Anime Parents who Absolutely Belong in Jail

Many anime shows include caring adults who help young heroes grow. However, some anime feature parents who are deeply disturbing, committing terrible crimes against their own children. These characters inflict harm through neglect, cruel experiments, and abuse – actions that would be serious crimes in real life. These awful experiences often cause the main character’s emotional pain and shape who they become. This list highlights twelve anime parents whose actions go far beyond bad parenting and into criminal behavior.

Shou Tucker – ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ (2009)

Shou Tucker appeared to be a State Alchemist facing intense pressure to deliver results for the military. However, he committed a shocking act: he genetically combined his young daughter, Nina, with her dog, creating a chimera that could talk. This terrible experiment permanently harmed his daughter and ultimately led to his death at the hands of someone seeking justice. His willingness to sacrifice his own child to maintain his status makes him a deeply notorious character.

Bondrewd – ‘Made in Abyss’ (2017)

Bondrewd performs cruel and deadly experiments on children in his pursuit of understanding the Abyss’s curse. He even uses the remains of orphans to create devices that protect himself from the dangers of descending deeper. His actions toward his adopted daughter, Prushka, tragically result in her being turned into a living shield against the curse during combat. These horrific acts show a complete disregard for human life and a severe violation of child welfare standards.

Ragyo Kiryuin – ‘Kill la Kill’ (2013)

Ragyo Kiryuin sees her daughters, Satsuki and Ryuko, not as children, but as tools for her dangerous experiments and her ambition to control the world. From birth, she subjects them to brutal physical and emotional abuse. Driven by extreme narcissism and a ruthless desire for power, she intends to sacrifice humanity to alien beings, discarding anyone she deems imperfect – even her own children, whom she repeatedly tries to kill.

Gendo Ikari – ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ (1995)

Gendo Ikari deserted his son, Shinji, but later called upon him to pilot a powerful, dangerous machine in the fight against alien invaders. Gendo views Shinji as nothing more than a means to an end, prioritizing his own goal of being reunited with his late wife. This cold and manipulative behavior repeatedly pushes Shinji to the edge of a breakdown, as Gendo refuses to offer him any warmth or encouragement. Driven by his obsession with the Human Instrumentality Project, Gendo remains emotionally detached and relentlessly pursues his aims, regardless of the pain he inflicts on his son.

Medusa Gorgon – ‘Soul Eater’ (2008)

Medusa Gorgon raises Crona in complete isolation, subjecting them to dangerous experiments with black blood in an attempt to create a powerful demon. She controls Crona through fear, forcing them to obey and help with her evil plans against the DWMA. Medusa uses tactics like starvation and emotional abuse to destroy Crona’s self-esteem and independence, viewing them not as a child, but as a tool to be used and discarded when no longer needed.

Gambino – ‘Berserk’ (1997)

Gambino takes in Guts, but treats him cruelly, forcing him to fight as a child mercenary. He even sells Guts off for a night of horrific abuse and later tries to kill him in a drunken fit. Gambino resents Guts because he wrongly believes Guts was responsible for the death of his close friend, Shisu. This devastating betrayal leaves a lasting trauma on Guts, shaping his life and driving him toward a violent future.

Dario Brando – ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ (2012)

Dario Brando was a cruel, alcoholic thief who abused his wife and son, Dio. His harsh treatment and miserable life fueled Dio’s growing resentment towards everyone, especially the wealthy. When Dario tries to rob a nobleman, it unknowingly starts a long-lasting feud that will affect future generations. Ultimately, Dario’s own selfishness and lack of principles are what shape Dio into the villain he becomes.

Yujiro Hanma – ‘Baki the Grappler’ (2001)

Okay, let’s talk about Yujiro Hanma. This guy… he’s terrifying. As a father, he’s utterly monstrous – he literally murdered Baki’s mother right before his eyes, and then dedicated himself to raising Baki solely to be a challenge worthy of his fists. Their ‘training’ is just relentless, brutal beatdowns. But it’s not just limited to his son; Yujiro is a force of nature who completely disregards laws and governments, traveling the world just to find his next fight. He doesn’t care about safety, family, or anything except maintaining his self-proclaimed title as the strongest being on the planet. It’s a deeply disturbing portrayal of power and obsession, and frankly, a really unsettling character study.

Rasa – ‘Naruto’ (2002)

It always broke my heart learning about Gaara’s early life. His father, Rasa, made such a terrible decision, sealing the One-Tail inside him while he was still in his mother’s womb. Tragically, it cost Karura her life. And then, instead of protecting his son, Rasa treated Gaara like a failed experiment, constantly trying to eliminate him because the seal was unstable. It’s just awful to think of a father seeing his own child as a weapon and a threat, not as someone who needed love and guidance. Those years were filled with so much pain and uncertainty for Gaara, until he finally managed to forge his own destiny, despite everything.

Enji Todoroki – ‘My Hero Academia’ (2016)

Enji Todoroki married solely to have a child who could surpass All Might, the top hero. This led to years of physical and emotional abuse of his wife, ultimately leading to her hospitalization, and deeply traumatized his son, Shoto. He largely ignored his other children, and subjected Shoto to brutal training as a child, amounting to torture. Though he later expressed regret, his actions were clearly abusive and put his children in danger.

Vinsmoke Judge – ‘One Piece’ (1999)

Vinsmoke Judge altered his sons’ genes to make them stronger and remove their feelings, all in pursuit of military dominance. Because Sanji maintained his compassion and humanity, Judge cruelly imprisoned him, eventually faking his death and disowning him to protect the family’s image. Judge prioritizes power and military strength over the well-being of his own children.

Charles zi Britannia – ‘Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion’ (2006)

Honestly, as a fan, it’s just heartbreaking to learn about what Charles zi Britannia did to Lelouch and Nunnally. He basically sent them away to Japan as hostages after their mother was killed, using them as pieces in his twisted game for world domination. It’s chilling how he believes in this ‘survival of the fittest’ idea, justifying crushing anyone he sees as weak. And the worst part? He’s not above rewriting people’s memories or messing with the Geass power – he just doesn’t care about anyone’s free will or the truth! It’s clear he only cares about his Ragnarök Connection plan and sees family as nothing more than a silly, unimportant illusion he can just throw away.

2025-11-23 23:15