Every anime fan should have thought of who is the strongest anime character once. Who do you think is the most powerful character in all anime?
There are a huge variety of anime genres including the classic categories like action and science fiction and the modern classifications like dark fantasy and isekai, which has introduced a diversity of unique characters for a long time. With a wide range from the powerful martial-arts characters to the holders of supernatural powers, it’s difficult to decide who is the strongest of all time. Some characters are looked on as overpowered or a cheater.
Here, I try to narrow down to 20 strongest anime characters from various popular anime. This competitive list of these most powerful characters are composed of both protagonists and villain antagonists.
Let’s make it clear who is the strongest anime character!
20. Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)
From the hottest dark-fantasy anime series Attack on Titan, Levi Ackerman (リヴァイ・アッカーマン) is nominated as the strongest character in it though he is a pure human. The leading soldier in the Survey Corps possesses the enough power to overwhelm the gigantic titans and crosses swords with the major abnormal titans as equals, supported by the vertical maneuvering equipment. It can be said Levi Ackerman is one of the strongest human being in anime as well as Krillin from Dragon Ball.
19. Rimuru Tempest (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
There are lots of dynamic characters in isekai anime these days, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime features its protagonist Rimuru Tempest (リムル＝テンペスト). In the isekai anime, a Japanese salaried worker is reincarnates as a slime in a different world. The slime, which is usually looked on as the weakest monster, becomes the strongest character in the anime after he is named by a highest-ranked dragon Veldora. He obtains various skills by an ultimate skill Predation and is given omniscient knowledge by the unique skill Great Sage.
18. Yujiro Hanma (Baki the Grappler)
The popular martial arts series Baki the Grappler features its primary antagonist Yujiro Hanma (範馬勇次郎), the father of the protagonist Baki Hanma. The whole series of Baki introduces him as the strongest creature on earth. With his physical strength and toughness, he can combat the American military forces by himself. In addition to various basic but fatal martial arts techniques, he has a powerful influence even on the U.S. presidents.
17. Satou Pendragon (Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody)
Satou Pendragon (サトゥー・ペンドラゴン), the protagonist of Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, is one of the most powerful characters in isekai anime. The original light novel of Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody was serialized on a user-generated publishing website Shosetsuka ni Naro, which established a new light novel and anime genre Naro-kei. Satou Pendragon is known as a representative character of Naro-kei anime that features a protagonist having too prodigious abilities and powers as well as Touya Mochizuki in In Another World with My Smartphone. He has versatile abilities for fighting and taking a journey at the highest level.
16. Koro-sensei (Assassination Classroom)
Many anime fans may associate the strongest anime character with Koro-sensei (殺せんせー), the symbolic character in Assassination Classroom. The crazy creature that looks like a yellow octopus with tentacles. As he introduced himself, he can explode the moon and the earth. He is also able to move at Mach 20, which enables him to avert every attack from students. Even if he is touched by anyone with the fastest speed, he is never damaged by any weapons except the Anti-Sensei weapons. His invincibility results from the capable of complete regeneration.
15. Ainz Ooal Gown (Overlord)
Ainz Ooal Gown (アインズ・ウール・ゴウン) is the protagonist and the most powerful character in Overlord, the epic isekai anime airing from 2015. The skeleton-looking monster, who is transported from the real world (he originally lived as a Japanese salaryman) to the virtual world like YGGDRASIL), is classified into the race of undead. The Sorcerer King has a high magic ability and shows strong performance to analyze every opponent and situation in a moment. His racial skill Despair Aura V causes instant death to targets, which is said to enable him to shatter a country. His highest-voltage ability is “The Goal of All Life is Death”.
Isekai anime, in which a protagonist is suddenly transported to a different world in another dimension, have been much m[…]
14. Muzan Kibutsuji (Demon Slayer)
Muzan Kibutsuji (鬼舞辻無惨), the main antagonist of the smash-hit dark-fantasy anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, shows his forceful presence throughout the story. He is introduced as the arch-nemesis of the protagonist Tanjiro Kamado and the Demon Slayer Corps. As the primogenitor of all demons, he can transform humans into demons like Nezuko and the Twelve Kizuki, the strongest demons, while he lives in human society pretending to be a young man. With his intimidating offensive and restorative power, he can fight against several Hashira swordsmen at the same time.
13. Isaac Netero (Hunter x Hunter)
It’s difficult to rank the most powerful characters in the finest action adventure anime Hunter x Hunter in an objective way, however, you can say some epic battles. The intense fight between Isaac Netero (アイザック＝ネテロ) and Meruem is one of them. Against Meruem, one of the main antagonists in Hunter x Hunter, Isaac Netero, the 12th Chairman of the Hunter Association, shows several hard-hitting attacks as the most powerful Nen user in the world including 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva and Zero Hand. He activates his ultimate Miniature Rose to end the battle with the king of the Chimera Ants.
12. Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)
Kenshiro (ケンシロウ) is one of the most famous protagonists in classic Japanese anime, centered on in Fist of the North Star, which is also well-known as Hokuto no Ken in Japanese. The 64th and greatest successor of the Hokuto Shinken style is also the master of 108 other different martial arts in addition to the Hokuto Shinken. With this famous line “You are already dead”, he beats any opponents. His favorite high-voltage technique is the Hundred Crack Fist that throws 50 punches in three seconds. Nil-Thought Rebirth is the ultimate technique of Hokuto Shinken that he masters during the intense battle with the main antagonist Raoh. It also makes him the strongest character in Fist of the North Star.
11. Pannacotta Fugo (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind)
It’s fair to pick up forceful anime characters including both well-known protagonists and hidden side characters. Pannacotta Fugo (パンナコッタ・フーゴ) is one of the main supporting characters in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, the fifth part of the famous franchise. He is widely known as a very extraordinary character rather than a strong one. Introduced as a member of the same team as the protagonist Giorno Giovanna and Bruno Bucciarati, he controls his Stand called Purple Haze. The purple-colored humanoid Stand attacks opponents with deadly virus embedded in its fists. The victims are melt into a sticky mess on contact with the virus. It seems that Pannacotta Fugo withdraws himself from the story unnaturally, which some fans assume is because he has the enough power to easily beat Diavolo, the final boss of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind.
10. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)
Monkey D. Luffy (モンキー・D・ルフィ), a symbol of modern Japanese manga and anime, is the protagonist of the greatest adventure anime One Piece. He is the eater of Gum-Gum Fruit, one of the Paramecia Devil Fruits, which allows him to transform his body in a various way extending his arms and legs. The Gum-Gum Pistol is one of the Luffy’s signature attacks. Gear 2, which is now reaching the level 5, enhances his strength, speed, and mobility in exchange of increased fatigue. He also awakens a rare ability called Haoshoku Haki (like a remarkable aura). Of course, it seems to make sense that there are other more powerful characters than Luffy in One Piece such as the Admirals of Marine and the Four Emperors. However, as captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy is expected to reach his highest potential in the future. He is becoming the king of pirates as well as the previous king Gol D. Roger, fighting against lots of strong enemies.
9. Arale Norimaki (Dr. Slump)
Did you know that Akira Toriyama had created one of the strongest characters apart from Dragon Ball? Arale Norimaki (則巻アラレ) is the female protagonist of the sci-fi comedy series Dr. Slump, which was written by Akira Toriyama on Weekly Shonen Jump between 1980 and 1984 and made into the anime adaptation in 1981-1986 and 1997-1999. She is a middle-schooler robot with her energetic and ingenuous personality, who likes fighting with someone mighty. Her prodigious strength can break the earth in half with a punch and even destroy the sun at a stroke given off from the earth. Her moving speed exceeds Mach 3. She has had a fight with Son Goku who is transformed into Super Saiyan Blue on an equal basis. Arale Norimaki is regarded as the most powerful dark horse in all sorts of anime.
8. Hao Asakura (Shaman King)
As one of the most forceful anime antagonists, Hao Asakura (麻倉ハオ) from the classic action adventure anime Shaman King deverses to be introduced here. He was reborn as the twin brother of the protagonist Yoh Asakura with his power of metempsychosis, who is the primogenitor of the Asakura family and a great Onmyoji priest in the Heian period. In addition to the ability to read minds of others, Hao fights with guardian ghost named the Spirit Of Fire, one of the Five Grand Elemental Spirits. It attacks opponents with over 1,200 °C (2,192 °F) magma. With his original abilities called Onmyodo, he can change the nature of the Spirit of Fire into any of the five elements.
7. Meruem (Hunter x Hunter)
Meruem (メルエム) is the main antagonist of the Chimera Ant arc, the latest part of the Hunter x Hunter anime series. The king of the Chimera Ants absorbs the energy of indigested opponents and builds up his strength by eating them, recognizing every creature else as food. He is in a totally different class from even the elite Royal Guards consisting of Pitou, Pouf and Youpi who overwhelms the main characters Gon and Killua. Only Isaac Netero, the most powerful Nen user, fought on an equality with Meruem. However, Netero’s ultimate techniques such as 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva and Zero Hand didn’t cause no damage on Meruem eventually. Meruem has no named attacking move but his basic power simply exceeds that of any other characters in Hunter x Hunter, which is composed of outstanding strength, agility, durability and so on. He also gets the highest intelligence mastering multiple board games such as Chess, Shogi and Go.
6. Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)
The big-hit dark fantasy anime series Jujutsu Kaisen depicts the conflict between Jujutsu Sorcerers and Curses. Satoru Gojo (五条悟) is introduced as the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer character in the anime and a teacher of main characters including Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro. His appearance is featured by his silver hair and a black blindfold covering his Six Eyes that visualize curse power.
In addition to his unmeasurable levels of speed, intellect and strength, what makes Satoru Gojo the strongest character is led by his ultimate Jujutsu techniques including Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue and Cursed Technique Reversal: Red. He also combines the two signature techniques to produce the most energetic Hollow Technique: Purple. As his Domain Expansion, he forms a metaphysical space called Unlimited Void, where the the victims are forced to perceive high-density information endlessly until their brains are burnt up.
5. All Might (My Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia, one of the most popular action anime series in modern days, presents a diversity of cool heroes with supernatural abilities called Quirks. Who is the strongest hero in My Hero Academia is symbolized by All Might (オールマイト), whose real name is Toshinori Yagi (八木俊典). With the appearance inspired by American heroes, the large muscular man, knowns as the Symbol of Peace, works as a deterrent against crimes. He is introduced as the 8th successor to the One For All Quirk and later passes it down to the protagonist without a Quirk Izuku Midoriya.
With his One For All Quirk, All Might enhances his all physical abilities to the highest level, attacking with his ultimate moves with the names with the word of SMASH. The hardest-hitting straight punch Detroit SMASH is strong enough to change the weather around. The final attack United States of SMASH is delivered with all last strength left in him. Tomura Shigaraki, the antagonist and the leader of the Villains, also has the biggest power in the anime but All Might should be ranked in this list here for his legendary accomplishment.
4. Naruto (Naruto)
You may agree with this without conditions: Naruto is a worthy recipient of the strongest anime character of all time. The greatest ninja-themed anime series Naruto has attracted many anime lovers across the globe since it started airing in 2002. The protagonist Naruto, who was looked down on as the most hopeless ninja student at first, actually houses a large amount of chakra as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. The enormous chakra enables him to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique creating over a thousand shadow clones from an early stage. His another signature attacking technique is Rasengan formed by spherical highly condensed chakra. Rasengan was procreated by Minato Namikaze, Naruto’s father and the the Fourth Hokage, and was inherited to Naruto from Jiraiya, a legendary shinobi and Naruto’s master. His abilities are dramatically enhanced by several anomalous conditions such as Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and Six Paths Sage Mode.
Naruto is the character who grows strong by competing rivals like Sasuke Uchiha, gaining access to good teachers like Kakashi Hatake and Jiraiya and making a huge effort. In the final phase of the story, the shinobi characters face off against the extravagantly powerful antagonist Kaguya Otsutsuki, the mother of the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Otsutsuki. Taking her presence into account, many anime fans conclude that Naruto is the strongest in the great anime series.
3. Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Who is the best hero for you in all anime ever? Son Goku (孫悟空) in Dragon Ball will obtain the most votes from both young and old anime fans across the world. He always faces stronger invaders from outside the earth and gets more powerful by training hard. Goku bumps into Vegeta with Kaioken to enlarge his capabilities, awakens the ability to transform himself into Super Saiyan in the battle with Frieza, shows the fastest transporting technique Instant Transmission in fighting with Cell and beats the strongest antagonist Majin Buu with the final attack Spirit Bomb and the further forms Super Saiyan 2 and 3.
You cannot forget the most famous anime technique Kamehameha, which Goku mastered by imitating the Turtle Hermit’s specialty in his childhood. In the following manga and anime series Dragon Ball Super, there are more forceful Super Saiyan transformations. Goku’s power reaches the level high enough to develop into a blue-haired evolution of Super Saiyan God, which is known as Super Saiyan Blue.
2. Whis (Dragon Ball Super)
Talking about a realistic thing, the latest master who trains Son Goku is stronger than him, right? Goku is still growing even stronger awakening his further potential power because of Whis (ウイス) in Dragon Ball Super. Whis is introduced in 2013’s anime movie Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods for the first time and appears in the following stories such as Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ and the entire Dragon Ball Super.
Whis is also a master of a God of Destruction named Beerus, who is apparently many times stronger than Goku. The Universe 7’s Angel taught Beerus and Goku how to fight and can prevent runaway of Beerus easily. Whis is one of the most powerful anime characters for his several immense powers to generate something from nothing, revive someone dead, turn back time and so on as well as his overall fighting abilities.
1. Saitama (One Punch-Man)
Do you laugh at the conclusion that Saitama (サイタマ) is the strongest anime character in those many overpowered heroes, swordsmen, martial arts experts and even non-human companions. It may be true that Saitama is represented as a cool hero in the action comedy anime One Punch-Man: the bald man who has an ordinary constitution. Despite his unreliable appearance, he gets the enough power to completely defeat any enemy with a single punch by daily muscle training.
Saitama is underrated with the lowest C-Class by the Hero Association, however, he receives respect from the a highest S-Class hero named Genos from the very start. His transcendent power stands out more by comparing him with other heroes and vicious villains in which any protagonists from other action anime will experience great difficulty. No special named technique of Saitama are introduced in the anime. Just a simple punch is what makes Saitama the strongest anime character of all time.
If you are interested in more attractive anime characters in other rankings, you might also like these lists, too!
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