In anime, there are plenty of protagonists that possess incredible strength. Most of the time, these characters have trained diligently to control their powers, to become ever stronger and to protect the people around them.
On the other hand, there are plenty of characters who possess incredible power but can't fully control it. They are constantly at risk of either letting their power take control and turn them into berserkers or causing great harm to themselves and others, because their power is too much for them to handle. Here are some of the most notable characters who were consumed and/or overwhelmed by their own power.
10 Ken Kaneki - Tokyo Ghoul
After receiving the organs of a ghoul that that tried to kill him, Ken Kaneki is turned into a one-eyed human-ghoul hybrid. Developing a craving for human flesh, Kaneki tries to supress his ghoul nature to avoid killing and eating people. After suffering through more misfortune and torture, Kaneki’s ghoul half starts to overwhelm him.
Eventually, Kaneki surrenders to his instincts and cannibalizes other ghouls, transforming into an incomplete kakuja. In this state, Kaneki becomes a mindless beast driven by an insatiable hunger. Without his friends and fellow ghouls to support him, Kaneki would have fully succumbed a long time ago.
9 Meliodas – The Seven Deadly Sins
As the son of the Demon King and leader of the Seven Deadly Sins, Meliodas is a force to be feared. With a title like the "Dragon Sin of Wrath", Meliodas must always keep his emotions in check.
After his past lover was killed by a demon, Meliodas was consumed with rage and lost control of his power, destroying an entire kingdom in the process. To prevent another such incident from occurring, Meliodas decides to seal away the majority of his demonic power. Even without his full strength, Meliodas’ power is still fearsome, and his demonic heritage can take him over if he is not careful.
8 Inuyasha - Inuyasha
Originally despising his status as a half-demon, Inuyasha desired the power of the Shikon Jewel to become a true demon. Ironically, he eventually discovers that he can transform into a full demon without using the jewel. The only downside is that he has no control over his actions.
Whenever he loses his Tessaiga and is in mortal danger, his demon heritage overwhelms his humanity. When this happens, he loses all restraint and goes full demon on anyone unfortunate enough to be near him. In the end, he wisely abandons his desire to become a full demon for the sake of his friends.>
7 Izuku Midoriya – My Hero Academia
Unlike most characters on this list, Izuku Midoriya is not a berserker. Rather, he is in possession of an incredible power that is too much for him to handle.
Even without any special powers, Midoriya is deemed worthy by the No.1 hero All Might to inherit his power, One For All. Unlike All Might, Midoriya's body is not physically capable of handling One For All’s full power. The backlash is so overwhelming, that he breaks his limbs after one use. Through intense training, Midoriya can withstand up to 20 percent of his quirk’s power. However, after straining his body so much, further excessive use of his powers could cost him the use of his limbs.
6 Rin Okumura - Blue Exorcist
Even though he is the son of Satan, Rin Okumura does not share his father’s evil nature. In fact, his goal is to one day defeat him. As the son of Satan, Rin has access to his father's demonic flames which are sealed within the demon-slaying sword Kurikara. By unsheathing it, Rin can use the full power of his blue flames. However, prolonged use puts him at risk of being consumed by his own power.
During his second confrontation with the Demon King Amaimon, Rin unleashes his flames to save his classmates. Unfortunately, his power overwhelms him, turning him feral and causing him to lash out and incinerate his surroundings.
5 Ichigo Kurosaki - Bleach
During his fight with Byakuya Kuchiki, Ichigo experienced his inner hollow trying to take him over for the first time. After several close calls, Ichigo manages to get his hollow powers under control. That is until his battle with the Fourth Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer.
After Ulquiorra seemingly kills him, Ichigo’s inner hollow completely takes over, giving him the appearance of a humanoid hollow. In this state, Ichigo has no control of his actions and is solely driven by his hollow instincts. Whether friend or foe, it is smart idea to get as far away from him as possible when he is in this state.
4 Jinchuriki – Naruto
In the world of Naruto, jinchuriki are some of the most powerful humans alive. In order to become a jinchuriki, it is important that both the vessel and the tailed beast have a certain level of compatibility. Furthermore, a jinchuriki must be strong enough to resist the influence of their tailed beast. If they lack enough will power and training, then their immense power will overwhelm them.
Throughout the course of the series, several jinchuriki, like Naruto and Gaara, have lost themselves trying to control their tailed beasts' power. In addition to losing all rationality, they are driven by primal instinct, causing them to lash out at anyone that comes near them.
3 Ryner Lute – The Legend of the Legendary Heroes
A brilliant mage and spellcaster, Ryner Lute possesses a powerful form of magic known as the Alpha Stigma. Essentially, the stigma is a rare form of sorcery that grants its wielder the power to instantly analyze and understand all forms of magic, as well as increase the power of the spells used.
Even though it greatly increases his magic, Ryner rarely uses it, as it only activates during moments of extreme emotional distress. When activated in this manner, the Alpha Stigma also releases a dark power that corrupts Ryner’s personality. He becomes a wicked individual who brutally wipes out his opponents with joy.
2 Tetsuo Shima - Akira
In terms of personality, Tetsuo Shima wasn't exactly the most emotionally stable person to begin with. Even though his friend and leader Shotaro Kaneda treats him like a brother, Tetsuo develops an inferiority complex and comes to resent him.
Things only get worse for him after he develops psychic powers following a motorcycle incident involving an esper. Tetsuo becomes obsessed with his abilities and ends up destroying parts of Neo Tokyo. His immaturity and lack of control eventually cause his powers to turn against him. He soon finds himself transformed into a giant mass of disfigured flesh, absorbing everything and anyone that comes near him.
1 Broly – Dragon Ball Super: Broly
Dragon Ball Super: Broly is an amazing film that takes fan favorite character Broly and officially introduces him to the Dragon Ball canon. Similarly to his previous incarnation, the new Broly is a Saiyan survivor and fighting prodigy blessed with incredible power. When he is brought to Earth to fight against Goku and Vegeta, he easily keeps up with them, even in their Super Saiyan God forms.
As the fighting escalates, Broly's power continues to increase, becoming more feral and beast-like in the process. After transforming into a Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly descends into a full-blown berserker state. Even without the power to turn into a great ape, Broly still rampages like one.