Top 10 Demonstrations of Strength in Anime (ft. Todd Haberkorn)

“That Time I Got Reincarnated into a Slime” (2018)

You’ve got to love Rimuru’s thinking here. He gets ambushed by a bunch of deadly ogres dead set on killing him due a case of mistaken identity, and what does he do? Casually shows off his accumulated abilities without doing any real damage, all before stopping them in their tracks when he exerts a fraction of his true power. He could have fried them all easily, but by staying his hand, he ended up recruiting them into his ever-growing ranks.

“Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma” (2015-)

When Soma is first introduced to the ragtag residents of the polar star dormitory, he was greeted with open arms. However, it seemed his earlier claim of becoming the number one in Totsuki academy did not fall on deaf ears. Turns out that there was a lot more to Isshiki than just being a delightfully optimistic nudist, as shown when he revealed his incredible cooking to Soma and declared that he was a member of the elite 10. That’s right, this dude proved what a tough SOB he really was by feeding our hero a delicious meal!

“Yu Yu Hakusho” (1992-94)

Because why beat the crap out of the kid who got one up on you previously, when you can just show up out of the blue, reveal you only used twenty percent power last time, buff up to sixty percent, and level every floor of a multi-story parking lot using only your fists. Very rational.
This was all before letting Yusuke know about an upcoming martial arts tournament in the Demon World, where he planned to whoop his candy ass there. That’s Toguro for you, and as you might have guessed the whole incident leaves Yusuke shaking like a leaf.

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” (2019)

It’s not enough that Muzan Kibutsuji is the alpha of the demon race, that he’s got legions of powerful underlings, or that he’s seriously rocking that Michael Jackson look, but the dude can also sire fresh demons on the fly. After being confronted by Tanjiro, instead of killing him then and there, Kibutsuji takes advantage of the young slayer’s shock at how the ultimate evil has a human family…by cutting a random passer-by in the blink of an eye, and triggering a sudden convergence. Because why dirty your own hands to deal with an annoyance when you can turn strangers into your own personal hellhounds?

“One-Punch Man” (2015-)

While only a handful of wannabe caped crusaders got to witness Saitama utterly trounce this hardcore hero association test, it did a hell of a job reaffirming that beneath his blank expression, this guy has got muscles to spare. It’s a shame that despite managing to crush each exercise so completely, his wins didn’t sky rocket him to the S-Rank, since written essays are a bitch. But considering he’s in this gig for fun, he’ll probably get over it. At least those losers will think twice about trying to stick it to rookies.

“Overlord” (2015-18)

When you’re an undead sorcerer with power, resources and innumerable monstrous minions at your fingertips, you’ve got to learn to spice things up. In Ainz Ooal Gown’s case, instead of simply melting an oncoming army with his top tier magic or sending out his indestructible servants to cull the herd, he decides to get…creative. And by creative we mean unleashing a spell that instantly kills seventy thousand soldiers, all in order to summon giant Lovecraftian tentacles goat demons which proceed to stomp out the survivors. Now clap!

“The Seven Deadly Sins” (2014-18)

In all honestly, Escanor could have simply ruffled his godly moustache and it still would have outdone anything the Ten Commandments could throw at him. Upon his transformation from meek bartender to well-groomed Adonis, the Lion Sin of Pride proceeded to automatically endear himself in the hearts otaku everywhere by brushing off every assault Galand sent his way, including a slash that cleaved through mountains. If that’s not beastly enough, he didn’t even have to touch the demon knight in order to kill him, his mere presence and overwhelming aura scared the poor bastard so much he literally turned to stone.

“One Piece” (1999-)

It’s Zoro. He practically breathes badassery. Though oddly enough his arguably greatest moment has nothing to do with him cutting pirates and marines apart. Following the arrival of the nigh indestructible warlord Bartholomew Kuma, Zoro makes a plea for his Captain’s life by offering his own. Kuma agrees, in a sense, agreeing to leave Luffy alone if Zoro takes on all of his accumulated agony courtesy of his Devil Fruit. Considering just a fraction nearly sent him six feet under, taking all of it was pretty much a death sentence. So, what did Zoro do? Takes it all in at once, survives by the skin of his teeth, then tells the crew that nothing happened. What a legend!

“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” (2013-)

Most people would struggle with what to do after gaining the power of a God, but not this Pillar Man. After finally claiming both the Stone Mask and the Red Stone of Aja, Kars ascended from your average, half naked superbeing into the most powerful creature on the planet, one with dominion over all life. First thing he does? Creates a squirrel out of nothing, only for it to go on a rampage and slaughter its way through a bunch of Nazis. The god of the new world everybody. He can kill you with rodents.

“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” (2009-10)

He may have supposedly shaved off all of his sins, but that didn’t stop the Father of the Homonculi flaunting his arrogance and pride following his consumption of God. From dwarf in a flask all the way to an omnipotent blonde in a toga, the genocidal entity decided to usher in his new godhood by creating a miniature sun in his hand in the most blasé manner possible. It may not have lasted long, but nothing screams alpha and omega when you can summon a star as easily as blinking.