Summary
- Dolly Kill Kill has Phantasma powers, allowing users abilities like super strength and cutting anything believed can be cut.
- Smokin' Parade showcases two power systems: biotechnological Spiders and weaponized Jackalopes using mechanical prosthetics.
- Psyren features psionic powers, starting with basics like telekinesis and evolving into unique abilities such as mind control and healing.
A good power system greatly enhances the story and the action sequences. That’s why, from the Devil Fruits in One Piece to the Alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist to the Breathing Technique in Demon Slayer, the world of shonen manga has no shortage of intriguing power systems.
This list offers an opportunity to dive into some incredible manga with equally exciting power systems. Since these series haven’t received an anime adaptation yet, there’s a good chance that readers might not have heard of them, let alone read them. However, they're definitely worth checking out.
One Piece: 7 Worst Things About Eating A Devil Fruit
From being ostracized to losing the ability to touch the sea forever, here are some of the worst things about eating a devil fruit
10 Dolly Kill Kill
Abilities Awakened by Aliens
- Japanese Title: Dolly♥Kill Kill
- Myanimelist Score: 6.98
- First Published: Aug 16, 2014
Before he shocked the world with the hyper-dynamic football plays in Blue Lock, Yusuke Nomura provided his amazing art for a manga called Dolly Kill Kill. Unlike the intense yet heartwarming Blue Lock, Dolly Kill Kill is about monstrous aliens, violence, gore, deaths, and strange powers.
The power system in Dolly Kill Kill is called Phantasma. When aliens invade and kill more than 90% of humanity, some who are lucky enough to survive awaken a strange power. This power can manifest in all sorts of forms, such as super strength, hyper-regenerative ability, and the ability to control animals, to name a few. The most interesting is the ability to cut anything that the user believes can be cut.
9 Smokin’ Parade
Transforming Monsters vs Weaponized Mechanical Limbs
- Japanese Title: Smokin' Parade
- Myanimelist Score: 7.09
- First Published: Aug 26, 2015
After creating the cult classic Deadman Wonderland, writer Jinsei Kataoka joins forces once again with artist Kazuma Kondou to create another violent manga. In Smokin’ Parade, a group of bloodthirsty mutated humans called the Spiders (made and employed by an evil corporation) clash against the Jackalopes, an underground organization that dedicated themselves to eradicating the Spiders.
Smokin’ Parade has two different power systems. The Evil Company uses biotechnology to forcibly transform regular people into Spiders. These monsters come in different forms and have different lethal abilities, such as sharp claws or legs that can stomp the enemy to a pulp. The Jackalopes, on the other hand, use mechanical prosthetics that can transform into all sorts of deadly weapons, such as an arm that can turn into a high-powered cannon.
8 Daemons of the Shadow Realm
Fighting with Daemons Servants
- Japanese Title: Yomi no Tsugai
- Myanimelist Score: 7.44
- First Published: Dec 10, 2021
Daemons of the Shadow Realm is the latest manga from Hiromu Arakawa, the creator of critically acclaimed manga series like Fullmetal Alchemist, Silver Spoon, and more . This story takes place in modern-day Japan and focuses on the clash between different warring clans and their supernatural entities.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Can Anybody Become An Alchemist?
How hard is it to become an alchemist in the world of FMA?
These beings go by many names, but in this story, they are known as Daemons. Those who can see daemons can form a contract with them. If the Daemons agree, they serve the human and obey their master’s commands. Some Daemons excel in combat with brute strength, while others have more unconventional abilities, like compressing corpses into meatballs for easier disposal or creating teleportation gates. This wide variety of abilities makes the battles feel intense and dynamic.
7 Centuria
Powers Bestowed by Gods and Deities
- Japanese Title: Centuria
- Myanimelist Score: 7.61
- First Published: Apr 8, 2024
Centuria is one of the best new manga from Shounen Jump. It tells the gripping story of a former slave who accidentally acquires tremendous power and won’t hesitate to use it in order to keep his loved one safe. It is brutal, heartbreaking, and incredibly intriguing.
Centuria takes place in a world that looks like Medieval Europe. This world also has Gods, deities, and supernatural entities that will bestow strange powers on those whom they deem deserve it. For the story's hero, the Goddess of the Sea bestowed upon him the strength, speed, endurance, and lives of 100 men.
6 Gokurakugai
Guns, Blades, Martial Arts, and Monster Hybrids
- Japanese Title: Gokurakugai
- Myanimelist Score: 7.71
- First Published: Jul 4, 2022
In Gokurakugai, those who have passed on to the afterlife may sometimes come back in the form of grotesque monsters called Disaster Beasts, also known as Maga. This is the story of Alma and Tao. For the public, they are part of the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter Agency, which does various odd jobs. Behind the scenes, however, they are Maga Killers.
The power system is quite similar to the one in Tokyo Ghoul. Groups of elite fighters can go toe-to-toe with the monsters, using everything from martial arts to weapons like blades and guns. However, some people manage to harness the power of Maga to become a hybrid and use their unique powers to attack the bloodthirsty monsters and the sinister group behind them.
5 Dai Dark
Harnessing the Power of Darkness
- Japanese Title: Dai Dark
- Myanimelist Score: 7.82
- First Published: Mar 12, 2019
After shocking the world with his unique action-horror series Dorohedoro, Q Hayashida returns with an equally strange yet interesting new series . Dai Dark takes place in the empty void of outer space, where people are eager to kill each other over rumors and other petty reasons.
8 Best Horror Manga That Debuted In 2024, Ranked
2024 was a great year for both horror and manga. When combining the two you get these series, some of the best horror manga to debut in 2024.
In, certain individuals can harness the power of the dark and use it in all sorts of ways. They can use it as a soft yet extra-durable armor in the form of a Dark Hide. A sharp weapon called Dark Flesh that can instantly separate the bones and the flesh upon contact. It can even serve as a power source for a fairly large spaceship in the form of a Dark Core.
4 Gachiakuta
Power Derived from Beloved Objects
- Japanese Title: Gachiakuta
- Myanimelist Score: 7.83
- First Published: Feb 16, 2022
In Shintoism, there’s a belief that everything in this world has a soul, especially objects that receive love and attention for years. This is the basis of Gachiakuta’s power system. Here, there are special people called the Givers who can give life to objects and draw out their power.
One Giver has an umbrella that can turn into devastating cutting machines. Another uses his beloved gloves to turn any objects he touches into killing machines. Needless to say, the Givers use this power extensively in battles against each other and against the pretentious people who live lavishly in the upper realm.
3 Kagurabachi
Sorcery and Seven Enchanted Katana
- Japanese Title: Kagurabachi
- Myanimelist Score: 7.90
- First Published: Sep 18, 2023
Kagurabachi may be a newcomer to the manga world, but its story of brutal vengeance with magic and enchanted swords took the world by storm. It is one of the leaders of the new generation of Shounen Jump, alongside Dandadan and Kaiju No. 8.
The power system in Kagurabachi relies on gifted people called sorcerers. Sorcery is similar to magic, but each person usually specializes in one type of ability, such as teleportation or explosion. The centerpiece of the story, however, is seven enchanted katanas that have been imbued with powerful sorcery. Each of these katanas has unique powers.
2 Fire Punch
Blessings That Grant Miracles
- Japanese Title: Fire Punch
- Myanimelist Score: 7.91
- First Published: Apr 18, 2016
Before Tatsuki Fujimoto took the world by storm with his hit series Chainsaw Man, he made a strange yet fascinating manga called Fire Punch. In this dystopian tale, a man consumed by eternal flames seeks revenge on the one who took everything from him.
Chainsaw Man: The Differences Between Devil Contracts, Devil Hybrids & Fiends
They may seem similar, but there are tons of differences between Fiends, Devil Contracts, and Hybrids.
In the world of Fire Punch, a small percentage of people around the world, called the Blessed, are born with “the ability to perform miracles.” From healing injuries to causing endless blizzards that engulf the entire world, different people are blessed with different abilities. Some use their blessings to help those in need, while others use theirs to hurt and exploit those who are weaker.
1 Psyren
Ever-Changing Psionic Powers
- Japanese Title: Psyren
- Myanimelist Score: 7.94
- First Published: Dec 3, 2007
To say Psyren is underrated is an understatement of the decade. It’s amazing how a story featuring time travel, supernatural powers, shocking twists, brutal fights, betrayal, and even romance has managed to stay under the radar for such a long time. The power system in Psyren is based around psionic powers, also known as PSI. Some people who are unfortunate enough to be dragged into the dystopian future and manage to stay alive have a chance to awaken their psionic powers. At first, these powers are basic, like telekinetic ability, telepathy, and even pyrokinesis.
As the story progresses, each character develops stronger unique abilities, such as hijacking minds, conjuring a psionic dragon, healing mortal injuries, and more. The power system in Psyren is intriguing, dynamic, and unpredictable. It is simple enough that it makes it easy for the readers to understand the principle behind it, yet it is also quite complex because the abilities get more elaborate as the story moves forward.
One Piece: 10 Villains With The Best Designs, Ranked
These villains successfully captured your eyes before they even uttered a single word