These anime blur the line between friend and foe, giving villains richer backstories that explain why they fight.
1. Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan starts as a straightforward battle between good and evil. Humanity hides behind walls, terrified of the giant Titans. But over time, the warriors fighting Titans discover some people can transform into Titans and have secretly lived among them.
As the series progresses, the line between friend and enemy blurs. The world ultimately unites against a single force intent on destroying humanity. Despite past brutal acts like betrayal, murder, and deception, they join forces to prevent catastrophe. This dark anime leaves viewers emotionally conflicted right up to the end.
2. Bleach
Bleach begins with high schooler Ichigo meeting a Soul Reaper named Rukia. Injured in a battle against an immortal monster called a Hollow, Rukia transfers her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo. By the end of the first season, other Soul Reapers capture Rukia to execute her.
Ichigo and his friends vow to rescue her, infiltrating Soul Society and facing countless Soul Reapers who want to kill them. After this long arc, Ichigo and the Soul Reapers gradually learn to respect each other and become allies. This is a great example of enemies turning into friends.
3. Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is a classic example of villains turning into heroes. The first arc, the Saiyan Saga, features three Saiyan warriors invading Earth. In the chaos, they kill many people, including some of Goku’s allies.
Vegeta is the main villain of this arc, but despite his crimes, he eventually becomes accepted as an Earth resident after the Namek Saga and even marries Bulma. This is just one of many examples in Dragon Ball Z where villains redeem themselves. Later, the Androids in the Android Saga and Buu in the Majin Buu Saga also become friendly with Goku and his team.
4. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Most arcs in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure start with the protagonist assembling a team. These teammates often begin as rivals who have committed terrible acts. For example, in Diamond is Unbreakable, Josuke initially clashes with Okuyasu. Okuyasu and his brother Keicho tried to eliminate Josuke, but eventually all past offenses are forgiven and they become friends.
Villains quickly become allies of Josuke, unlike other anime where redemption takes a long time. This fast transformation is a unique charm of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
5. Mobile Suit Gundam
Decades before Attack on Titan, Mobile Suit Gundam portrayed both sides of war. The clear hero is a young pilot named Amuro, but the opposing Zeon Principality also has compelling characters fans root for. Most notably, Char, Amuro’s rival, later becomes a hero in the sequel series Zeta Gundam.
In the original series, heroes become corrupted and villains switch loyalties, making the story more engaging. The anime’s message is that everyone involved in war carries guilt.
6. One Piece
One Piece is one of the longest-running shonen anime, so it has many examples of villains becoming heroes. In this pirate world, pirates are often seen as villains, much like in real life. However, Luffy’s crew is an exception, as they simply want adventure and to help others.
Because of pirates’ bad reputation, the Navy hunts them all. For Luffy, the Navy is the real villain. Besides the Navy, Luffy also faces evil pirates and misguided crews. Some major villains become allies during the Alabasta Arc, including Vivi, Nico Robin, and Bentham.