When it comes to choosing what powers people would want to have if it were possible to actually have any, this decision is admittedly a pretty hard one. So many anime and comics have shown the usefulness of powers like super-strength, super-speed, and elemental and energy abilities. Even the powers of insects have been made cool thanks to a bunch of different superheroes. Somewhat ironically, for the heroes that don't have any powers, such as Batman or Iron Man, fans have said that they have the power of being rich.
While this is obviously meant as a joke, there is a degree of truth behind it. Batman and Iron Man wouldn't be nearly as effective as they are if it weren't for their vast fortunes. However, anime such as Bungo Stray Dogs and High Card have taken this a step further and actually managed to turn money into a real -- and rather terrifying -- superpower in two similar yet unique ways.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald Turns Money Into Pure Power
In Bungo Stray Dogs, few villains have managed to be as dangerous and hard to put down as Francis Fitzgerald. With his ability, "The Great Fitzgerald," Francis is able to convert any money he has, whether it is physical cash on his person, his wealth in stocks and in the bank, or even luxury items like jewelry, into pure raw power. Through this ability, he can seemingly increase his physical stats infinitely as long as he has the money to power that increase.
This power might seem a bit silly, but with only some pocket change, a weakened Fitzgerald managed to send a grown man flying with one punch, showing just how much power only a little cash can give him. Considering that for most of the series, he's had access to an enormous amount of wealth that few could even fathom, it's easy to see why he was considered strong enough to lead to the Guild, both in terms of strength and resources.
The only true limitation is that once his personal wealth is depleted, he essentially becomes powerless until he is able to replenish his funds in some way. The way this power works is also quite dangerous, as it doesn't require any tangible representation of money but rather seems to target any and all available sources of wealth, whether they are on his person or in his bank account. Francis' gift essentially "buys" power, meaning that whatever form of money he used to "pay" for the boost in physical abilities is literally converted into that power boost. Not only does this mean he can't reuse funds for further boosts in power, but theoretically, this could also have huge economic ramifications, as the funds he uses to increase his power disappear, never to be recirculated again. It's a unique though terrifying ability.
Leo Constantine Pinochle Turns Money Into Whatever He Is Able to Afford
In High Card, the titular team's leader and current wielder of the Seven of Diamonds is none other than Leo Constantine Pinochle, whose power is "Never No Dollars." With his unique power, Leo is able to use whatever cash is on his person to conjure anything he wants, as long as it is equivalent in value to the amount of cash he "spends."
Considering that he is seemingly already quite wealthy in his own right and that his group is funded directly by the royal family of Fourland, the amount of money at his disposal is practically unlimited. However, due to its nature and the potential economic ramifications, he does seem to use his ability much more sparingly than the other members of the team.
If "Never No Dollars" had any real limitation, it would be that Leo can only use it when he has a tangible form of currency on his person, meaning he can't simply use funds in his bank account or from other sources like Francis Fitzgerald can. If there were to be another downside, it would probably be that while this ability gives the user the ability to theoretically conjure anything they want, there doesn't seem to be much wiggle room concerning the cost of things he conjures. In other words, while Francis was able to give himself enough power to send a grown man flying with just 50 cents, Leo would only be able to conjure up half of a pack of gum for that same amount.
Money Can't Buy Happiness Even in Anime
For characters that seem to be incredibly wealthy as well as powered by that very wealth, both Leo and Francis are rather miserable. A common phrase in the real world is that "money can't buy happiness," though if you ask most people, they would tell you otherwise. Money might not be able to buy happiness, as that is an emotional state, but it can help buy things or at the very least create a certain degree of security that allows one to pursue dreams and goals that may lead to the happiness they are seeking. However, even in the best of situations, with all the money in the world, there are things that money cannot buy or do.
In Francis' case, even with all his money and resources, he wasn't able to save his daughter from dying. To make matters worse, while he was able to at least move on partially from that tragedy, his wife seemingly had a mental breakdown, unable to accept the death of their daughter. Even after so much time had passed, his wife still believes that their daughter is studying abroad, with Francis desperately trying to find a way to bring his daughter back to life in hopes that it might save his wife. Unfortunately, no amount of money can buy enough power to bring his daughter back from the dead.
Leo's situation is somewhat similar. Rather than trying to do something as incredible as bringing the dead back to life, he desperately seeks the approval and love of his father, though seems unable to receive this. Based on the few scenes he's appeared in, Leo's father comes off as cold, calculating and unaffectionate. Leo believes that all his father values are results and that he wouldn't hesitate to cut off anything he believes is holding him back, even his own family.
For someone who can literally create just about anything out of thin air or pay to become as powerful as they need to be, it's rather ironic and sad that both characters suffer from being unable to buy the one thing they each want. Irony can be cruel, and no characters exemplify this better than these two.