Ranking Anime Villains Turned Heroes: 9 Characters Who Switched Sides

Even the most intimidating anime masterminds can end up changing direction. In Dragon Ball, for example, Vegeta and Piccolo are two of the most recognizable antagonists who eventually chose to protect the world instead of threatening it—moving from the side of evil to becoming part of Earth’s defenders. It can be hard to imagine such a shift at first, but a single pivotal moment can redirect even the most dangerous character toward something better.

Vegeta is widely remembered as one of shonen’s most powerful figures, so here’s a look at some of the strongest opponents he has a chance to overpower, alongside other villains who later found their way into the “good” column.

Vegeta and Piccolo aren’t alone, either. Across anime, there are plenty of villains who started out as roadblocks for their series’ protagonists—doing everything they could to derail the heroes’ plans—before they eventually earned redemption and stepped into a more protective role.

Time to match the silhouettes before it’s too late.

9 Franky Became the Straw Hats’ Super Shipwright in One Piece

When Franky decided to join the Straw Hat Pirates, it was one of the toughest—yet most meaningful—choices he made in One Piece. He began as a thief, stealing 200 million hard-earned berries that belonged to the Straw Hats, using that money to pay for the materials behind his dream ship. Back then, he never expected he’d wind up part of Luffy’s crew at all.

Now, Franky works as the Straw Hats’ repair specialist, doing everything possible to keep the Thousand Sunny running at peak condition. Of course, he doesn’t neglect his own upgrades, which is part of why he’s considered one of the stronger members of the crew—just not on the same footing as the core trio: Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji.

8 Toichiro Suzuki Found Purpose Beyond Power in Mob Psycho 100

In Mob Psycho 100, Toichiro’s ambition was so intense that it pushed him to oppose Shigeo Kageyama using overwhelming psychic abilities. He wasn’t just aiming to win a fight—he wanted to rule the world. To make that goal realistic, he spent time stockpiling as much psychic energy as possible, and because he could absorb energy from other espers, his lifelong dream seemed within reach… until his explosive encounter with Mob forced him to reevaluate everything.

After the confrontation, Toichiro felt deep remorse. He realized his ambition and his overpowering strength had steered him toward the wrong path. To make amends, he joined a group of espers trying to stop Mob’s ??? percent form. Even though he couldn’t stop the rampage, the fact that he chose to fight it demonstrated that he was beginning to understand right from wrong—and growing into a better person.

7 Evil Eye Became Momo and Okarun’s Battle-Driven Ally in DanDaDan

Evil Eye cornered Momo and Okarun with absurdly strong yokai powers in Dan Da Dan. When Evil Eye took control of Jiji, he turned accumulated hatred into a dangerous energy sphere capable of destroying anything it hit. On top of that, his physical traits—especially his durability—made him far from easy to defeat.

Still, Evil Eye eventually made an agreement with Okarun. The deal was simple: he would cooperate as long as he could keep enjoying intense battles while it was happening. He’s not exactly the most wholesome “semi-ally” Momo and Okarun could ask for, but as long as he’s in the right fighting mood, he remains a dependable presence on the battlefield.

6 Gajeel Redfox Earned His Place in Fairy Tail

Before Gajeel Redfox pledged himself to the Fairy Tail Guild, he was the kind of enemy who led the kind of assault that causes headaches—serving as a Phantom Lord Guild member while they carried out troublemaking attacks. His objective was to prove Phantom Lord’s dominance by knocking Fairy Tail down for good. During the chaos, he even clashed with Natsu Dragneel, and at one point he forcibly captured Lucy Heartfilia to push his guild’s agenda further.

Today, Gajeel fights with pride as part of Fairy Tail, relying on his Iron Dragon Slayer magic to overwhelm opponents. He can turn his own body into a weapon and unleash crushing metal-based attacks, and his hard-hitting style comes with an intimidating aura that makes him the sort of fighter most people would think twice about challenging.

5 Beru Joined Sung Jinwoo’s Shadow Army in Solo Leveling

In Solo Leveling Season 2, Beru—the shadow of Jeju Island’s Ant King—went on a brutal killing spree before joining Jinwoo’s elite forces. His plan was to become King of the World by defeating the current king. To pressure that target, he encouraged Jinwoo’s enemies to punish the S-rank hunters who were roaming around his home island, and during the Jeju Island raid he nearly wiped out everyone involved, moving through them at speed and taking them out one after another.

But losing to Jinwoo comes with a price: Beru has to surrender both his identity and his own ambitions. In return, he gains limitless evolution—and the ability to serve the Shadow Monarch indefinitely. That’s how he shifted from a power-hungry ant king into a dependable ally in Jinwoo’s shadow army, someone capable of leading raids on his own and even holding his ground against entities with god-level power.

4 Sasuke Uchiha Became Konoha’s Shadow Hokage in Naruto

Sasuke Uchiha faced countless difficult trials in Naruto, and those experiences shaped the choices he made along the way. He started as a hero, became a villain, and then—eventually—found redemption and returned to being a hero once more. Thankfully for everyone involved, Sasuke’s era of switching sides is over. He has fully committed to his current role as Konoha’s shadow Hokage.

At this point in the story, Sasuke is far stronger than Naruto Uzumaki. Even after losing his Rinnegan, he still has access to the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, and he also carries the power increases he obtained before and after becoming a model template to the Shinju Hidari in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.

3 Accelerator Became a Reluctant Savior in the Toaru Franchise

In the Toaru universe, Accelerator is one of the franchise’s most formidable antagonists, known for vector control. That ability lets him redirect or deflect attacks before they can actually land, which is part of why he’s often treated as Academy City’s most powerful esper. Even though excessive use of his powers can fry his brain, he still stands among anime’s toughest characters—someone only a small number of people could realistically overcome.

Accelerator’s defeat at the hands of Kamijou Touma became the turning point that forced a massive change. He went from ruthlessly slaughtering thousands of Misaka Sisters without hesitation to risking his own life to protect Last Order. That shift is why his redemption arc is frequently cited as one of the better-written stories in the franchise.

2 Piccolo Became One of Earth’s Most Selfless Heroes in Dragon Ball

With Gohan’s influence, Piccolo walked away from his evil behavior in Dragon Ball. Rather than continuing King Piccolo’s feud against Goku, Piccolo abandoned his villainous path after forming an unexpected warmth toward Gohan. Even sacrificing his own life for Gohan became almost natural for him, proving how deeply his mindset had changed.

Piccolo may not always be the strongest fighter in the series, but the Super Hero Arc gave him a rare opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Saiyans through a new god-level transformation. Orange Piccolo is unlike anything fans had seen before, taking the beloved Namekian to a whole new tier of power.

1 Vegeta Transformed From Destroyer to Defender in Dragon Ball

Winning Vegeta back from his icy mindset wasn’t simple, but Bulma, Goku, and the rest of Earth’s greatest protectors eventually helped him make the shift. His move from villain to ally didn’t happen instantly—it took a run of Dragon Ball episodes before Vegeta fully embraced life on Earth and the family he gained there.

Vegeta remains one of the most powerful characters in Dragon Ball history. He’s strong enough to challenge Goku and stand against some of the deadliest villains from different species and even different universes. It’s tough to fully gauge his ceiling, because the Prince of Saiyans has never shown an end to his relentless drive for power.