Sometimes you can't beat a good bastard in a story, someone who will do underhanded tactics to win, kick a defeated opponent when they are down or is always about the reward after they complete a quest/job.
Been reading The Greatest Estate Developer and it's your standard Isekai tale, guy wakes up in the body of a lords eldest son he read a fictional story about and knows they are in massive debt, all die to be the catalyst for the knight that serves them who's the MC. So he uses his architectural knowledge to change their fortunes but does it in the most bastard way.
He'll bitch slap an entire college full of stuck up nobles because he can get away with it, kurbstomp his opponent after he wins a duel to then trick him into exile, force a water contract on a rival noble that essentially binds his future generations to pay him extortionate fees and much more. This series jusy passed 100 episodes and has some of the best faces I've seen from a series.
So whether it's Leon from MobuSeka or Amos from The Expanse, who's your favourite fictional bastards?
I like Dio from JoJo's part 1. He's such a good villain that he pulls that first part basically all on his own.
His voice actor, Takehito Koyasu, is one I look out for as he usually voices interesting characters. Whenever I hear it, I immediately focus that character as I KNOW they about to start some shit!
Same with Satoshi Hino who voices Ainz in Overlord which is why you can imagine my shock when I heard that voice in Fenrir for Campfire cooking lol
Or the president's dad in Kaguya: Love Is War. That's true Dio dad power, there.
I love how whenever he enters the room he has his own theme music lol