In anime, unique weapons are a staple of a character's fighting style, reflecting their personality and approach to combat more than any other part of their design. From classic Japanese katana seen in almost every battle series to unorthodox sci-fi guns and power beams, anime arm its characters with various tools to aid them in combat.
A battleaxe is one of the most ancient and functional weapons to appear in anime. Despite its bulky and rugged appearance, a battleaxe can be a swift and deadly weapon, useful in close combat, as a lethal projectile, or even doubled as a utilitarian tool. These axe-wielding characters are particularly famous for their unorthodox, stunning weapons.
10 Mitsuba Sangu Wields A Cursed Battleaxe With Demonic Powers
Owari No Seraph
In the Owari no Seraph universe, the Japanese Imperial Demon Army members can form contracts with various demons, aiding them in battle as their Cursed Gear. The stoic and serious soldier Mitsuba Sangu wields Tenjiryu, a deadly demonic battleaxe with a long, glowing green blade.
Despite its formidable size, Tenjiryu is effective in swift close combat, and Mitsuba easily swings the giant axe around as though it weighs nothing. While all Cursed Gear presents a danger of possession to its wielder, such an effective weapon seems worth the risks.
9 Ymir Carries The Pride Of Her Kind In Her Weapon
Queen's Blade
As the daughter of the Dwarf King, Ymir from Queen's Blade takes immense pride in Dwarven weapons, always eager to prove their superiority in practice. Despite her small stature and cutesy looks, Ymir is a competitive warrior, although her childish, whiny personality often comes out even in the midst of battle.
Ymir's preferred weapon is a large, red, dwarven-made battleaxe that towers over her. Nevertheless, Ymir easily wields her massive weapon with just her right hand, proving herself to be much stronger than she looks.
8 Taurus Is A Man-Bull With A Weapon That Matches His Intimidating Looks
Fairy Tail
Lucy Heartfilia's Celestial Spirit Taurus wields a weapon worthy of his intimidating appearance, a double-bitted axe called a Labrys. Despite often acting as a comic relief character who lusts over his master Lucy and any female he comes in contact with, Taurus is a skilled axeman with high physical prowess.
Taurus' appearance of a foreboding humanoid bull indicates his inhumane strength immediately, and watching him in action is never disappointing. His battleaxe seems to never leave Taurus' side, strapped to his back even outside of battle and always ready for bloodshed.
7 Gareth Landrock's Strength Is More Than His Axe Can Handle
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? / Danmachi
A battleaxe is a tremendously resilient and durable weapon. However, Gareth Landrock's sturdy axe cannot handle the full extent of his superhuman strength despite being made by Tsubaki, the best blacksmith in Orario. Gareth is one of the most physically capable characters in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Considered the best fighter in the Loki Familia, Gareth often performs feats simply impossible for regular people. Even lifting his intimidating battleaxe might be unfeasible for most, yet Gareth swings it around with no difficulty.
6 Rory Mercury Is Much More Dangerous Than She Appears
GATE
Despite her petite and innocent looks, Rory Mercury from GATE is a ruthless and powerful deity known as Rory the Reaper. She is a demigoddess and an apostle of the death god Emroy, to whom she's endlessly loyal.
Rory's association with the Grim Reaper comes from her armament of choice: a giant halberd she wields as a scythe. Her axe-like weapon might be twice Rory's size and clash with her cutesy aesthetics, but she can nevertheless easily cut a person’s head off with her halberd, swinging it with elegance and pride.
5 Albedo's Battleaxe Has Many Useful Tricks
Overlord
One of the most well-known battleaxe wielders in anime, Overlord's Overseer of the Guardians of the Great Tomb of Nazarick Albedo is a bewitchingly beautiful demoness with incredible combat powers. Her melee weapon of choice is 3F, a broad battleaxe with a size alteration ability.
3F is known to be capable of inflicting great damage and even redirecting bullets as a counter. While not as powerful as her World Item Ginnungagap, 3F is a menacing weapon, especially in the hands of a skilled warrior such as Albedo.
4 Kashii Is A Proud Axe-Wielding Warrior Of Elbaf
One Piece
The diverse and culturally unique islands in One Piece adopt real-life locations as inspirations for their themes. Elbaf, the legendary land of giants, is modeled after the Vikings, famous for their glorious battle culture. Most giants in Elbaf wield weapons associated with their real-world historical counterparts, including battleaxes.
Kashii, a member of Brogy and Dorry's crew that the Straw Hats team up with during their raid on Enies Lobby, is a proud warrior equipped with an axe. Similarly to every other Elbaf fighter, Kashii proves himself as an outstanding combatant, fighting alongside his fellow giant comrade Oimo to guard the courthouse during the ambush.
3 Escanor's Axe Rhitta Is A Perfect Weapon For The Lion's Sin Of Pride
The Seven Deadly Sins
Similarly to every other of the Seven Deadly Sins, Escanor, Lion's Sin of Pride, wields a Sacred Treasure. He was entrusted the Divine Axe Rhitta, an impossibly heavy battleaxe with a blade shaped like a crescent moon.
Rhitta's unique ability allows the axe to store massive amounts of power, which Escanor can release via his command Sacred Treasure Release. The intense light and heat of the attack can be easily mistaken for an exploding sun. Escanor generates heat in enormous quantities throughout the day, granting Rhitta an almost endless power supply.
2 Utu Is The Main Combat Force Of His Party
Tower Of Druaga: The Aegis Of Uruk
The brave adventurers and proud warriors of Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk all aim to reach the top of the tower, and the show's protagonist, Jil, is no exception. However, his half-brother Neeba the Dragon Slayer doesn't believe in Jil's potential as a climber.
Instead, Neeba leads his own party, and their defenses will not crumble until Utu, Neeba's main attacker, is by their side. Utu is an enigmatic member of the group hidden beneath bulky armor and equipped with a redoubtable battleaxe.
1 Thorkell The Tall Prospers In Thrilling Battles
Vinland Saga
In pop culture, battleaxes are commonly associated with Vikings and Scandinavian mythology. Considering that, it's not surprising that the most popular anime about Nordic history, Vinland Saga, features a character who confidently wields a battleaxe.
The Jomsviking commander, Thorkell the Tall, is an expert axeman with superhuman strength and dexterity. Armed with two intimidating axes, Thorkell confidently slices through herds of enemies, securing his reputation as one of the strongest Vikings to ever live. Moreover, he seems to truly thrive in combat, which makes Thorkell both charming and intimidating.