Anime fights combine a variety of elements that often leave fans on the edge of their seats. Naruto uses diverse jutsus to keep the fights interesting and unexpected. Dragon Ball highlights the emotional consequences for those in battle, resulting in characters pushing beyond their limit. Death Note takes advantage of its intellectual characters, skillfully moving the game pieces of life to achieve the desired outcome.
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However, sometimes an anime character plays their trump card, unleashing an ability so effective their opponent stands no chance. These overpowered abilities not only portray the power of the character but set a precedent that this individual should not be messed with.
Updated by Kennedy King on October 13th, 2022: With each passing year, more and more quality anime series are released, bringing with them a plethora of powerful new characters. These characters usually possess a varied skill set, but in almost every case, they have an ace up their sleeve for moments when they're faced with dire circumstances — an overpowered ultimate ability. These attacks can often level the playing field both literally and figuratively, so they deserve recognition for their contribution to their respective series.
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15 Yusuke Urameshi Holds Back The Demon World Spirit Gun
YuYu Hakusho
YuYu Hakusho's Yusuke Urameshi undergoes a variety of trials and tribulations in the Demon World, but there is one thing that he is consistently able to rely on during his time there — his Spirit Gun attack. Although the move goes through a few power-ups, its premise effectively remains the same.
Originally, Yusuke could only fire Spirit Gun once a day. But by the end of the series, he is able to fire a seemingly unlimited number of shots with the move. In addition to this, he can also charge the move up for a mega blast, as evidenced in his fights against Toguro and Sensui.
14 Shigeo Kageyama Is Unstoppable After Unleashing ???%
Mob Psycho 100
At first glance, Shigeo Kageyama seems to be a meek, unassuming schoolboy. In actuality, his demeanor belies what are quite possibly the strongest psychic abilities in the universe of Mob Psycho 100. As seen throughout the series, Kageyama's power is represented through a percentage meter that maxes out at 100%. However, on rare occasions, the show's protagonist enters a devastating state known as ???%.
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While in this state, Kageyama is an out-of-control threat that risks causing damage to all parties — not just his enemies. Due to this, the ???% state is never purposefully employed. But should an opponent push him too far, they risk incurring unimaginable wrath.
13 Yami Took Down A Devil With Dark-Cloaked Dimension Slash
Black Clover
As the captain of the Clover Kingdom's Black Bulls, Yami Sukehiro is tasked with facing off against some of the most formidable threats known to the Magic Kingdoms. Devils and rival wizards alike challenge the katana-wielding swordsman. But unfortunately for them, Yami is capable of what is arguably the most dangerous attack in Black Clover — Dark Cloaked Dimension Slash.
The Black Bulls' captain uses a few variations of this spell, including the ultra-powerful Equinox attack used against Zagred during the Elf Reincarnation arc. Every time they find their target, they cause catastrophic damage.
12 The Gura Gura No Mi Almost Brought The World Government To Its Knees
One Piece
Gol D. Roger may have set the bar for pirates in One Piece, but it is actually Edward Newgate who rules the seas during the beginning of the long-running series. Whitebeard and his pirate crew are among the greatest in history, due in no small part to their captain's inhumanly strong Devil Fruit, the Gura Gura no Mi.
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The Gura Gura no Mi allows its user to send vibrations throughout the world around them, turning them into a walking earthquake capable of leveling any terrain imaginable. As seen during the Battle of Marineford, Whitebeard's abilities with the fruit were almost enough to singlehandedly topple the military of the World Government.
11 Getsuga Tensho Made Ichigo A Threat To The Soul Society
Bleach
When Ichigo Kurasaki first gains his powers as a Substitute Soul Reaper, his preliminary leap in power is enough to leave fans awestruck. His oversized blade, sleek black cloak, and do-or-die attitude all seem like bad news for his Hollow opponents.
But without Getsuga Tensho, the devastating attack that he learns much later in Bleach, his progress would have become stunted much sooner. After mastering Getsuga Tensho during his Bankai training, Ichigo is consistently able to use the move at will, directly resulting in the defeat of several major antagonists.
10 One For All Is As Strong As The Willpower Of Those Who Wield It
My Hero Academia
A Quirk that can be passed to another, My Hero Academia's One For All is like the ultimate performance enhancer. The ability allows the user to stockpile power and increase their physical abilities, gifting them superhuman strength, speed, and durability.
Furthermore, the user can focus the power into a single body part or skillfully spread it throughout their body, granting them extraordinary offensive and defensive capabilities. This Quirk can be transferred to another only if the previous holder agrees to it. Therefore, this quirk couldn't be stolen by the villain, All For One.
9 Final Flash Could Destroy Planets
Dragon Ball
A signature move belonging to Vegeta, the Saiyan prince unleashes an energy wave at his opponent, often resulting in victory. A technique developed whilst training in the hyperbolic time chamber, Vegeta must gather enormous amounts of Ki before combining the ability with electricity.
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Unlike other one-shot abilities, the power of Final Flash can increase or decrease depending on Vegeta's own power level. Although extremely powerful, there are several characters stronger than Vegeta who survived this onslaught.
8 Kamehameha Is Anime's Most Iconic Attack
Dragon Ball
Kamehameha is arguably the most famous move in anime history. Invented by Master Roshi and adopted by Goku as his signature move, the ability involves concentrating ki into a single point before releasing a single beam of energy.
This move is responsible for the defeat of several Dragon Ballantagonists and, like Final Flash, Kamehameha's power is dependent on the strength of the user. However, some have survived the signature move from the Saiyan God.
7 Sunshine Reaches Its Apex At High Noon
The Seven Deadly Sins
Sunshine is a grace originally possessed by Mael, one of the four Archangels, and made famous by Escanor. Fans of The Seven Deadly Sins know just how devastating this ability is.
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The user's overall power level increases as the sun rises higher in the sky, eventually reaching its absolute peak at noon. During this period, the user is said to possess the invincible incarnation of the power. With the use of sunshine, Escanor defeated all sons of the Demon King with ease.
6 Izanami Breaks The Psyche Of Even The Strongest Characters
Naruto
A power used by Itachi Uchiha during the events of Naruto, Izanami is one of the many overpowered abilities granted to a Sharingan user. Izanami is an extremely complex and powerful genjutsu that decides one's destiny
The Sharingan user must retain as much information as possible about a moment of their choosing. Next, the user activates Izanami, trapping their opponent in a never-ending loop, repeating the moment of the Sharingan users choosing. The victim is destined to relive this moment forever with no escape. Only once they accept their fate can they free themselves from the illusion.
5 Gate Of Babylon Allows For Unparalleled Diversity
Fate
As seen in the anime Fate, the Gates Of Babylon is overwhelming in destructive power. Gilgamesh stored all the treasures he collected throughout his natural life and has the ability to call upon them at will. These treasures pass through the gate, granting the user access.
Gilgamesh can summon a weapon to hand, pull them out of the air, or fire them directly from the gate. He can summon one at a time or call upon them all, firing them simultaneously. His arsenal is infinite and his mastery is exceptional. His opponent requires an ultimate defense to stand a chance against him.
4 Infinity Could Annihilate Any Sorcerers Or Curses
Jujutsu Kaisen
Infinity is a completely broken technique belonging to Satoru Gojo of Jujutsu Kaisen. The ability grants Gojo complete immunity from physical attacks, as Infinity slows things down and Gojo controls just how slow. When an attack approaches Gojo, it hits the infinite space between them, and Gojo then manipulates speed, deciding what can and can't hit him.
Satoru is so far the strongest character in Jujutsu Kaisen, and it's not even close. This power, combined with his domain expansion, makes the protagonist untouchable.
3 Lelouch's Geass Subverts Expectations
Code Geass
The epic series Code Geass focuses on battle strategy rather than the battles themselves. Lelouch is a genius and gifted general, often outmaneuvering opponents with ease. However, what allowed him to rise to power is the Geass given to him by a witch.
With this ability, Lelouch can command anyone to do what he says, as long as he makes eye contact with the individual. With this power, Lelouch successfully dismantled a massive empire and brought peace to the world. The only downside is the ability can only be used on any given person once.
2 Serious Punch Renders Saitama An Unstoppable Force
One-Punch Man
The protagonist of the popular anime One-Punch Man, Saitama has the uncanny ability to defeat any opponent with just one punch. Because of this, he finds the hero life boring as no one can challenge him.
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It's not very often Saitama gets to actually use his serious punch. However, when fighting Boros, a universe-conquering alien, Saitama decides to take the fight earnestly and use his most serious punch. As expected, it kills Boros, despite Saitama not making direct contact.
Death Note
Death Note was revolutionary. The anime follows Light Yagami, a boy genius who comes across the Death Note. This book belonged to a Shinigami and grants the user the ability to kill anyone whose name is written in the death note. The book never fails, and no one in Death Note can escape their fate.
Due to Light's near-superhuman intelligence, the twisted protagonist uses the book to create a new world order, with him as the leader. Because of the Death Note's 100% success rate, it is easily the most overpowered one-shot ability in all of anime.
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