Part of the reason that anime has grown into such a universally beloved form of entertainment is that it’s able to engage in exaggerated forms of storytelling that go above and beyond conventional expectations. Anime covers all ranges and genres of content, but some of the most popular series are the shonen programming that proudly showcases inspirational heroes.
It’s par for the course for these anime heroes to be blessed, or cursed, with exceptional powers that could give most Western superheroes pause. However, some series push this convention even farther and equip their protagonists with multiple powers of varying degrees of devastation.
10 Midoriya Matures Into A Hero, From Zero Powers To A Growing Tally
My Hero Academia is one of the most popular modern shonen series. It brilliantly deconstructs tropes from both shonen and superhero content as well as creates a truly inspirational main character with Izuku “Deku” Midoriya. Midoriya is determined to be a superhero even though he’s born without a special Quirk. Over time, Midoriya inherits All Might’s One For All power, but his connection to the previous bearers of this ability slowly bequeaths him with additional Quirks, like Black Whip, and beyond. Some of My Hero Academia’s villains have multiple powers, but it’s a rarity for the heroes.
9 Eren Jaeger Consumes Multiple Titan Powers In His Bid For Supremacy
Attack on Titan is another one of this generation’s biggest anime hits, and it’s captured so many audience’s interests because of its gruesome war between man and monster, but also because it’s able to routinely defy expectations. Eren Jaeger is a protagonist who becomes increasingly clouded with dark intentions. This struggle of ideals coincides with Eren’s acquisition of more Titan abilities. Eren begins with just the power of the Attack Titan, but he goes on to consume the necessary individuals to also possess the War Hammer Titan’s powers and the seemingly unlimited strength that’s contained within the Founding Titan.
8 Joseph Joestar Is A Rare JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Hero Who Has Both A Stand And Hamon
It’s always interesting when the trajectory of a series changes due to the creator stumbling upon a major breakthrough. Hirohiko Araki is very consistent with JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but a major turning point in the narrative is the shift from Hamon light energy to anthropomorphic Stands in Stardust Crusaders.
Curiously, Joseph Joestar is a transitional character who is present in the Hamon days of Battle Tendency, but also picks up the Stand, Hermit Purple, in Stardust Crusaders. Joseph’s Hamon takes a back seat at this point, but he still has access to the power.
7 Assassination Classroom’s Koro-Sensei Is Ready For Anything Thanks to His Anti-Matter Cells
A mysterious adversary often yields great results in storytelling and this is definitely the case with Assassination Classroom’s enigmatic extraterrestrial educator, Koro-Sensei. Koro-Sensei is a complex individual in the sense that he technically poses a major threat to the Earth, but he’s simultaneously a valuable mentor figure for his students who they learn to cherish. The destruction of Koro-Sensei is treated like such an impossible task because his anti-matter cells bless him with multiple abilities. Koro-Sensei’s intense speed and invulnerability are obvious, but he can also turn invisible and transform into many contrasting forms, each with its own specific purposes.
6 Intrepid Demon Slayer, Tanjiro, Picks Up Several Breathing Styles On His Journey
The breakout success of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba caught many by surprise, but the record-breaking performance from the anime’s feature film, Mugen Train, is proof that Demon Slayer is here to stay. The anime does an excellent job with its examination of different colors of swords and the unique elemental breathing styles that Demon Slayers pick up. Tanjiro is a natural Water Breath User, which is his dominant mode of attack, but he also becomes skilled in the Fire Breathing Style, which becomes a reliable backup for him when his usual skills aren’t enough.
5 Yusuke Urameshi’s Powers Rapidly Change In His Volatile Demon Form
Yu Yu Hakusho is an iconic shonen anime series from the ‘90s. It excels with its approach to the slacker delinquent protagonist who experiences an immense change of heart after they’re exposed to a supernatural world. Yusuke Urameshi’s evolution into a reliable spirit detective is such an enjoyable journey, but Yusuke also achieves increasing power.
Yusuke’s martial arts and Spirit Gun attack are usually enough to get the job done, but the latter half of Yu Yu Hakusho introduces Yusuke’s unpredictable demon form. As a demon, Yusuke battles in a completely different manner, and it’s a risky strategy.
4 Kaneki Ken’s Ghoul Capabilities Reach Another Level As His Dragon Form Devastates The World
The various anime adaptations of the Tokyo Ghoul series ultimately botch a compelling story about the lofty responsibilities and consequences that accompany extreme power. Tokyo Ghoul begins with Kaneki Ken’s gradual indoctrination to the world of Ghouls as he accepts his own powers in the area. Kaneki goes through several reinventions, but by the end of Tokyo Ghoul:re, he’s almost unrecognizable. Kaneki’s new Dragon form power essentially turns him into a massive kaiju centipede that wreaks havoc on the city. It’s a power that would have absolutely paralyzed the original Kaneki Ken with fear.
3 Tower Of God’s Bam Becomes Proficient In Multiple Shinsu Styles And Much More
Tower of God composes a captivating narrative that works as well as it does because of how it carefully parses out information about its mysterious setting as well as the characters that fight for power at the top of it. Tower of God’s Bam begins as an extremely reluctant protagonist, but he’s a natural when it comes to the Shinsu energy force. Bam’s Shinsu powers continue to evolve from orbs into shields and more. However, Bam’s exposure to the Blue and Red Thryssas leaves him with even greater power and forever transformed. Bam's repertoire of skills only continues to grow.
2 Inuyasha Has Many Tricks Up His Sleeve, Including A Demonic Transformation
InuYasha is an entertaining relic of the early 2000s, but it’s once again become relevant with its sequel successor series, Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon. The anime doesn’t shy away from the duality of Inuyasha’s character. His half-demon status gives him useful abilities like enhanced strength, endurance, and healing powers, as well as more unconventional skills like blood solidification and even flight in extreme circumstances. However, this all pales in comparison to Inuyasha’s power when he enters his corrupted demon form. He’s also highly skilled with the mystical Tessaiga sword on top of everything else.
1 Dragon Ball’s Goku Is Blessed With Powers And Transformations From Multiple Masters
Dragon Ball is a series where characters are always hungry for more power, and it establishes a formula where its heroes always surpass their previous milestones. Goku is a severely overpowered individual with too many powers at his disposal. Any of his energy attacks are enough to finish off the job, but he also can perform a Kaio-Ken boost, transform into different degrees of Super Saiyan, teleport with Instant Transmission, or even perform a fusion maneuver. Goku packs such an arsenal of unique abilities that he should never be ill-prepared for battle.