There are many spectacular powers in anime. Between magic, weapons, and even gigantic mech suits, heroes and villains escalate conflict to the extent where the basics are nearly forgotten. In many instances, hand-to-hand combat proves the best and most adaptable answer for any situation.
Characters who’ve mastered it have shown a high aptitude for imposing their will on the narrative whether they are martial artists or simply brawlers. Such individuals are lethal even at their most vulnerable, meaning that there is seldom a time when they can actually be taken off-guard. Their versatility is almost as admirable as their brute force.
10/10 Vergo Was A Wrecking Ball Of Haki
One Piece
There were few One Piece villains stronger or more indomitable than Vergo. Able to cover his entire body in Haki, he preferred defeating adversaries with his bare hands in the few instances where he fought. Vergo was more successful than almost any other minor antagonist to this extent.
He defeated multiple fan favorite characters during the conflict at Punk Hazard, including Law, Smoker, and even Sanji. He only lost after the former caught him off guard and split his head in half.
9/10 Eren Perfected Annie’s Techniques
Attack On Titan
Eren Yeager was the most deadly martial artist in Attack On Titan. After fighting Annie Leonhart, he immediately adapted her techniques and used them to compound his own experience. This made him the single most formidable hand-to-hand fighter in the series, especially when using his titan form.
Eren’s melee skills were a necessity since he often went against stronger opponents. For example, he had no chance of defeating Reiner without capturing him in a deadly arm bar and would have been equally ineffective against the War Hammer Titan without his keen martial prowess.
8/10 Appledelhi Was A Surprisingly Durable Brawler
Cowboy Bebop
Appledelhi was a cartographer in the Cowboy Bebop series. Although his vocation might not suggest it, he ranked among the few characters able to physically overpower Spike Spiegel in combat. Whether casually dodging Spike’s kicks or simply catching them in his fist, Appledelhi was an immovable wall of a man.
His success could be attributed to his prodigious strength, size, and protein-rich egg diet. Should the contract put on his head have been real, Spike might have been significantly worse off for his failed attempt to take Appledelhi in.
7/10 Uvogin Was The Phantom Troupe’s Most Devastating Bruiser
Hunter X Hunter
Uvogin was a member of the Phantom Troupe and among the strongest characters in Hunter X Hunter. Embodying what it meant to wield enhancement Nen, he relied on the sheer striking power of his fists in order to procure victory.
All of Uvogin’s success derived from how much damage he could cause in a single punch. For example, he slammed his fists into the ground so that the impending smoke screen would disorient Kurapika. He even broke the hero’s arm despite his opponent using their own Nen in order to protect against him.
6/10 Jotaro Was A Prolific Fighter With Or Without Star Platinum
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Jotaro Kujo was a competent fighter in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. When using his Stand, he could crush steel in a single punch and catch bullets with his fingertips. This illustrated incredible reflexes and meant that Star Platinum had few peers.
Jotaro was not exclusively reliant on his Stand. He proved competent even on his own merits, such as when he defeated Alessi in child form. The hero even endured being impaled through the stomach by Anubis.
5/10 Rappa Was The First Man To Break Kirishima
My Hero Academia
Rappa was an amazing fighter in My Hero Academia. He combined strength with speed, able to punch nearly as fast as a bullet with enough striking force to shatter Kirishima’s hardening.
Considering that Kirishima’s previous opponents had to wait for him to get exhausted, Rappa’s triumph over the boy at his peak illustrated how far beyond he was most fighters. The only person capable of defeating him in a fair fight was Overhaul, whose ability to kill his opponents couldn’t be countered.
4/10 Amon Thrived Without His Bending
Legend Of Korra
Amon was a viciously competent antagonist in Legend Of Korra. He exclusively relied on martial arts to defeat some of Republic City’s most powerful benders. Tenzin, Tarrlok, and even Korra all fell before him. Amon’s success was primarily attributed to his godlike agility.
When confronted by mafia leader and firebender “Lightning Bolt” Zolt, he dodged his attacks before stealing his powers in an instant. Although Amon was technically a bender himself, he used his gifts so infrequently that it proved the Equalist movement had a meaningful fighting chance regardless of how powerful their enemies were.
3/10 Lucci Was The World Government’s Finest Agent
One Piece
Rob Lucci was a brilliant tactician and secret agent. Even after CP9’s brutal loss at Enies Lobby, he received such recognition for his skill that even Celestial Dragons relied on him for protection. Lucci’s accolades were primarily on account of his dutiful training.
For years, he honed his body and mastered secret techniques until he became a living weapon. His “Finger Pistol” attack proved capable of defeating most opponents instantly, and “Iron Body” resisted everything Luffy threw at him before developing his “Gear’ techniques.
2/10 Might Guy Was The Most Skilled Taijutsu User Alive
Naruto
Might Guy was one of the few mentors never to be surpassed by his students in Naruto. A legendary taijutsu master renowned across the Five Nations, his mastery over the inner gates gave great potential beyond imagination. When fully unleashed, he nearly defeated Madara in spite of the villain’s many personal augmentations.
Might Guy had other qualities making him a formidable ninja. For example, he possessed the endurance to keep up with Kakashi in a race, who was a trained Anbu agent and the Hokage of Konoha. He also defeated Kisame, a villain so powerful that he was known as a “Tailless Tailed Beast.”
1/10 Yujiro Hanma Was Feared By Governments Across The Globe
Baki
Yujiro Hanma was the main antagonist of the Baki series. His name alone struck fear into his enemies and prompted entire governments to watch his every move. Their anxiety was well-founded; he proved more than capable of killing the United States’ president, whose bodyguards were helpless to protect him.
One of Yujiro’s greatest achievements was defeating a gigantic elephant in Africa. He accomplished with his bare hands what an entire army battalion couldn’t using potent munitions and the best artillery that money could buy.
