Overpowering more significant adversity with the power of friendship has become a staple in shonen anime. Unfortunately, more often than not, the power of friendship is executed rather poorly, coming out of the blue and lacking strong rooting within the story, making it feel like a Deux ex Machina. While Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail may have its fair share of issues, it masterfully wields the power of friendship by integrating it directly into the power system.

Establishing the importance of friendship and finding family as core themes while adding aspects to the power system allows the power of friendship to feel natural and justified when used within Fairy Tail. Mashima's characters are often lonely or abandoned individuals who benefit immensely from the opportunity to join a family like Fairy Tail, so empowerment through other people is also a driving factor for most of the cast. While the power of friendship may still feel a bit hokey or cliché, Mashima did a fantastic job of making it fun and justified in the narrative.

RELATED: Fairy Tail: Dragon Slayers Explained

Natsu powering up with etherion

Magic manifests as the spirit creating a physical form, which one's feelings and connections can heighten. Throughout the series, the loneliest characters get impressive new abilities in the heat of the moment due to the potency of a newfound friendship or family tie. Many of the most potent abilities in the series also stem from a desire to protect and save one's family and friends or remove whatever force is tormenting them.

Natsu consistently highlights these aspects of the magic system when he saves his guild mates by overcoming his limitations, consuming a manifestation of magic, and temporarily gaining a burst of strength in the heat of the moment. Aspects of Natsu's Dragon Slayer magic allow him to eat fire and occasionally other magics to boost his skills. Coupling that ability with the elevated desire to save his found family and Natsu's power surges make narrative sense through Mashima's system. While this usage of Natsu's temporary power boost could quickly become exhausting, it is salvaged by how well it fits into the magic system and its ethereal nature.

RELATED: Zeref Is Considered Fairy Tail's Most Sinister Mage - But His Motives Were Justified

While Natsu encompasses most of what makes the power of friendship work well for Fairy Tail, he is also one of the least compelling examples. Juvia is a crowning example of a lonely individual empowered by newfound friends, giving her more strength. The three Fairy Magics involve protecting one's family and friends or dispatching enemies. And, Lucy's abilities hinge directly on the power of friendship since she gains strength from bonding with the Celestial Spirits.

Lucy's magical abilities involve summoning spirits from another dimension to assist her in many weird ways. Lucy's relationships with the broad spectrum of spirits boosts her magical capabilities. At the same time, she owns the keys and establishes contracts with these beings. The level of their power and availability waxes and wanes depending on the depth of a shared bond.

RELATED: If Edens Zero Leans Into Its Roots and Inspirations, It Could Stand The Test of Time

celestial spirits fairy tail

The level of connection and conviction Lucy has for the Celestial Spirits is so deep that she convinces the Celestial Spirit King to change their laws in an attempt to save Loki. This same King comes to Lucy and Fairy Tail's rescue after Aquarius urges Lucy to break her key to summon the King in a time of great distress. The power of friendship in Lucy's abilities is only growing as her familial bonds with the Spirits continue to strengthen.

Fairy Tail, the story, and the guild are all about bringing together a motley mix of like-minded misfits to form found families, so it only serves that the guild's specific magic would be about protecting that family from any number of dangers. The Three Great Fairy Magics all manifest the caster or the guild's connections and friendship into a vibrant means of solving the guild's problems. For example, Fairy Sphere utilizes the whole of the guild's bonds to set up a near impenetrable barrier. The other two spells are more related and involve removing opposing forces: Fairy Glitter and Fairy Law repel or damage individuals that the caster distinguishes as enemies.

RELATED: These Anime Villains Had the Best Ideologies

Lucy and Juvia working together

While any magician can tap into this, the Fairy Tail guild's penchant for becoming a family has allowed their members, old and new, more access to these magic boosts through the power of friendship. The lonely former villain turned guild member, Juvia Lockser, best embodies this guild element. While Juvia isn't a lead or super strong character, and she is downright a bit weird, the displays of friendship and love that manifest as the powerful magic Unison Raids are Fairy Tail's finest example of the power of friendship. These Unison Raids combine people's magic into an extremely powerful fused creation.

Juvia can connect with her guildmates on multiple occasions to unleash the supposedly rare Unison Raid. The first time Juvia unlocks this ultimate manifestation of friendship is when Lucy confesses that Juvia is a member of the guild and a wonderful friend with her highly caring nature. Lucy's friendship and ability to bring out people's best allowed Juvia to unlock a new potential she never had in the colder dark guilds.

RELATED: Black Clover Sets Return Date for Manga's Final Arc

Juvia And Gray participating in a parade and smiling

With a more open heart, Juvia can continue to develop more vital bonds, none more potent than her love for Gray Fullbuster. Her infectious emotions allow the awkward duo to unlock Unison Raids on numerous occasions. While the Unison Raid may seem like highly accessible magic because Fairy Tail members readily use it on multiple occasions, Jellal acknowledges that numerous individuals wasted their whole lives trying to unlock its power.

Juvia also stands as an example of Fairy Tail's power of friendship not to overcome villains but to convert them to guild members. Over a dozen former villains either join Fairy Tail or find a brighter path in life thanks to Fairy Tail. The show's over-the-top approach to emotions and interactions makes this recurring trope fit perfectly into the narrative.

RELATED: Shonen Jump Manga to Read While One Piece, MHA, and Black Clover Are On Break

The Fairy Tail Guild Returns

What Fairy Tail lacks in stakes and depth, it makes up for with a bombastic and lovable cast that endears itself to viewers and other characters. Furthermore, the magic system and themes of the story allow for the perfect execution of the power of friendship without feeling too contrived or convenient. Mashima handles this staple element in shonen anime differently by embracing it and adopting it as part of his fabricated world.