Demon Kings are what make animes with these characters interesting. The term “Demon King” is both a genre of anime and a character. As a genre, demon king animes are those whose stories are dominated by the demon as the central character. This demonic entity can be an antihero protagonist, a love interest, or, ultimately, a villain. They also possess quite fantastic personalities.
They are standoffish and analytical on the surface, but hiding beneath this bad side is a soft spot for the people most dear to them. Think of them as Batman, an antihero seemingly lacking emotion but showing charm beyond measure. Get to know the most interesting Demon Kings in anime in this piece.
Demon Kings In History
Considering the common occurrence of Demon Kings in anime, you’ll ask yourself if there are demon kings in history. Yes, there are. In mythology and demonology, demon kings are common, too. It begins in the Christmas Bible with the demon king Bael. Then, you also have Asmodeus in Jewish faith, Ravana in Hindu mythology, and Vine, the king of Hell in the Ars Goetia.
Interestingly enough, demon kings also existed in Japanese history. There were Oda Nobunaga of the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods, Shuten-dōji according to legends, and Ryomen Sukuna from the eighth century.
The Most Popular Demon Kings In Anime
1. Mephisto Pheles – ‘Blue Exorcist’
In the Japanese dark fantasy show “Blue Exorcist,” Mephisto Pheles, whose real name is ironically Samael, is a supporting character in that anime. In the story, Pheles is the second strongest of the Eight Demon Kings, an Exorcist holding the title of The King of Time. His other name, his public name, is Johann Faust V, heading the True Cross Academy as the Principal. After the death of Shiro Fujimoto, Pheles played a crucial role in enrolling Rin Okumura in True Cross Academy, though it was Rin who volunteered. See? The personalities of these Demon Kings are cunning.
2. Claude Jeanne Ellmeyer – ‘I’m The Villainess, So I’m Taming The Final Boss’
This light anime is about a doomed villainess in a dating game. One of its characters, Ellmeyer, is a prince, being the ex-crowned prince when he was a child and was eventually reappointed crown prince from the Imperial Ellmeyer. He came from a noble family and later married Aileen Lauren d’Autriche and the father-figure to Fiend Dragon. If you think that demons are fearful, treat them differently, as he is attractive and dashing.
3. Takuma ‘Diablo’ Sakamoto – ‘How Not To Summon A Demon Lord’
That anime title may be “How Not to Summon a Demon Lord,” but the presence of Demon Lords or Kings reverberates here, such as in the persona of Diablo, known by his full name, Takuma Sakamoto. In fact, Sakamoto is the main character here.
Sakamoto is a hikikomori gamer who gets mysteriously transported to the virtual world of his favorite MMORPG titled “Cross Reverie,” appearing as a character in the game as the Demon Lord Diablo.
Playing the game in real life, he has consistently beaten players with his upbeat equipment and overwhelming skills but is too strong. One day, he gets invoked in another world, transforming into the character Diablo, then stumbling upon two girls, an elf and a Pantherian, who claim to have invoked him, so he must be a slave to them, but his ring holds them back from becoming slaves.
4. Shiki Granbell – ‘Edens Zero’
Occurring in a fictitious spacefaring universe, the story of “Edens Zero” is about Shiki Granbell, a boy with powers of gravity who embarks on a journey aboard the Edens Zero search to search for Mother, not his mother, but a cosmic entity, just like that in Disney’s “Moana.”
Thus, he becomes an adventurer from the planet Granbell and, upon starting his adventure, also becomes the Demon King of the titular warship and the leader of its crew. Granbell is also known as part of the Shooting Starlight guild, the adopted grandson and the past self of Ziggy, the former Demon King in the anime, and the Magimech King.
5. Sadao Maou – ‘The Devil Is A Part-Timer!’
Ever heard of a McDonald’s isekai? If you haven’t, you must watch “The Devil is a Part-Timer!” embodying everything the genre offers.
This anime’s story revolves around the Demon Lord Satan, apologies for the name, who is trying to conquer the world of Ente Isla. He is then confronted by Emilia, the hero, and forced to retreat to a gate that takes him to modern-day Tokyo. To survive and find his way back to the island, Satan adopts the name Sadao and starts working part-time at MgRoland’s, the parody of McDonald’s. Nothing could get more evil than that, perhaps.
6. Muzan Kibutsuji – ‘Demon Slayer’
PVP Live often talks about Kibutsuji as he belongs to such a popular anime. This Demon King of “Demon Slayer” is the antagonist, however, unlike other demons here who are protagonists. He is the progenitor of the rest of the other demons in existence. He also leads the Twelve Kizuki, an organization with the 12 strongest demons under his command.
A thousand years ago, during the Heian Era, he transformed into a demon following treatment for his terminal illness. He wants to live eternally, just like other demons, such as Lord Voldemort in “Harry Potter.” He wants to create more demons that can help him reach his goals.
7. Anos Voldigoad – ‘The Misfit Of Demon King Academy’
The Demon King of Tyranny, Voldigoad of “Misfit of Demon King Academy,” was oh-so-powerful and brutal to his enemies. After giving up his life to divide the world into four, he reincarnated into the Magical Age and began attending the Demon King Academy with his descendants, only to get branded as a misfit. He is more of the story’s protagonist than its antagonist.
“The Misfit of Demon King Academy” tells Voldigoad’s story as he strikes a deal with a human being, sacrificing his own life, believing that his life will improve. Little did he know that he would have to conquer challenges along the way.
Those are some of the most popular Demon Kings across various animes. Stick around for more anime stories and gaming insights. Happy weekend!
