Powerful swordfighters are a dime a dozen in anime, but they still manage to capture the interest of many due to their flashy abilities and unique sword styles. Characters such as Guts fromBerzerk, Roronoa Zoro fromOne Piece, and Himura Kenshin fromRurouni Kenshinare great examples. Each combines immense battle intelligencewith impressive techniquesto overwhelm their opponents, perfectly encapsulating what it means to be a skilled sword user.
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In therealm of isekai anime, there exist swordfighters just as powerful as the ones mentioned above. These individuals could possess natural talent, be granted abilities on arrival in a new world, or be original inhabitants of said world. They have considerable skill with the sword, as well as the power to considerably augment those skills, making them forces to be reckoned with. Here are some of the strongest swordfighters in the isekai genre.
10Raphtalia – The Rising of the Shield Hero
Raphtalia is the first true companion of Naofumi Iwatani, the protagonist of her seriesand a demi-humanwho was initially a slave. After being purchased by Naofumi, she joins him in numerous battles, serving as both a literal and figurative sword, as well as shouldering most of the offensive responsibilities within their group.
Although she appears cute with raccoon and tanuki origins, Raphtalia is a formidable combatant. She possesses remarkable agility and speed, comparable to some of the strongest characters in the series, and exhibits a wide range of abilities. Additionally, she wields the Vassal Katana, a potent weapon that grants her an expanded repertoire of skills, earning her the title of the Katana hero.
9Brain Unglaus – Overlord
Brain Unglaus is a warrior considered one of the most powerful humans in the series. Initially, he was arrogant and believed himself to be stronger than everyone, bar his rival, Gazeff Stronoff. Still, after some significant encounters, he became much more grounded in his behavior. This development fostered a positive change in his moral compass and improved his skills as a swordsman.
He is a genius fighter with unique martial arts and can enhance his physical and mental attributes before a battle. He wasremarked by Cocytus, one of Ainz’s servants, to be a fighter of high caliber. Cocytus also said he may have been a valuable asset to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, further hinting at his potential.
8Ghislaine Dedoldia – Mushoku Tensei
Ghislaine is a skilled fighter trained by one of the Seven Great Powers, Gal Farion, and achieved the rank of Sword King. This is one of the highest ranks that can be achieved in theSword God Style, which is considered the strongest school of swordsmanship in the series.
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As a practitioner of the Sword God Style, Ghislane is equipped with many abilities common to the school and can use them with excellent proficiency. One such ability is the longsword of light, a technique that involves a single slash but is performed at breathtaking speed, seemingly showcasing her moving at the speed of light. She is also very durable, as evidenced by her impressive physique, and served as the first mentor of Eris Greyrat, a future Sword King.
7Fran – Reincarnated as a Sword
Popularly known as the Black Lightning Princess, Fran is a powerful adventurerequipped with a sentient swordthat is the series’ protagonist, Shishou. She was originally enslaved, but after being rescued by Shishou, she began to realize her potential as a skilled swordswoman.
Fran can use different forms of elemental magic to aid her in battle, capable of supplementing her speed, power, and durability with numerous skills. She has defeated many foes initially classed stronger than her, such as A-ranked adventurers and B-rank monsters considered to be national threats. Even without Shishou’s skills, Fran is a formidable fighter with great battle intelligence and vast potential.
6Hakurou – That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Though he may not be one of the apex powers in the world ofReincarnated as a Slime, Hakurou is a greatly respected figure. This is mainly because of his wisdom, intelligence, and skill with the sword. Despite beingweaker than Rimuru in overall power, Hakurou is an excellent swordsman who serves as a teacher to the already-overpowered protagonist.
He was originally a regular ogre who evolved into a Kijin after being named by Rimuru. This led to an astounding improvement in his physical attributes as well as his senses. He is considered a disaster-level threat and strong enough to destroy a small nation.
5Reinhard van Astrea – Re: Zero
Reinhard Van Astrea is a chivalrous knight, sword saint, and one of the strongest characters inRe: Zero. Furthermore, he bears the divine protection of the sword saint, granting him the power to choose any ability needed to win a fight. Despite his great power, he has an amicable personality and always looks to help those in need.
Since his introduction, he has been a capable swordsman,assisting Subaru in defeating ElsaGranhiert, a sadistic assassin. His other feats include defeating the great spirit Puck, one of the four most powerful spirits in the world, and fighting the archbishop of greed Regulus to a stalemate.
4Gazef Stronoff – Overlord
Just like Reinhard, Gazeff Stronofff is a chivalrous warrior who earned the respect of the titular OverlordAinz Ooal Gown. He served as the personal bodyguard of the King of Re-Estize and held the title of the kingdom’s strongest warrior. He was trained by a former adamantite-ranked adventurer and eventually surpassed individuals of that rank.
The name of his main sword is called Razor Edge, and it is one of the kingdom’s five national treasures. Just like Brain Unglaus, he possesses abilities that can enhance his physical state as well as many useful sword techniques. His trump card, and most powerful technique, is called the Sixfold Slash of Light, which involves one swing of his sword releasing six slashes performed with overwhelming force.
3Cid Kagenou – The Eminence in Shadow
Cid Kagenou is a relatively recent addition to the lineup of overpowered isekai anime protagonists. He suffers from a bad case of the 8th-grader syndrome, but unlike most anime chuunibyou’s, his fantasies actually take shape in real time. He learned swordsmanship through books and videos in his past life and practiced from a young age in his new world.
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Some of Cid’s most notable sword skills are Shadow Dance and Shadow Slash; the former focuses on swift movement, while the latter entails an extremely powerful slash. Furthermore, he is a geniuscapable of mastering multiple skills, and despite his heavy reliance on magic, he can overpower many without it.
2Kirito – Sword Art Online
In the game world of Sword Art Online, the stakes are just as high as in the real world. This makes the game’s events just as real as any other setting, and the character feats are just as impressive. Kirito, as one of the game’s first-ever players, has been put through countless trials and managed to overcome them each time.
He has accumulated vast knowledge and experience on the battlefield earning himself the title of the Black Swordsman.He is capable of dual-wielding, an ability that helps him increase his speed and power, as well as adapt to different situations. His most iconic ability is called the Starburst Stream, a technique consisting of sixteen consecutive slashes used to defeat some of the series' most formidable foes.
1Rimuru Tempest – That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Rimuru was reincarnated from a boring man into a rather boring creature, a slime. Though slimes are generally considered weak, Rimuru used his power to absorb the abilities and features of any object or being he devoured effectively,helping him grow exponentially. He also possessed a skill known as Great Sage, granting him vast knowledge and analytical capabilities.
His main tutor in swordsmanship was Hakurou, previously mentioned on this list. However, coupled with his other abilities, as well as higher-level battle experience, Rimuru is a more deadly fighter. He fights mainly using the Hazy style, which consists of sword arts centered around quick movements and penetrating attacks. Additionally, he has matched some of the strongest swordfighters in the series, such as Hinata Sakaguchi, even without heavy magic.
