Any suggestions on good anime where the protagonist ends up switching sides?

I’m after any anime or non-anime even, with a decent plot twist where the protagonist gradually realizes that the antagonist is ‘right’ and ends up switching sides.

Any suggestions?

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Interesting_Self50712026-01-17 02:24

I know one but it happens immediately lol

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 02:24

haha yeah was hoping for kinda like a late game plot twist. which one you talking about though?

Interesting_Self50712026-01-17 02:26

I'm Quitting Heroing

Nova-Redux2026-01-17 16:20

Is the twist that he quits being a hero?

Salty1452026-01-17 02:30

I feel like I know a series and its on the tip of my tongue, but it might have just been a story idea I was cooking up.

I swear there's a real one though. I just can't remember what it is.

Khashishi2026-01-17 02:31

Jin Roh, perhaps? I shouldn't say anything more

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 02:32

thanks! adding that to the watchlist

Jusenkyo_52026-01-17 02:32

Bleach?

dark_sylinc2026-01-17 02:50

Slayers on \[Season Number answering his question\]>!Season 3, aka Slayers TRY!<

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 02:51

thanks dude

WakeUpBread2026-01-17 02:51

The worst part about asking for this recommendation is that you won't get the full effect from the twist lol.

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 03:22

yeah i get that, haha prior to me posting this I asked ChatGPT for movies with a similar plot twist and it gave me the ENTIRE plot twists.

abandoned_idol2026-01-17 03:30

Makes sense.

ChatGPT is essentially an algorithm that copy pastes text from scraped web pages into a bullet point list.

It's always a bullet point list.

WakeUpBread2026-01-17 04:58

you should have said "Give me 30 titles, 10 of which have twists, 20 don't. put them in alphabetical order and don't reveal any information other than the title and it's imdb rating" and then as you watch a series you'll have a 33% chance that a twist happens so it's not as likely but will eventually happen but you can't 100% be sure.

lytelovespie2026-01-17 02:52

MaoYuu Mao Yuusha

EldritchCarver2026-01-17 06:29

The protagonist switches sides in the first episode, so it's not much of a plot twist, but otherwise, this is a good example of what OP is looking for.

Whatevereses2026-01-17 02:55

Land of the Lustrous - Very insane character development but that part didn't get adapted to animation. Maybe if we get a second season.

Claymore - Happens right after where the anime ends.

I can think of a couple more but they pretty much happen in 1st or 2nd episode and feel more like a call for adventure. Ex: Akudama Drive and maybe Dorohedoro

AppleDemolisher562026-01-17 03:02

Technically attack on titan

AppleDemolisher562026-01-17 03:02

Technically attack on titan

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 03:22

for sure

CommercialError58412026-01-17 03:07

I may be wrong by saying this cuz I watched this anime YEARS ago and completely forgot about what’s it about. But I remember Tokyo Ghoul being like that. I may be wrong, someone correct or confirm me?

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 03:23

yeah one of my favs

CommercialError58412026-01-17 03:32

Ohh so I was right? Let’s gooo

Nova-Redux2026-01-17 16:22

Especially true in the manga, which I recommend everyone read instead of watch. Phenomenal series for what was honestly a butchered adaptation. I know a lot of people like the anime but the manga is so much deeper and more nuanced.

CommercialError58412026-01-17 18:51

You know what? I’ll add it it to my list so I could read it from the beginning. See what I missed. How many volumes does it have?

Nova-Redux2026-01-17 18:52

I don't remember. It's a fair few. Plus Tokyo Ghoul:Re is mandatory reading for the full story. But it's a wild ride. I hope you enjoy.

tiny_nova2026-01-17 03:09

* Assassination Classroom, in a sense
* Bungo Stray Dogs, the characters have some flexible affiliations when it comes to larger goals
* Kill La Kill

PossessionDue93812026-01-17 03:12

Maybe not antagonist is right but lots of switching sides in Code Geass

TheBusStop122026-01-17 03:18

Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood in a sense

Jazzicots2026-01-17 12:52

Who in FMAB switches sides?

TheBusStop122026-01-17 13:58

The brothers were originally working for the military government before turning against them. They also ended up teaming up with Scar.

dragodracini2026-01-17 03:21

Concrete Revolutio.

Kuramhan2026-01-17 05:47

ConRevo fan spotted in the wild. There are dozens of us!

FitError68222026-01-17 03:32

They made that track with radio play in mind. Hired a ghost writer for maximum mainstream appeal.

Night-Owl2542026-01-17 03:39

Try Fullmetal alchemist brotherhood

Calwings2026-01-17 03:45

Shakugan No Shana, though that situation is a bit more complicated than simply "the antagonist is right", and it also doesn't kick in until the 3rd and final season.

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 06:53

this intrigues me! thanks for this

Downtown_Hedgehog6602026-01-17 04:01

Akudama Drive definitely does this. Basically about an innocent girl in a cyberpunk dystopia getting caught up in a scheme involving the city’s most notorious criminals. Really, really good, hi-octane, gorgeous, and a short and sweet 12 episodes.

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 13:52

this is perfect because cyberpunk is my favourite genre! i’m gonna start with this, thank you!

cruelkillzone22026-01-18 21:52

I love the art style for this show

Downtown_Hedgehog6602026-01-18 22:13

Me too it’s beautiful and has a nice sense of cinema grandeur in a lot of scenes.

Automatic_Muscle52642026-01-17 04:21

Desert Punk.

1Digitreal2026-01-17 05:19

Second this.

WheelMax2026-01-17 04:36

Maybe this is off-topic, but I love how the first Deus Ex game does this trope. You work for the UN taking down anti-government terrorists, but they give you both lethal and non lethal options. Eventually the twist comes, and you realize you have been killing or tranquilizing the heroic rebels the whole time. As a bonus they let you snoop around in your own base and hack people's computers, and read your co-workers fascist opinions about martial law.

No-Zucchini-9412026-01-17 06:54

the cyberpunk genre as a whole. and god damn i love the deus ex series!

Whatevereses2026-01-17 07:12

Also Tyranny. You don't have to change sides but you don't get the entire last act if you stay loyal to your boss.

dienomighte2026-01-17 04:45

It happens at the start of the pilot so it isn't a plot twist, but otherwise I'm Quitting Heroing is this, where the hero joins the Demon Lord's army

tdm17mn2026-01-17 05:11

Shakugan no Shana

Uncaffeinated2026-01-17 05:57

This is a webserial novel rather than an anime, but this *kind of* happens in [Worm](https://parahumans.wordpress.com/), which I highly recommend. The protagonist starts out as a "villain", but about three quarters of the way into the story, she joins the "heroes".

That's the closest example I can think of in any media. Most stories where the main character switches sides will have it happen near the beginning.

FoodieMonster0072026-01-17 05:58

Zettai Karen Children The Unlimited: Hyōbu Kyōsuke

Both_Seaworthiness352026-01-17 06:23

Even though it's a video game and not a series or anime, the best answer is "Assassin's Creed Rogue" hahaha

EldritchCarver2026-01-17 06:47

https://myanimelist.net/anime/2025/Darker_than_Black__Kuro_no_Keiyakusha
https://myanimelist.net/anime/1454/Kemonozume
https://myanimelist.net/anime/51020/Helck

poderes012026-01-17 07:01

It doesn't exactly fit, but something similar happens in the first episode of Munou na Nana (was just looking for an excuse to recommend it)

Whatevereses2026-01-17 07:09

Land of the Lustrous - Very insane character development but that part didn't get adapted to animation. Maybe if we get a second season.

Claymore - Happens right after where the anime ends.

[What if you can have any wish you desire granted?]>!Dungeon Meshi!<

[One more] >!Witch Hat Atelier!< - the main character struggles with this a lot but doesn't actually flip to the other side. Some side characters do switch though.

I can think of a couple more but they pretty much happen in 1st or 2nd episode and feel more like a call for adventure. Ex: Akudama Drive and maybe Dorohedoro

CRtwenty2026-01-17 07:40

Gundam Wing has both the protagonists and antagonists flip flopping between sides at least three times before the series ends.

Careful_Ad_90772026-01-17 08:24

Ask again in 9 months as the anime that I am thinking about will adapt that arc of the light novel by then

P33peeP00pooD00doo2026-01-17 08:47

Help is good. He's a Hero who wants to become the next Demon Lord because of the actions the human kingdom are taking.

RedEyesMoonRabbit2026-01-17 11:23

I haven't really followed the current status, but I think Talentless Nana fits this description.

mgedmin2026-01-17 13:49

Qualidea Code maybe?

Angel Beats, in a sense?

8andahalfby112026-01-17 13:56

Madoka Magica. You realize halfway through that you misidentified the antagonist at the start.

ghostpickleonastick2026-01-19 03:30

Blue Gender