Most Powerful Anime Characters Of All Time

Anime fans love the debate over the most powerful anime characters. Time and time again, anime and manga fans review the strongest anime characters (probably while at AnimeJapan 2019), even though they will likely never battle. In the video game Jump Force, we get a sense of what it might be like. Seeing Light Yagami partner up with Goku is seriously cool. The game is a big hit, but obviously it makes us wonder who really is the most powerful character in anime. Well, that’s what this list is going to do.

Fans will always debate the rankings in a list like this. That being said, this is our take on the most powerful anime characters debate. We’ll rank 25 total anime characters and their ability to take on the world, and if you have any thoughts, let us know in the comments!

Most Powerful Anime Characters

From classic hits like Dragonball Z to new titles like One-Punch Man, here is the Comic Years definitive list of the strongest anime characters in the animated world!

Image Credit: Netflix

Most Powerful Anime Characters 25-21

25. Eren Jaeger (Attack on Titan)

Attack on Titan is a great place to start because many have found anime fandom through this show. The series is a great way to combine scares and super action scenes, and Eren is solider in the fight against these monster invaders. Eren is best at fighting these creatures through an important power – the power to become one. Although lost at one point, Eren has the power to transform into a titan, retaining all human training and intelligence. He can’t always rely on his power, but when he’s got it on lock, he’s pretty unstoppable.

24. Guts (Berzerk)

A powerful warrior who stands up against literally everything hell throws at him, Guts has to be on this list. His Dragon Slayer sword is huge and works nicely with his nearly invincible armor and hidden cannon prosthetic. Berzerk is sometimes overlooked by casual anime fans, but if you have not seen it, watch it for Guts alone. Demons don’t stand a chance against this fighter. His ability to use human talent against gods and hordes of horrifying enemies is unlike anything in anime.

23. Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)

New this year from the Shogen Jump manga series, Tanjiro is a young merchant until his family is murdered by creatures of the underworld. This unassuming, youthful main character is an underdog from the start, but underestimating him is part of his power. His ability to slay demons and simultaneously protect his living sister from becoming the threat he keeps trying to keep away make him a warrior in more sense than one.

22. Shinichi Izum (Parasyte)

So, you might not be watching Parasyte because you are a little queasy. That’s fair; the entire show is about parasites taking over human bodies. Our hero, Shinichi Izum, is almost taken by the alien parasites before being able to fend it off and use their dangerous mission to his advantage. Accompanied with super speed and strength, we would not want to be in Shinichi’s way when he’s on a mission.

21. Whitebeard (One Piece)

This one is no surprise, as Whitebeard is known as the strongest man in the world of One Piece. Nearly the size of a giant and scarred from numerous battles he’s walked out of as a winner, Whitebeard is downright terrifying. He does end up dying in the battle of Marineford, but guess what it takes to kill him? 267 sword wounds, 152 gunshot wounds, 46 cannonball injuries, and had half of his face blown off. Yeah, he’s that strong.

Image Credit: Screenrant

Most Powerful Anime Characters 20-16

20. Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

The main hero of this famously celebrated anime is a master of energy and matter. At 12, he had full control over his powers, and thanks to a horrific accident, has a steel arm and leg on his right side for some extra power. Through alchemy, he can turn his steel arm into weapons and tools, making him diverse and dynamic.

19. Korosensei (Assassination Classroom)

Some of the best anime characters are mistakes. What does that mean? Well, when you see Korosensei, you’re a bit confused. He’s a mutated squid man with a big smile and bigger ability to destroy literally anything. We’re talking about someone who can punch a hole in the moon. Like, what? He’s fast, powerful, and a crazy looking enemy if you’re on his bad side.

18. Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)

Ichigo is a soul reaper who looks to make things safer for spirits moving to the afterlife. How appealing! That being said, enemies are always looking to stop him, and that means the worst of the dead are on his bad side. Luckily, his Zanpakuto can cut spirits in half, making it the perfect weapon for this death slayer.

17. Yusuke Urameshi  (Yu Yu Hakusho)

When we meet Yusuke in Yu Yu Hakusho, he’s dying in a car accident. When he is reborn as a partial demon, he looks to right wrong in the world, and anything evil in his way is sadly mistaken for taking him on. His Spirit Shotgun is a powerful weapon, and the Spirit Wave technique he masters makes him perfect for any fight, no matter who challenges him.

16. Tetsuo Shima (Akira)

Akira is a classic anime film, and Tetsuo possesses some world bending psychic abilities. His telekinetic powers do not end there. He can breathe in space, bend light and energy, and even heal himself quickly. Talk about larger than human life!

Image Credit: Screenrant

Most Powerful Anime Characters 15-11

15. Natsu Dragneel (Fairy Tale)

A lot of people list Natsu higher on lists like these, but here’s why he’s a powerful anime character. His wizard powers are coupled with the traits he inherits from his dragon father. That means he can consume magic as well as use it. Taking magic energy and using it to literally slay anything in his path is unreal power not many can take credit for. If you’re not careful, he might even breathe fire.

14. Mob (Mob Psycho 100)

For someone who looks so normal and calm, Mob packs a serious punch. Emotions dictate the full power of his abilities. That means when he’s angry or sad, he’s even more powerful. With telekinetic powers to destroy and protect things he sees fit, molecular makeups of any object or person are at his will. Don’t let the blank face trick you, he’s prepared to make anything into whatever he wants.

13. Isaac Netero (Hunter x Hunter)

I don’t think there is a stronger anime martial artist than Isaac Netero. His speed and strength are unmatched. That being said, if he’s low on fight in a particular battle, he can summon a karate god to finish the fight once and for all. It’s a crazy power for someone who is already so well trained and disciplined. His training should have killed him, but it only made him closer to being one of the most powerful anime characters.

12. Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul)

So, let’s get something straight about Ken. His transformation is crazy in Tokyo Ghoul. He begins as a total bookworm and ends up becoming one of the craziest ghouls in the show. How powerful is he? He’s literally worshiped in the show for his powers. He drinks coffee and consumes humans to power himself, and that’s some serious dieting. He’s nearly undefeatable, making him one of the most powerful anime characters.

11. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)

Staring as an immature, undisciplined ninja wannabe, Naruto is a total powerhouse. When entering in his Sage Mode, he’s a force to be reckoned with. His Nine-Tailed Demon Fox power is so much fun to watch, but we wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it! It’s a great example of a character that starts as someone who might not even make top of the class, and ends up a total force of power.

Image Credit: Screenrant

Most Powerful Anime Characters 10-6

10. Keppi (Sarazanmai)

It’s hard to explain Sarazanmai to people who have never seen it, but Keppi is a great example of a different kind of power. Not only is Keppi a great powerful God, but it stands for something greater than sheer force. With a total respect for honor and discipline, Keppi punishes younglings who break a statue in its honor, and give them powers to fight demons as payback. These demons are typical demons though, they’re zombie demons. The omnipotent Keppi is a total force in power and honor, and makes a great example of why strength and order are not all that yields force in the universe. That’s a good case for being one of the most powerful anime characters.

9. Lain (Serial Experiments Lain)

So, Lain is not what you would look at and call super powerful. However, she is a goddess of the Wired, serving as a being that lives as a computer and operates as a human. She can control and delete computer information and formulas, making her a tool against enemies and their means to find and complete their goals. It’s a cool combination of power, and Lain is unlike anything else on this list. She’s powerful in a way that many are not.

8. Light Yagami (Death Note)

Okay, this might make some fans angry. We get it: Light just has the Death Note. But that notebook makes him the controller of death itself. Powered with the help of Ryuk, Light is a force that brings Japan to its knees, and of all anime programs, Death Note is one that sticks with people. His innate human traits are a bad combo for this much power, but it’s seriously a big undertaking that makes him one of the strongest anime characters around.

7. Kyubey (Madoka Magica)

This cute little thing is actually a walking representation of entropy. Not to mention, the entire end of the universe is turned into a power and placed inside Kyubey. Most powers are a way to fight back, but Kyubey’s power is literally the end of everything we know. It’s a wild power for such a small being, but guess what? It chooses manipulation over death to all to ensure its full potential is not used.

6. Madara Uchiha (Naruto)

The bad guy in the entire Naruto story is a serious threat to the ninjas. Labeled at one time the most gifted shinobi in the universe, Madara can defeat thousands by himself, making him a top 10 anime character in terms of strength. Obliterating things at a finger’s touch and master of nearly every ninja skill, Madara is a bad guy to end all bad guys.

Image Credit: Screenrant

Most Powerful Anime Characters 5-1

5. Goku (Dragon Ball Super)

Goku very may well be the strongest martial artist in all of anime. With an ultra instinct form debuted in Super, that power is his key to defeating literally anyone he wants. Despite starting his journey alone and underpowered, Goku comes to realize his destiny and does so with a good heart and head at the core of his actions.

4. Beerus (Dragon Ball Super)

Okay, so this cat is actually a God of Destruction. Crazy right? What makes Beerus even more powerful is the turn from enemy to supporting ally to Goku and others. The ability to do what is right adds to his powers, which are plentiful given his role. He is meant to balance the universe in its entirety. That means he has to harness a ton of energy and know how to control it, which he does with ease. He’s easily one of the most powerful anime characters throughout all shows.

3. Genos (One Punch Man)

A pupil of the star of One Punch Man, Genos scores a perfect on his hero entrance exams and is placed in the top class. His cyborg abilities and desire for revenge make him a top contender for strongest anime character, but his mentor beats him out. Nevertheless, he learns from the best as a pupil to One-Punch Man himself, and that makes him top tier in hero school and all of anime.

2. Saitama (One Punch Man)

Okay, so we mentioned Genos’ mentor. That’s Saitama, the man who trained for three years and became literally unstoppable. With power and speed unlike anything else alive, he’s unstoppable and cannot be hurt. It actually makes him sad, and fails to allow him to feel fulfilled. Nevertheless, he seeks purpose in his life, and some of that purpose comes from teaching Genos. Only one being in anime can be considered more powerful.

1. Zeno (Dragon Ball Super)

How does this little thing top all other contenders? Easy. He can literally create and end universes at will, and within seconds. His power might not be a real power, but he is a God of Creation, and guess what: he literally commands space. He plays with worlds for fun, and there is not a single person in anime that could defeat him.

Taylor is the Gaming Editor of Comic Years and a lifelong fan of video games. He holds two degrees in Political Communication and wrote a Master's Thesis on resistance movements, race, and the exploitation of college athletes. His wife and two Toy Australian Sheppards keep him sane.