It's quite common for an anime hero to start their journey at a really low level of strength before they begin accruing knowledge, wisdom, martial arts, magic, weaponry, and other powers that they must employ effectively to carve their name throughout the narrative. Until, at last, they come face to face with the chief antagonist.

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However, it's not a compulsory feature — several heroes, such as Shigeo Kageyama from Mob Psycho 100 or Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood have been powerful from the onset of their storyline. Others have had to endure grueling training, exhausting battles, annoying mentors, and a lot more to get to the level they're meant to be at.

10 Kazuma Kuwabara Slowly Manifests The Power Of His Spirit Sword (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Kuwabara

Yusuke's worst enemy turned best friend, Kazuma Kuwabara is strong (for a human). However, when his pals start unlocking incredible powers, he is left holding his Spirit Sword, whose uses are quite minimal. During the Dark Tournament, he learns how to manifest it as a swatter in order to dispatch Elder Toguro.

The final version appears only at the end of the Chapter Black Saga when it proves capable of slicing across literal dimensions. This technique is one of the rarest, and therefore most prized, in both the Demon and Human worlds.

9 Kurapika Was Driven With Vengeance & Turned To The Hunter Association (Hunter x Hunter)

Kurapika Nen

Young Kurapika lives a peaceful life with his family, hidden away in their secret village (so as to avoid being persecuted by those who intend the Kurta harm). He convinces the authorities to let him travel the world, but during his trip, every single person in his clan is killed by the Phantom Troupe for their unique eyes.

Kurapika turns to the Hunter Association for vengeance, and at this point in the story, his powers are almost beyond belief. Not only is his Nen multi-pronged, but it can be mixed together with each of the six forms to produce his nigh-omnipotent Judgment Chain.

8 Simon Develops An Affinity For Fighting With A Little Encouragement (Gurren Lagann)

Simon Gurren Lagann Adult

Little Simon has no idea about the outside world until Kamina comes into his life, and even after this, he continues to be gentle and shy. With encouragement from his self-titled big brother, Simon develops an affinity for fighting without resorting to blind aggression.

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Enhanced with the Spiral Power, Simon easily rips open the fabric of spacetime and can handle attacks from the likes of the Anti-Spiral without a lot of damage. Interestingly, it is believed that Simon can resurrect dead people, except that he chooses not to.

7 Orihime Inoue Was Dragged Into Battle By Association (Bleach)

Orihime

Orihime Inoue is a school student, mostly carefree, who gets dragged into the whole Shinigami-Hollow-Quincy mess because of Ichigo Kurosaki. She has nothing more than standard human abilities, but her Shun Shun Rikka is another matter altogether.

Orihime's Soten Kisshun is referred to as "Phenomenon Rejection" by Captain Aizen, implying that it is possibly a deus ex machina. If that's not enough, her Santen Kesshun's durability means it can tank Yhwach's reiatsu outbursts.

6 Midoriya Izuku's Strong Sense Of Justice Convinced All Might To Give Him The One For All Quirk (My Hero Academia)

Izuku about to fight bakugo

Midoriya Izuku is scorned and bullied his entire life for being born Quirkless as if it's somehow his fault. Regardless, he doesn't sway from the path of heroism, making perennial notes in his book about different strategies and tactics.

More importantly, it is his thankless attempt at saving Bakugo's life, knowing full well that he has no chance, that convinces All Might to pick Midoriya as his successor. As Deku, he is nearly untouchable in combat — especially if he activates his One For All: Full Cowl at 100%, a power that is equal to All Might in his prime. He can't use it properly, yet, though.

5 Tanjiro Kamado Becomes An Official Demon Slayer After Strict Training (Demon Slayer)

Tanjiro using Sun Breathing in Demon Slayer

Tanjiro Kamado is a good son and brother, and while he feels unbearable sorrow at the massacre of his family, he understands the necessity of caring for his demon sister, Nezuko. Initially powerless, he undergoes a strict training regimen at Sagiri Mountain, following which he is able to officially become a Demon Slayer (although not without considerable sacrifice).

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At his peak, Tanjiro can combine his Water Breathing Form Ten into his father's Sun Breathing procedure, thereby generating the utterly destructive Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance.

4 Light Yagami Was An Ordinary Boy Until He Found A Notebook That Gave Him The Ability To Kill Others (Death Note)

light yagami death note

Light Yagami is in 12th grade and doesn't do much other than what is expected of a kid his age. That changes, of course, after his discovery of the Death Note. This book grants him the potency of a God, in a manner of speaking, while also instilling in his mind one of the worst egos imaginable.

In any case, Light Yagami holds the ultimate power, that of deciding which human being falls prey to his arrogance next. He can kill anyone, however strong, however hidden, if he can picture their face while jotting down their name.

3 Yusuke Urameshi Died & Gained Spirit Detective Powers (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Yusuke's Demon Form ready to fight in Yu Yu Hakusho.

Like his friend, Yusuke is also an average high school punk, with no interest in academics or sports or anything constructive. After his first death, though, he is blessed with Spirit Detective powers, which he hones and hones to perfection.

He defeats a series of stronger and stronger villains, from Rando to Suzaku to Younger Toguro to Sensui, each time going past his own limits. In the Demon World, he proves himself competent by bringing one of the three Kings, Yomi, to the point of almost-defeat. He doesn't win, but Yomi loses the finals, which is all he ever wanted.

2 Uryu Ishida Was Adopted By Yhwach & Allotted The Schrift A For Antithesis (Bleach)

Uryu Yhwach Sternritter Bleach A the Antithesis

To be fair, Uryu starts off as a Quincy-in-training, so he isn't defenseless, per se. He can kill ordinary Hollows with his bow and arrow, but his rise across the first few arcs isn't very impressive. The Thousand Year Blood War is when he comes into his own, having been "adopted" by Yhwach and allotted the Schrift A for Antithesis.

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This technique lets Uryu swap changes between two marked people, for instance, exchanging the level of injury incurred. He loses to Haschwalth because the Balance is the only power that can reverse the Antithesis.

1 Saitama Followed A Strict Exercise Routine & Can Now Defeat Foes With One Punch (One-Punch Man)

Saitama meteor

Young Saitama has been beaten up by bullies, but it's not until the appearance of the monster Crablante that he decides to shed his weakness. His exercise routine — a hundred squats, pushups, and situps, followed by a six-mile-race — is the reasoning he offers when others question him about his powers.

Nonetheless, hero Saitama's accomplishments need no mentioning: his casual manner of vanquishing invincible villains is satisfactory evidence that he is the strongest of them all.

NEXT: My Hero Academia: Every Death In The Series (In Chronological Order)