Many anime characters, particularly humans, are frequently caught in a never-ending cycle of gaining more power. Ordinary humans, who are born without any kind of power, are more susceptible to succumbing to their desire to become stronger.
Unlike the other special races that are born with some kind of unique ability, humans have to rely on training and hard work to become more powerful. In many cases, when the desire to gain more strength is extreme, humans tend to cave in and look for dangerous ways to accumulate more power. They often end up forming pacts with demons and other entities to become stronger.
6 Denji – Chainsaw Man
Denji is the main character of the recently launched anime series, Chainsaw Man. Denji never got the chance to live properly as his father's debts were passed on to him, and he had no choice but to pay them off as the Yakuza were on his back.
He ended up selling different organs in order to live, but when that didn't prove to be enough, Denji became a Devil Hunter. With Pochita's help, Denji managed to earn a few scraps that allowed the two to survive. Things changed quickly when Denji was betrayed by the Yakuza and killed by a demon. However, Pochita fused with Denji and brought him back from the cusp of death. Furthermore, it improved Denji's physical abilities and allowed him to fight stronger demons.
5 Itadori – Jujutsu Kaisen
Currently, Itadori Yuji is one of the most popular anime characters. While on his deathbed, Itadori's grandfather made him promise that he would help anyone who was in need. This felt like a forced method to progress the plot, but nonetheless, Itadori agreed. In the beginning, Itadori was just a normal person, who had no special powers whatsoever.
However, after meeting Megumi, his world was turned upside down. Itadori was caught in a sticky situation, and he ended up consuming one of Sukuna's fingers and becoming his vessel. Devouring Sukuna's finger made Itadori extremely powerful, to the point where he was able to fight strong curses without any problems. Itadori still hasn't gained complete control over Sukuna's power, but that should change as the story moves forward.
4 Naruto Uzumaki – Naruto
Naruto Uzumaki is the strongest ninja in the Naruto series. Like most shonen protagonists, he had a very terrible childhood. Naruto was considered to be a demon and shunned by the villagers. At the time of his birth, Minato sealed one-half of the Nine-Tails inside Naruto believing that his son would one day master its power.
However, Minato didn't consider that his son might be treated very harshly. For a long time, Naruto had no friends, as even the people of the Hidden Leaf distanced themselves from him. Fortunately, Naruto found good teachers and friends who helped him overcome his troubles. While the Nine-Tails is not an actual demon, it has been called the "Demon Fox," by the villagers.
3 Akira Fudo – Devilman Crybaby
Born a human, Akira Fudo was a sensitive and kind person. His good manners and his tendency to cry a lot made him an easy target in school. However, he managed to stay calm and composed. Akira was a highly intellectual person, who could solve tough problems, but he had next to zero physical abilities.
His transformation into Devilman changed his life forever. Akira became stronger physically, and he was able to fight multiple demons at once. Akira's strength, speed, and reflexes made him a very dangerous opponent. In a serious fight, there are not many characters who can survive his attacks.
2 Clare – Claymore
Clare is the main protagonist of the Claymore series. At one point in her life, she was just a weak human child, who was abused by a Yoma. Clare endured various hardships and eventually considered volunteering to become a Claymore. The process was not so simple. In fact, she had to struggle a lot to finish it.
After turning into a Claymore, Clare was given a ranking based on her abilities, and at the time, she was deemed the weakest Claymore. However, Clare began to train and fight opponents, which allowed her to gain experience, and soon she managed to become one of the Awakened Beings. Part of Clare's body has Yoma flesh, which is quite impressive considering most people fail to overcome the malevolent nature of these demonic beasts.
1 Kaneki Ken – Tokyo Ghoul
Hardly any anime character had to endure the same level of hardships as Kaneki Ken. He was raised by his mother, and after her death, he became alone. Kaneki did not have any friends except for Hide, who tried his best to help Kaneki deal with his issues. When Kaneki managed to secure a date, he was overjoyed, and he started to think that his luck was finally changing.
During his date with Rize, it seemed that he would finally have someone whom he could pursue romantically. However, Kaneki had absolutely no idea that Rize was merely plumping up her dinner. After walking together for a while, Rize revealed that she was a ghoul and that their date was just a plot to devour him. Kaneki accepted his fate, but before Rize could finish him off, some heavy pipes fell on her and crushed her to death. Kaneki was taken to the hospital, where he was given Rize's organs, turning him into a ghoul. For Kaneki, it was extremely difficult to find a balance so that he could live a normal life.