Anime characters can have some of the scariest smiles. A few that instantly come to mind are Sukuna, Dimple, Tomura Shigaraki, and Ryuk from Death Note.
Anime has something for everyone—action, romance, comedy, and every shade of darkness in between. And because animation can exaggerate expressions in ways live-action can’t, a simple grin can turn into something that feels like psycho anime evil smile energy in a single frame.
Most of the time, a smile is supposed to be comforting. In anime? A smile can be a warning.
Sometimes it’s an anime fake smile that says, “I’m pretending to be normal.”
Sometimes it’s an anime evil smirk that says, “I already won.”
And sometimes it’s the full evil grin anime moment where you realize: this character enjoys what’s about to happen.
If you like this kind of creep factor, you’ll probably also enjoy scariest anime laughs and horror anime with the creepiest monsters when you’re done here.
12 Anime Characters With Scary Smiles
What makes an “evil smile anime” moment actually scary?
- Timing: smiling during violence, grief, or chaos.
- Intent: the grin signals cruelty, control, or pleasure.
- Mismatch: “friendly face” paired with threatening behavior (classic fake smile).
- Eyes: the smile is often terrifying because the eyes look dead, wide, or too focused.
Here are 12 characters I always think of when people ask for the anime creepy smile hall of fame.
1. Nnoitra – Bleach
😈 Smile Type: Condescending “I’m above you” smirk
🧩 Why it’s scary: He smiles while inflicting misery—like cruelty is the point.
🧠 My Take: Nnoitra’s grin is pure disrespect. It’s less “villain laugh” and more “you don’t matter.”
Nnoitra’s smile is nasty because it’s casual. He doesn’t grin because he’s nervous—he grins because he enjoys being the one causing pain. It’s the kind of expression that makes a fight feel personal.
2. Sukuna – Jujutsu Kaisen
👑 Smile Type: Predator grin
⚡ Why it’s scary: The smile says he’s entertained, not threatened.
🧠 My Take: Sukuna’s smile feels like a death sentence that hasn’t been delivered yet.
Sukuna’s expression is terrifying because it’s confidence without warmth. When he smiles, it feels like the situation is already decided—and everyone else just hasn’t accepted it yet.
3. Dimple – Mob Psycho 100
🎭 Smile Type: Mascot-friendly… but wrong
🌀 Why it’s scary: It’s the “cult charisma” smile—inviting and sinister.
🧠 My Take: Dimple’s smile creeps me out because it looks like it was designed to manipulate you.
Dimple is a great example of how an “innocent” face can become disturbing. That grin is too wide, too fixed, too practiced—like it belongs on a mask, not a person.
4. Ryuk – Death Note
🍎 Smile Type: Half-smile with sharp teeth
🧠 Why it’s scary: He looks amused by human suffering—like it’s entertainment.
🧠 My Take: Ryuk’s smile is “friendly” in shape, but predatory in meaning.
Ryuk’s grin is unsettling because it never feels emotional—it feels observational. Like he’s watching a story unfold for fun. If you enjoy shinigami-style designs, you can go deeper with anime with grim reapers.
5. Haumea – Fire Force
⚡ Smile Type: Cruel, playful grin
🧨 Why it’s scary: The smile shows she enjoys the control more than the fight.
🧠 My Take: Haumea’s grin feels like she’s treating violence like a game.
Haumea’s smile is one of those “I’m having fun, you’re suffering” expressions. It’s bright, confident, and mean—exactly why it stands out.
6. Caster (Gilles de Rais) – Fate/Zero
🕯️ Smile Type: Ecstatic, obsessive grin
🩸 Why it’s scary: He smiles like violence is spiritual fulfillment.
🧠 My Take: This is the kind of smile that makes a scene feel like full horror anime, not just dark fantasy.
Caster’s smile in Fate/Zero is chilling because it’s not a normal villain smile—it’s devotion. He looks thrilled, like he’s witnessing something beautiful, even when it’s clearly grotesque.
7. Tomura Shigaraki – My Hero Academia
🖐️ Smile Type: Broken, satisfied grin
🧟 Why it’s scary: It’s the expression of someone who has fully embraced destruction.
🧠 My Take: Shigaraki’s smile feels like the moment a character stops pretending they can be saved.
Shigaraki’s grin evolves from awkward to iconic as he changes. The more confident he becomes, the more his smile reads like permission for chaos.
8. Donquixote Doflamingo – One Piece
🕶️ Smile Type: Big, triumphant villain grin
🧩 Why it’s scary: He smiles while pulling strings—like suffering is strategy.
🧠 My Take: Doflamingo’s grin feels like he’s already seen the outcome—and you’re trapped in it.
Doflamingo’s smile is terrifying because it’s paired with control. If you like villains who win with planning and leverage, you’ll probably enjoy smart characters in One Piece and anime for One Piece fans.
9. The Smiling Titan (Dina Fritz) – Attack on Titan
🧱 Smile Type: Fixed, empty “mask” smile
😰 Why it’s scary: It’s emotionless—like the face is a lie.
🧠 My Take: This smile is terrifying because it’s not expressive—it’s unnatural.
Titans are already horrifying, but the Smiling Titan stands out because the expression is wrong. It doesn’t read as happiness; it reads as a broken imitation of humanity—and that’s what makes it nightmare fuel.
10. Nanika (in Alluka) – Hunter x Hunter
🧸 Smile Type: Childlike, emotionless smile
🎁 Why it’s scary: The sweetness clashes with the power behind it.
🧠 My Take: I’m always creeped out by “dead calm” smiles—Nanika is that vibe perfected.
Nanika’s smile is unsettling because it feels empty. Horror loves this trick: the face looks innocent, but the implication is danger. It’s the same reason dolls and “too-still” expressions get under people’s skin.
11. Marik Ishtar – Yu-Gi-Oh!
🧠 Smile Type: Controlled, sadistic grin
🕹️ Why it’s scary: He smiles like people are pieces on a board.
🧠 My Take: This is one of those smiles that’s scary because it’s calm—like he’s already decided your fate.
Marik’s smile carries that “I’m enjoying the control” energy—especially when he’s manipulating others. If you like lists focused on villains and dark personalities, you might also enjoy best anime villains of all time.
12. Mad Pierrot – Cowboy Bebop
👁️ Smile Type: Forced, stiff “trapped in a mask” smile
🎪 Why it’s scary: The smile doesn’t match the eyes—at all.
🧠 My Take: This is the rare smile that feels like body horror, even without gore.
Mad Pierrot’s smile is horrifying because it looks welded onto his face. A scarier smile often has a lot to do with the eyes—too wide, too still, too intense. If you’re into the “eyes make it worse” effect, you’ll probably like characters with big eyes (it’s not horror-specific, but it’s surprisingly relevant to why some faces feel unsettling).
My Choice: The 3 Scary Smiles That Hit Me the Hardest
- Ryuk: The “friendly” half-smile with predator teeth is pure nightmare design.
- Sukuna: That confident grin feels like he’s already writing your obituary.
- The Smiling Titan: A human-like expression on something inhuman—always unsettling.
If you want to keep the horror vibe going, pair this with scariest anime laughs and the creepiest monsters in horror anime. If you want the “dark personality” angle, when the main character is a villain is a fun follow-up.
1 comment
I absolutely love that you are tackling this specific trope. In my experience watching anime for years, nothing establishes a character as a legitimate threat faster than a smile that is just slightly “off.” You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that these smiles “frame their sinister motives.” It is all about visual storytelling.
What I think makes the creepy anime smile so effective compared to live-action is the freedom of the medium. In animation, artists can exaggerate facial features to hit that perfect “Uncanny Valley” spot. They can make a mouth slightly too wide, add too many teeth, or—and this is my personal favorite—shade the eyes so they are completely hidden while the mouth is grinning. That specific design choice creates a cognitive dissonance for the viewer. We are biologically wired to interpret a smile as a sign of safety or happiness, so when an anime villain flashes a grin while releasing distinct “killing intent,” it short-circuits our brains. It signals that this character isn’t just evil; they are enjoying the chaos, or worse, they are completely detached from human morality.