Anime, with its expansive storytelling, often takes audienceson thrilling adventures filled with heroic exploits and fantastical worlds. Yet, sometimes, these stories feature characters wielding powers that transcend the boundaries of the extraordinary, venturing into pure horror.
10 Most Iconic Abilities In Anime
From My Hero Academia’s AFO to One Piece’s Haki, here are some of the most iconic and legendary abilities we’ve seen in anime.
Abilities like heart-harvesting to dream-invading entities, the world of anime introduces us to abilities that send shivers down our spines and challenge our response to fear. The powers on this list are beyond physical strength, tapping into the deepest fears of the human psyche and exploring the consequences of wielding abilities that defy the natural order.
10Creating Philosopher’s Stones (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
A Genocide Is Needed To Create A Philosopher’s Stone
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Why Is It Terrifying?
In the world of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the creation of Philosopher’s Stones stands as a chilling representation of the cost of wielding extraordinary power. This ability involves sacrificing human lives to generate a potent and forbidden alchemical artifact. The horror lies not just in the act of taking lives but in the ethical implications of using human souls as a commodity.
The dread is compounded by the scale of suffering required to produce these stones, creating a story that explores the moral consequences of pursuing power at any cost. The ethical implications and the cost of human suffering make the creation of Philosopher’s Stones a dark and terrifying aspect in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Release Date
Where To Watch
June 25, 2025
Crunchyroll
9Killua’s Heart Harvesting (HunterxHunter)
Straight Up Rips Out Your Heart
Hunter x Hunter
Killua’s ability to rip out a person’s heart without any visible effort is truly terrifying. Killua Zoldyck,raised as an assassin from a young age, possesses incredible agility and precision over his own body.
What makes this power terrifying is the cold, clinical efficiency with which Killua can end a life. There’s a lack of emotional attachment or remorse, making him an unsettling presence. The mere thought of encountering someone with the capability to instantly end a life by extracting the heart adds an intense layer of fear to Killua’s character, and this ability will forever be considered terrifying.
July 07, 2025
8Seiji Shishikura’s “Meatballs” (My Hero Academia)
Completely Changes Your Physical Body And Mold It As He Sees Fit
My Hero Academia
Seiji Shishikura’s quirk allows him to manipulate flesh like clay, creating a mold of flesh that renders opponents powerless against him. The gruesome nature of this power, combined with its potential for swift and brutal attacks, instills terror. The horror lies in the visceral and graphic nature of this power, turning the human body into a grotesque mass.
The psychological impact of facing an adversary with such an ability adds to the terror, both for the characters within the story and the audience watching. Shishikura’s power exemplifies the darker, more macabre side of the superhuman abilities prevalent in the My Hero Academia universe.
July 10, 2025
7Death Thirteen (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Turns Opponents Into Helpless Victims Once They’re Asleep
JoJo Bizarre Adventure
Death Thirteen, a Stand from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, invades people’s dreams, turning the dream realm into a deadly playground. Victims are vulnerable in their sleep, and Death Thirteen’s ability to manipulate dreams to create horrifying scenarios makes it a deeply unsettling and nightmarish power.
The psychological horror of facing a villain within the vulnerable confines of one’s own dreamscape adds an extra layer of terror to Death Thirteen’s ability. You literally can’t do anything if Death Thirteen manages to infiltrate your mind, and after waking up, you’ll forget it ever happened. Kakyoin only beat him after scratching himself to remember the dream.
August 06, 2025
6Muzan Kibutsuji’s Blood (Demon Slayer)
Can Change The Nature Of Humans And Convert Them Into Demons
Demon Slayer
Muzan Kibutsuji, the main antagonist in Demon Slayer, possesses the ability to turn humans into demons with just a drop of his blood. The idea that a single encounter with Muzan can result in a gruesome transformation into a bloodthirsty demon is terrifying. This power not only threatens physical well-being but also one’s very humanity.
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The victims of this power become not only enemies but also tragic reminders of the relentless and indiscriminate nature of Muzan’s influence. The existential threat of losing one’s humanity to a single drop of blood is a chilling concept that resonates throughout the Demon Slayer narrative.
June 16, 2025
5Mahito’s Idle Transfiguration (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Distorts Souls To Make Horrible Subhumans
Jujutsu Kaisen
Mahito’s Idle Transfiguration in Jujutsu Kaisen introduces a unique and disturbing concept to the world of cursed techniques. This ability allows Mahito to manipulate the very structure of a person’s soul, distorting their physical form at will. The terror of this power lies in the profound pain and helplessness experienced by the victims.
The graphic and visceral nature of the transformations, coupled with the fact that one’s identity can be altered with a mere touch, instills a deep sense of dread that goes beyond the anime. There have also been humans who’ve begged for death after being transfigured by Mahito.
August 04, 2025
4Angel Devil’s Life Shortening (Chainsaw Man)
Steals Lifespans By A Mere Touch
Chainsaw Man
The Angel Devil possesses a power that taps into a fundamental fearshared by all living beings: mortality. The Angel Devil’s ability to shorten a person’s life by simply touching them for seconds adds an air of existential dread to the narrative.
It was shown in one of the chapters that Aki touched his hand for a moment, and this shortened his lifespan by a month. He can then weaponize these absorbed lifespans and turn them into powerful weapons like swords that can kill someone instantly. This power preys on the fear of the unknown and the inevitability of death, making the Angel Devil a truly terrifying entity.
July 13, 2025
3Lelouch’s Geass (Code Geass)
Able To Inflict His Will On Anyone
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Lelouch’s power to command anyone with direct eye contact, forcing them to obey his orders without resistance, is psychologically chilling. The loss of free will and the potential for devastating consequences when in the hands of someone strategic and ruthless make Geass a haunting ability.
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Lelouch, armed with this power, becomes a morally complexauthority figure as he grapples with the ethical dilemmas surrounding the use of Geass. There is undoubtedly a psychological impact on both the wielder and the victims, and questioning the ethics of this ability is exactly why Code Geass is considered one of the greats.
July 08, 2025
2Itachi’s Tsukuyomi (Naruto)
Time Dilation And Constant Torture
Naruto: Shippuden
In Naruto, Itachi Uchiha possesses a power that transcends the physical realm and plunges its victims into a nightmarish dimension, the Tsukuyomi. This genjutsu is not merely an illusion but a mental prison where time stretches endlessly, subjecting the target to psychological and physical torment in a mere fraction of the real world’s time.
The horror of Tsukuyomi lies in the complete helplessness of its victims, trapped in a surreal and excruciating reality crafted by Itachi’s formidable Sharingan. It took Kakashi days to recover, and they suffered for 72 hours while actually being under the effects for a second.
July 08, 2025
1The Death Note (Death Note)
Judge, Jury, And Executioner
Death Note (2006)
This cursed notebook, wielded by Light Yagami in Death Note, grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose name is written within its pages. The simplicity of this power is overshadowed by its consequences and moral implications. The Death Note becomes a tool of God-like judgment, allowing its possessor to determine who lives and who dies.
The horror emanates not just from the supernatural aspect of the notebook but from the exploration of morality, justice, and the corrupting influence of absolute power. Light was so obsessed with the notebook that he hatched a plan to murder every criminal in the world,becoming judge, jury, and executioner.
August 20, 2025
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