For the most part, the villain is the designated bad guy in any anime. Their evil goals are solely meant to advance the plot of whatever story they're in. Many villains are more malicious than others.
On the flip side, however, some anime evildoers are funnier than they are malevolent. These ten may still have some of their evil quirks, but it's their frivolity that makes fans adore them.
Ladd Russo (Baccano)
Ladd Russo is the hitman of the Russo family, and he has a lot of homicidal tendencies. This is a man who takes delight in killing others and enjoys violence more than anyone else on Baccano. His own uncle even called him out on his violent behavior.
While he is very much a homicidal maniac, Ladd certainly has a lot of energy. He can also come off as very hammy, oftentimes shouting to make his presence known. So even when he's off on a killing spree, Ladd can come off as amusing with his bravado alone.
Twice (My Hero Academia)
Perhaps the closest thing there is to Deadpool in the anime world. Also known as Jin Bubaigawara, Twice is one of the more pleasant members of the League of Villains, often acting as a hero in My Hero Academia. Overindulging in his quirk, Double, has rendered him into an oddball lunatic with a split personality.
Thanks to his split personality, Twice is constantly arguing with himself. So much so, that contradicting himself has become a trait of his. Most of the time, he believes that he's arguing with a clone that he's trying to split from his body, even though that's mostly implied.
Maximillion Pegasus (Yu-Gi-Oh)
A rather fashionable Duel Master, Maximilion Pegasus is the president of Industrial Illusions. He is accredited for creating the Duel Monsters game that serves as the primary focus of the Yu-Gi-Oh anime. Aside from that, he is perhaps best known for his rather dramatic personality.
Most of the time, Pegasus comes off as goofy and immature. Much of his immaturity is shown in the fact that he is highly interested in cartoons, as evidenced by the toon monsters he uses for his cards. Even when he's dueling against Yugi, Pegasus has a very dapper and carefree vibe about him that is hard not to be amused by. Until he starts acting serious, that is.
Speed-o'-Sound Sonic (One-Punch Man)
Speed-o'-Sound Sonic is a ninja possessing superhuman speed. He considers himself to be Saitama's rival and wants nothing more than to defeat him once and for all. That's pretty much his M.O. after losing embarrassingly to Saitama in his first encounter due to accidentally getting punched in the groin.
Sadly for him, every interaction he has with the bald superhero only ends up in painful misfortune. No matter how many times he loses, Sonic always remains super determined to get an upper hand on Saitama. Even though his constant (and oftentimes painful) failing gives the fans something to laugh at.
The Pilaf Gang (Dragon Ball)
The Pilaf Gang is a villainous trio looking to capture the Dragon Balls, led by the imp-like Emperor Pilaf. Aside from Pilaf, the group consists of Shu, a ninja lackey, and Mai, a female minion who often feels bogged down by her comrades' incompetence.
This trio has their minds set on taking over the world, only to hilariously fail at reaching their goal. In fact, the only time they were ever presented as a threat was in the Emperor Pilaf Saga - the first arc in the original Dragon Ball series. Since then, they've been treated as nothing more than comic relief villains, failing every step along the way.
Tobi (Naruto)
Before he started the Fourth Shinobi World War, Obito Uchiha used to meander around as Tobi. Tobi was a replacement member of the Akatsuki, and his hyperactivity and silliness made him stand out among the other members. It was safe to say that nobody really took him seriously at the time.
Tobi's finest moments came when he was partnered with Deidara, who greatly resented his masked companion's nature. He was often the source of the anime's most lighthearted moments, winning over Naruto fans with his sheer goofiness. At least until he put an end to the act, for good.
Ryuk (Death Note)
Ryuk is the Shinigami responsible for setting things in motion when he dropped the Death Note on earth. His reason? He was just bored. Serving as Death Note's Light Yagami's sidekick, Ryuk brings plenty of humor to what is already a dark anime series.
While Light has some funny moments himself, Ryuk serves as Death Note's resident source of humor. Whether he's satisfying his addiction for apples or asking Light if he wants to play video games, he's one of the less serious grim reapers around.
Barry the Chopper (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Barry the Chopper is supposed to be a serial killer, using a carving knife to murder his victims. However, one would never think that from how he conducts himself. Barry comes off as very friendly towards others and treats his bloodlust as lightheartedly as possible.
Like Alphonse, Barry's soul is placed inside a suit of armor. When he tries to tell Al that he should fear him because he's a living armor, Al reveals that he's a living armor himself. Barry winds up scared out of his mind, rather than acting serious like the serial killer he's meant to be.
Buggy the Clown (One Piece)
Clowns are meant to be funny, and Buggy the Clown is as funny as they come. While he came off as dangerous in his debut appearance, the so-called "Great Jester" is by far the goofiest pirate that Luffy has ever faced.
If there is one thing Buggy is sensitive about, it's his nose. Which, believe it or not, is his actual nose. He gets super upset whenever anyone brings it up; he even threatened to blow up a crew member for mentioning it. (Never mind the fact that the crew member made no mention of Buggy's nose at all.)
Team Rocket (Pokemon)
No matter what region Ash Ketchum travels to, Team Rocket is always bound to follow him. For years, this trio of villains - consisting of Jessie, James, and Meowth - has been focused on capturing Ash's Pikachu, as well as any other Pokemon they set their eyes on. Yet true to their nature, they end up short.
Team Rocket is a very entertaining yet villainous trio, amusing viewers throughout the years with their constant failure and mastery of see-through disguises. Hardly anyone sees these three as a dangerous threat (except for the Best Wishes series), but their bumbling nature as villains has made them long-time fan favorites.