9 Best Anime With Morally Questionable Protagonists, Ranked

Have you ever watched an undeniably great anime but found yourself unsure whether the main character was actually worth rooting for? Sometimes, a series can have one of the best storylines in its genre, yet its protagonist is so morally unorthodox that cheering for them feels complicated.

That kind of writing is actually a unique storytelling approach, and surprisingly, it often works in the series’ favor. While you may already know some of the titles below, this list highlights anime’s most morally questionable protagonists, ranked by how difficult it would be to justify their actions in a real-world context.

9 Iori Kitahara – Grand Blue Dreaming

No one usually argues against Grand Blue Dreaming being one of the best comedy slice-of-life anime of all time. However, some of the deeds the series’ protagonist, Iori Kitahara, commits are absolutely vile. Though that is what makes it funny most of the time, and we cannot deny that.

Still, the way Kitahara, Kohei and other characters in the anime lust over girls and often sexualize even their close mates would not be acceptable if it had not been an anime. That said, it ranks at the bottom of the list because Kitahara usually knows his boundaries and tries to avoid overcrossing them.

8 Lelouch Lamperouge – Code Geass

Code Geass is undeniably one of the most critically acclaimed mecha war dramas, with arguably the best ending in all of anime. But to achieve that, the series’ MC, Lelouch Lamperouge, does end up committing mass genocide.

Although his actions are ultimately framed as serving a greater good, his earlier portrayal, eliminating anyone who stands in his way and effectively placing himself above the law, makes him a highly questionable figure. In fact, if he had not been redeemed by the end, Lelouch could have ranked even higher on this list.

7 Tanya von Degurechaff – The Saga of Tanya the Evil

Despite being one of the most popular Isekai, The Saga of Tanya the Evil is not full of roses, all because of the series’ MC, Tanya herself. After being reincarnated into a world at war, she becomes a military mastermind. However, she does not fight for justice, but for her own amusement.

She treats soldiers as disposable resources and aligns herself with whatever side benefits her most. In a real-world context, she would likely be viewed as a ruthless authoritarian figure. Still, her personal conflict with Being X gives viewers some reason to sympathize with her, which keeps her at No. 7.

6 Meliodas – The Seven Deadly Sins

Meliodas’ behavior toward women, especially Elizabeth, is extremely difficult to defend. Throughout the series, he frequently gropes her, peeks at her, and makes se*ual advances without consent. Even in a popular shonen series, those moments significantly damage his image.

And that is only part of the issue. When you dig deeper into the lore, Meliodas also carries a long history of violence and destruction. He is primarily motivated by devotion to the people close to him rather than by any broad sense of justice. Even so, his repeated sacrifices for his loved ones do offer some redemption.

5 Kintaro Oe – Golden Boy

It would not be an exaggeration to call Kintaro one of anime’s most extreme perverts. He earns a top-five spot because the series presents many of his actions in relatively grounded situations, which makes his behavior feel even more outrageous when viewed through a real-world lens.

Kintaro is blatantly creepy and obsessively fixated on attractive women. Yet despite that, fans still love the show because each episode eventually balances those traits by revealing his better qualities. He is eager to learn, surprisingly capable, and often ends up leaving a positive impression on the women he meets.

4 Eren Yeager – Attack on Titan

Eren shares some similarities with Lelouch, but the sheer scale of his actions and the motivation behind them puts him in an even more morally troubling position. Fans were deeply divided over whether to support his plan to destroy the world or hope he would be stopped.

This duality in itself made Attack on Titan such a global hit, along with its other strong aspects, of course. But the beast that Eren becomes in the final season of the anime truly made us question why we were supporting him to begin with. That is why Eren is rightfully placed at 4th on the list.

3 Satou Kazuma – KonoSuba

Kazuma completely breaks the “heroic Isekai MC” trope and shows how selfish and petty a protagonist can be. Despite that, KonoSuba regarded as a masterpiece for its parody of Isekai tropes, is absolute cinema. Like, how can an anime with such a deranged MC be this popular?

All Kazuma cares about is his own comfort in this new world. To achieve that, he even blackmails, scams, and exploits loopholes within the plot itself. Certainly a top 3 contender. He is so reckless that even the ability he is granted is “Steal,” which he uses to steal women’s underwears!

2 Light Yagami – Death Note

If there were an anime award for the biggest fanbase polarizer, Death Note surely would have won it. Half of the community claims that what Light envisioned is justified, while the other half claims that taking the law into one’s own hands is an unforgivable crime. Honestly, there is no clear answer.

At first, Light’s crusade against criminals can seem like an attempt to improve the world. But before long, he takes things far beyond that, eliminating anyone who threatens his power or challenges his ideals. L’s fate may have emboldened Light’s supporters for a time, but the anime’s ending ultimately pushed many viewers in the opposite direction.

1 Rudeus Greyrat – Mushoku Tensei

If anyone deserves the title of anime’s most morally questionable protagonist, it is Rudeus Greyrat. What makes it even more surprising is that Mushoku Tensei remains so widely praised as a masterpiece. Nearly every aspect of the anime is top-tier, except for the protagonist himself.

Yes, Rudeus had a deeply troubled past, but the way those impulses carry into his new life affects the people around him in uncomfortable and often disturbing ways. He frequently sexualizes women, obsesses over underwear, and pursues his desires with little regard for boundaries. For many fans, the appeal of Mushoku Tensei lies more in its world-building, lore, and overall storytelling than in Rudeus as a person. As a result, he more than earns the No. 1 spot on this list.

PROTAGONIST	ANIME	IMDb SCORE (as of June 14, 2026)	WHERE TO WATCH
Iori Kitahara	Grand Blue Dreaming	7.9/10	Crunchyroll
Lelouch Lamperouge	Code Geass	8.7/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix
Tanya von Degurechaff	The Saga of Tanya the Evil	7.6/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix
Meliodas	The Seven Deadly Sins	7.6/10	Netflix
Kintaro Oe	Golden Boy	8.0/10	Crunchyroll
Eren Yeager	Attack on Titan	9.1/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix
Satou Kazuma	KonoSuba	7.8/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix
Light Yagami	Death Note	8.9/10	Crunchyroll, Netflix
Rudeus Greyrat	Mushoku Tensei	8.2/10	Crunchyroll

So, what do you think of these picks? Can you think of any other top-tier anime with morally questionable protagonists like the ones mentioned here? Feel free to share your favorites.