The Strongest Anime Characters of All Time
Over the past few decades, an unfathomable number of hours have been spent trying to determine who is the strongest anime character of all time. There are countless candidates to choose from, making it a very difficult question to answer. In fact, given that many have access to their own unique powers and abilities, some will argue that there is no definitive answer. These people may well be right, but that hasn’t stopped others from trying to find one.
When attempting to come to a definitive conclusion, there are many variables that need to be taken into account. Obviously, the most important of these is how strong the characters are, though things like durability, fighting style, and special skills also need to be factored in. The strongest anime characters score highly in each of these categories and have typically proven themselves in battle time and time again.
Updated November 6, 2023, by Tom Bowen: The ongoing discourse surrounding the strongest anime character of all time is unlikely to ever end, with fans of certain series adamant that their respective characters deserve to be on the podium. Short of throwing them all into a ring together to duke it out ala Jump Force, though, it’s difficult to see how a truly definitive answer could ever truly be reached. Even so, the highly subjective nature of ranking the strongest anime characters of all time certainly isn’t going to stop people from trying.
Muzan Kibutsuji
Origin: Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer
Studio ufotable
Genres Action, Adventure
Release Date 2019-04-06
Number of Episodes 55
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Netflix, Crunchyroll
Given his status as the leader of the Twelve Kizuki, not to mention, King of the demons, Muzan Kibutsuji’s reputation for chaos and carnage is already fairly well established at this point in the Demon Slayer anime. Even if it weren’t though, his ability to control anyone with his demonic blood coursing through their veins almost makes it a moot point. He has an unstoppable army of demons right at his fingertips, and, unlike a regular army, there’s zero chance of a mutiny.
Muzan’s an incredibly accomplished fighter in his own right though, with his superhuman strength allowing him to tear through the Hashira ranks with relative ease. Even if one of them did somehow manage to get close enough to catch him off guard, his immortality and Biokinetic abilities serve as the ultimate safety net. It’s not like the Hashira can just wait him out either, as, just for good measure, Muzan also possesses eternal youth.
Son Goku
Origin: Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Z
Studio Toei Animation
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure
Release Date 1989-04-26
Number of Episodes 291
Streaming Sevice Crunchyroll
Although it could certainly be argued that Zeno is the strongest character in Dragon Ball, there’s a big difference between strength and power. Sure, Zeno could erase all of existence with the snap of his tiny little fingers, but, given his small stature, he likely wouldn’t fare all that well in a fistfight. Goku, on the other hand, is in his element in such surroundings.
The Super Saiyan has proven to be Earth’s savior on countless occasions, managing to overcome just about every obstacle he’s ever faced. Thanks to his Saiyan blood, defeat only makes him stronger and, in Ultra Instinct, he now has access to the Power of the Gods. As he begins to master that power, he’s only going to get stronger, just as he has done for the past three and a half decades.
Saitama
Origin: One Punch Man
One Punch Man
Studio Madhouse, J.C.Staff
Genres Superhero, Action
Release Date 2015-10-05
Number of Episodes 24
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Netflix
Due to the satirical nature of One Punch Man, it’s safe to assume that Saitama is intended to represent the strongest anime character of all time and it’s somewhat difficult to dispute that assertion. Unlike Goku and other anime heroes — who are often pushed to their absolute limits — Saitama is able to defeat his enemies using a single attack without ever breaking a sweat.
There’s perhaps an argument to be made that other anime characters would also thrive if placed in the One Punch Man universe and this may well be true. Ultimately though, pretty much every other anime hero has, at one point or another, been shown to be weaker than other characters in their respective universes; suggesting that somewhere down the line, the same thing will probably happen again. In Saitama’s case, however, he’s always been number one and likely always will be.
Gilgamesh
Origin: Fate/stay night
Fate/Zero
Studio Ufotable
Genres Action, Fantasy
Release Date 2011-10-01
Number of Episodes 25
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Crunchyroll
Gilgamesh is one of the best anime villains of all time, not to mention one of the strongest. He boasts a wide variety of useful combat skills and abilities, allowing him to take on the most powerful anime characters without ever breaking a sweat. Like many of his peers, he has superhuman strength and speed as well as supernatural luck. Just for good measure, he can also fly.
One of the things that makes Gilgamesh such an excellent villain is his incredible charisma, which makes him difficult to dislike despite being a recurring antagonist during several of the Fate series. Granted, there are certainly more ruthless anime villains throughout the franchise, but none are as memorable as Gilgamesh, nor are any quite as powerful.
Ryuko Matoi
Origin: Kill la Kill
Kill la Kill
Studio Trigger
Release Date 2013-10-04
Number of Episodes 24
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Crunchyroll
After merging with a mysterious garment made out of Life Fibers, Kill la Kill protagonist Ryuko Matoi finds that her combat abilities have been greatly enhanced. While wearing the sentient sailor uniform, Ryuko’s appearance changes too, with her hair eventually becoming blonde like something out of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise.
Together with the former’s trusty red Scissor Blade, Ryuko and Senketsu take down countless powerful foes at the Honnouji Academy as Ryuko attempts to find out the truth about her father’s murder. Senketsu can absorb the Life Fibers of other sentient uniforms too, meaning that Ryuko becomes exponentially stronger with each passing volume of the show.
Toriko
Origin: Toriko
A lot of anime characters draw their strength from magical powers or abilities, but that’s not really the case with Toriko. Affectionately nicknamed the glutton due to his love of food, Toriko epitomizes the concept of brute strength, with his high-calorie diet helping to transform him into one of the hardest-hitting anime characters around.
As a Gourmet Hunter, Toriko’s main aim is to discover ingredients, but that’s not to say that there aren’t still fight scenes in the Toriko anime and manga series. It’s here that the titular character is able to show his true strength and his appetite for destruction, with some of his signature abilities capable of disintegrating enemies in an instant.
Toriko
Studio Toei Animation
Genres Action-Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Release Date 2011-04-03
Number of Episodes 147
Streaming Sevice Hulu
Aang
Origin: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Studio Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Genres Animation, Action, Adventure
Release Date 2005-02-21
Number of Episodes 61
Streaming Sevice Netflix
Avatar: The Last Airbender introduces several powerful Avatars, but none are quite on the same level as Aang. He begins the series as an inexperienced and goofy young child, but gradually grows into one of the most powerful anime characters in existence, with his mastery over the four bending arts playing a big part in that.
Throughout the course of the series, Aang proves himself in battle on countless occasions, with his ability to learn from each encounter helping him to grow stronger each time. This culminates with his victory over Ozai, the Phoenix King, during which, Aang uses energy bending to end the fight without a single casualty.
Eren Yeager
Origin: Attack On Titan
Attack On Titan
Studio Wit Studio, MAPPA
Genres Drama, Action, Fantasy
Release Date 2013-04-07
Number of Episodes 90
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Crunchyroll
Though Eren is far from useless while in his human form, it’s not until he transforms that he really becomes deadly. The ability to mutate into an unstoppable fifteen-foot Titan is an incredibly useful one to have up one’s sleeve, and it’s one that comes to his rescue time and time again throughout Attack on Titan.
Due to his sheer size alone, few anime characters could ever really hope to bring him down, while the list of those who could survive his sheer strength is perhaps shorter still. He also carries the Founding Titan power within him, which allows him to control other Titans after coming into contact with someone who has royal blood coursing through their veins.
Satoru Gojo
Origin: Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen
Studio MAPPA
Genres Supernatural, Action
Release Date 2020-10-03
Number of Episodes 37+
Streaming Sevice Crunchyroll
Jujutsu Kaisen is home to many of the strongest anime characters of all time, but Satoru Gojo is the pick of the bunch here. Being the first person in the Gojo family to inherit both the Six Eyes and Limitless techniques in more than four centuries, he’s a formidable fighter who is capable of manipulating and distorting reality at will.
Though for a while it was thought that Satoru’s abilities were on par with another sorcerer named Suguru, the latter later admitted that Satoru’s abilities had far eclipsed his own, with Satoru supposedly able to wipe out all of humanity by himself if he really wanted to. He really is that powerful, as evidenced by his screen time in the show.
All Might
Origin: My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia
Studio Bones
Genres Superhero, Action
Release Date 2016-04-03
Number of Episodes 138
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Crunchyroll
There are plenty of powerful heroes and villains in My Hero Academia, though, with the exception of perhaps All For One and Izuku Midoriya, few can come close to matching All Might. The former number one pro hero was unfathomably powerful thanks to his One For All quirk, which granted him superhuman powers and made him more or less invulnerable thanks to the seemingly limitless supply of strength and speed that it granted.
Unlike a lot of fictional heroes, All Might knew when to call it quits, with Earth’s former protector bowing out of the hero game after defeating All For One in Episode 50 of the anime. Even after relinquishing ownership of his Quirk, however, he remains an important part of the series, not only as a source of wisdom and strength for Izuku, but also as a symbol of peace and harmony throughout the world.
Kageyama Shigo
Origin: Mob Psycho 100
Mob Psycho 100
Studio Bones
Genres Supernatural, Comedy, Action
Release Date 2016-07-12
Number of Episodes 37
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Netflix
Sometimes, big things come in small packages, as evidenced by Mob Psycho 100‘s Kageyama Shigo, who usually just goes by “Mob,” for short. Unlike Eren, who draws much of his power from his vast size after transforming, Mob’s strength is instead derived directly through his thoughts. This may not sound all that impressive on paper, but, when his abilities are fully unleashed upon the world, they hit much harder than any titan ever could.
Unfortunately, Mob is yet to learn how to fully control his powers, instead choosing to shackle them in order to avoid causing accidental damage. They’re still able to escape from time to time when Mob loses control over his emotions though, ensuring that neither he nor those around him can ever truly let their guard down. His true power really is that terrifying, and he’s absolutely right to be so afraid of it.
Naruto Uzumaki
Origin: Naruto
Naruto
Studio Pierrot
Genres Animation, Action, Adventure
Release Date 2002-10-02
Number of Episodes 220
Streaming Sevice Hulu, Netflix, Crunchyroll
Naruto may not be as strong as some of the other popular anime protagonists that are out there, but what he lacks in raw strength, he more than makes up for with technique and confidence. The once narcissistic ninja’s control over the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox makes him a real force to be reckoned with, as too does Sage Mode.
Being able to create gigantic Chakra creatures often comes in handy, particularly as he’s able to use and combine every element while doing so. The Hero of the Hidden Leaf won a World War almost single-handedly with these abilities, which just goes to show how powerful he really is within the confines of the Naruto universe.
Yhwach
Origin: Bleach
Bleach
Studio Pierrot
Genres Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Release Date 2004-10-05
Number of Episodes 392
Streaming Sevice Hulu
Being the Son of the Soul King, Yhwach was blessed with a number of unique powers; most notably the ability to distribute parts of his soul to other living beings simply by touching them. By doing so, he was able to have people cultivate new powers and abilities for him, which he was then able to reclaim and use against his enemies.
Though Ichigo is ultimately able to get the better of Yhwach, this is down to the hero being smarter than the villain; not stronger. Had Yhwach simply finished his rival off when he had the chance, he would no doubt have been able to bring an end to existence and its endless cycle of life and death. With The Almighty — a power that allows its wielder to rewrite the future — at his disposal, there may well be a version of reality in which he did just that.
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