There are many different styles of anime that have been able to catch on with audiences and create massive fandoms, but the enthusiasm that accompanies the shonen world is often at a whole other level. Many shonen anime are responsible for some of the most addictive anime adventures and they’re often full of incredibly strong characters that are meant to fight against, or for, the forces of evil.
A common trope within shonen anime is that there are ultimate forms of transformation that allow characters to reach new plateaus of power. A lot of these transformations and new forms of strength are featured in shonen series, but some are more impressive than others.
10 Goku’s Ultra instinct Form Puts Him At The Power Of Gods
When people think of exaggerated transformations and powerful final forms it’s typically Dragon Ball that comes to mind. The series’ running tradition of new levels of Super Saiyan have helped define the series as well as turn it into a parody to some degree. Dragon Ball Super introduces even more new forms, but the apex appears to be Goku’s Ultra Instinct -Sign- ability. It’s a level of power that operates beyond consciousness and makes Goku practically unstoppable and seems to even intimidate Gods of Destruction. However, it’s a highly unstable maneuver.
9 Naruto’s Nine-Tailed Fox Form Brings Out His Inner Demon
Naruto pushes its characters through heavy crises, many of which see them gaining immense powers. It’s quickly made clear that Naruto Uzumaki has the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox demon dormant inside of him. It's not a speedy development, but it means all the more when Naruto does learn how to tap into his Nine-Tailed Fox form. Not only is this transformation incredibly strong, but it's equipped to handle most situations with a wide array of diverse skills. Naruto also masters the basics of Sage Mode, which imbues even more strength into this already deadly form.
8 Kars Becomes The Ultimate Being In JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a wild series that’s showcased some seriously dangerous villains that literally have the ability to rewrite reality thanks to the power of their Stands. Stands become increasingly overpowered, but even before they’re introduced there’s a more deadly individual by the name of Kars.
Kars achieves what so few villains are able to accomplish and his scheme for Godly immortality is a success. Joseph Joestar has to turn to extremely unconventional methods to extinguish this threat, but most individuals would be useless against Kars and his strength.
7 Luffy's Gear Fourth Turns Him Into One Piece’s Gigantic Powerhouse
One Piece is one of the longest-running shonen anime series and Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew have all seen tons of adventure and grown in substantial ways. It's very satisfying to witness Luffy's evolution since the series’ debut, and he's been able to push his Devil Fruit elasticity to even more impressive levels with the advent of his Gear transformations. Luffy has achieved Gear Fourth, which ostensibly utilizes the powers of Gear Second and Gear Third, but injects even more power into Luffy's embellished physique. It's an immense upgrade that Luffy still finds new uses for.
6 Eren Jaeger Claims The Power Of Several Devastating Titans
Attack on Titan is one of the best anime of its generation and the series’ final season defies expectations in surprising and satisfying ways. The giant man-eating Titans are the ultimate source of power in the series and it’s eventually revealed that select individuals can will these transformations into existence. The war to obtain more Titans and the supremely influential Founding Titan becomes a priority and it’s Eren who benefits the most from all of this. Eren experiments with several Titan forms, beginning with the Attack Titan, and it turns him into one of the series’ most resilient characters.
5 Ichigo’s Fullbring Form In Bleach Is Just One Of Many Demonic Transformations
Bleach is a shonen series that’s very interested in the extermination of megalomaniacal demons and Ichigo Kurosaki becomes a savant in the field. Ichigo acquaints himself with a litany of upgrades throughout the series, many of which turn into works in progress as he continues to understand his abilities.
Ichigo's Shinigami, Vasto Lorde, and Bankai forms all mark significant growth in the fighter, and some even apply a boost in the swords that he uses in battle. However, it’s Ichigo’s Fullbring form that's truly remarkable and gives him complete mastery over souls.
4 Izuku Midoriya’s 100% One For All Transcends The Limits Of The Human Body
My Hero Academia is a delightful mix of shonen with superhero sensibilities, and it’s greatly satisfying to watch Izuku Midoriya and his peers grow into professional superheroes at U.A. High. There are lots of overpowered Quirks in the series, but Midoriya’s One For All is one of the most temperamental. It initially seems like a burden since Midoriya can only use a fraction of its strength and it still ravages his body. However, special circumstances have allowed him to push One For All to its limits, and the strength it possesses is unbelievable.
3 Yu Yu Hakusho’s Yusuke's Demon Form Brings Out His Animal Instinct
Yu Yu Hakusho is a 1990s shonen series, and like many of its peers, the show slowly embraces combat over story as it continues. The latter half of Yu Yu Hakusho essentially turns into a giant tournament that's full of some of the world's most dangerous demons. Yusuke Urameshi’s evolution through the series involves him coming to terms with his partly demon roots and can transform into an exaggerated version of himself. Yusuke's Demon form looks more intimidating and is considerably stronger, but it still feels a little lacking in comparison to some of the other transformations in the anime.
2 Rage & Determination Ignite Hunter X Hunter’s Adult Gon Limitation
Hunter x Hunter does something pretty special with its protagonist, Gon Freecss, during the series’ later Chimera Ant Arc. Hunter x Hunter's Gon is an adorable and incorrigible young fighter. He's very strong, but it's juxtaposed to his unassuming and playful appearance. This is beautifully subverted when Gon uses limitation and vow skills to transform into Adult Gon. This most mature manifestation represents the anger that brews in Gon during his mission to save Kite and take out Pitou. It's a transformation that works so well purely because of the restraint it applies to Gon before all of this.
1 Jin Mori’s Monkey King Mode Removes The Limitations Of The Human Body
The God of High School is a recent anime that adapts the wildly popular manhwa series of the same name. The adventure begins with fairly grounded high school students that all practice different forms of martial arts, but a powerful force called Charyeok becomes increasingly prevalent. Jin Mori, the show’s protagonist, inadvertently taps into latent powers that transform him into a powerful Monkey King Mode. All of Mori’s skills are heightened in this form and his body can vastly surpass its normal limitations. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s a major key in the war against the evil Nox organization.