Your Favorite Manga/Anime Devils & Demons

Maybe you like the way that they were drawn or they've got a winning personality, but whatever the reason you love to hate them (or hate to love them). Demons show up pretty often in the medium, so people who watch enough anime or read enough manga surely have one or two favorites. So spill the beans, already! What are your favorite devils and demons from manga and anime, and why do you like them?

Do note before you begin, do keep in mind that demons and devils are different from most monsters in several ways.

1. First, they must have a somewhat human form (though shapeshifting is allowed), and are capable of speech.

2. Second, if there are gods, angels, or other "holy" beings in the series, these guys oppose them.

3. They somehow prey on humans. Perhaps they want to buy their souls for wishes, or just sow destruction and discord. Maybe they are hungry. Whatever the case, even if they are Affably Evil, their intentions are not good ones for the human species.

4. And finally, they cannot die (permanently)unless they take some sort of a supernatural attack, nor have they ever died. No undead, no vampires, no ghosts, no damned souls. If they were once human, then they were transformed into a demon by having the desire to do evil in their hearts, or possibly an occult ritual or spell, but they never had to die to complete their transformation (unlike vampires, which die when bitten but then re-animate latter). I realize that there's a fine line between vampire and demon proper (take Alucard from Hellsing, for example, especially when he's transformed), but the reason I have this rule is because otherwise this would turn into a vampires thread, and that isn't in the spirit of things. So if something is referred to in series as a vampire, or if you had to give it a name you would call it a vampire, it doesn't count as a demon, sorry vampire fans but you can make your own thread if you like.

So, here are my three favorites:

1. Mauler/Marller/Maara (I'm sure that her name is supposed to be Mauler, as that is a perfectly demonic name, but the Japanese have trouble with spelling those damned silent vowels). I like her design, especially in the anime, and her skills at getting mistaken for a costumed pervert are legend. Great comedy villain, and her Affably Evil schemes are pretty much the highlight of the anime series (I can't stand Keichi + Belldandy and watch the show purely for Skuld and Mauler, so I'm usually cheering for Mauler to win). Also, I don't think I'd be too upset to wake up in bed with her.

2. Naraku. I like the fact that his motivation behind ruining Inuyasha's life is basically petty jealousy. It makes him seem more realistic, you know? Besides, they did an excellent job of making what amounts to a Bishōnen character seem both menacing and powerful, and I like the contradiction.

3. Lady Bira, from Blue Dragon Ral Grad. To live forever Lady Bira steals the bodies of virgins, devouring their souls in the process. It is also heavily implied that she enjoys playing with her food beforehand, if you catch my meaning (seriously, she is basically the female version of Orochimaru)It isn't often that you encounter evil women in literature, and its less often that they abuse their power to take advantage of younger women, so I found her to be extremely creepy and ruthless - which makes for a great villain. Ral Grad is a pretty nice, short series with a tight story and excellent artwork - its done by the artist responsible for Death Note, so you know that when I tell you the monsters like Lady Bira are gruesome, you know I'm telling no lies.

edited 13th Dec '11 9:28:11 PM by MyGodItsFullofStars

Hiruma◊, Hiruma◊, Hiruma◊, Hiruma◊, Hiruma◊.

<Look at my Avatar.

Plus Kneesocks, especially Kneesocks. I love me some ~Rrrrrruuuruuu.

Naraku is not actually a demon, you know. Youkai aren't the same thing as akuma or whatever word you want to use for demon.

I'm not sure why you you insist that the demons or devils be evil. The first three series I can think of that come from Japan that have demons in them are Sengoku Rance, Mahou Sensei Negima and The World God Only Knows, and demons aren't really evil in them. I think the insistance that demons be evil is more of a Western thing. Hell, the next series I think of after those three is Disgaea, which still doesn't have evil demons apart from individuals.

edited 13th Dec '11 10:14:09 PM by Arha

Panty And Stocking With Garterbelt.

edited 13th Dec '11 10:14:04 PM by Scherzo09

What about it? There's also Slayers, now that I think about it a little more. I didn't say the portrayal of demons as evil doesn't exist, it's just that they didn't occur to me first, especially that show since I never watched it. It does not seem like something I would enjoy. Claiming that demons in anime have to be evil or they don't count seems a little silly to me.

Was just adding to you.

Yu Yu Hakusho has a lot of evil demons too. Trying to think of anything else.

edited 13th Dec '11 10:22:28 PM by Scherzo09

I guess "evil" wasn't the best way to put it, though most of the ones that you listed would prefer to be considered evil rather than good (Laharl of Disgaea is even allergic to good). I meant that they aren't on humanities side. I didn't feel that it was a pointless distinction, because I wanted this to be more of a thread about villains that we like rather than Cute Monster Girl characters, but if its got wings and horns and comes from hell, I don't see why you can't list it. Just use your discretion is all, you should understand the spirit of this thread, hopefully. Why the intensity of the reply, by the way? There a character you had in mind that would go against those rules?

As for the youma/akuma distinction, I think that youma would fit under the umbrella of "devils and demons". Remember that a devil in the old English sense wasn't quite a proper demon either, but more like an evil spirit.

...... I'm not even sure if I've ever watched a show with any devils or demons in it.

Do Shinigami count? Ryuk is cool. Yeah, I'm going to say that counts, because shinigami fit every requirement except number two, and that's because there isn't really a God or a Heaven in The 'Verse.

edited 13th Dec '11 10:27:23 PM by Sporkaganza

I'm with Arha in all examples popping up in my head not necessarily being evil. Some of the series in my head are even overlapping.

Do note that even if Laharl in Disgaea claims he's allergic to good... that's just his words. The way he acts contradicts his statements.

edited 13th Dec '11 10:33:12 PM by burnpsy

Shinigami are a tough case. Not quite what I had in mind, seeing as how they are more like clerics doing their job than malicious beings, but the ones in Death Note are pretty demonic-looking and act like demons - even if they are lazy/bored ones that don't really have much going on.

Those rules were meant to keep the discussion focused on a particular type of villain, and I felt that they weren't limiting but rather reasonable, but instead its becoming the discussion in and of itself, which is frustrating. Just post what you want, because at this point I don't even care anymore.

edited 13th Dec '11 10:37:27 PM by MyGodItsFullofStars

^^^^ You seemed to be approaching it with a shallow understanding from my perspective that implied you weren't really too familiar with the common depictions. Even Laharl is really a pretty good guy when you get down to it, no matter what he says. But we should probably just drop that now.

And honestly I suppose that there's no particular demon or devil that I'm particularly fond of. But so that my post isn't devoid of content, I'll say the demons of Negima. While apparently not exactly an inherently evil race, evidence does suggest that they pull stuff like deals with the devil and on the whole are rather dangerous. I would probably like them more if there was more than just subtle hints to what they are like, but the nobility system they have going on looks like it could be quite promising if the story ever decides to focus on demon society.

edited 13th Dec '11 10:35:01 PM by Arha

But with my favorite villain demon *is* a Cute Monster Girl? D:

That's fine if she's a demon, but not if she's a cat-girl (unless she is a demon that is also a cat-girl).

Nanoha... Huehuehuehuehue.

I've always liked Sesshoumaru in Inu Yasha, it's amusing to see him being so much more powerful than anyone else in the story.

Off the top of my head: Hiei has always seemed pretty badass to me. Mainly due to his his snarky nature, and cool attacks.

edited 14th Dec '11 2:17:08 AM by Rynnec

Haqua and Elsie from The World God Only Knows.

Rin Okumura, and the whole demon cast from Disgaea.

But...my favorite Demon isn't evil. Elsie is far from evil. Though since she can die despite being a demon, I don't think she fits in with the rest of the characters mentioned anyways.

edited 14th Dec '11 10:22:56 AM by Chariot

I'd have to go with Neuro.

Devil Man and Devil Man Lady.

Xellos(though I seem to be the only person on the planet who preferred his original dub voice).

Panty and Stocking.

But they're angels. (I feel as if I'm missing a joke here.)

Stocking is actually a demon. Maybe.