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The art of deception is a rare skill not many are capable of mastering. It could involve a good amount of misdirection, secrecy, or manipulation, all of which contribute greatly to the act. These attributes become exponentially more useful in the case of characters who wish to deceive others by acting like individuals they are not.

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They may assume the identities of previously existing individuals or personas that differ from their natural disposition. They may also reside amongst opposing forces whilst plotting to destroy them from the inside out. Though they are not always inherently evil, most characters on this list take on roles that eventually hurt others and cause great harm to certain groups. Here are some of anime’s most iconic impostors that have been introduced over the years.

10 Yuga Aoyama – My Hero Academia

Yuga Aoyama in My Hero Academia

Aoyama is a student of class 1-A who served as a mole for All For One and the League of Villains during most of his time at U.A. Just like his quirk, he has a sparkly personality and has been shown to be rather prideful despite its glaring side-effects. It is revealed later in the story that the quirk was bestowed onto him by All For One.

This came at a cost, however, as he then demanded Yuga enroll in U.A and relay confidential information to him. This resulted in different situations where villains infiltrated the students’ activities and put them in harm's way.

9 Fraudrin – Seven Deadly Sins

fraudrin

Fraudrin was a stand-in member of the Ten Commandments, with the ability to possess human bodies. He took over the body of the holy knight Dreyfus and inhabited it for ten years. In this form, he orchestrated the death of the great holy knight Zaratras and framed the Seven Deadly Sins for the deed.

In his original form, Fraudrin was a demon, large in size with spikes in his back and a purple complexion. He had a history with the series’ main protagonist as well, as he was responsible for murdering the demon prince’s lover several years back. Despite his cruel nature and domineering appearance, he grew attached to the son of his host, and that factored greatly into his decision to let Meliodas kill him.

8 Isabella – The Promised Neverland

Isabella in the promised neverland

Isabella is the designated “Mama” of one of the plantations of Grace Field house, acting as a caretaker to the orphans residing within. She originally appears to be normal, leading the kids to believe they are headed for happy lives after adoption. However, she keeps a crucial and terrifying secret from them.

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Her true role was to foster the development of each child and prepare their brains for consumption by frightening demons. This would undoubtedly lead to their unsuspecting deaths, and she was ready to lead each orphan to that fate. She acted as a caring and trustworthy mother figure to all the children but was working for the demons in secret.

7 Kenjaku – Jujutsu Kaisen

kenjaku

Kenjaku is a powerful sorcerer who has lived for multiple centuries, aiming to evolve humanity using cursed energy. He has a unique power that allows him to inhabit the bodies of others while maintaining their original physical appearance. He is currently occupying the body of the deceased jujutsu sorcerer and former friend of Gojo Satoru, Suguru Geto.

In the past, he was responsible for possessing the body of a sorcerer named Noritoshi Kamo, and earned him a reputation as the evilest sorcerer in history. He works in conjunction with cursed spirits to achieve his goals, and despite his sense of superiority over them, he has a peculiar attachment to some.

6 Keigo Takami – My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia's Most Versatile Character Hawks aka Keigo Takami

Keigo Takami, otherwise known as Hawks, is the second highest-ranking Pro Hero in the My Hero Academia series. He generally has a laid-back personality, but as a hero, he is extremely proficient and versatile, able to utilize his quirk in many ways.

Additionally, he is skilled at hiding his true emotions and is an excellent liar.

Using these attributes, he was able to infiltrate the Paranormal Liberation Front and gain the trust of long-time villains like Twice. He is an intelligent individual and is capable of identifying, as well as pursuing, the best possible scenarios in the situations he finds himself in.

5 Obito Uchiha – Naruto

Obito Uchiha (Naruto)

Obito was a powerful shinobi who lived a large portion of his life posing as the legendary Madara Uchiha. Despite belonging to the same bloodline, these two characters were very different, but Obito performed this role to ensure that their plans went smoothly.

Prior to declaring himself as Madara, he also assumed the identity of Tobi, another fake personality. He served as a member of the Akatsuki, though his long-term goals differed from that of the organization. Nonetheless, he went about his business hiding his true identity till the very end, fooling multiple characters as well as some of the audience.

4 King Bradley – Fullmetal Alchemist

Fuhrer King Bradley/Wrath (Fullmetal Alchemist_ Brotherhood)

On the surface, Führer King Bradley was the ruler of Amestris and a seemingly regular human. However, his true identity was that of a homunculus, a being created by Father that was assigned the title of Wrath. He was the last of the homunculi, and his greatest service to Father’s cause was inciting the war on Ishval, leading to the deaths of many.

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He was designed as a human-based homunculus for the purpose of fitting in with humans, and he was extremely skilled at fooling those around him. Furthermore, he was highly devoted to his creator, carrying out his orders unflinchingly and opposing those who would try to foil his plans.

3 Reiner And Bertholdt – Attack On Titan

reiner-and-bertholdt-attack-on-titan

Reiner and Bertholdt were two characters who infiltrated Paradis Island as Warriors of Marley, sent with the goal of obtaining the Founding Titan. They were accompanied by two other warriors but managed to make it the farthest of them. Additionally, they were responsible for the destruction of Wall Maria, allowing titans to wreak havoc within the area.

They later joined the 104th Survey Corps, mixing in with the native members and resuming their activities from there. Though Reiner developed an identity crisis due to his newfound friendship with his squad mates, he continued pursuing Marley's goals. His guilt, however, led him to admit his true allegiances, after which a battle ensued between him and the protagonist Eren Yeager.

2 Sōsuke Aizen – Bleach

Sosuke Aizen

Aizen is a calm and collected individual, hardly ever shaken by anything and usually multiple steps ahead of his opponents. At the beginning of the Bleach series, he was portrayed as a kind man who was captain of the 5th division of the Gotei 13. However, following Ichigo’s appearance in the Soul Society, his ruthless and conniving personality was put on display for all to see.

It was revealed that he had been plotting behind the scenes for several decades and used his positions in the Gotei 13 as a cover for his illegal experiments. He deceived, killed, and manipulated multiple individuals without remorse. After enough time had passed, he defected from the Soul Society and actively embarked on his mission to overthrow the Soul King.

1 Light Yagami – Death Note

Light Yagami

Light Yagami was a narcissistic serial killer empowered by the titular death note, a notebook capable of killing whoever’s name was written within it. He was referred to by the masses as Kira while he kept his real identity secret, consistently avoiding capture by the authorities, aided by his astounding intellect.

As the series went on, he was closely monitored by the Japanese Task Force and eventually invited to their headquarters. Despite the heavy suspicion surrounding him, Light was exposed to the thought processes and actions being taken against Kira, allowing the ruthless murderer to plan accordingly. He used his father's position as the task force chief to gain the trust of most of its members and ultimately got the better of the lead detective tasked with apprehending him.

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