The main characters of anime are idolized by geeks and fans everywhere, but notably in the country of their origin, Japan. No matter the genre, each anime introduces us to its main and supporting characters, and more often than not, the main character is an appealing young man with superhuman abilities that drive us crazy.
The overpowered main character is a synonym for an OP main character. The character is implied to have had superhuman strength, intelligence, magic, or other qualities to the point where they are essentially unbeatable in their respective anime universe. They simply don’t seem to die or be vanquished because of their immaculate plot armor. Even if they experience difficulties, they will overcome them and become stronger. There hardly seems to be any weakness or imperfection displayed by any of these characters.
OP’s main characters have such rapid progression of growth and have a high moral compass. These characters are quite lovable, and most fans and viewers get hooked on them, primarily because they undeniably use anime as a form of escape from reality. This escapism is fueled by such overwhelming powerful characters who do not seem to have any failure as such in their path to success. At the same time, fans are either unhappy with their lives or are struggling in some way or the other, and so they look up to such OP characters as if they’re living these fictional lives instead.
Whatever the motivation, we all adore strong, endearing people and enjoy watching them defeat evildoers. Here are some top 10 anime with such OP main characters.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
Saiki Kusuo, the main OP character of the manga and anime series that goes by “The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.” is the absolute opposite of fun-loving and high-spirited characters that we’ve seen across various anime before, like Goku from the Dragon Ball series or Deku from the My Hero Academia series. He is at the top of the list since he is an esper with incredible and extraordinary psychic powers, which, you can not deny, are the most overpowered skills of all time. You’ll understand why once you start watching this series.
The whole plot revolves around him and his misadventures with his circle of school friends, mainly Kaidou Shun and Nendou Riki (an undeniably hilarious trio). We see there’s an immense surprising plot twist as we come to the end of the series, and with just that, we realize that Saiki Kusuo is undeniably the most OP character of all time. Our man can stop time, travel through time and space and dimensions, turn invisible, and can stop an incoming asteroid from destroying the world.
Thanks to his extraordinary range of abilities, one of which is dry humor, he is capable of doing anything. We see only his expressionless face throughout the series, even when he is saving the planet. He only smiles when he has the opportunity to eat coffee jelly.
Without giving too much away, our laid-back OP main character is having a hard time keeping up with his peculiar group of classmates while simultaneously preventing the world from exploding. We are left to wonder how much can this young lad hold in and tolerate. Will he eventually lose his calm?
- Directed by: Hiroaki Sakurai
- Studio: J.C.Staff
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Genre: Gag Humour, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural
- Release Date: July 4, 2016
- Where to watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: Anime Like Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan That You Should Not Miss
The God of High School
The God of High School is one of the new action-packed anime series which have fared pretty well in terms of publicity and sales. Its prominent feature that stands out amongst other such anime series is that its main character is a massively OP guy named Jin Mori.
Throughout the series, Jin is a fun-loving and caring guy and fits perfectly as the “golden retriever” boy. He has excellent martial arts skills, combined with supernatural elements of the world. That’s beyond one’s imagination. The teenage guy, as we can all assume, is not interested in romance but there’s an undeniable strong chemistry(platonic or not) between Jin and Yu Mira.
He has quick and durable strength. While playing at the tournament, we can deduce that Jin is not only just immensely strong, he is also super smart and intelligent. He literally cannot be defeated. We’ve seen him fight and it’s a boar out there. He has the rage and the might to destroy his opponents left and right. Despite the OP status of Jin, he lacks one thing: he cannot balance his responsibilities and his inner child like attitude and desires. Throughout the series we see him struggle, not in battles but with himself. But like any other shounen main character, he can never be defeated because he has the stern determination to become the God of High school.
- Directed by: Sunghoo Park
- Studio: MAPPA
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Superpower
- Release Date: July 6, 2020
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Also read: 10 Manhwa Similar To God Of High School
Mob Psycho 100
From the same creator of One Punch Man, One has given us yet another lovable superhero character with immense skills that can defeat almost every evil villain in the world. Shigeo Kageyama, also better known as Mob, the main character of Mob Psycho 100, is an undefeatable esper with incredible psychic skills and superhuman strength, much like our favorite OP esper Saiki Kusuo. Unlike One’s Saitama, Mob genuinely has a strong desire to protect people from danger. He possesses a heart so pure that he pushes away all rational thoughts to see the good in evil spirits, even if he has to fight them to death.
One evil spirit that we see him fight at the beginning of the series is Ekubo, with who later Mob becomes best buddies, and Ekubo also seems to be attached to Mob to such an extent that we see he doesn’t want to hurt Mob even though after devising some massive evil plans. Our beloved Mob is, perhaps, one of the most introverted main characters of all time who possesses such immense skills while his personality doesn’t reflect his strength. Who would’ve thought this young teenager would be capable of saving the world from evil?
Like most teenage students, he has a mentor named Arataka Reigen, whom he looks up to so much with respect and admiration. Reigen seems to take advantage of Mob’s extraordinary skills for his extraordinary business to thrive, but regardless of this, the powerless Reigen teaches Mob various life skills and is a good mentor. We’ve seen instances of Mob almost losing his control, yet Reigen has never been visibly disturbed by this fact. Instead, Reigen always calms him down, and he doesn’t need extraordinary skills to do this. Wouldn’t we all need such a caring and wise mentor?
- Directed by: Yuzuru Tachikawa, Takahiro Hasui (III)
- Studio: Bones
- IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Supernatural, Superpower
- Release Date: July 12, 2016
- Where to watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: 50 Anime Characters That Are Stronger Than Mob From Mob Psycho 100
Assassination Classroom
Quite surprisingly, on the list, we have Koro-Sensei from Assassination Classroom- a lovable, feared hero mostly portrayed as a villain by the students of Class 3-E in the series. In such a setting where students are being taught by an octopus-looking creature who also seems to possess overwhelming superhuman strength, the students have to learn from the same creature how to kill it. It is quite an absurd scenario where you learn from your teacher and eventually have to kill your teacher.
Sadly enough, as the series progresses, we see how the students change their attitude towards Koro Sensei from hating him to loving him so much that they don’t want to assassinate him anymore. His OP skills are insane superhuman strength, but at the same time, he seems to be an intellect and has deep levels of understanding and compassion for the weak and timid.
Our octopus teacher is a lovable one, as all students across the world would agree. He teaches various moral values and life skills along with fighting skills and hacks to his students. One who watches Assassination Classroom would most definitely agree that Koro Sensei has indeed given us one of the best and most thought-provoking one-liners throughout the series. Who could hate our Koro Sensei, even after knowing his past and the reasons why he has become an octopus-like creature?
- Directed by: Seiji Kishi
- Studio: Lerche
- IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
- Genre: Action, Comedy, School, Superpower
- Release Date: January 9, 2015
- Where to watch: Funimation, Crunchyroll, Netflix
Also read: Will Koro-Sensei Die in Assassination Classroom?
Overlord
One of the most overpowered characters undoubtedly would have to be Momonaga from the Overlord series, better known as Ainz Ooal Gown. This anime is focused on the theme of isekai- getting teleported to a different virtual or parallel universe, which in this case is that of video games. The Overlord universe is facing an abnormality- the servers are getting shut down.
Our OP protagonist Momonaga wants to live his life peacefully now before it ends, but he is met with a few odd video game characters who seem to have developed consciousness of their own. There is nothing Momonaga can’t do; he is built to be undefeated. An interesting thing to note is that our protagonist is simultaneously playing the role of an antagonist. Quite an innovative concept in anime lately.
The star in this series can attack skilfully as well as is best in defense. While we see him fight and command an army for battle, he has immense confidence in himself, and that is what truly sets him apart from the rest. Even after being Isekai-ed, he has this strong aura around himself that just says he is a born leader and a natural combat player.
- Directed by: Kunihiro Wakabayashi, Shūji Miyazaki, Naoyuki Itō, Masaki Matsumura, and others
- Studio: Madhouse
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Isekai, Adventure
- Release Date: July 7, 2015
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: Top 10 Best Characters From Overlord Anime
Code Geass
The main character of Code Geass, who is similar to Momonaga from Overlord in the sense that he plays the role of both the protagonist and antagonist, goes by the name Lelouch. But most fans would call him an anti-hero figure instead of a villain. A high school student who hails from a formerly princely background is now caught in the war.
After having obtained mysterious OP powers of controlling others, Lelouch Lamperouge decides to be the masked hero of a rebellion by the citizens of Britannia, and he goes by the name Zero. With the help of a mysterious, beautiful, powerful girl named C.C., Lelouch ultimately forms an enormous cult-like army of rebels.
A powerful story of the rebellion that shows not only the struggle but the common grounds for misunderstanding that take place between rebels and higher authorities. It is as if the series asks a rhetorical question: is being a hero good enough that we see him turn into the very villain he sought to take down?
It is as if we have to judge whether Lelouch is the good guy or Zero is the bad guy, even though we know they’re the same person… or are they? Is Lelouch just a mere human being like other Britannians? Is Zero just a concept of a vigilante and has no particular identity but belongs to each citizen who feels the need to revolt and improve the world?
- Directed by: Gorō Taniguchi
- Studio: Sunrise
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Genre: Mecha, Alternate History, Superpower, Drama, Military, Science-fiction
- Release Date: October 6, 2006
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Also read: Code Geass Director’s New Anime ‘Estab Life’: Crunchyroll Premiere Date
Hunter x Hunter
In a world filled with hunters who possess immense superhuman strength and powers, Gon Freecss pairs up with Killua Zoldyck, Leorio Paladiknight, and Kurapika to become Hunters. Each of the four characters is immensely powerful in his way, and our beloved 12-year-old OP main character Gon is displaying most of his superhuman skills.
Unlike most of the characters mentioned above, Gon Freecss is a golden retriever boy. He is a fun-loving young teenager who looks at life with an unwavering optimistic attitude, and he tries to see the good in all. His sheer determination and strong willpower are the things that push him beyond his limits, even at times when he’s failing. Protected with plot armor, OP Gon recovers rapidly even after severe injuries and is crushed and diminished to just a skeleton.
Like most other Shounen main characters, Gon is a firm believer in friendship and the importance of the same in a person’s path to success and happiness. This sort of becomes too predictable and annoying as we watch him overcome obstacles through the sheer power of friendship. Nonetheless, we love him as one of the most OP characters in the history of anime because of his cuteness and the fact that he is only 12 years old. Due to his age, we can’t help but fall for his innocence and naivety, which is quite refreshing to watch now and then.
Bet you wouldn’t believe it if I said Gon’s best friend is also another overpowered character- Killua Zoldyck! As one of the main characters of the series, Killua has a rather contrasting backstory compared to Gon. He hails from a legendary family of assassins- the Zoldyck family. Unlike his family members, he wants to leave the Zoldyck life and wants to become a hunter.
He is quite cold towards his family members, and just in general, if you see him battle his opponents, he has a rather cold attitude towards them. But this changes as he develops one of the best friendships with Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika. Killua has, however, a soft spot for his sister Alluka.
We know our OP hunter isn’t that bad at heart. He is indeed a sweetheart. And to talk about his OP powers- he is exceptionally skilled in Nen, and he also has the natural instincts and talents of an assassin. He’s just undefeatable, especially when his specialty is electricity. His ultimate weapon is Godspeed.
- Directed by: Hiroshi Kōjina
- Studio: Madhouse
- IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Shounen
- Release Date: October 2, 2011
- Where to watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Also read: Top 10 Best Shounen Anime To Watch Right Now
Dr Stone
The anime became quite popular back in 2019 and 2020 due to its quirky OP main character named Senku. The protagonist is usually someone with amazing strength or exceptional intelligence. He is sort of a mix between the two; he has vast scientific knowledge and hence he can also become super strong in terms of power, but not to a great extent though.
Set in the Stone World, Senku has the capacity and resources and just sheer determination to create and innovate modern day inventions and tools to use as weapons and machinery. Another reason why he is considered an OP scientist in the animeverse is his quick adaptability and resourcefulness, especially when he has to face serious adversaries and opponents at unexpected times. As life is unpredictable, Senku faces the same difficulty. A lot of problems come his way, but he doesn’t give up and instead, he pushes forward with his extensive scientific knowledge and sheer determination; hence why he is a formidable scientist in the animeverse, well respected by many.
- Directed by: Shinya Iino (S1–2) Shūhei Matsushita (S3)
- Studio: TMS Entertainment
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Magic, Shounen
- Release Date: July 5, 2019
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: Dr Stone: Special Episode & Season 3 Update
Noragami
The protagonist is called Yato, also known as the Delivery God. He is a minor and lesser-known god in the realms of the mortals and the gods, but that is until we come to see his dark past. Much like the friendly neighborhood superhero Spiderman, we have our very own Yato God in this anime universe. His powers are the same as any other god, but because of his odd and somewhat lowly status, he struggles to perform with restrictions.
Yato’s character design is also quite phenomenal in a subtle sense. His hair twig stands when he’s happy and curious but bends when he’s sad or puzzled. This feature added by the creators is adorable.
Yato God has exceptional combat skills and a calm composure when he fights evil spirits and phantoms, which is basically what makes fans love and adore him so much. How he fights so gracefully and calmly amazes each one of us. Being immortal, he is ultimately invincible.
You might have fallen for Yato in the first season but watch how he completely submerges us all into his aura and flawlessness in the second season. The second season of Noragami Aragoto ends with a major plot twist, gently revealing lots of reasons why Yato is so overpowered. To continue, you must read the manga which will catch your interest.
- Directed by: Kotaro Tamura
- Studio: Bones
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Genre: Action, Mythology, Fantasy, Shounen
- Release Date: January 5, 2014
- Where to watch: Funimation, Crunchyroll
Also read: 10 Anime like Suki na Ko ga Megane wo Wasureta
Trigun
Probably one of the oldest OP characters from this list- Vash the Stampede. Vash is quite the protagonist who also fits in the role of an antagonist because of his character and nature. He is a merciless villain and is being hunted by everyone, although no one seems to get a hold of this dude.
Vash the Stampede is an enigmatic combatant who possesses insane superhuman strength and speed. One reason why he’s widely considered OP is his weapon, just like Meliodas’, called the Angel Arm. This weapon gives him the power to project extreme amounts of fire at will. Vash uses this weapon to destroy and defeat his opponents, leaving each of them in ashes.
Vash is definitely one of the funniest and most sarcastic OP characters; he seems to have an odd sense of humor, which makes it even better when we see him battle huge monsters while showing little to no expression on his face.
- Directed by: Satoshi Nishimura
- Studio: Madhouse
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Science-fiction
- Release Date: April 1, 1998
- Where to watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Also read: 30 Best Sci-fi Anime Movies to Watch In 2023
