Since the 1960s, the magical girl genre has given fans some of the best and most engaging heroines in anime. Despite their colorful outfits and eye-catching magical powers, however, viewers sometimes can’t help but direct their attention to the equally enchanting villains.
Many spotlight-stealing bad guys are known for their eccentric personalities and unique skill sets, but some of them also stand out because of their impeccable costumes. Whether they’re wearing a dazzling bodysuit or an intricate look based on a fashion designer, these villains have certainly made their mark in the anime fashion world.
10/10 Princess Morbucks Turns Even More Eccentric When She’s In “Evil Mode”
Powerpuff Girls Z
Wealthy and attention-seeking, Princess Morbucks was one of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup’s classmates in Powerpuff Girls Z. After being hit by a black Z-ray, she developed an evil personality born out of her jealousy towards the Powerpuff Girls Z. She then began causing mayhem in Tokyo only to save the citizens and appear as the city’s hero.
Princess Morbucks wore a small golden crown on her red, curly hair, and a fuchsia dress with a purple bow and a green gem. Her other distinct features were her starry eyes, which changed into an acid green when she was in “evil mode” and gave her a frenzied look.
9/10 Alexander T. Oyajide Is A Thief In A Peculiar 1970s-Inspired Suit
Magical Doremi
In Magical Doremi, Alexander T. Oyajide was a famous thief from the Wizard World who became an unlikely ally to the main witch apprentices. Once he’d helped them track down several evil spirits known as Bad Cards, he attempted to kidnap Hana in order to use her powers for his own benefit.
Alexander T. Oyajide had long purple hair and a thin mustache that curled at the ends. He wore a 1970s-inspired, dark-blue suit with a deep neckline and a long, red cape, and a pair of pointy shoes that matched his outfit. As accessories, he also wore a purple monocle on his right eye and a heart-shaped pendant around his neck.
8/10 Fenrir, Princess Of Disaster Wears A Gothic Ensemble Made Of Bone
Prétear
Takako was the last Prétear before Himeno took on the role years later. Her unrequited love for Hayate, the Leafé Knight of Wind, led her down a whirlwind of desperation and grief that culminated with her turning evil and becoming Fenrir, the Princess of Disaster. After being sealed away for fifteen years, she eventually made her return and confronted the new Prétear.
As the Princess of Disaster, Takako wore a purple, long-sleeved dress with a pronounced V-neck collar. A bone-like structure with a yellow eye covered her from her chest all the way down her skirt. She also wore most of her long, black hair loose, with only two strands tied atop her head.
7/10 Moerumba’s Colorful Attire Is Inspired By Real-Life Samba Dancers
Pretty Cure Splash Star
A native of the evil dimension of Dark Fall, Moerumba was a fire elemental who first encountered the Cures in Splash Star episode eight. In order to steal Flappy and Choppy, two nature spirits, he confronted Cure Bloom and Cure Egret by creating a gigantic Uzaina shaped like a rocking horse.
Moerumba’s bright and colorful design was based on outfits worn by Brazilian samba dancers. He wore a purple and red bodysuit with green and yellow flames decorating his torso, elbows, and knees. Adding to his theatrical appearance, he wore a thick layer of white base makeup, red eyeliner, and green jeweled earrings.
6/10 Queen Nehelenia Sports A Dark, Regal Dress As She Takes Over Dreams
Sailor Moon SuperS
The leader of the Dead Moon Circus, Queen Nehelenia was a fair and peaceful ruler before her obsessive fear of aging led her down a malicious path. She began stealing other people’s dream mirrors and using them to stay young and beautiful, but her plans were eventually thwarted by the Sailor Scouts.
Queen Nehelenia had extra-long dark purple hair that fell all the way down to her feet. She wore a black and white strapless dress, a lavender cape with a spiderweb design, a golden collar, and two bracelets. Her earrings and headpiece had two silver moons and a golden one each.
5/10 Princess Emeraude Gets Ready For The Last Battle With Protective Armor
Magic Knight Rayearth
Princess Emeraude was the ruler of Cephiro, the magical realm where most of Magic Knight Rayearth took place. When the Magic Knights killed Zagato, the High Priest she’d been in love with, Princess Emeraude unleashed her powers and, in a turn of events, became the show’s ultimate villain.
Once her grief had taken over, Princess Emeraude’s white dress was covered by a three-piece red and black armor that resembled black wings. She also wore black knee-length boots and several of her original green orbs as either a headpiece or as decorations on her collar, torso, and knees.
4/10 Eriol Hiiragizawa Shows Off His Magical Prowess With A Sun-Themed Outfit
Cardcaptor Sakura
Eriol Hiiragizawa was without a doubt one of the most intriguing characters in Cardcaptor Sakura. Though he was eventually revealed to be Clow Reed’s reincarnation, he essentially operated as the villain of the anime’s third season, creating several dangerous situations so that Sakura would change the cards into her own.
Eriol usually wore his Tomoeda Elementary uniform, but when he wielded his magical powers, he changed into a Chinese-inspired black and blue robe with a starry design on the chest. He also wore a large oval hat with the same star design on each end. He completed the look with his golden magical staff, which had a sun symbol on top.
3/10 Koan’s High Fashion Costume Is Straight Out Of The Runway
Sailor Moon R
In Sailor Moon R, Koan was the youngest and most ambitious of the Specter Sister quartet. As a member of the Black Moon Clan, the power-hungry alien group from the planet Nemesis, she had the mission of capturing Chibiusa and finding the Silver Crystal to conquer the universe.
The creator of Sailor Moon, Naoko Takeuchi, took great inspiration from one of Thierry Mugler’s most remembered runway looks to create Koan. Based on his 1992 piece, Koan wore a pin-striped pink bodysuit, a purple feather tutu, and a large gemstone headpiece. She also had a corsage in the manga that only appeared in the Sailor Moon Crystal adaptation.
2/10 Walpurgisnacht Shows Her Love For Theatre With A Medieval-Inspired Dress
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
One of the most memorable witches in Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Walpurgisnacht was Madoka and her friends’ worst nightmare. Also known as the stage-constructing witch, she was seemingly unstoppable and killed multiple magical girls in various timelines, leading Madoka to sacrifice herself to destroy her.
Walpurgisnacht was shown wearing a medieval blue dress with a frilly white underskirt and an escoffion, a headdress with two conical structures that dated back to the Late Middle Ages. She also sported a gigantic gear that kept her rotating aimlessly as she caused havoc wherever she went.
1/10 Ragyo Kiryuin Makes The Most Of Her Figure & Multi-Colored Hair
Kill La Kill
One of the strongest villains in the genre, Ragyo Kiryuin was the CEO of the mysterious textile company, Revocs Corporation, and the mother of Satsuki and Ryuko Matoi. Her extreme power hunger led her to experiment on her daughters and others in order to discover the secrets behind Life Fibers.
Ragyo’s most eye-catching features were the rainbow strands that peeked from underneath her silvery hair. She often wore daring and elaborate dresses with deep necklines and tighter silhouettes. In Episode 17, she was dressed in a 16th-century-inspired white dress with puffed sleeves and a large ruff around her neck.