Anime Heros Teamed up with Villains

One of the coolest things that can happen in an anime is when two former enemies join forces to achieve a common goal. Often, this happens when a villain decides to put aside their villainous ways and join the good guys - that's what happens when Sasuke decides to help Naruto take down Madara in Naruto. But at other times, it's merely a temporary truce - Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter has no desire to side with Gon and Killua for any longer than is convenient for him. 

Whether these hero/villain alliances are heartwarming or awesome, they offer a new lens through which to look at both characters, and a rare opportunity to see two very different characters cooperate. 

Goku & Frieza Take Down Jiren In 'Dragon Ball Super'

Goku is an unabashedly heroic person who lives to fight evil. Frieza blows up entire planets because he can. One would never expect these two to see eye to eye on anything, but by the end of the Tournament of Power, they're both completely on board with defeating their mutual enemy, Jiren, and saving multiple universes in the process. Frieza happens to be dead at the moment, so part of the reason he's helping his former arch-enemy out is that Goku promised to bring him back via Dragon Ball. The ensuing fight is one of the most dramatic of any the franchise has ever seen.

Naruto & Sasuke Save Konoha In 'Naruto' 

Sasuke and Naruto have spent the entire series alternating between being comrades, rivals, and outright enemies, but by the end of Shippuden, they are clearly on opposite teams. Naruto is attempting to protect his nation from destruction at the hands of Madara, while Sasuke is largely uninterested in helping because of the intense grudge he bears against Konoha after he found out the government-orchestrated his family's slaughter. He eventually realizes exactly how dangerous Madara is, and decides that he can't sit by and let him destroy the world. He once again sides with his former team and gives up his villainous ways. 

Gon, Killua & Hisoka Play Dodgeball In 'Hunter X Hunter' 

Hisoka is the type of villain who will team up with basically anyone if it furthers his personal goals. Occasionally, those goals involve protecting the good guys because he wants to be the one to kill them later on. That's what leads him to help out Gon and Killua when they need him. In one case, he joins them in a dodgeball game on Soufrabi Island, in a battle against a group of pirates who they must defeat if they want to get their hands on a rare item. The three of them make a formidable team, especially once Hisoka's Bungee Gum attack is added to the mix.

Piccolo & Goku Fight Raditz In 'Dragon Ball Z'

Piccolo and Goku are actually allies throughout most of the Dragon Ball series, so it's easy to forget that this wasn't always true. At the beginning of Dragon Ball Z, Piccolo wanted to kill Goku and take over the universe, largely to prove his superiority. When Raditz appears with the intention of doing the same, Piccolo is so intimidated by him that he realizes he has no choice but to team up with his enemy in order to defeat this larger threat.

Despite working together, Piccolo takes the opportunity to launch an attack at both Goku and Raditz. Hey, one never said that teaming up means automatic loyalty.

Inuyasha & Sesshoumaru Defeat Naraku In 'Inuyasha'

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are locked in a bitter feud throughout most of the series. Sesshoumaru loathes his half-human brother not only because he isn't a full demon, but also because he's jealous that their father gave Inuyasha what he perceives to the be a superior sword. The two fight more than once, and at some point Sesshoumaru teams up with Naraku to take Inuyasha down.

But as the series progresses, Sesshoumaru becomes disillusioned with Naraku, especially when he attempts to kidnap Rin, a human child who he has grown affectionate toward. For this and many other reasons, he decides that Naraku needs to be taken down. In the final battle of the series - which ends in Naraku's defeat - Sesshoumaru finally puts aside his resentment toward his brother and works with him and his team to take down their mutual enemy. 

Envy, Ed, & Ling Escape Gluttony's Stomach In 'Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood'

Ed and Ling don't exactly want to help out a homunculus, and the homunculus in question isn't particularly interested in helping them. But despite their animosity for one another, they join forces temporarily in order to take down a mutual opponent - Gluttony's stomach. The three of them have been swallowed by Envy's partner in crime, and none of them has the strength or knowledge to escape on their own. It's only through working together that they manage to leave that labyrinth - but they're still enemies when it's over, thank you very much.

Crocodile & Luffy Team Up To Escape Prison In 'One Piece'

When Luffy and Crocodile are both being held in Impel Down, a maximum-security underwater prison, they decide to join forces to figure out a means of escape. Though these two used to be enemies, the desperation of their situation forces them to put aside their differences and work together. This isn't the last time that the two former enemies will pair up either - later when Luffy has to fight the Marines, Crocodile is right by his side - he even saves Luffy's brother Ace's life. 

Despite Crocodile's newfound willingness to help, he refuses to straightforwardly admit to being on Luffy's side - rather, he's just doing it so that the Marines will lose. 

L & Light Team Up To Defeat Yotsuba In 'Death Note'

Light and L are rivals from the moment they meet - L is a detective on the hunt for a serial killer named Kira, and Light is, well, Kira. In order to ensure that he doesn't get caught, Light winds up joining the anti-Kira task force. Though ostensibly working together, Light is actually secretly working against L for most of this period - except when Light temporarily forgets that he's Kira and actually starts working with L to defeat what he perceives to be their common enemy. This enemy is Higuchi - a businessman who has been using the Death Note to gain political power. Light technically set him up, but he's also sincerely working to help L defeat him.

Suzaku & Lelouch Combine Forces In 'Code Geass'

Though they started off as friends, Lelouch and Suzaku have always been at odds. Though both of them wish to free the Japanese people from the grip of the Britannian Empire, they have drastically different means of achieving their goals. Suzaku wants to work inside the system and cause as little strife as possible, while Lelouch is more than willing to use terrorism to his advantage. The acrimony between the two gets so bad that at the end of the first season of Code Geass, the two try to kill each other.

But when Lelouch comes up with a plan that Suzaku actually believes in - Zero Requiem - Suzaku decides to ally himself with his former enemy and help him carry it out.

Viral Joins Team Dai-Gurren In 'Gurren Lagann'

Viral was once an enemy of Team Dai-Gurren, but after the time skip, he changes his mind and joins the team after Yoko busts him out of prison and Simon offers him a place. He does this in part because Viral no longer has anywhere to go after the end of the Beastman war, but also because he has been trying to protect a human settlement out of the goodness of his heart. He ultimately comes to see that what Team Dai-Gurren is fighting for is actually good - and that there's more to humans and to spiral power than he previously realized. In the second arc, Viral becomes an important member of the team.

Saber & Gilgamesh Fight A Giant Monster In 'Fate/Zero'

Gilgamesh has made it pretty clear throughout Fate/Zero that he has no respect for Saber. Rather than seeing her as the powerful warrior she actually is, he looks at her like a useless woman who he's free to use at will - he literally asks her to marry him after defeating her in battle. He's also far from good - he's a friend of Kirei Kotomine's, and he does things like use energy siphoned from children to sustain his own powers. 

But at one point he winds up joining forces with Saber to help defeat a gigantic tentacle monster summoned by Caster. His help gives her the chance to use Excaliber, her super-powered sword, and take down the monster.

Inuyashiki & Shishigami Destroy A Meteor In 'Inuyashiki'

Hiro Shishigami is a bratty little jerk who loves murdering people, while Ichiro Inuyashiki is a mild-mannered gentleman who really just wants other people to be happy. Both of them have cybernetically enhanced bodies, and much of the series is spent on Inuyashiki trying to prevent Shishigami's actions or clean up his mess. 

But when they discover that a meteor is hurtling toward the earth, they realize that they're going to have to put their differences aside to stop it. While Inuyashiki is attempting to stop the meteor, Shishigami decides he'll blow himself up while on top of the meteor in order to try and destroy it, but he fails completely, leaving Inuyashiki to sacrifice himself in a similar manner. Humanity is saved thanks to their efforts, but they aren't around to reap the benefits.