Overpowered or "OP" becomes a dreaded term when used to describe a protagonist of any story. Why bother exploring the story of a character already at the top of their game, right? Fortunately for anime, some stories that feature OP main characters still shine thanks to ridiculous shenanigans or overwhelming threats that will make any audience root for protagonists.

For viewers who just don't have the time to experiment, some anime with overpowered main characters do feature powerful first episodes that could grab anyone's attention. Fortunately for anime fans, many great anime with OP MCs already exist.

Updated on April 21, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Spring 2024 has quite a few anime with overpowered protagonists, including returning shows like The Misfit of Demon King Academy, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and The Irregular at Magic High School. A few newcomers like I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability, Re:Monster, Chillin' in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers, and The New Gate also feature OP leads, although it is still too early to rank those among the trope's best series.

20 Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly soCautious

Seiya Ryuuguuin

Countering the overpowered nature of Demon Lord’s Takuma is Seiya Ryuuguuin of Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious. As with other isekai stories, Seiya takes the role of a protagonist also called forth by a goddess (this time Ristarte) to save the world (this time Gaeabrande) from an evil Devil Lord. And while Seiya has power levels far greater than most heroes Ristarte has encountered, it’s his overcautious nature that drives her to her wits’ end.

Whereas the OP-ness of an isekai protagonist is usually shown with them almost shrugging off most problems, Seiya’s overpowered nature is shown in his deliberate overpreparation for most situations. It doesn’t help that Seiya is portrayed to possess more than enough power to contend with most threats anyway. In the end, Cautious Hero shows that the true measure of being overpowered may rely not on how heroes showcase awesome power but on how they can prepare to settle the most intense of conflicts with the barest minimum effort.

19 Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto

Sakamoto

Overpowered protagonists are not exclusive to isekai stories, they just seem to be sometimes. While not as common as they should be, the comedy genre has made some great use of OP anime main characters over the decades. Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto is one of the most famous examples and serves as a prime example of how a "perfect" protagonist can be used to great effect.

Sakamoto is what everyone should aspire to be. His mere presence attracts attention, admiration, hatred, love, and every other emotion under the sun. While he might not acknowledge his own god-like brilliance, his classmates cannot help but bask in his light, and any attempts to dampen his flame only succeed in fanning it further.

18 Mashle: Magic And Muscles

Mash Burnedead

Most anime overpower their protagonists by handing them unique abilities that set them above everyone else; however, Mashle does the opposite. In a world that defines someone's value by their proficiency with magic, the powerless Mash has no choice but to relentlessly train his body if he wants to survive. Spending years on the bench, he has transformed himself into a being capable of feats that would seem impossible even with the assistance of magic. When he is pushed to attend a magic academy to try and become a Divine Visionary, Mash has to rely on brute strength against enemies who look down on physical activity.

Mashle: Magic and Muscle fits two descriptors. On the one hand, the anime can be enjoyed as a traditional battle shonen that features a likable roster of main characters who are forced to take on threats of ever-increasing power. Conversely, the show is even better as a shonen (and Harry Potter) parody featuring a protagonist who cares not for his universe's rules. Mash is not only hilarious but kind of inspiring, and he has enough insecurities to come across as a three-dimensional being rather than just a punchline.

17 Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy

Makoto Misumi

When Tokyo-based Makoto Misumi ends up discarded by a Goddess supposed to bring him to the Goddess’ World, he ends up left for dead in the Wasteland had it not been for Tsukuyomi, the Goddess of the Moon. Armed with her blessings, Makoto ventures into the Goddess’ World as one of its most powerful beings. Due to Makoto’s appreciation of life and his own humanity, he only uses his powers when provoked or to help his comrades.

Unlike other overpowered protagonists in an isekai story, Makoto begins Tsukimichi with his companions realizing he has immense magical potential on the get-go. Such is Makoto’s innate mana supply that he constantly needs to wear mana-dampening rings, and his equipment almost always ends up being carriers of his magical energy. As it turns out, Tsukuyomi’s own blessings catapulted Makoto’s powers into god-like levels. Makoto is capable of not just casting spells but also communicating with animals, augmenting his abilities, healing others, and even willing things into creation.

16 So I’m A Spider, So What?

Kumoko

Perhaps one of the weirdest overpowered individuals to ever star in an anime is a spider, and this is So, I’m A Spider, So What? tries to show this in a rather odd take on the isekai genre. At its core, the anime starts when a climactic battle between a Hero and a Demon Lord had a powerful spell “misfire,” transcend spacetime, and kill everyone in a school instead.

And while everyone who died got reincarnated into better lives, high schooler Shiraori gets the short end of the stick and gets reincarnated as a spider in a dungeon. Unfortunately for her, the dungeon’s denizens have a pecking order that makes her a prime target for obliteration, but not on her watch. She slowly evolves into an extremely powerful being, albeit with some terrible consequences.

15 Charlotte

Yuu Otosaka

In the world of Charlotte, a fictional comet of the same name passes Earth once every 75 years and leaves dust that transforms a percentage of preadolescent kids into superpowered beings by the time they hit puberty. When invisibility user Nao Tomoro exposes protagonist Yuu Otosaka and his ability to control the bodies of others temporarily, she forces him to attend the Hoshinoumi Academy and join other power users in the Student Council.

While much of Charlotte revolves around Yuu’s body-swapping shenanigans, things become more serious when Yuu realizes that the true nature of his powers isn’t to control the bodies of others but rather to steal their abilities. At some point in the anime, Yuu travels the world to steal the abilities of all power-users on Earth at the cost of his memories and sense of self. While the scale and nature of all these abilities remain unknown, the fact that Yuu already had the power of time travel before his power-stealing spree immediately catapults Yuu as one of the most powerful protagonists to ever grace an anime.

14 Trigun

Vash The Stampede

It’s one thing for someone to become extremely overpowered that they get to save the world, and another for them to be feared of truly destroying it. In the space-faring future of Trigun, protagonist Vash the Stampede is roaming the desert planet of No Man’s Land to find peace… except he is almost always chased by people who simply want to kill him.

This is because he's nicknamed the “Humanoid Typhoon” after he destroyed a city with his vast supernatural abilities. Possessing a bounty of $60 billion, Vash of Trigun is followed by two insurance agents who start to observe that the destruction that follows Vash isn’t caused by him but by the people chasing that bounty. And when he’s truly provoked, Vash can use his extreme physical attributes and is skilled with guns to overcome threats.

Trigun Stampede is also very good.

13 Hellsing Ultimate

Alucard

Known as one of the most over-the-top anime out there, Hellsing Ultimate is perhaps an anime that defines the epitome of overpowered. Set in an alternate take on modern times, this OVA series stars the “original” vampire Alucard, who swore devotion to the Hellsing family after his defeat at the hands of Abraham Van Helsing. As a result, Alucard comes under the employ of the Royal Order of Protestant Knights to hunt vampires all around the world.

The thing is, the protagonist isn’t exactly a “calm” individual. Alucard is known for his bloodlust and love for violence, something the Knights use to hunt their current targets: the Millennium, a group of Nazi remnants that want to create a battalion of vampires to revive Nazi Germany.

12 Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yugi Yami

Granted, Yu-Gi-Oh! doesn’t have the most complex of stories. And it doesn’t help that Yugi Muto and Yami Yugi consistently save the world from otherworldly threats through a children’s trading card game. Regardless, seeing Yugi consistently outmaneuver his opponents - be it through actual rules or The Heart of the Cards - remains ever-satisfying, even in rewatches.

Contrary to other anime with OP protagonists, Yugi’s status as an overpowered character fits the simple nature of the anime. However, Yugi’s lessons on friendship, hope, and hard work remain great companions to his prowess as the King of Games.

11 Solo Leveling

Sung Jin-Woo

While not a hard and fast rule, many anime with OP protagonists tend to either start with their character already overpowered or speedrun the process to getting there. Although ultimately falling within the latter category, Solo Leveling goes to great lengths to chronicle Jin-Woo's blossoming strength, with the hunter constantly growing stronger throughout the first season. This structure grants the story's early chapters a lot of forward momentum, something that can be an issue with similar series.

The weakest hunter in the business, Sung Jin-Woo accepts each mission fully aware that death could await him. When an operation goes sideways, a demolished Jin-Woo finds himself walking toward the light, only for a mysterious opportunity to present itself. Suddenly, the protagonist gains the ability to level up, starting him down a path that quickly leads to overwhelming power.

10 Irregular At Magic High School

Tatsuya Shiba

Irregular At Magic High School changes the dynamics of modern fantasy anime. In its story, magic has now become a scientific study. At school, students with remarkable marks in magic are called Blooms. Meanwhile, the other passing students are considered Weeds.

However, protagonist Tatsuya Shiba doesn’t fall into either category. While his sibling Miyuki displayed enough magical prowess to be a Bloom, Tatsuya’s lack of magical abilities made him a Weed. What’s more interesting is how Tatsuya’s impeccable knowledge of technical magic places him above Bloom’s level. As such, Tatsuya has become irregular at Magic High School - which in itself poses some problems, as the story will show.

9 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

Rimuru Tempest

When Satoru Mikami risks his life to save a colleague from a street attack, Satoru, unfortunately, succumbs to his stab wounds. In his dying moments, Satoru simply wished for a body that could withstand any physical attacks. And through the guidance of a mysterious voice, Satoru receives his wish - and becomes a slime.

In his newfound life, Satoru finds himself surrounded by magic, dragons, and fantasy creatures. With a dragon friend renaming Satoru as Rimuru Tempest, Satoru now ventures into this new world with an impenetrable body. And given he doesn’t have any goals, in particular, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is a treat to both isekai and slice-of-life lovers.

8 Assassination Classroom

Koro-Sensei

At first glance, Class 3-E of Kunugigaoka Junior High seemed like the typical class of misfits. However, these youngsters hold the fate of the world in their hands. After all, their homeroom teacher Koro Sensei - an extraterrestrial yellow octopus - will destroy the world if the class doesn’t find a way of killing him.

It doesn’t help that Koro Sensei is possibly indestructible as well. Assassination Classroom shows students trying rather serious killing methods that fail to assassinate Koro Sensei. And being the supportive teacher, Koro Sensei himself offers tips on making their killing methods more effective.

7 One Outs

Toa Tokuchi

For the most part, overpowered anime protagonists are associated with extraordinary abilities that put them well beyond the reach of anyone else who exists within their universe. However, these types of stories can work without a supernatural element, and One Outs serves up one of the better examples of an OP main character who is, technically, just a normal guy. The title refers to a baseball street game where a pitcher and a batter face off with cash on the line.

Despite not seeming to be all that amazing of a pitcher, Toa is undefeated, and he even takes down the Saitama Lycaons' best batter. This incident causes the team to offer Toa a contract, albeit a twisted one where the pitcher is locked in a continuous battle with the Lycaons' owner. Throughout the series, the protagonist constantly gets into the psyches of other players, destroying them mentally before they even step on the mound. While he might not have any special powers, Toa is so incredibly overpowered that victory is never remotely in doubt.

6 The Misfit Of Demon King Academy

Anos Voldigoad

When Anos Voldigoad entered the Demon King Academy during the Magical Age, his antics had people brand him as a misfit. However, the titular protagonist of The Misfit of Demon King Academy is constantly hiding the fact that he is the reincarnation of Anos, the Demon King of Tyranny himself. After his realization that his descendants have grown weaker in power, Anos has become motivated to reclaim his power in his reincarnated state. This proved to work in Anos’s favor, as The Misfit of Demon King Academy almost always shows him to be better than most of his peers who also use source-based magic.

As the wielder of the Source of Destruction, Anos can bypass the usual limitations of his weaker body by virtue of his magic growing in power the more he gets close to death. On top of his impressive magical powers are physical qualities that put other characters to shame, such as having enough strength to carry a castle and spin it with one hand as well as casually going faster than the speed of light.

5 Mob Psycho 100

Shigeo Kageyama

Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama seems like an ordinary eighth-grader struggling to socialize with others as an introverted youngster. Unbeknownst to everyone, Shigeo is one of the most powerful psychics in the world. Given his power’s untapped nature, Shigeo goes out of control by the time his Meter reaches 100. However, thanks to the efforts of his mentor, Shigeo begins to grasp the nature of his abilities and his role in the world.

Mob Psycho 100 takes a few pages from One-Punch Man's playbook, but Shigeo's character arc is nothing like Saitama's journey. Mob's isolation comes from his belief that nobody can relate to him, something that changes as he grows more confident socially. More than anything, this series tells a coming-of-age story, and it is great.

4 Overlord

Ainz Ooal Gown/Momonga

Overlord is an isekai anime that presents a "villain" as the protagonist, although the audience is certainly meant to side with him. This time around, the anime stars Momonga (or Ainz Ooal Gown), a Wizard and one of the leaders of Ainz Ooal Gown, a prominent guild in the “Yggdrasil” VR MMO. However, Momonga finds himself trapped in a world that appears to be his game just as its servers shut down, and he still has all the powers he had before. More importantly, he is surrounded and aided by very powerful NPCs who have developed legitimate personalities.

With his magic at his disposal as well as NPCs and items under his control, Momonga is easily the most powerful person in this universe, and his subordinates tower over pretty much everyone else. Unlike other action-packed anime, Overlord showcases Momonga’s unique abilities amid his newfound and often hilariously mundane adventures in a world inspired by an MMO.

3 The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.

Kusuo Saiki

When an anime features an overpowered protagonist, they’re often tasked to save the world eventually. This is not the case in The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K, as powerful psychic Kusuo Saiki simply wants to have a normal life. In The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K, Kusuo Saiki inadvertently finds himself forced into various uncomfortable situations at school that test his ability to hide his powers.

As a result, the anime becomes a festival of hijinks and various shenanigans. Saiki is often followed by various classmates who either need something from him or want his help with something, and Saiki is almost always dumbfounded to the point of just wanting to use his abilities to escape these awkward situations.

2 The Eminence In Shadow

Cid Kagenou

The Eminence in Shadow pushes the overpowered isekai protagonist trope to its endpoint. Both self-aware and utterly oblivious, Cid is the shadow that pulls society's strings, a role he has dreamed of fulfilling since before he died and reincarnated in a new world. Backed by a powerful organization called Shadow Garden filled with women who will do anything for their leader, Cid's strength is nearly beyond comprehension – he is living in god mode. No enemy in the anime's two seasons has even come close to presenting Cid with a challenge, especially since the latter loves to show off his strength when he is playing the part of Shadow.

The Eminence in Shadow blends action and comedy, with the latter influencing the former quite a lot. For the most part, Cid is under the assumption that Shadow Garden's members are just humoring him, a situation that can be quite illogical considering all the outlandish things that have happened in the series. However, Cid is so overpowered that he can comfortably believe in any falsehood he wants.

1 One-Punch Man

Saitama

Unlike other anime, Saitama of One-Punch Man serves as a parody of his own series. In the world of this show, superheroes have become part of the public eye. One-Punch Man stars Saitama, the One-Punch Man, a lower-class superhero who does not seem impressive at a glance. However, behind Saitama’s rather lazy and dull exterior lies perhaps the strongest superhero in existence. As his superhero name implies, even one hit from Saitama is more than enough to annihilate the strongest supervillain. Unfortunately for him, Saitama’s toughest battles never get an audience. And more popular heroes always get the credit for Saitama’s victories.

Even if there might be better series out there, One-Punch Man is the definitive anime with an overpowered protagonist. While most battle shonen shows do not actively reference the character's OP nature, OPM directly explores Saitama's overwhelming strength, even diving into the negative consequences it has on his psyche.