One that comes to mind is Breaking Bad. It’s pretty easy to hate Walt by the end even if we like seeing him on screen and what he does.
Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle is an interesting one. He’s pretty fucking despicable, but when I first watched the movie as a freshly-pubescent teen, I bought into his sick view of the world and took the film at face value. That is, I thought it was a story about a weird-but-well-meaning dude who decides to take on some baddies.
It’s from 1976, but if it were made today, Travis would 100% be a violent misogynist incel posting his manifesto to 4chan instead of writing it in his diary.
I highly recommend The Count of Monte Cristo if you’ve never read it. It’s way more than a revenge novel. It’s about the search for justice in a system that has denied you justice.
I feel like this book needs a warning. It’s long, and I struggled to follow it. I had to look up the Wikipedia plot summary chapter by chapter to work it out through the middle part of the book.
Some people love it but it wasn’t my kind of book. Or maybe I juat didn’t follow the social commentary while I was trying to follow WTF was happening and who was using which name at which time.
The book and the film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”.
Film takes some liberties killing Nazis, in reality, for the missions covered in the film, nobody died.
Trailer:
Book:
https://damienlewis.com/2024/04/15/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare/
Code Geass
Most of the main characters in The Expanse book series are anti-heroes with Chrisjen Avasarala and Amos Burton being some of my favorite of all time. Almost every character is grey, with a few exceptions.
Side Note: Camina Drummer is a great character in the TV series but barely there in the books.
Chrisjen starts as an anti-villain and, over time, morphs into an anti-hero.
It’s brilliant writing. I despise her. I love the character.
If life transcends death, then I will seek for you there. If not, then there too.
- Death note (anime)
- Code Geass (anime)
- Billions (tv series)
- Ozark (tv series)
- Attack on Titan (anime)
- Peaky Blindera (tv series)
- Punisher
- Daredevil (?)
I don’t think Daredevil is an anti-hero.
he used to be. then Disney got involved and decided he’s a blind poor batman.
Daredevil has been a “blind batman” for so long a satirical fanfic-turned-unofficial-spinoff got a cartoon, three movies, another movie, and a CGI revival that multiversed back to the cartoon and the original.
Matt Murdock’s no more an anti-hero that Peter Parker was when he tried to break into the fantastic four’s building in hopes they would hire him. (Which they didn’t, mostly because they didn’t actually pay themselves)
poor? Isn’t he some hotshot lawyer?
Yeah, but he defends the poor and helpless. No money in that
blows all his money on isolation tanks, as I recall
that’s some rich people shit right there
Book series? Try Michael Moorcock’s Elric series.
Elric of Melnibone. Pretty grim '60s-'70s fantasy Michael Moorcock. Wikipedia gives a pretty good summary of the premise.
Elric is the last emperor of the stagnating island civilization of Melniboné. Physically weak, the anemic Elric must use drugs (special herbs) to maintain his health and vitality. From childhood, he read freely in the immense royal library and learned of the world outside the Dreaming Isle. Perhaps due to this in-depth study, unlike other members of his race, Elric has a conscience. He witnesses the decadence of his culture, which once ruled the known world, and worries about the rise of the Young Kingdoms populated by humans (Melnibonéans consider themselves separate from humanity), along with the threat they pose to his empire. Because of Elric’s introspective self-loathing and hatred of Melnibonéan traditions, his subjects find him odd and unfathomable. In addition to his skill with herbs, Elric is an accomplished sorcerer and summoner. As emperor of Melniboné, Elric is able to call for aid upon the traditional patron of the Melniboné emperors, Arioch, a Lord of Chaos and Duke of Hell. Elric’s discovery of the sword serves as both his greatest asset and disadvantage. The sword confers upon Elric strength, health, and fighting prowess, allowing him to do away with his dependence on drugs, but it must be fed by the souls of intelligent beings. Most of Moorcock’s stories about Elric feature this relationship with Stormbringer, and how it—despite Elric’s best intentions—brings doom to everything he holds dear.
Marvel’s Loki.
Bad Santa
Taxi Driver pretty much defined the modern anti-hero.
There’s a podcast (Under the Influence) about the world of marketing I listen to because it’s fascinating to learn about the people who’s job is to try and influence you. The podcast did an episode about anti-heroes that you might find interesting. One of the ideas presented is that brands often would identify with heroes (Eg. Mr. Clean), but the rise of the anti hero in popular culture had effects in marketing as well.
