History NinetiesAntiHero / AnimeAndManga

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' is at heart about a ruthless [[VigilanteMan vigilante]] who wants to change the world by using the title notebook to kill criminals, which many Nineties Anti Heroes like to do. Unfortunately, Light is far from being actually heroic -- his first two kills in the anime were the closest he actually got to being heroic with the book until his decision to become Kira led to him JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope and becoming a KnightTemplar VillainProtagonist, as the police opposition to his actions and [[BerserkButton people calling his actions evil]] was an affront to his overweening {{Pride}}.

* Guts from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', who debuted with the publication of the manga in 1989, has almost all the characteristics of a nineties anti-hero. He has a [[DarkAgeOfSupernames gritty but simple name]], is [[AnArmAndALeg missing an arm]] [[EyeScream and an eye]], [[HeroicBuild has ridiculous muscles]] but [[CombatPragmatist relies on his lethal equipment instead of superpowers]], wears a black costume with lots of [[BadassBandolier bags and bandoliers]], is a badass with a DarkAndTroubledPast and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcasm]] to boot, and uses a ludicrous {{BFS}} as his main weapon. During the early Black Swordsman Arc he tells Puck that he doesn't care about anything except {{Revenge}}, considering any bystanders who get caught up in his vengeance as [[TheSocialDarwinist weaklings who didn't deserve to live]], and he [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally tortures]] any villains he defeats. Miura has even said that he based Guts' ImplacableMan vibe during the Black Swordsman Arc on 80s Hollywood action movie characters like [[Film/RoboCop1987 [=RoboCop=]]] and Film/TheTerminator--the same ones who had such an influence on the form the trope would take in TheNineties. In spite of all this Guts turns out to be something of an UnbuiltTrope example, or at least a more subtle one, as the state we first see him in is when he's at his very worst and using an act pretending to be a jerk to hide from his pain, and because his supernatural strength (that he needs to fight the demons) is fueled in part by hatred. He goes through several shades of AntiHero through his CharacterDevelopment, but always has some redeeming qualities such as loyalty to his friends and sympathy for those who have suffered like he has.

* Guts from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', who debuted with the publication of the manga in 1989, has almost all the characteristics of a nineties anti-hero. He has a [[DarkAgeOfSupernames gritty but simple name]], is [[AnArmAndALeg missing an arm]] [[EyeScream and an eye]], [[HeroicBuild has ridiculous muscles]] but [[CombatPragmatist relies on his lethal equipment instead of superpowers]], wears a black costume with lots of [[BadassBandolier bags and bandoliers]], is a badass with a DarkAndTroubledPast and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcasm]] to boot, and uses a ludicrous {{BFS}} as his main weapon. During the early Black Swordsman Arc he tells Puck that he doesn't care about anything except {{Revenge}}, considering any bystanders who get caught up in his vengeance as [[TheSocialDarwinist weaklings who didn't deserve to live]], and he [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally tortures]] any villains he defeats. Miura has even said that he based Guts' ImplacableMan vibe during the Black Swordsman Arc on 80s Hollywood action movie characters like [[Film/RoboCop1987 [=RoboCop=]]] and Film/TheTerminator--the same ones who had such an influence on the form the trope would take in TheNineties. In spite of all this Guts turns out to be something of an UnbuiltTrope example, or at least a more subtle one, as the state we first see him in is when he's at his very worst and using an act pretending to be a jerk to hide from his pain, and because his supernatural powers (that he needs to fight the demons) are fueled entirely by hatred. He goes through several shades of AntiHero through his CharacterDevelopment, but always has some redeeming qualities such as loyalty to his friends and sympathy for those who have suffered like he has.

* Guts from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', who debuted with the publication of the manga in 1989, has almost all the characteristics of a nineties anti-hero. He has a [[DarkAgeOfSupernames gritty but simple name]], is [[AnArmAndALeg missing an arm]] [[EyeScream and an eye]], [[HeroicBuild has ridiculous muscles]] but [[CombatPragmatist relies on his lethal equipment instead of superpowers]], wears a black costume with lots of [[BadassBandolier bags and bandoliers]], is a badass with a DarkAndTroubledPast and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcasm]] to boot, and uses a ludicrous {{BFS}} as his main weapon. During the early Black Swordsman Arc he tells Puck that he doesn't care about anything except {{Revenge}}, considering any bystanders who get caught up in his vengeance as [[TheSocialDarwinist weaklings who didn't deserve to live]], and he [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally tortures]] any villains he defeats. Miura has even said that he based Guts' ImplacableMan vibe during the Black Swordsman Arc on 80s Hollywood action movie characters like [[Film/RoboCop1987 [=RoboCop=]]] and Film/TheTerminator--the same ones who had such an influence on the form the trope would take in TheNineties. In spite of all this Guts turns out to be something of an UnbuiltTrope example, or at least a more subtle one, as the state we first see him in is when he's at his very worst and using an act pretending to be a jerk to hide from his pain. He goes through several shades of AntiHero through his CharacterDevelopment, but always has some redeeming qualities such as loyalty to his friends and sympathy for those who have suffered like he has.

** Aizawa Shouta, Class 1-A’s homeroom teacher, has traits of this. He’s broody, gritty, sometimes cynical and works as an underground hero. He hates the spotlight and thinks heroes like All Might are irritating and too flashy for their own good. It would be easy to mistake him for a villain with his stubbled face, black jumpsuit and stringy hair. Normally he restricts himself to whatever force is needed to nullify a threat, but he can be brutal and forceful if it’s needed. Especially if you hurt his students or friends.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' is at heart about a guy who wants to change the world by using the title notebook to kill criminals, which many Nineties Anti Heroes like to do. Unfortunately, Light is far from being actually heroic -- his first two kills in the anime were the closest he actually got to being heroic with the book until his decision to become Kira led to him JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope and becoming a KnightTemplar VillainProtagonist, as the police opposition to his actions and [[BerserkButton people calling his actions evil]] was an affront to his overweening {{Pride}}.
** Near as well. Possibly more ruthless and cold than L, he doesn't hesitate to employ morally questionable tactics to stop Light. Even if you set that aside, he has a rather creepy, serious, stoic, and robotic demeanor, complete with his KubrickStare. But make no mistake, compared to Light, he is quite decent and heroic.

"%% * ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has Lelouch who wages a war against Britannia by sacrificing innocent and non innocent live for the sake of his blind and crippled sister. Another is Suzaku who later on becomes as his view upon the world from the beginning of the series gets worse.

%% * ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has Lelouch who wages a war against Britannia by sacrificing innocent and non innocent live for the sake of his blind and crippled sister. Another is Suzaku who later on becomes as his view upon the world from the beginning of the series gets worse.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has Kenpachi Zaraki, the captain of Gotei 13's Squad 11. With his wild, unkempt hair, scars, love of battle, being pretty much indestructible, a horrific past of growing up in poverty and violence and abilities that basically come down to "slash it til it stops moving", Zaraki is basically the ''Bleach'' equivalent of Guts mentioned above. His bloodthirsty nature is often played for laughs in the anime and some times in the manga. Also similar to Guts, Zaraki is capable of empathy.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has Kenpachi Zaraki, the captain of Gotei 13's Squad 11. With his wild, unkempt hair, scars, love of battle, being pretty much indestructible, a horrific past of growing up in poverty and violence and abilities that basically come down to "slash it til it stops moving", Zaraki is basically the Bleach equivalent of Guts mentioned above. His bloodthirsty nature is often played for laughs in the anime and some times in the manga. Also similar to Guts, Zaraki is capable of empathy.

* Claire Stanfield from ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'' is considered to be one due to his twisted sense of justice and his love of toying with his enemies in a cruel and sadistic manner something in contrast to that of Shizuo Heiwajima.

* Kiritsugu Emiya from ''LightNovel/FateZero'' qualifies this trope due to sacrificing minority over the majority and is shown bombing buildings that involve civilians and performs crueler methods to achieve whatever costs to gain the Holy Grail. Though admittedly, the anime does have a shot of ritzy-looking civilians outside a hotel he bombed, so it’s assumed that he at least puts some effort into saving innocents.

* Ryougi Shiki from ''LightNovel/TheGardenOfSinners'' is a example of this. She's definitely got the rough outlook and personality, the overpowered abilities, and borderline psychopathy. Plus the book was written in the 90s and takes place in the 90s. What makes her stand out though is her rather conservative attire.

* Ryo Marufuji and Edo Phoenix of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' counts as well as both show no mercy to their victims and perform crueler methods upon them at the same time. Edo's deck, the ''Destiny HERO'' Archetype even invokes this (combined with the [[ByronicHero Byronic Heroes]] of Victorian literature) as opposed to Judai Yuki's ''[[TheCape Elemental HERO]]'' monsters.

* The main character of the ''Anime/{{Witchblade}}'' anime is more of a subversion than in the comic book. She may be an extremely scantily-clad woman who's fight scenes are the epitome of OrgasmicCombat, but out of costume she's a very amiable single mom.

* Ryo Marufuji and Edo Phoenix of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' counts as well as both show no mercy to their victims and perform crueler methods upon them at the same time.