So, we’ve decided to take this dilemma a step further. As we are all aware, Superman is one ofthe most powerful heroes in the DC Universe, and the anime universe contains just as powerful characters, ranging from virtuous heroes to dreadful villains that destroy worlds. This brings up the question: is there any anime villain, despised or admired, capable of defeating Superman? The following 10 extremely powerful anime characters may be able to.
10Blackbeard — One Piece
After a thousand episodes,Blackbeardis shaping up to be the main antagonist ofOne Piece, and he’s only growing stronger. Since he obtained the devil fruit from the world’s strongest pirate, Whitebeard, he now wields two of the deadliest abilitiesin theOne Pieceuniverse. Also known as Marshall D. Teach, Blackbeard is an unexpected contender for Superman, but we believe he is capable of defeating him.
How Blackbeard Can Defeat Superman
While Superman is terrifyingly powerful in his own right, Blackbeard has a knack for fighting dirty, and when paired with his peculiar abilities, even by devil fruit standards, he has a fair chance of defeating this DC superhero. While he would almost surely lose, his full potential is yet to be properly explored in the anime, so we’ve decided to include him on the list as a possibility.
9Overhaul — My Hero Academia
Overhaul, also known as Kai Chisaki, is a former Yakuza leader who served as the primary villain inMy Hero Academiaseason 4. In the anime, Kai believes that quirks are a curse that divides humanity into heroes and villains, thus he sets out to erase quirks from the face of the planet. For this reason, he is not only an intriguing villain, but also a very powerful one.
How Overhaul Can Defeat Superman
Despite losing to Deku by the end of the season, Overhaul has incredible potential, thanks to his god-tier quirk that allows him to break down and reconstruct any matter, meaning that all he needs to do is touch his opponent to blow them to smithereens.
While it is nearly impossible for Overhaul to pose a threat to Superman in combat, he is also known for his quick reflexes and quirk mutations. Given Overhaul’s endless potential and unique quirk, all he would need to do is get close enough to Superman to reduce him to nothing — if that would work on the DC hero, that is.
8Gilgamesh — Fate
Gilgameshis the most terrifying adversaryin theFateuniverse, not only because he possesses the Gate of Babylon (which summons weapons out of another dimension), but also due to his unrelenting cruelty. He was the ancient King of Uruk who subsequently evolved into a Heroic Spirit and was summoned to fight in the Holy Grail War.
Related:10 Most Tragic Heroes in Fantasy Movies
How Gilgamesh Can Defeat Superman
As the first Heroic Spirit, Gilgamesh has an arsenal of tricks and trump cards in his sleeves, and he fights effortlessly regardless of whom he faces. So, if he ever faced Superman, he may not have the leisure to battle recklessly, which makes him even more destructive.
His battle sense allows him to analyze everything down to the tiniest detail, and the prospect that he might have ended the Fourth Holy Grail War makes defeating Superman plausible, especially if they fight head-on. Nonetheless, even if Gilgamesh is forced to use Kryptonite to utterly weaken Superman, his pride would never allow him to do so — meaning he has a chance, but would probably fail.
7Satan — Devilman Crybaby
SatanfromDevilman Crybabyis by no means a match for Superman in terms of strength, but a battle does not always hinge on a single factor. Satan was an Angel who wasbanished from Hell to Earthand aimed to conquer it by pitting humans against one another with the aid of Demons. He would later befriend the anime’s main protagonist, Akira Fudo, and introduce himself as Ryo.
How Satan Can Defeat Superman
If Satan employs a similar approach of causing havoc on Earth to distract Superman, he will have a far higher chance of victory. Furthermore,his ability to reincarnateat any time makes him a somewhat invincible force to be reckoned with, something Superman lacks and cannot match. Aside from that, if we solely consider physical combat, he cannot touch Superman.
6Shigaraki — My Hero Academia
Shigarakibears the most lethal quirk inMy Hero Academia: Decay. Everything he touches burns to ashes, and by the fifth season, he has evolved into a different monster that eventhe strongest heroes in the animewere powerless to stop. So, here’s how we believe a genuine encounter between Shigaraki and Superman could go.
How Shigaraki Can Defeat Superman
While Superman has various advantages over Shigaraki, including his ability to fly at supersonic speeds, he should be wary not to approach this supervillain, whose quirk has been modified numerous times. If Shigaraki could even get a simple touch on Superman, the latter would melt to ashes because no regeneration is sufficient to neutralize the effects of his deadly quirk. To add salt to the wound, Shigaraki regenerates at an alarming rate, making him a formidable opponent to contend with.
5Father — Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Although it’s a little on the nose to name someone with the power of a godFather, this figure fromFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodis one of the most overpowered anime characters. He’s a homunculus created from the essence of the Eye, and his knowledge far exceeds that of ordinary humans.
How Father Can Defeat Superman
He’s frail in comparison to Superman in his first three forms, but Father later absorbs a powerful entity from the gate and gains the power equivalent to a god. In fact, he has the ability to manipulate energy and matter, transforming everything into anything he desires, but he struggles to maintain his fourth form in the body. So, unless Superman can prevent Father from activating his fourth form, the latter can most likely destroy the Last Son of Krypton with ease.
4Light Yagami — Death Note
Light Yagamiis the weakest individual on the list because he is a mere human high school student, but even Superman cannot defeat him without a plan. He is the main protagonist ofDeath Noteand is widely regarded as one ofthe smartest anime characters of all time.
Related:The Smartest Supervillains in Movies, Ranked
How Light Yagami Can Defeat Superman
Although the power of the Death Note does not affect Clark Kent since he is not human, Light is always meticulous in his planning, so he can devise numerous ways to use Kryptonite and exterminate Superman. He could also likely figure out ways to take hostages that he could kill in an instant, which would severely hinder Superman’s ability to stop him. Considering his anti-hero views, he is also more likely to clash with Superman if they share the same universe.
3Aizen — Bleach
Aizenis the type of character you wouldn’t expect to be a villain, but he is one. Despite being one of the most powerful characters in theBleachanime, he always plans ten steps ahead. He was the former captain of the 5th Division in the Gotei 13, but was defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki and imprisoned for his crimes.
How Aizen Can Defeat Superman
Aizen single-handedly amassed an army of Arrancar and waged war against Soul Society, which is said to guard all realms of the universe. If he faced Superman, he’d have the advantage of an army at his side, as well as his own strength and wits. Especially knowing that he is/was a soul reaper, Superman would have to find new ways to harm Aizen, which is a challenge in and of itself.
2Jiren — Dragon Ball Super
Jiren, also known as Jiren the Gray, is one of the most powerful mortals in theDragon Balluniverse, outclassing the God of Destruction, Belmod, and is often regarded as the fiercest foe Goku has ever faced. He makes his debut appearance inDragon Ball Superand demonstrates unparalleled combat prowess, proving why he is one of the strongest beings in the universe.
How Jiren Can Defeat Superman
Possessing the power to destroy a whole galaxy if he wanted, being unable to defeat Superman could only be from sheer plot armor for the latter, unless we consider the comic version. Nonetheless, Jiren is an honorable fighter who believes in justice, so Superman is likely to get along with him and settle for a simple clash rather than a life-threatening battle.
1Majin Buu — Dragon Ball Z
Majin Buufrom theDragon Ball Zfranchise, is perhaps the only villain on the list who can utterly demolish Superman without giving him a chance to counterattack. Unfortunately, theDragon Balluniverse defies basic reasoning, so it comes as no surprise that the franchise’s strongest character, Majin Buu, is unreasonably powerful.
How Majin Buu Can Defeat Superman
Even though Majin Buu has several forms, such as Innocent Buu, Evil Buu, and Pure Evil Buu, virtually all of them can overpower Superman, since he can not only absorb any living thing into his form, but also inherit their physical abilities and duplicate techniques. This alone would put Majin Buu on an equal footing with Superman, but what happens if he unleashes his true power, which can destroy planets with minimal effort? Superman would have the fight of his life, at the least.
