Zeref Dragneel is was of the two main antagonists and an anti-hero of the anime/manga series Fairy Tail, alongside Acnologia. He is considered the strongest mage in the series, as he possesses incredibly deadly, powerful, and destructive magic. He currently appears as a self-hating and reclusive youth who cannot control his power. He is later revealed to be the older brother of Natsu Dragneel, the father of August and the creator of Larcade Dragneel. He is also the lover of Mavis Vermilion, the first master of the Fairy Tail guild.
He was voiced by Akira Ishida in the Japanese version of the anime, and Joel McDonald in the English version, the former of whom also voiced Gaara.
Appearance
Despite being hundreds of years old, Zeref has the appearance of a young man. He wears high-collared red (black in the anime) and tan robes with gold trim, along with a large, flowing white toga draped around his torso. He has short black hair, dark eyes, and abnormally sharp canines. He also wears a pendant where he keeps a childhood picture of Natsu and himself.
When angered, Zeref's irises become red and gain a black ring around the pupil, giving him a much more menacing appearance.
Personality
Zeref is said to have been the darkest, most evil Mage in the history of the Magic World, mastering the Black Arts and creating many Demons, some of which still wreak havoc in the present.
In the modern era, Zeref seeks to isolate himself and is very calm, sincere, trustworthy, straightforward, optimistic, and conflicted. He wishes to die to atone for all the sins he has committed and may commit in the future. He shows concern for others when he warns them not to come near him, knowing that they would die if they did. He is also somewhat emotionally fragile and vulnerable, as when he realizes that Natsu is not ready to kill him yet, he breaks down in tears. Zeref often kills with no prior incentive or knowledge.
In spite of all this, Zeref is very vindictive and antagonistic, so he will punish those who he believes to be evil. This was shown when he ruthlessly killed Hades, whom he thinks has committed a number of unforgivable sins. As a result of his immortal life, Zeref has developed a misanthropic loathing for humanity and its repeated idiosyncrasies of hatred, evil, and conflict.