Admit it, you love seeing a powerful protagonist defeat their enemies without even breaking a sweat. And sure, sometimes it’s more exciting to follow an underdog and their road to triumph. However, an overpowered main character can give you a sense of security and ease you often need.
In this article, you’ll find 16 anime with an overpowered main character you must watch.
16 Anime With an Overpowered Main Character You Have to Watch
1. The Devil Is a Part-Timer! (Sadao Maou)
Image source: Pinterest
The Devil Is a Part-Timer! (Hataraku Maou-Sama!) follows the Demon Lord Satan on his quest to conquer Ente Isla. However, a half-angel hero, Emilia, foils his plans, forcing him to retreat to modern-day Tokyo. While on earth, he takes on a human form and the name Sadao Maou and starts working at a fast-food joint to make ends meet.
Sadao Maou, formerly known as Satan Jacob, loses most of his magical powers upon arrival to earth. However, he can temporarily assume his former might by feeding off negative emotions from beings around him. And once he’s in his demon form, there’s nothing he can’t do. He is, after all, the Devil himself.
And even his human form is to be reckoned with. Although he loses most of his magical powers, his keen intelligence and lightning reflexes alone make him an OP on earth.
Therefore, if you want a good anime with an overpowered main character, The Devil Is a Part-Timer! is a good one to start with.
2. Naruto (Naruto Uzumaki)
Image source: Pinterest
Naruto is an anime that tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village, and his adventures. When Naruto was a baby, the spirit of Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was sealed into him. From then on, Naruto is able to use this beast’s chakra, which makes him extremely powerful.
Most of the people who watched Naruto are probably surprised to find it on the list of anime with an overpowered main character. Sure, Naruto is OP in Shippuden and Boruto, but not so much in the original series.
After all, he couldn’t even perform basic ninja techniques at the beginning of the anime. And while that might be true, Naruto deserves to be on this list for several reasons.
First of all, when he is face to face with an enemy, Naruto is unstoppable. And although sometimes he is on the brink of life and death, he always finds strength in himself to get on top.
Secondly, although Naruto often struggles with techniques, he doesn’t quit until he masters them. This determination is another trait that grants him a place among OP characters.
Finally, the primary reason Naruto is on this list is that beast within him. After all, the amount of chakra Nine-Tails has is baffling. And even when he wasn’t able to control this chakra fully, it gave him an enormous advantage over his opponents. So, don’t be fooled, Naruto is as overpowered as they come.
3. Seven Deadly Sins (Meliodas)
Image source: Pinterest
Seven Deadly Sins (Nanatsu no Taizai) is a story about Elizabeth, princess of the Kingdom of Liones, and her search for a disbanded group of knights. This group, known as Seven Deadly Sins, was expelled from the kingdom after supposedly plotting to overthrow its king.
However, ten years later, the Holy Knights that expelled them staged a coup themselves and became tyrannical rulers of the Liones. Now, the kingdom’s only hope is righteous princess Elizabeth and Seven Deadly Sins.
This anime features so many OP characters it’s hard to name all of them. Still, the captain of the band, Meliodas, is by far the most overpowered character in Seven Deadly Sins.
Admittedly, at the very beginning of the series, this guy was not very strong. However, as the story progresses, he grows more and more powerful to the point of becoming invincible.
Meliodas is best known for his pure physical power and sword skills. But he also has advanced magic abilities. Most notably, he can deflect magic attacks from his opponents and reflect them with much greater power. Finally, his technique known as Hellblaze allows him to generate destructive black flames.
4. Dragon Ball Universe (Son Goku)
Image source: Pinterest
Dragon Ball (Doragon Bōru) is an anime franchise that gets its name after large crystal spheres that are scattered all over the Earth. Once someone finds seven of these balls, they can summon the Eternal Dragon who will grant them a wish. The series follows a monkey-tailed character named Son Goku and his friends as they collect Dragon Balls and fight bad guys.
For most people, Dragon Ball is the first thing that comes to mind when they talk about anime with an overpowered main character. And although the charming star of this series has died multiple times, he always managed to come back to life with the help of Dragon Balls.
Furthermore, you know that Goku will become ten times stronger than before whenever you see a training scene. This guy is basically the textbook example of an invincible hero.
Not to mention Goku’s many Saiyan transformations, some of which are so strong that he is able to fight several gods at once. And even though other characters can also achieve these transformations, Goku always seems to be one step ahead of them.
5. Hellsing Ultimate (Alucard)
Image source: Pinterest
Hellsing Ultimate revolves around the Hellsing Organisation, a protestant group that protects England from supernatural threats. The protagonist of the series, Alucard, is a member of this organization and its trump card.
And there’s one more thing you should know about him — he is a vampire. The anime follows him and other Hellsing members as they fight monsters, Nazis, and Catholics.
If this summary sounds wild, wait till you hear about Alucard and his powers. As a vampire, this character has all the abilities you would normally attribute to these creatures. However, that description doesn’t even scratch the surface of his skills.
Unlike regular movie vampires, Alucard can’t be destroyed by a cross or garlic, and even decapitation or stabbing his heart wouldn’t harm him.
This character is, in fact, so OP that he often lets his opponents attack him for a while before doing anything about it. Furthermore, when he makes his move, Alucard has trouble not killing them too quickly. After all, the show would be boring if every fight took only a few seconds.
6. Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren’t They? (Izayoi Sakamaki)
Image source: Pinterest
Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren’t They? (Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou Desu yo?) is an anime with a strange and unique plot. Three teenagers get transported to another world known as Little Garden.
In that world, the inhabitants use their remarkable abilities to compete against each other and earn wealth and prestige for their communities. The series follows a trio as they try to bring their community, No-Names, to its former glory.
As you might guess, this show is full of overpowered characters with superhuman skills. However, the protagonist of the show, Izayoi Sakamaki is by far the most powerful one.
Besides being extremely strong, smart, and intelligent, he’s also able to negate other people’s gifts, making them useless. Furthermore, Izayoi can use telepathy and teleportation at will.
7. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Kusuo Saiki)
Image source: Pinterest
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Saiki Kusuo no Sai-nan) is a comedy anime with an overpowered main character. Kusuo Saiki is a high school student that wants to live a normal life. However, his psychic abilities always get him into bizarre and often hilarious situations.
It’s uncommon to see a skit-based comedy show on this list. However, Kusuo Saiki is, what some might call, a comically invincible hero. In other words, this character is so absurdly overpowered that it’s humorous. And the funniest thing is that he isn’t even doing his best or trying to improve.
Kusuo Saiki can do almost anything: change his form, teleport, read minds, fly… And you might be thinking that he must have some weaknesses. Yes, he does — once the limiter devices on his head are removed, he’s unable to control his powers. However, this weakness somehow makes him even more OP, as it unlocks his full potential.
8. Sword Art Online (Kirigaya Kazuto a.k.a. Kirito)
Image source: Pinterest
Sword Art Online (Sōdo Āto Onrain) is a story about a VR game of the same name that takes place in the world of Aincrad. Kirigaya Kazuto, along with thousands of other players, gets trapped in this game and the only way to escape is to finish every level. And Aincard is far from harmless since dying there means dying in real life.
Kirigaya Kazuto, better known in SAO as Kirito, is a beta tester and by far the best player in the game. And although he might be better off working with other players, Kirito prefers being a lone wolf. However, even while playing solo, he manages to defeat large groups of people without his health bar decreasing.
The secret behind Kirito’s OP status is his absolute mastery of the game. In fact, he is so good that many fan theories accuse him of being a hacker. But, although amusing, this assumption is far from true. Kirito is simply talented, intelligent, and he knows every little thing about Sword Art Online.
9. The Irregular at Magic High School (Shiba Tatsuya)
Image source: Pinterest
The Irregular at Magic High School (Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei) takes place in a universe where magic is considered a high form of technology. Furthermore, teenagers can perfect their magic skills in specialized high schools.
This anime follows Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba, siblings and first-year students in one such high school. After taking the entrance exam, Miyuki and Tatsuya are separated as the former is placed in an advanced group, while the latter ends up in a low-scoring one.
Reading the summary, you might think that Miyuki is the OP one. However, despite his inability to use magic, Tatsuya is the overpowered character in this show. In fact, fans often refer to him as Godsuya, and that name seems more than appropriate.
Sure, Tatsuya’s magic abilities might seem humiliating at times. But his extensive technical knowledge and superhuman fighting skills are what make him a powerful character.
Furthermore, Tatsuya always manages to remain calm and calculated during the fight. That is how he’s able to defeat even the most advanced students from his high school.
10. The Saga Of Tanya The Evil (Tanya von Degurechaff)
Image source: Pinterest
The Saga Of Tanya The Evil (Youjo Senki) tells the story of Tanya Degurechaff, a young girl climbing the ranks of the imperial army. However, Tanya is not just an ordinary girl, far from it. Underneath her cute and innocent appearance lies a soul of a ruthless salaryman. As punishment for challenging God himself, this man got reincarnated as a girl in a world of magical warfare.
Seeing a blond nine-year-old kill entire military troops is both humorous and horrifying at the same time. And thanks to her keen intellect and extreme cruelty, she manages to become lt. colonel at the age of twelve. This girl is a textbook example of the stronger than they look trope.
And if all of this wasn’t enough, Tanya has pretty well-developed magic powers. However, she does have to pray to her mortal enemy, God, before activating most of them. So, if you are looking for a dark anime with an overpowered main character, The Saga of Tanya the Evil should be your first choice.
11. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Rimuru Tempest)
Image source: Pinterest
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken) is another anime with a strange reincarnation story. A thirty-seven-year-old bachelor, Mikami Satoru dies after getting stabbed by a robber.
However, he receives a fresh start after being reincarnated — as a slime in a fantasy realm. Now known as Rimuru Tempest, the protagonist ventures on a new journey with his monster friends.
As strange as it sounds, this slime is one of the most OP characters in anime history. His power comes from his unique ability to gain skills by absorbing different objects. What’s more, he can even use this ability to devour his enemies and use their set of skills.
Another thing that makes Rimuru overpowered is the fact that Storm Dragon Veldora gave him a name. Basically, when Veldora names someone in this universe, a lot of his strength is transferred onto that person. And seeing that the Storm Dragon hasn’t named anyone ever before, Rimuru’s OP status becomes even more evident.
12. Overlord (Momonga)
Image source: Pinterest
Overlord is often compared to Sword Art Online, and for a good reason. After a twelve-year run, popular multiplayer VR game Yggdrasil is shutting down its servers. Hearing this, a veteran player, Suzuki Satoru, decides to spend the last few moments inside the game. However, he gets trapped there as NPCs miraculously gain consciousness.
Now Momonga, Suzuki’s in-game character, has to explore this new world and find out what is happening.
As a level 100 player, Momonga is able to beat virtually any opponent. In addition, he’s aware that he is in a game, which makes him fearless and cruel.
Finally, due to his vast experience, Momonga is able to come up with the best tactics in each situation, often using meta gaming to his advantage. And as if his own power wasn’t enough, Momonga is the leader of the strongest army in the game.
13. One Punch Man (Saitama)
Image source: Pinterest
One Punch Man (Wanpanman) tells the story of Saitama, a teenager who wants to become a hero. And after training for three years and losing his hair in the process, he manages to do just that.
However, now that he can defeat his enemies with a single punch, Saitama doesn’t find his calling enjoyable anymore. Now, he roams the world trying to find the opponent that will make him break a sweat.
This character is the definition of overpowered. Sure, unlike most of the characters on this list, he doesn’t have any elaborate skills, magical abilities, or dangerous weapons. However, he doesn’t even need any of these. Saitama can make giant monsters explode with just one punch.
Another testament to his power is the fact that he is literally searching for an opponent that can fight back. All things considered, Saitama is arguably the strongest character in all anime, let alone in his universe.
14. Mob Psycho 100 (Shigeo Kageyama a.k.a. Mob)
Image source: Pinterest
Mob Psycho 100 is another story about a character who doesn’t want anything to do with his powers. Shigeo Kageyama a.k.a. Mob is a shy and awkward boy with an amazing supernatural gift. And although he is reluctant to use it, most of the time he doesn’t even have a choice.
When Mob is being his usual self, his power levels are pretty much negligible. However, when he lets his emotions take control of him (and reach 100%), his psychic skills become remarkable.
In fact, once he gets to this stage, no one can even get close to him. Furthermore, each emotion triggers a different ability, which makes the fights even more interesting.
The main reason Mob Psycho 100 is on this list of anime with an overpowered main character is Mob’s special form. Namely, under some extreme circumstances, this character enters a state labeled as ???%.
When in this state, Mob can access all of his psychic skills at once. However, there is a catch — he loses control of himself and his basic instincts take over.
15. Assassination Classroom (Korosensei)
Image source: Pinterest
Assassination Classroom (Ansatsu Kyoushitsu) tells a story of a powerful creature that threatens to destroy the earth. However, he offers mankind one last chance to avert this fate.
Namely, he becomes a homeroom teacher who teaches his students only one thing — how to kill him. And even though he proves to be an excellent teacher, this task might be more difficult than they thought.
Is there anything more OP than being so strong that you have to teach people how to kill you? Korosensei truly seems invincible as his body is made out of antimatter that can’t be harmed with regular weapons.
Furthermore, he is extremely fast and intelligent, and he also has amazing defensive and regenerative abilities. All in all, if Korosensei wasn’t helping his students kill him, they would have no chance against him.
Furthermore, even his educational skills are overpowered. Namely, Korosensei manages to become everyone’s favorite teacher despite threatening to destroy the earth. And if that doesn’t cement his place on this list, nothing does.
16. Death Note (Light Yagami a.k.a. Kira)
Image source: Pinterest
Death Note (Desu Nōto) follows the story of a smart and talented teenager named Light Yagami. One day, Light accidentally comes across a mysterious book called Death Note. Soon he realizes that this book can kill people by writing their names in it. Light decides to use the Death Note to eliminate vicious criminals and evildoers around the world.
The ability to kill people from the comfort of your room just by writing their name is pretty overpowered. So, it’s no wonder that people start fearing Kira (Light’s alter ego) and this book of his. And sure, all of this character’s powers come from Death Note. But the way Kira uses Death Note is what makes him an OP, not the book itself.
.
Light is smart, calculated, and insightful, and on top of that, he is merciless, especially when it comes to dangerous criminals. Watching him and his opponent, detective L, outsmart each other feels almost like witnessing a perfect game of chess. This anime with an overpowered main character is definitely a must-watch for every anime buff.
Final Thoughts
Although somewhat predictable, anime with an overpowered main character can be pretty enjoyable to watch. After all, there’s something about a protagonist destroying their opponents without any effort that glues your eyes to the screen.
Hopefully, some of the anime from this list sparked your interest. The only question now is: which one of those characters would win in a battle royal?