10 worst fathers in anime, ranked
The worst fathers in anime have left lasting marks on their children. Some were missing when they were needed most. Others were abusive and used their children for personal purposes. These dads messed up in ways that influenced their children's lives for eternity. Some led their children into precarious situations.
Some used them as tools or left them behind, and while some had twisted reasons, their actions caused pain. Either through neglect, cruelty, or manipulation, they were not suited for the job of a father. Their decisions resulted in pain, trauma, and disastrous consequences. Here are the 10 worst fathers in anime, ranked from bad to absolute worst.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and includes spoilers from the mentioned anime.
Rasa Kazekage, Judge Vinsmoke, and 8 other worst fathers in anime, ranked
10) Rasa Kazekage (Naruto)
Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage in Naruto, was a horrible father to Gaara. He treated his son as a weapon and not as a child, making him a Jinchūriki at birth. Instead of showing love, he isolates and tortures Gaara to toughen him up.
He even tried assassination attempts against his own son because he felt that Gaara was too unstable. His behavior caused Gaara trauma and psychological breakdowns throughout his life. His influence persisted to haunt Gaara's life, even in death. This places Rasa among the worst fathers in anime.
9) Judge Vinsmoke (One Piece)
Judge Vinsmoke is the king of Germa and the head of the Vinsmoke family in One Piece. He viewed his children as war tools, depriving them of emotions to turn them into merciless soldiers. Sanji, the only one who did not lose his humanity, suffered the most.
Judge harassed him, shut him away, and even cast him out because he was weak. Power was more precious to him than family, treating his children as mere experimental subjects. With his failure in love and cruelty, Judge is among the worst fathers in anime.
8) Ging Freecss (Hunter x Hunter)
Ging Freecss is a skilled Hunter as well as an adventurer with incredible knowledge. He abandoned his son at a young age, leaving him in the care of others. Instead of taking care of him, he opted for his desire and profession.
Even when his son risked everything to locate him, Ging was not interested. He hardly ever gives advice or encouragement, so their reunion felt empty. His selfishness and abandonment make him one of the worst fathers in anime.
7) Grisha Yeager (Attack on Titan)
Grisha Yeager was a father who imposed tremendous burdens on his children. He forced his first son, Zeke, to become a warrior and utilized him as a means of his rebellion. When Zeke rebelled against him, Grisha repeated the same mistakes with Eren.
He transformed Eren into a weapon and controlled his destiny using the Attack Titan's abilities. His selfish decisions molded the tragic lives of his sons, driving them towards war and devastation and shattered his family. This puts Grisha among the worst fathers in anime of all time.
6) Endeavor (My Hero Academia)
Endeavor is the Pro Hero, but he failed as a father. Consumed with surpassing All Might, he treats his family as a breeding project. He forced his wife, Rei, into a Quirk-based marriage and bullied their children, particularly Shoto, to live up to his expectations.
He physically and emotionally abused Shoto, keeping him away from his siblings. His cruelty drove Rei to the brink of collapse, leaving deep scars on the family. Despite his looking for redemption, his deeds can never be washed away. Thus, Endeavor is among the worst fathers in anime.
5) Charles zi Britannia (Code Geass)
Charles zi Britannia was an Emperor of Britannia and also a cold and merciless ruler. He viewed his children as objects for his agendas and not as family. Lelouch and Nunnally suffered due to his brutal philosophy. He abandoned them after their mother's death by sending them as political pawns to a distant land.
He was a social Darwinist and showed no love or care towards his children. His behavior encouraged Lelouch to act against him. He was a cold, manipulative father and absolutely not deserving of the name.
4) Bondrewd (Made In Abyss)
Bondrewd is a researcher fixated on the Abyss. He takes in children like Prushka but treats them as lab rats. His testing is brutal, frequently killing children to advance his research. He subjects Prushka to inhuman pain, breaking her body and turning her into a tool.
He is affectionate but devoid of genuine empathy, rationalizing his actions as required. His perverted love makes him even more terrifying. A real father guards, but Bondrewd only uses, and so he is among the worst fathers in anime of all time.
3) Gambino (Berserk)
Gambino was the leader of mercenaries who raised Guts. Gambino never considered Guts a son but only as a tool for profit. Gambino accused Guts of having caused the death of his wife and used cruelty against him. Gambino forced Guts into combat when he was a child and even sold him to a soldier for financial interests.
His abuse had profound emotional scars for Guts. When Guts finally fought back, he did so with desperation, not hate. Gambino's behavior defined the tragic life of Guts. This makes Gambino one of the worst fathers in anime.
2) Shou Tucker (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Shou Tucker was a State Alchemist who specialized in studying chimeras. He appeared to be a concerned father to his daughter, Nina, but he was a monster. To maintain his title, he experimented on his own wife.
When pressure increased once again, he transformed Nina and their dog, Alexander, into a chimera. He showed no remorse, viewing them merely as tools to get the job done. His behavior was more than cruel, placing him among the worst fathers in anime.
1) Gendo Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Gendo Ikari is a manipulative and cold individual who places his own interests above his son, Shinji Ikari. He left Shinji at a young age and only returned to get him when he needed him for his advantage. He never showed any love or care, always belittling and ignoring his son's suffering.
Gendo cares more about reviving Yui than about Shinji's well-being. He manipulated his child's feelings and made him go through intolerable circumstances. His behavior led to severe trauma. Gendo Ikari is among the worst fathers in anime.
Final thoughts
The worst fathers in anime inflicted suffering and trauma. Gendo Ikari exploits Shinji for his own interests without a second thought, while Shou Tucker murdered Nina for his own selfishness. Gambino's cruelty set Guts's tragic fate, and Bondrewd took advantage of Prushka for perverted experiments. Charles zi Britannia left Lelouch and Nunnally for power.
Endeavor's fixation destroyed his family, whereas Grisha Yeager drove his sons to war. Ging Freecss left Gon behind for adventure. All of these fathers messed up in all ways possible and left a never-healing wound.
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