Top 5 anime villains more dangerous than Jujutsu Kaisen’s Sukuna

After Yuji Itadori becomes a vessel for the undisputed King of Curses, Jujutsu Kaisen establishes Sukuna as its deadly endgame, with every battle paving the path for this inevitable final showdown. Sukuna’s remorseless malice feels especially heightened in relation to the grief that kids like Yuji have to shoulder, forced to function as a “cog” until such evil is eradicated from existence.

[Ed. note: This article contains major spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen and the anime referenced below]

While Sukuna is undoubtedly the most dangerous threat in Jujutsu Kaisen, the implications of that term can change with context. Kenjaku, for instance, hatches a chilling society-shattering scheme that is centuries in the making, patiently biding his time to position his pawns on the chessboard. Although Sukuna might outrank Kenjaku at face value, his motivations are fueled by hedonistic gratification, and he has no interest in playing architect or ushering in the radical transformation of jujutsu society. Kenjaku’s plan, on the other hand, has far-reaching consequences to the point that the mere existence of Yuji is a matter of calculated eugenics.

With that in mind, here are 5 anime villains who are more dangerous than Sukuna, with skill-based strength being only one of the factors taken into consideration.

The exact mechanics of a clash with two powerful entities are impossible to predict, but Father, the progenitor of the homunculi from Fullmetal Alchemist, poses a greater threat than Sukuna. In terms of ambition alone, Father’s desire to subjugate the world and his obsession with achieving “perfection” feel more intimidating. Although Sukuna can be likened to a metaphorical bomb due to his overpowered and unpredictable nature, Father can alter the physical state of matter at the subatomic level, rendering both offensive and defensive efforts futile. The odds remain tipped in his favor when we bring the Philosopher’s Stone into the mix, which acts as an infinite energy source due to the fact that it is powered by the souls of millions.

Father’s grand plan to consume and assimilate “God” only fails due to the intervention of Van Hohenheim and the rebellion of the slaughtered Xerxes souls, who fight back to destabilize their oppressor. This is also compounded by Greed’s betrayal, which allows Edward Elric to land decisive blows and “Truth” to cast its final judgment. These events are not the result of sheer luck or battle strategy — the seeds for this outcome were sown decades ago, with fate playing a key role in Father’s defeat. If Father were to be unleashed on jujutsu society, or any other world for that matter, it would be a challenge for even the most skilled individuals to counter a living god well-versed in manipulating reality and rewriting the laws of physics.

4

Frieza (Dragon Ball)

Image: Toei Animation

Both Sukuna and Frieza relish power and destruction, but Frieza’s exploits throughout Dragon Ball surpass anything Sukuna has ever done to satisfy his sadistic tendencies. Right off the bat, Frieza operates on a much grander scale, indulging in the destruction of worlds (like Planet Vegeta) with maniacal glee while actively shaping political propaganda. This becomes a major issue when we consider transformations, as Golden Frieza or Black Frieza bank on god-level strength that can easily topple entire universes. While Sukuna has wreaked havoc in Shibuya and holds the potential to level an entire nation, he lacks the will or ambition to take on anything bigger as long as his immediate needs are met.

One also needs to consider that even without the might of his interstellar army, Frieza can survive even in the vacuum of space and evade attacks from the few opponents who could actually hurt him. The concept of mulling over Sukuna’s potential survival in space is an interesting one, but it’s fair to assume that he will be bound by mortal needs like oxygen and other environmental limitations. Frieza is also really fast, with his speed surpassing that of light (evident in the Dyspo vs. Frieza fight during the Tournament of Power, where Golden Frieza effortlessly outpaces Dyspo’s Super Maximum Light Speed Mode), allowing him to zoom around the battlefield without getting tracked. Even in the event of being bisected or chopped up into pieces, Frieza has found a way to survive, thanks to his alien physiology and Ki reserves.

3

Funny Valentine (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

Image: Shueisha

The world of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is filled with overpowered Stand users like Dio Brando (who can temporarily freeze time) and Enrico Pucci (who can reset an entire universe). That said, Funny Valentine, the President of the United States and the primary mastermind in JoJo: Steel Ball Run, is a threat so menacing that even Sukuna might lack a counter for his abilities in neck-to-neck combat. Consider this: A decently powered individual might be able to deflect Sukuna’s Dismantle or Slash, but the evolved form of Valentine’s Stand, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (D4C), Love Train, makes Valentine immune to all “misfortune.” As soon as anyone attacks Valentine or even wishes him harm, Love Train forms a pocket dimension that redirects all misfortune to other people on Earth.

That’s not all, as D4C’s fundamental ability as a Stand allows Valentine access to any number of alternate dimensions at any time. This lets him swap bodies with his counterparts ad infinitum, granting him pseudo-immortality until someone finds a loophole that can dismantle these alternate copies (which is a very tall order in itself). Even if we overlook his terrifying Stand abilities, Valentine’s blind patriotism and willingness to sacrifice anyone for absolute authority make him a dangerous individual in principle. Anyone who justifies mass violence under the pretext of some misguided grand purpose immediately feels more vicious than an ancient curse who loves killing for the sake of it.

2

Madara Uchiha (Naruto)

Image: Pierrot

The conflicts in Naruto play out as ideological clashes between factions or cycles of hatred created by a broken system. The primary draw of an antagonist like Madara Uchiha lies in the fact that he starts as an idealistic youth eager to hold on to the fragility of peace at any cost. This idealism, however, is shattered, leading to a twisted savior complex that sees Madara willing to rewrite his death and return a second time to fulfill his goal involving the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Madara poses a threat over Sukuna with Infinite Tsukuyomi itself, and this genjutsu traps the world in an illusion and can enslave entire populations in a dream. The implications are dire, given that humans connected to the God Tree can be constantly sapped of their chakra, reducing them to shells of their former selves.

No matter how devastating the effects of Sukuna’s Malevolent Shrine are, the radius is limited when compared to that of Infinite Tsukuyomi. Even without this world-trapping genjutsu, Madara’s offensive output is incredible — just think of Tengai Shinsei, which allows him to summon meteors from space. His use of Limbo clones through Rinnegan offers an immediate upper hand in the most evenly matched battles. When we bring abilities like Perfect Susanoo (which summons a massively armored chakra avatar capable of major destruction) and Truth-Seeking Orbs (which can vaporize anything they touch) into the equation, Madara’s threat level feels much more pronounced and tangible.

1

Yhwach (Bleach)

Image: Pierrot

As the son of the Soul King, Yhwach is a formidable Quincy who boasts a wide range of enviable skills and abilities in Bleach. Yhwach has easily defeated the likes of Mimihagi (the Soul King’s right arm) and murdered thousands over the course of the wars he has waged, while also using Auswählen to forcibly redistribute powers. While Yhwach’s Reishi manipulation can manifest in ways that can forge spirit weapons and manipulate immediate surroundings, his most troubling ability is The Almighty, which grants him omni-precognition (the ability to see future outcomes) and future acausality (the ability to change the future at will). In contrast, Sukuna cannot affect reality or causality at will, even though he can change the trajectory of a battle with brute force and strategic acumen.

While foresight alone doesn’t help anyone win battles, it is a massive advantage in Yhwach’s case, as he can adapt to any move on the battlefield in real time by altering that future. The only ways to defeat such a foolproof ability are to figure out a path to deceive his precognition or completely immobilize it for a while to gain the upper hand. These feats aren’t a walk in the park, especially considering how ruthless Yhwach can be as a battle strategist who is a thousand steps ahead of the enemy at any given time. Yhwach’s Almighty is even capable of changing the futures in which he is defeated, making him an almost unbeatable villain.