown himself to be a very capable hero and one of the best supporting characters in anime history.

11. Sasuke Uchiha – Naruto

Arguably the strongest Uchiha after Madara, Sasuke was notorious for being arrogant, to the point where his cold demeanor was the subject of his undying popularity. He also has a good balance of strategic thinking, inherent power, self-confidence, and intelligence.

He mastered the Sharingan at a young age, and in the Fourth Great Ninja War, he gained the power of the Rinnegan. Sasuke's descent into darkness has steadily eroded much of the goodness he once had, however, that does not make him a villain!

10. Mugen – Samurai Champloo

Mugen is a sort of anti-hero that can be seen in his rude, temperamental, and unbalanced character. Being one of the anime's bad boys and main protagonists of “Samurai Champloo”, Mugen enjoys fighting and often picks fights for petty reasons.

Growing up in the lawless and often violent Ryukyu Islands, Mugen absolutely despises authority of any kind. He is also undeniably strong and has defeated many strong opponents, eventually becoming the embodiment of the perfect samurai.

9. Sousuke Aizen – Bleach

Sōsuke Aizen's reputation in the anime community is that of the "best anime villain of all time" and that says a lot about his character. Aizen is polite, soft-spoken, intellectual, and a manipulative person who aims to become a godlike entity.

He rarely shows any signs of alarm or distress and often has entire situations planned out well in advance. Aizen's ultimate goal of overthrowing the Soul King, the closest thing to a god in the Seireitei, is something that makes him a fearsome individual.

8. Naofumi Iwatani –The Rising of the Shield Hero

Naofumi was initially summoned to the parallel world to serve as the legendary Shield Hero, but after being betrayed and manipulated in the new world, his personality undergoes a dramatic change. He goes from a goofy guy to one of the anime's main bad boys.

Naofumi became extremely suspicious of everyone and cynical about life. He grows to embrace his bitter and angry side, eventually becoming an attractive and self-sufficient person. Naofumi doesn't pretend to be nice, but he is a sweet and sensible guy with decent looks.

7. Karma Akabane – Assassination Classroom

Karma is a supporting main character and a student at Kunugigaoka Junior High School. He is a highly chaotic young man who is virtually impossible to read. His frightening appearance and mischievous behavior catch the attention of those who watch the show.

However, Karma is known for his violent and unpredictable personality. He sure fools people with his cute smile into thinking he is innocent and sweet, but he is extremely arrogant. But he fits perfectly into the plot because of his studious nature.

6. Kyo Sohma – Fruits Basket

Having been socially ostracized at a young age by his family, Kyo Sohma radiates the attributes of anime bad boys, namely extreme attitude problems, short temper, stubbornness, sharp tongue, and fiery personality. He is also seen as a charismatic person.

Kyo often gets into fights because of his abrasive behavior, but Kyo has a soft side that he doesn't like people to see. Upon meeting Tohru, he eventually becomes a calmer, kinder, and more emotionally mature person, which makes him such an appealing character.

5. Haru Yoshida – Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

Most school goers would be able to relate to Haru as many, he hates going to school. He is a handsome young man and is actually quite innocent, naive and very clueless, however, his foolishness is nothing short of putting him in the anime bad boy category.

Haru appears to be a cynical, pessimistic person and is often very intimidating. But behind his violent behavior hides a nice and possessive guy. Being unpredictable, he impulsively does whatever he pleases, such as showing his perverse nature in front of others.

4. Sebastian Michaelis – Kuroshitsuji

No matter how many anime butlers come and go, Sebastian will always be at the top of it all! He's one of the most handsome and hottest guys in anime, serving as the Phantomhive family's butler while also being responsible for Ciel Phantomhive's safety—two jobs he's completely dedicated to.

In addition to being a janitor, Sebastian is gifted with immense strength, speed, power, and intellect. Beneath his butler facade, Sebastian is actually a very sadistic and ruthless person, capable of destroying even celestial beings when transformed.

3. Shogo Makishima – Psycho Pass

Shogo Makishima is a man full of passion who genuinely cares about the world he lives in. While Shogo does some inexcusable things, he does so to free society from the terrible Sibyl System – which is why he is among the anime’s attractive bad boys.

To fulfill his desire to create a world where other people can make free choices, he transformed himself into a criminally asymptomatic person as he slit throats, incited riots, and attempted to cut off his country's food supply. Shogo's intentions may seem noble, but he's still the epitome of serial killers in anime.

2. Rin Matsuoka – Free!

Free! the anime was supposedly made to attract fangirls, as the main cast of the series is filled with some of the hottest bad boys in anime. Rin Matsuoka is one of the guys who displays a great passion for swimming and shows off his muscular body with his freestyle and butterfly strokes.

Initially, he appears to be an aggressive and arrogant individual and often expresses a wide range of emotions. Despite being extremely handsome, this boy is obsessed with competing and beating his longtime rival and friend, Haruka Nanase.

1. Eren Yeager – Attack on Titan

The final season of “Attack On Titan” is excellent in many ways and Eren’s brilliance is one of them. Eren’s character development from an uncertain and emotional boy to a cynical badass is one of the best things about the series.

Soulful eyes, long mahogany hair tied up in a bun at times – it was totally a great redefinition of charisma for a boy on a mission to conquer the entire world. While fans don’t want to see him become the villain of the story, the edge it gave him adds to his appeal.

Which of the following anime bad boys is your favorite? Feel free to comment your thoughts and be sure to recommend some other characters like the ones listed above, also don’t forget to share this article with your otaku friends.