Summary
There is a multitude of genres in anime, but by far the most notable isshonen(sometimes written as shounen). Shonen anime is characterized by action and adventure, often in conjunction with comedy. These themes are vital to any shonen anime, but the genre is best known for its fighting sequences.Popular shonen animeare regarded highly for their action-packed battle scenes. Among the most defining elements of shonen anime, fighting sequences are the countlessanime powersthat characters possess. These abilities are often the most memorable themes in a shonen anime.
Some of these powers are common throughout the genre, such as the ability to control ice or fire. However, a notable few are truly unique. After all, shonen anime has evolved to the point where boring powers simply won’t cut it. Viewers want their favorite anime to be rife with some truly imaginative and deadly powers that can throw most foes in for a loop as they try to figure out the best way possible to deal with these powers without losing their lives in no time flat.
Updated June 13, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Shonen anime is filled with amazing moments that viewers can’t get enough of. Appealing to this demographic entails featuring some amazing powers that are spectacular, flashy, and unique.
While a lot of shonen anime feature their spin on the whole trope of brutish power, the truly interesting techniques have their own rules and are completely unlike anything people have ever seen before. Given the creativity of mangaka who want to excel in this field, it’s easy to see why so many amazing shonen anime feature unique powers.
One of the most ridiculous powers to appear in any shonen anime, fans can’t believe that a person with such incredible power as Gremmy was done away with in a flash. This Sternritter could turn his imagination into reality, which is so ridiculously broken that most people wondered how Kubo would write off a villain who can trivialize any encounter with his ability.
This was achieved with a combination of monstrous power and convenient writing. Just when things were getting dire, Kenpachi came into the fray and revealed a Shikai so impressive that Gremmy decided to imagine his foe’s power into his being. However, this backfired, and Gremmy’s body imploded after failing to contain the strength that Kenpachi had.
There’s no denying thatNarutohad its fair share of random and unexplained powers that wormed its way into a series that generally featured solid writing before the final arc. However, that doesn’t mean that powers like Izanami were hard to digest. Given how powerful the Sharingan is, it’s easy to see this eye technique would house such amazing power.
After realizing that Kabuto wouldn’t reverse the Edo Tensei short of killing him, Itachi decided to use a forbidden technique that forces people to undergo a change of heart at the cost of an eye. Given Itachi’s resurrected nature, it’s easy to see why he had no problems using this technique to force Kabuto to amend his ways and let the dead rest, putting an end to the war once and for all.
The Death Note is what triggers Light Yagami’s rise to become Kira, a self-proclaimed god who brandished his own brand of justice to keep crime down to a minimum and deter any would-be criminal from falling into these petty ways. Of course, given how brutal Kira’s actions are, it’s easy to see why so many people had problems with this supernatural vigilantism.
What made this show so much fun was the Death Note itself, featuring several rules that are used in creative ways to keep the narrative interesting. Watching the battle of wits between Light and L before the latter’s proteges come into the fray makes for a great time.Death Note’s quality may have dipped considerably by the second half, but that doesn’t take away anything from the unique nature of the Death Note and its power to kill anything and everything as long as users have a name and face in mind.
Dragon Ball Supermay have started on a shaky note, but fans were glad to see the anime pick up by the time the Tournament of Power rolled out. The animation quality was enhanced, and the storytelling pointed towards Goku unlocking a new transformation that would help him even the odds against Jiren.
Watching everyone’s favorite Saiyan move heaven and earth to defeat this indomitable foe, only to fail time and again, was certainly frustrating. However, shades of a new form appeared numerous times, before a climactic clash led to Goku finally perfecting his Ultra Instinct form in a spectacular display of power. His white hair and effortless manner of fighting emulated the power of the Angels as he finally gave Jiren a taste of his own medicine, in one of the anime’s most cathartic moments.
5Spirit Gun
YuYu Hakusho
Yoshihiro Togashi is known by many as one of the greatest mangaka in the world. He has the rare credit of penning not one, but two of the most iconic shonen anime of all time.YuYu Hakushomay have ended on a disappointing note after the mangaka lost faith in his work, but there’s no denying that Yusuke Urameshi’s journey from a high school delinquent to a Spirit Detective was a joy to witness.
After obtaining potent spirit powers, Yusuke trains and hones his powers until he unlocks the ability to unleash the Spirit Gun. With this iconic move, he forms a gun with his hands before unleashing a bullet of spirit energy. This attack is powerful enough to take out most enemies in his path without breaking a sweat.
Jujutsu Kaisenis one of the most popular shonen anime out right now, and fans can’t get enough of the breakneck action in this series. After the end of the Shibuya Incident, the stage has been set for the Culling Game, where heads are bound to roll. With everyone gunning for Itadori, it’s time for him to step up after defeating Mahito to show what limitless potential he has.
One of the people who gained Cursed Powers is Fumihiko Takaba, a failing comedian who gains a second wind after unveiling his Comedian ability. It’s a ridiculously powerful technique, in which anything that Fumihiko deems to be funny comes to life. The technique was so overpowered that it had to be nerfed by being tied to Fumihiko’s faith, with a loss of confidence dimming his power. But if he’s trained to believe in himself, there’s no telling what heights he can reach as a Cursed User.
Attack on Titanhas become a phenomenon for obvious reasons. Initially starting as a series documenting humanity’s struggle against the Titans, it doesn’t take too long for the humans of Paradis Island to figure out how the nation of Marley is torturing them for atrocities that they were never responsible for in the first place.When Eren finds out about this, his rage awakens and causes him to go down a very dark path that fans are pretty familiar with.
A huge part of what makesAttack on Titanso riveting is the powers of the Attack Titan that weren’t revealed until the Final Season. Holders of the Attack Titan can peek into the memories of the past and the future, manipulating events and coercing holders into performing actions that they usually wouldn’t be able to perform.
My Hero Academiarides the superhero wavewhile adding its unique things to the table, making for a brilliant watch that fans just can’t get enough of. The show’s use of Quirks makes these Pro Heroes more fun to watch, which is why Midoriya serves as such a unique protagonist. His Quirkless background makes him a sympathetic figure until All Might chooses him as his successor, letting him inherit One for All and learn how to maximize the use of its powers.
One for All turns out to be more than just a strength-boosting Quirk. His inherited power also houses the Quirks of previous holders. When Midoriya manages to channel these powers, it helps him become even more powerful and use a wealth of Quirks in succession to take out any villain standing in his tracks.
9Book Of The End
Bleach
Bleachcan be hard to follow at times, especially given how convoluted the powers of some characters can be. This makes it rather annoying to follow certain battles since both sides of the conflict can pull convenient abilities out of thin air to turn the tide of the conflict in a flash. Many times, this leads to battles that feel rather uninteresting and become a chore to watch, but a notable exception here is Tsukishima’s Book of the End ability during the Fullbring arc.
While many people hate this arc for essentially being meaningless in the grand scheme of things, it does let Ichigo battle against an opponent who uses an ability called Book of the End to write themselves into the memories of their target. This allows Tsukishima to pretend like he’s one of Ichigo’s closest friends, discrediting him in the eyes of his companions when he tries to fight Tsukishima only to be stopped by the people he trusts the most. This psychological warfare is what makes Book of the End such a unique ability and one of the few good moments in an otherwise forgettable arc.
10Limitless
Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisenis one of the biggest shonen series out right now. Fans love the dark nature of the show and the various Cursed Techniques that are revealed in the story.Itadori may not be the most interesting character around, but it’s the great job done by the supporting cast that makes this show so riveting. In fact, their presence elevates Itadori as well, and no character personifies this more than Satoru Gojo.
There’s a reason why all the villains in the show fear this character — he’s an extremely powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer who can take out the strongest enemies without breaking a sweat. He uses the power of Limitless, an inherited Gojo family technique that manipulates space using Cursed Energy to the atomic level. This allows him to whip out extremely powerful moves without breaking a sweat.
