In retrospect, the 2010s were the decade when animated films came into their own. This maturity is evident from the variety of production styles, whether it be through the old-school motion capture approach or the more modern 3D computer animation. These developments, as a means to tell stories, had a direct impact on the creativity of the stories told.
A film's villain is not only the plot thrust that drives the hero, but it is often the character most creative in design. They stand as a testament to a film's innovation and they are also imperative to establishing a film's mood. With the broad range of emotions animated films appeal to, the last decade's gang of villains are most memorable for how they guided us through the tones the films wanted to hit.
Hans - Frozen
Hans finds himself in the strange predicament of wanting to marry one sister and kill the other. In-laws can be tough. Rather than letting some drama play out between two sisters, his ego becomes hurt when Elsa refuses to give Anna her blessing to marry him.
This snub forms the basis of his order to kill Elsa and to frame her for the supposed death of his sister. A real charmer.
Major Domo - Isle Of Dogs
Oddly enough, one of the most mature villains of the decade stars in the otherwise lighthearted universe of Wes Anderson. Major Domo is the second in command to the comparably evil Mayor Kobyashi, both of whom are orchestrating a genocide against dogs.
The vehement hatred of man's best friend, stoker of conspiracy theories, manipulative behavior, and treachery makes Major Domo irredeemable. He is easily understood as Wes Anderson's warning against the fascist and arbitrary tendencies prevalent in contemporary populism.
Raiden (The Moon King) - Kubo And The Two Strings
Kubo's aunts also deserve a nod here since they are equally formidable and creepy, but it is his grandfather, Raiden, who is revealed as The Moon King, that earns distinction.
Transforming into a tremendous serpentine man-eating creature in the film's finale, he is in step with the fantastical nature of the story. As someone who steals the eye of his grandson, then seeks to render him completely blind in adolescence, Raiden would earn himself a place in the lowest level of Dante's hell for committing treachery.
Joker - Batman: The Dark Knight (Part 2)
Whenever there is a new iteration of Joker, it captures the attention of even the most casual Batman fan because of the villain's enduring popularity. This version of the Joker doesn't rest his laurels on his popularity. He is memorable for having a bloodlust that few other versions possess.
Without giving the plot away, for a time, Joker is muzzled, but when he becomes unchained, he makes up for lost time. What follows is an intensely violent rampage that would have other more affable Jokers asking, "Why so serious?"
Yokai (Robert Callaghan) - Big Hero 6
If nothing else, Yokai is notable for being voiced by the almighty baritone, James Cromwell. As he is portrayed, however, Yokai is a character of great depth.
First presented as Robert Callaghan, the mightily intelligent professor of robotics with an interest in fostering the young minds of today's youth, protecting them from predatory investors and CEOs, doesn't stay benevolent for long. He develops into an ambivalent villain under the persona of Yokai, willing to accept all casualties to achieve his aim.
Tortoise John (The Mayor) - Rango
The Mayor of the drought-stricken town Dirt, Tortoise John is the animated film genre's equivalent of Daniel Plainview of There Will Be Blood. While presenting himself as a servant of the people, the corrupt Mayor is secretly a real-estate tycoon who has been withholding the town's water supply so he can buy expansive amounts of land around the impoverished town.
With the gun-slinging embodiment of evil, Rattlesnake Jake, also under the Mayor's wing, he is as merciless as any adversary of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood.
Kingpin - Spiderman: Into The Spider-Verse
A classic example of a villain with a hard exterior but with a soft side, it is Kingpin's love of his family that turns him melancholic and unleashes his true potential for evil.
A corporate CEO who also covertly operates a criminal organization, he has a fierce expectation of obedience and has other Spiderman enemies, such as Scorpion and Green Goblin, on his payroll as enforcers. The dimension collapsing Super-Collider he uses creates some of the most dazzling visuals in any animated film.
Gru - Despicable Me
Similar to his army of minions, Gru is capable of great destruction but is too clumsy and ineffective to put his plans into successful action.
Contrary to many villains, Gru's failure comes from a mundane personality flaw that those of us who have grown up in the information age find incredibly relatable: he's exceedingly ambitious yet easily distracted. Add to this how he is also pitifully clumsy and substitutes his villainy for parenthood, and it is no wonder that, in the end, he warms our hearts.
Beerus, God Of Destruction - Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of The Gods
Beerus is not the type of villain that inspires contempt. As a parody of a supervillain character, Beerus' ridiculous power level arouses more laughter than fear.
For long time fans of the series, who invested the years in watching Goku evolve to Super Saiyan 3, only to see Beerus dismantle him with the flick of a finger, they will either roll on the floor laughing or feel cheated of their time. Beerus couples god-like power with domesticity, such as his love for pudding, helping him straddle the fine-line necessary to be a successful comedy villain.
Lotso Huggin' Bear - Toy Story 3
The Al Capone of animated villains, Lotso from Toy Story 3 commands his gang of toys like a mob boss, sparing no quarter against Woody and company without so much as a glimmer of guilt.
Since Lotso's owner replaced him, he develops an understandable and empathetic fear of being replaced again, but it transforms him into a tyrant. He perceives Woody, Buzz, and the other heroes as an outside threat to the community of toys at the daycare. In a ghastly way that recalls the horrors of history, Lotso attempts to dispose of them.