History SmugSnake / AnimeAndManga

* Chigusa Tsukikage, the BigBad during the Kyoto arc of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''. She acted all superior despite the fact that she's a DirtyCoward who hid behind a HumanShield (Konoka, [[DistressedDamsel her captive]]) whenever an enemy got near. In fact, when the inevitable happened and all her plans came crashing down around her in a spectacular manner, Chachazero, the ''AxCrazy PerversePuppet'' of [[NobleDemon Evangeline]], appeared before her and called her out for all of her cowardly actions before giving her an ignoble defeat: [[spoiler: Scaring her so badly that she fainted.]] And as though emphasizing her "feels a lot more important than she actually is" nature, the three ''minions'' she hired and lorded over in the Kyoto arc ([[spoiler: [[TheRival Koutarou]], [[PsychoLesbian Tsukuyomi]], and ''[[BigBad Fate]]'']]) all turned out to both be stronger and a lot more plot relevant that Chigusa herself was in the grand scheme of things.

*** Naturon Sheron hits this full-stop after managing to [[TheAssimilator absorb Pan for a power-up]], taunting Goku and trying to egg him on into killing him all because [[YouWouldntShootMe he's convinced Goku wouldn't hurt Pan in the cross-fire]]. The ''second'' it looks like [[ShootTheDog Goku really will]], he's reduced to panicked begging, only regaining his cool when Goku subconsciously holds back the attack from being fatal. Then he makes the mistake of getting too close while taunting [[WoundedGazelleGambit a seemingly beaten Goku]] and gets Pan ripped out, upon which he can only beg again before Goku kills him.

* ''Anime/FateZero'':

-->'''Goose:''' ''[to Mrs. Beriam]'' Our plan is to get Master Huey out of jail. The police would be stupid to try and stop the train and arrest us. Once we reach the city border we're going to [[spoiler:kill your daughter and leave her body on the side of the tracks]]. Don't be stupid enough to [[spoiler:offer yourself as a sacrifice]]. This way, Senator Beriam will have no choice but to give in to our demands. [[EvilIsPetty I know this isn't going to be much comfort]] but [[spoiler:[[KickTheDog I'll shoot her]] myself]].

* Goose from ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}''. He's so incredibly arrogant that he goes so far as to say that the ''police'' would be stupid to try and stop him from [[spoiler: murdering the senator's daughter and leaving her body on the side of the road just to scare him into releasing his boss from prison]]. Not only that, but he says all of this, ''[[KickTheDog right in front of the senator's wife and daughter]]''. Really this (paraphrased) exchange sums it right up.
-->'''Goose''': (''To Mrs. Beriam'') Our plan is to get Master Huey out of jail. The police would be stupid to try and stop the train and arrest us. Once we reach the city border we're going to [[spoiler: kill your daughter and leave her body on the side of the tracks]]. Don't be stupid enough to [[spoiler: offer yourself as a sacrifice]]. This way, Senator Beriam will have no choice but to give in to our demands. [[EvilIsPetty I know this isn't going to be much comfort]] but [[spoiler: [[KickTheDog I'll shoot her]] myself]]

* ''LightNovel/TheDevilIsAPartTimer'': In his first appearance, Lucifer keeps playing around and gloating over the seemingly powerless Maou and Emi... and ends up filling the citizens with enough fear and despair to [[EmotionEater power Maou up]]. The minute he finds himself staring a fully-powered Maou down, Lucifer is left sniveling and shaking in fear before Maou hits him with a MegatonPunch.

* Gauron from ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic''. Treating both allies and enemies with disdain? Check. Always speaking in a sarcastic tone, ending it with a smirk? Check. ''Loves'' to bug the protagonist and take advantage of his moral insecurity? Check. Overconfident that his plans will go exactly the way he wants? Check.

* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline''

* Orochimaru from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' is a high-functioning example and, as a snake-themed villain, a literal one. He is a genuine badass ninja and a war hero [[NinjaZombiePirateRobot who also happens to be]] a MadScientist, EvilSorceror, cult leader and terrorist, but he is far too arrogant and sadistic for his own good and he has been guilty of BondVillainStupidity since as far back as the Chuunin Exam arc, which ultimately [[AnArmAndALeg cost him his arms]]. Furthermore, he's prone to doing things that are counter-productive to his goals purely because [[ForTheEvulz he can]]; this is best shown when he kills the Kazekage... ''after'' the Kazekage had agreed to help him attack Konoha. So Orochimaru killed off a powerful ally, pretty much just because he could. [[SubvertedTrope On the other hand]], once he eventually TookALevelInKindness and becomes less evil ([[ALighterShadeOfBlack though not exactly "good"]]), he becomes ''much'' more effective and the heroes even allow him to live in peace once the manga is over!

* ''Anime/ValkyrieDriveMermaid'': Charlotte Scharsen is absolutely convinced that she's the prettiest, most popular, smartest, and after the events of episode 9, strongest woman on Mermaid, and can do whatever she wants whenever she wants to whomever she wants without question. She is completely wrong on all counts, but Momoka lets her believe she's right because [[UnwittingPawn it's much easier to manipulate her that way]]. In episode 11, when she tries to demand an explanation, Momoka literally [[ArmorPiercingSlap slaps the arrogance right out of her]] and makes sure to let Charlotte know she was never anything more than her pawn.

** Frank Archer from [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the first anime]] is the epitome of a Smug Snake; a ruthless sociopath who orchestrates heinous catastrophes for the sake of [[GloryHound bettering his own image and publicity]].

** Eighth Espada Szayelaporro Granz is also a Smug Snake; he considers himself an infallible genius and the "perfect being" despite the fact he only managed to get the advantage he had over Renji and Ishida by studying both of them and setting things up in advance to put the odds drastically in his favor when they fought. His arrogance takes a major blow when Mayuri Kurotsuchi reveals he completely outmaneuvered him scientifically, and Szayelaporro to [[VillainousBreakdown swearing, stomping, and screaming like a spoiled child]] when nothing is working. When he tries crossing his final and most heinous MoralEventHorizon ([[spoiler: forcibly impregnating Mayuri's "daughter" and liutenant, Nemu, with himself so he can come back to life, which kills her]]), he winds up suffering a horrific KarmicDeath because he underestimated the depth of Mayuri's own preparations ([[spoiler:he gave Nemu a strange poison that took effect when Szayelsporro used her to revive himself]]). Rather tellingly, despite Mayuri's own rampant sociopathy, [[EvenEvilHasStandards Szayelaporro disgusts him.]]

** To a greater extent, Gonzou Tarukane, the hideous crimelord who imprisoned and tortured poor Yukina. He thought he had everything under control but in truth, he ''never'' even remotely stood a chance against [[MagnificentBastard Sakyou]]'s {{plan}}. [[spoiler: Gonzou was doomed from the start because he thought the Togoru brothers were working for him when they really worked for Sakyou. The OhCrap when he realizes he's been OutGambitted has this trope all over it.]]
** Rishu in the Dark Tournament arc. He thought his match against Kuwabara was in the bag due to the manipulations (read:bribery) his sponsor carried out. Oh how wrong he was.
*** His boss Butajiri, responsible for said bribery, also suffers this when Younger Toguro finds out what he's been doing and tells Sakyo about it. Turns out he blamed Yusuke (and his team by proxy) for killing Tarukune and has been enjoying the beating they've been getting due to his cheating, then he's surprised when Sakyo informs him it was Toguro who killed him. [[spoiler: Whom promptly does the same to Butajiri, [[FingerPokeOfDoom with a flick of his finger]] causing [[YourHeadASplode his head to explode]] into LudicrousGibs.]]
** There's also [[MadScientist Dr. Ichigaki]] and Elder Toguro, both particularly loathsome examples. [[spoiler:The latter gets truly wonderful comeuppance; first Younger Toguro punches him so hard he practically disintegrates, then when he shows up in the next arc (still alive and fully regenerated by his {{immortality}}), Kurama subjects him to a FateWorseThanDeath.]]

** Android 19 and Dr. Gero act like big shots and ''only'' have the upper hand because [[WorfHadTheFlu Goku was afflicted with the heart virus]]. This leads to a big BreakTheHaughty moment where Vegeta beats 19 so thoroughly that he flips out and tries to make a break for it.

*** It's evident in the [=BW049/BW050=] two-parter, where the best plan they'd built to ''date'' might have succeeded if Meowth hadn't arrogantly assumed Pikachu and Axew could do nothing while caged. Otherwise, Dr. Zager would probably have picked up the train carriage with none of the Poké Ball-bound Pokémon any wiser until it was too late. And if Meowth had just taken care of the Pokémon when they escaped rather than gloating to Pikachu's face and disconnecting their car from the train, Zager wouldn't have needed to even involve himself the way he did (having to pick up a car with uncontained Pokémon on it) which wouldn't have given the heroes time to catch up with them!)

** Usui of the Juppon Gatana. During his time in the series, Usui always seemed to have the one-up on his fellow Juppon Gatana members, and most definitely fit the smug part of the Smug Snake, more than willing to mock and belittle his foes by pointing out how he could see through them with his "Mind's Eye". His apparent reason for joining the Juppon Gatana was to be able to kill Shishio if he ever had the chance. [[spoiler: But in his fight with Saito, he was faced with the fact that his true reason was to put up the appearance of still trying to defeat Shishio, and hiding his dishonor. Usui became even angrier when Saito pointed out that Shishio knew this and was playing him like an instrument. And then, when Usui tried to hold on to the shred of dignity he had left, Saito mopped the floor with him.]]

** Eighth Espada Szayelaporro Granz is also a Smug Snake; he considers himself an infallible genius and the "perfect being" despite the fact he only managed to get the advantage he had over Renji and Ishida by studying both of them and setting things up in advance to put the odds drastically in his favor when they fought. His arrogance takes a major blow when Mayuri Kurotsuchi reveals he completely outmaneuvered him scientifically, and Szayelaporro to [[VillainousBreakdown swearing, stomping, and screaming like a spoiled child]] when nothing is working. When he tries crossing his final and most heinous MoralEventHorizon ([[spoiler: forcibly impregnating Mayuri's "daughter" and liutenant, Nemu, with himself so he can come back to life, which kills her]]), he winds p suffering a horrific KarmicDeath because he underestimated the depth of Mayuri's own preparations ([[spoiler:he gave Nemu a strange poison that took effect when Szayelsporro used her to revive himself]]). Rather tellingly, despite Mayuri's own rampant sociopathy, [[EvenEvilHasStandards Szayelaporro disgusts him.]]

** To be fair though, this is much less true in the ''Magnificent World'' [=OVAs=]. In that continuity, he may have [[SmallNameBigEgo a big ego]], but he can easily back it up with tactical genius and [[{{Determinator}} sheer will power]]. While still not as magnificent as he sees himself, it makes him seem less like this trope than he does in the ''Wanderers'' anime series, which takes his ego UpToEleven and severely downgrades his strategic abilities so that he looks more like an IneffectualSympatheticVillain JokeCharacter.

** And now from [[DarkerAndEdgier Force]], we have Cypha, who takes this trope UpToEleven. The few times she doesn't have a smug look on her face, it's almost completely impassive.