Most anime are based on manga, but a pretty sizable chunk of series is developed from light novels, and one of the more popular light novel series is Sword Art Online, which first told the story of 10,000 players who got trapped inside a VR video game. If this wasn't terrifying enough, if any of those people died in-game, they died in real life too. The main character is named Kirito, and after meeting numerous friends and advancing pretty far in the game, he ends up saving all the remaining players.

RELATED: The 10 Most Confusing Things About The Sword Art Online Anime, Finally Explained

SOA has had several sequels, all of which take place in different video game worlds, and Kirito has continued to save the day as a talented and skilled swordsman. Kirito is so skilled that there is a good chance he can beat characters from other anime series, but there are also certain characters who he wouldn't stand a chance against.

10 CAN BEAT: In A Melee Fight, Kirito Would Obliterate Usoop

Usopp Reuniting With His Crew

Usopp is definitely an interesting character, but despite his faults, he is still a valued member of the Straw Hat crew. As the crew's sniper, Ussop can take enemies out from a distance with his slingshot. In addition, he fires more than just bullets, as he cultivates Pop Green seeds that instantly grow into plants--some of which are violent.

In SAO's second season, Kirito proved that he was capable of defeating ranged enemies when he took on Death Gun and several other firearm users in "Gun Gale Online's" Bullet of Bullets event. Kirito should be able to avoid all of Usopp's shots, and if he gets close enough, the battle will be over in an instant because Usopp's melee combat skills are practically nonexistent.

9 CAN'T BEAT: Byakuya Kuchiki Would Cut Kirito To Shreds With His Zanpakuto's Abilities

byakuya bleach

Byakuya Kuchiki is the Captain of Squad 6, which means that he is quite strong, but he has a few weaknesses too. Kirito may be a competent swordsman, but Byakuya is a master swordsman who specializes in Shunpo, a technique that allows Soul Reapers to move faster than the eye can see.

RELATED: Bleach: Rukia's 5 Greatest Strengths (& Her 5 Biggest Weaknesses)

Kirito wouldn't be able to defend against Byakuya's speed, and even if he could, there is no way he would survive the Captain's Zanpakutō. In its Shikai, Senbonzakura separates into a thousand tiny, slender blade fragments that are invisible to the human eye, while the Bankai allows Byakuya to control tens of thousands of blade fragments, that are designed to surround an enemy and rip them to shreds.

8 CAN BEAT: Light May Have The Death Note, But He's Still Just An Ordinary Human

light yagami death note

Light Yagami started off as an ordinary high school student, but his life changed when he picked up a Death Note--which happens to be one of the strongest weapons in all of anime. All Light needs to do is learn Kirito's real name and write it in the Death Note, and it will set off a chain of events that cannot be stopped.

If he were to write up an elaborate death, that will be exactly how Kirito dies. Or if he only writes his name, Kirito will suffer a fatal heart attack after 40 seconds. This power seems overpowered, but it wouldn't work on Kirito because his real name is Kirigaya Kazuto. When this fails, Kirito will be able to overpower Light with his sword skills.

7 CAN'T BEAT: Zoro Would Easily Overpower Kirito

zoro swords

Zoro is the second strongest member of the Straw Hat crew, and since his debut, he has become one of anime's most iconic swordsmen. Kirito might be able to have a decent exchange with Zoro, but at the end of the day, the Straw Hat swordsman will win because of his endurance, durability, and physical strength.

Zoro can cut a building in half with one swing, and he can swing his sword with such force and speed that he can create a compressed air blade for ranged attacks. The Straw Hat swordsman can also infuse his blades with Armament Haki, which would shatter Kirito's weapons.

6 CAN BEAT: Shino's Bugs Would Do Nothing To Kirito

shino summoning insects naruto

Shino is one of several classic Naruto characters who just stopped being important, which is unfortunate because he had an interesting fighting style. Shino comes from a clan that uses chakra eating insects to incapacitate enemy ninja.

RELATED: Naruto: 10 Strongest Clans Not From Konoha, Ranked

Unfortunately, these insects would have literally no effect on Kirito because none of his abilities rely on chakra, and he can cut through them with his swords. Shino may be a high-ranking shinobi, but he has shown virtually no skill with actual weapons, which gives Kirito a serious advantage.

5 CAN'T BEAT: Saitama Would Annihilate Kirito With A Single Punch

Anime One Punch Man Saitama Crater

One-Punch Man is filled with action, and at the center of it all is Saitama, the most powerful being in existence. He is so strong that he hasn't suffered a single injury in battle, and he has defeated every enemy he has ever faced with just one punch. Most of those enemies didn't survive.

Kirito may be strong, but he wouldn't be able to even scratch Saitama in a fight. In fact, Kirito's swords would probably shatter when they touch his skin. Besides, a single punch from Saitama would instantly destroy every bone and organ in Kirito's body.

4 CAN BEAT: Hercule's Martial Arts Skills Can't Compete With Kirito's Swordsmanship

hercule

The Dragon Ball series inspired an entire generation of anime fans and manga artists, and it featured plenty of powerful characters who were martial arts masters. Hercule is regarded as a hero and as one of Earth's greatest martial artists, but in truth, he's a coward and one of the weakest characters in the series.

In a pure melee fight, Hercule might be able to beat Kirito because of his size and muscular build, but Kirito has swords and is faster with a lot more agility than Hercule. Therefore, he should be able to avoid the fighter's kicks and punches and cut him down.

3 CAN'T BEAT: Akame Is A Well Trained Assassin With An Overpowered Katana

Akame in battle in Akame Ga Kill!

Akame Ga Kill has a lot of great battles, and Akame was involved in most of them. The former assassin wields Murasame, a cursed blade that can kill a person with a single cut, no matter how deep it is. This happens because the katana spreads a poisonous curse through someone's body as soon as it pierces their skin.

Kirito may be skilled, but he is nowhere near as skilled as Akame, and even if he was able to keep up with her and defend against her attacks, all she needs to do is scratch him and the battle is over.

2 CAN BEAT: Kon Is Just A Plushy

kon bleach

At the beginning of BleachIchigo needed a way to protect his human body while he was out fighting Hollows, and that's when Kon was introduced. Kon is a modified soul, which means that his real body looks like a pill, but he is actually an expert at hand-to-hand combat who has enhanced strength and speed.

RELATED: Bleach: 10 Times Ichigo Met His Match (But Won Anyway)

He may keep Ichigo safe, but he spends most of his time in a stuffed lion doll, and it's safe to assume that Kirito would be able to beat a plushy with ease.

1 CAN'T BEAT: Madara Uchiha Wouldn't Get Hit By Any Of Kirito's Attacks

Madara Uchiha crossing his arms Naruto

Madara Uchiha is arguably Naruto's best villain, and he is so strong that he was basically a god by the end of the series. As an Uchiha, Madara has an affinity for Fire-Style jutsu, which would burn Kirito to ash. More importantly, he can summon a giant humanoid avatar called Susanoo, which can change the entire landscape with a single sword slash.

Against Kirito though, Madara wouldn't even need to resort to such abilities because he can just rely on his Sharingan. Thanks to the Sharingan, he will be able to read all of Kirito's attacks and dodge them effortlessly. He can then manhandle Kirito at close range since he is an expert at hand-to-hand combat.

NEXT: Sword Art Online: 5 Anime Swordsman Stronger Than Kirito (& 5 Weaker)