In the world of shonen (a type of manga and anime for teenagers) the heroes often find themselves confronted with a group or a criminal organization which will occupy a good part of the work. Powerful, formidable and charismatic, they sometimes steal the show from the main characters in the story. Focus on some “crew” of antagonists who marked their time.
NB: This top will only concern shonen whose main themes are combat and adventure. Sports shonen are therefore not counted. Also, this top will only concern groups of villains who are not not become regular allies of the heroes thereafter.
The Espada (Bleach)
In Bleach, after escaping from Soul Society, the terrible Aizen heads for the Hueco Mundo (the territory of the Hollow). Indeed, it is there that he places his HQ and constitutes an army which will be able to compete with the hero Ichigo and the Gotei 13. Among this army, we find the Espada, a group of 10 members constituting the last stage of the army. ‘an evolved Hollow. Thus, this group of antagonists has members as powerful (if not more) than a Division captain. Also, they all have a number tattooed on their body, serving as an identification but also as a power scale because each Espada has a difference in power with its peers. Even though they ended up being defeated by Ichigo and the Gotei 13, these warriors gave them a lot of trouble. We especially remember the terrible fight between Ichigo and Ulquiorra, Espada number 4.
The Phantom Brigade (Hunter x hunter)
Although in Hunter x hunter this organization is not considered the big bad of the series, it has come up against Gon and his friends quite often. Indeed, The Phantom Brigade is a group made up of 13 members which specializes in various illicit activities: assassinations, trafficking, corruption etc … If they have ever worked for pure philanthropy, they often find themselves on the side. antagonists in the series.
Most were born in the city of Shooting Star, a lawless area that serves as a huge dumping ground. This is why the vast majority of the members of the Phantom Squad have a deeply nihilistic behavior, having little interest in their own life and that of others. However, unlike many criminal organizations that can usually be found in shonen, the Phantom Squad is above all a tight-knit group of friends. Led by the charismatic Kuroro Lucifer, she is perfectly organized and deeply feared by all Hunters.
Akatsuki (Naruto)
Recurring enemy during the second part of Naruto, the Akatsuki was not intended to become the most actively wanted criminal organization in the ninja world. So, initially, the original purpose of the group created by Yahiko, Pain and Konan was to bring peace through dialogue and not by force. On the death of the leader Yahiko (victim of a violent betrayal), Nagato took over the reins of the organization. and radically changed it. Indeed, the Akatsuki became a group of mercenaries, sometimes selling themselves to the highest bidder for illicit tasks (espionage, assassinations). But the purpose of Akatsuki is actually world domination.
For this she therefore tries to capture all the Biju (which then means to remove the human beings who possess them, such as Naruto). The final objective will then be to bring Jûbi (the ultimate biju) back to life and to establish a lasting “peace”. Most Akatsuki members are generally of a level equal to or higher than that of the Kage. This explains why they will be the main threat to our heroes for most of the series.
The Corsairs Captains (One piece)
We can quibble by saying that some Captain Corsairs such as Boa Hancock or Jinbei quickly became allies of Luffy in One piece. However, on many occasions, the Order of Captain Corsairs was more often an enemy than a friend of the Mugiwara. When we remember in particular the damage caused by Crocodile, Doflamingo or Gecko Moria, we can only consider them as antagonists as an entity.
The Captain Corsairs are very powerful pirates who made a deal with the authorities. Indeed, the latter allow them to navigate freely on the seas and do what they want. In return, when requested, they are ordered to eliminate pirates considered threatening to the World Government. Possessing for the most part a premium of over 100 million Berry, they are all considered extremely dangerous and powerful.
Homunculus (Fullmetal Alchemist)
In Fullmetal Alchemist, The Homunculi are artificial humans who bear the names of the seven sins …
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