The most neglectful Anime Parents can take on various forms – some prioritize their own wealth over their children, while others prioritize romantic relationships and leave their children behind. However, the worst anime parents are those who remain with their children and subject them to various forms of abuse.
Although certain names have always been known as the worst anime parents in media, new additions have emerged in recent times, providing competition to even the most notorious figures on the list.
In this article, we will be compiling a list of ten of the worst anime parents, including those who used their own children’s blood for experimentation and those who abandoned their children before they were even born.
The author holds sole responsibility for any opinions expressed in this article.
Worst Anime Parents Ranked on the Cruelty They Let Their Children Face Due to Their Actions
Saki Arima – Your Lie in April
Despite being the mother of the series’ male protagonist, Kousei Arima, Saki Arima is often recognized as one of the worst anime parents. Her harsh methods of teaching and pushing Kousei to become a renowned pianist had a detrimental effect on his mental well-being, causing him to become mentally unstable and paranoid.
Despite her death, Kousei continued to imagine her presence, which ultimately caused him, a gifted pianist, to lose his ability to play. However, she never held any ill feelings towards her son and only wished for his growth and success. Unfortunately, her methods of teaching had unintended negative consequences for him.
Kazekage Rasa – Naruto
Despite being one of the strongest leaders of the Hidden Sand Village, Rasa’s ignorance played a significant role in shaping Gaara into a killing machine. This, combined with his complicated relationship with his son, solidifies Rasa’s position as one of the worst anime parents.
It all began when Rasa attempted to groom Gaara into a capable Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Beast. However, when things took a turn for the worse, Rasa betrayed his own kin and devised a plan to end Gaara’s life. This betrayal even led to Gaara’s closest friends turning against him, creating a suffocating environment that earned Rasa the title of one of the worst anime parents.
Lakan – The Apothecary Diaries
Despite being one of the most intelligent characters in Apothecary Diaries, Lakan’s parenting skills in the anime are lacking due to his negligence. From a young age, Lakan has suffered from a condition where he is unable to recognize faces and instead sees others as shogi pieces.
Despite being married, he met the beautiful courtesan Fengxian one day and was captivated by her beauty. He carelessly abandoned his pregnant wife and left the country. Fengxian later gave birth to Maomao, who was then raised in the Red District.
Upon his return, Lakan was informed about Fengxian’s situation and hurried to her side. Sadly, the damage had already been done and Fengxian had contracted an illness from her time as a prostitute. Despite this, Lakan was determined to marry her. However, Maomao never forgave him for his actions, considering him one of the worst anime parents.
Gendo Ikari – Neon Genesis Evangelion
Gendo Ikari, the Commander of NERV who battles against Angels, was known for being one of the cruelest and most neglectful anime parents. He deliberately distanced himself from his son and the main protagonist, Shinji Ikari, due to his inability to connect with him.
Shinji left his side after shutting him down, only to return when his father called him. However, Gendo’s motive for calling him was selfish, as he needed Shinji’s assistance in piloting Unit-001 since no one else was capable. Gendo’s actions continued to damage his relationship with Shinji, ultimately leading to his portrayal as one of the worst anime parents.
6) Enji Todoroki (Endeavor) – My Hero Academia
Endeavor is a Pro Hero who became one of the worst anime parents due to his obsession with the hero code. He forced his aspirations onto his children, causing immense harm to each of them, with a particular emphasis on Shouto and Toya.
Despite having the same quirk as his father Enji, Toya was born with a stronger version. However, Enji saw nothing exceptional in him and began to neglect him. It wasn’t until the birth of Shouto, who possessed two quirks, that Toya became fixated on gaining his father’s attention. Unfortunately, his obsession led to him getting burned in a forest fire.
Despite being the center of attention for Enji, Shouto’s relationship with his father was far from positive. Endeavor’s constant imposition of his own ideals onto Shouto resulted in the loss of his emotions, solidifying Enji’s reputation as one of the worst parents in anime.
Akemi Hinazuki – Erased
After giving birth to Kayo, Akemi proved to be one of the worst anime parents due to her involvement in domestic abuse, causing significant harm to her daughter’s life. Her husband was the main perpetrator of this abuse against Kayo.
Upon the recommendation of her mother and Kayo’s grandmother, Akemi separated from her husband and raised Kayo as a single mother. However, this did not put an end to Kayo’s struggles as she then became a target for her mother’s stress-relief through physical abuse. The main character, Satoru Fujinuma, time-traveled to save Kayo from her mother’s mistreatment, leading to Akemi’s grandmother taking over guardianship.
4) Song: Gambino – Berserk
Gambino, known as one of the worst anime parents, adopted Guts as an infant after he was found protruding from his mother’s corpse. Despite raising him and teaching him swordsmanship, Gambino continuously tortured Guts as a means of releasing his own frustration.
Guts was sold by Donovan to a young age and was mentally traumatized. After Guts took revenge and killed Donovan, he turned to his adoptive father. Seizing the opportunity, Guts plunged his sword into Gambino’s throat, putting an end to the despicable man who had sold him for money.
Kagemitsu Daigo, the Father of Dororo
Despite being created by the renowned Osamu Tezuka, Kagemitsu Daigo is considered one of the most heartless characters in his series as he sacrificed his infant’s organs for the sake of his village’s well-being.
Despite his newborn being born with only a skeleton, he abandoned the child and left him in a river. Fortunately, a craftsman found the newborn and provided him with prosthetic organs that allowed him to survive and defend himself against enemies.
Shou Tucker’s Role in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Shou Tucker remains one of the worst anime parents to this day for his despicable act of using his daughter in an experiment, resulting in her transformation into a chimera, all for the sake of obtaining scientific funds.
He was a renowned scientist who was highly regarded for his research. However, when faced with the challenge of creating a chimera (a hybrid of two species), he was at a loss. After careful consideration, he came up with the idea of using his daughter, Nina, and his dog to create the chimera, and he was proud to share it with the world.
Bondrewd: The Villain of Made in Abyss
Bondrewd, one of the infamous White Whistles, was a heartless individual whose acts of cruelty knew no limits. He was also the adoptive father of Prushka and responsible for numerous illegal activities within the abyss. His focus was on experimenting on underage individuals, making him a notorious figure in the spotlight.
He would immediately send them to the 6th layer of the Abyss, triggering the Curse of the Abyss that would strip the children of their humanity. Nanachi and Mitty were both involved in this experiment. Mitty was afflicted by the curse, transforming into an enigmatic being, while Nanachi was granted the blessing.
At some point in his life, Bondrewd took in Prushka, who, like Nanachi, had survived the Transportation Incident. However, she too fell victim to Bondrewd’s actions and was turned into a Cartridge, ultimately giving him the blessing of the Abyss as he had planned. This serves as a testament to Bondrewd’s reputation as one of the most neglectful and harmful parental figures.
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