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.

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By  Sarah Prado

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 September 14, 2024, 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 conclusion could ever 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: us included!

22 Denji

Origin: Chainsaw Man

After fusing with Pochita (a weakened version of the chainsaw devil)​​​​, Denji gains the ability to transform into the titular chainsaw man by pulling a ripcord on his chest. He uses these powers to great effect, taking on a wide range of devils and other antagonistic characters throughout the course of the popular anime and manga series.

There's perhaps an argument to be made that Makima is the most powerful character in Chainsaw Man, but when it comes to strength and fighting ability, the chainsaw devil just about has the edge. His ability to erase other devils from existence is pretty useful too and has helped him to overcome some seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

21 Gilgamesh

Origin: Fate/Stay Night

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.

20 Ryuko Matoi

Origin: Kill la Kill

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.

19 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.

18 Aang

Origin: Avatar: The Last Airbender

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.

17 Eren Yeager

Origin: Attack On Titan

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.

16 Satoru Gojo

Origin: Jujutsu Kaisen

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.

15 All Might

Origin: My Hero Academia

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.

14 Kageyama Shigeo

Origin: Mob Psycho 100

Sometimes, big things come in small packages, as evidenced by Mob Psycho 100's Kageyama Shigeo, 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.

13 Naruto Uzumaki

Origin: Naruto

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.