User blog comment:Gamedezyner/Anyone up for re-doing the main page?/@comment-4748628-20121001194741/@comment-1272757-20121001201644

To clarify: An anti-hero takes action, heroic or villainous, for their own personal gain or motivation rather than for any truly heroic or villainous reasoning. Should they fight for the side of good, they will take "ends justify the means" type of actions that more noble heroes would refrain from taking. For example, look at Shadow. In the beginning what he did was for himself and his own reasons, and he would work with anyone who would further his own goals, be they hero or villain. Even while working for G.U.N. he will fight with or against Sonic, depending on what the circumstances are. An anti-hero is basically a third party that will work for either side, or will take action that your average hero wouldn't. Anti-villain is the same thing, except that even if they are taking villainous actions, it is for a well-intentioned goal or reasons one could relate to.

A neutral character/group however, takes no action of any sort against any side, be they heroic or villainous. Should they take action, it will more often than not be for their own independent goals unrelated to the aims of either side, or will do so in reaction towards the activity of either the heroes or the villains.

So, there you have it. anti-hero =/= neutral. And mind you, "anti-hero" is a legitimate term for characterization that has been around since the 1700s, if not earlier.