Power systems in anime explain the supernatural abilities and unique powers of characters, mostly in the Shonen anime series.

Every power system has different factors and rules that explain what and why is happening in the respective anime verse. There are different variations of magic, energy, chakra, and so on, but it keeps these systems diverse and interesting for fans.

For example, in some adventure anime series, you can “level up” after defeating monsters in a dungeon and get points to improve your strength or speed.

In other fantasy anime series where they use magic, you are either born with powerful magic or you are a civilian who does not have any magic power whatsoever.

Some of the newer generations of anime creators take inspiration from other series, and then they add extra detail to add more depth to their power system. This can include strict rules, simplicity, restrictions, conditions for the use of power, elements that involve battle, and so on.

We cover the 20 best power systems in anime history while covering every detail, from magic energy to Jujutsu Kaisen’s Cursed Energy, Chakra in Naruto, and more!

What is your favorite anime series to watch, and which system do you find the most interesting?

20. Magic (Fairy Tail)

In Fairy Tail, there is a power system for wizards in the form of magic. For example, dragon slayer magic, celestial spirit magic, elemental magic like lightning and ice, and even battle armor and weapon magic. Each wizard has its own special powers, but they are different for every user.

As a result, you witness epic battle scenes between the magic powers of steel, poison, water, or light, for example.

Different magic powers can also increase the powers of the wizards, but the power of friendship in Fairy Tail remains the strongest form of magic.

19. Trion (World Trigger)

In World Trigger, there is Trion. Every living human being possesses Trion, as it is a biological power source or energy that may also be present in other living forms. This unique form of energy offers a Trigger diverse special abilities.

What happens in World Trigger goes as follows: When a gate to another world opens on Earth, Mikado City is invaded by creatures called “Neighbors.” These beings are impenetrable to regular weapons.

To battle them, the Border Defense Agency is formed. They use special weapons known as “Triggers.”

With the power of Trion, you can now use the triggers to their full potential and develop a Trion-based enhanced body. As a result, the fighting power is drastically increased because of the amount of trion the user possesses.

18. Rukh ( Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic)

The amazing fantasy and magic anime Magi has a power system called Rukh. What is Rukh in Magi? Well, it is the main source of magical power and the world’s natural phenomenon in Magi.

This form of magic is where the fundamentals and existence differ from your standard knowledge. For example, Rukh is built like a very small bird and is released when a character uses its magic.

There are two types of Rukh: regular Rukh and Black Rukh. The difference between them is that Black Rukh forms when someone goes against Rukh’s Guidance and tries to defy destiny. Black Rukh is created and fueled by hatred and malice.

All living beings have Magoi inside their bodies, but only specific individuals with certain objects can activate this power. Household Vessels, Magic Tools, Metal Vessels, and Magicians utilize Magoi to perform Magic.

17. Pyrokinesis (Fire Force)

In Fire Force, the anime characters have special fire powers and use the power system of Pyrokinesis.

This is a unique way of using the element of fire by generating and manipulating fire with their Ignition Ability. The people who can use these abilities and manipulate flames are called Pyrokinetic. Each Pyrokinetic has its own unique category and generation.

For example, you can be either a second, third, or hybrid Pyrokinetic, with each generation having different flame abilities. This sums up the type of flame ability they possess and their power and control over their Ignition Ability.

Above all these, you have Adolla users who possess unimaginably powerful fire abilities. For instance, Some of these abilities are strong enough to move faster than light.

16. Energy (Yu Yu Hakusho)

“Yu Yu Hakusho,” created by Yoshihiro Togashi, the mind behind “Hunter X Hunter,” follows Yusuke Urameshi. The power system of Yu Yu Hakusho involves spirit energy, also known as aura, which is a powerful force inside all humans. When used well, it can give a lot of power and is available to people who are aware of spirits.

However, its intensity differs from person to person, much like fingerprints and voice-prints. This energy can be transformed into weapons, used to bolster physical strength, and even employed for healing.

There are also special energy classifications, as humans wield spirit energy and demons wield demon energy. By harnessing this energy, characters can enhance their strength, form weapons, or even heal.

Emotions can influence it to an extent, and its strength varies from character to character.

Understanding one’s emotions is crucial for controlling strength, as spirit energy is linked to your feelings.

15. Devils (Chainsaw Man)

Chainsaw Man is the winner of the Best New Series award from the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024. Their power system originates from the reflection humans embody about fear of the human world. The existence and power of the devils in Chainsaw Man are proportional to the fear it symbolizes.

For example, a chicken devil wouldn’t prove to be very powerful. But a War Devil, for instance, symbolizes the overall fear of war, making it incredibly strong.

So, devils in Chainsaw Man are born from the fears of humans and exist because of them. The types of devils can range from Chicken Devils to Gun Devils, with their power increasing based on the level of fear they evoke.

In exchange for a heavy price tag, numerous Devils can form unique contracts with humans to grant them special abilities. You can expect, as a human, to decrease your lifespan or lose a body part, in exchange for the supernatural ability of the devil.

14. Breathing Forms (Demon Slayer)

Breathing forms in Demon Slayer are an anime’s new, unique, and diverse power system. In this universe, swordsmen use their breath to adopt different forms when wielding their blades.

Breathing styles in Demon Slayer are swordsmanship techniques that utilize a special breathing method called Total Concentration Breathing. Take deep breaths while feeling your lungs expand as you fill them with air. Something that may seem like breathing gets taken to another level in Demon Slayer.

All Breathing styles are derived from Sun Breathing, the original style. Each style typically mimics a specific element of nature (such as flame, water, or wind) through the user’s movements, techniques, and abilities.

Demon Slayers use their breathing styles for longer-range weapon attacks, perhaps from shockwaves or air pressure from their weapon swings and strikes. It takes incredibly hard and disciplined training to perfect your breathing. That is pretty cool if you ask me.

13. Kagune (Tokyo Ghoul)

A Kagune is a ghoul’s weapon in Tokyo Ghoul, it is red like blood, flexible yet sturdy. It strengthens the ghoul’s body, making them more resilient and agile. Composed of Rc cells, it’s like “liquid muscles” that can be controlled at will. Size depends on Rc cell quality, and shape depends on user creativity.

As a result, you have many different Kagune battles and interesting fights.

Kagune-inflicted wounds delay healing in ghouls. To counter them, one needs a Kagune too. Ghoul investigators use Kagune-based weapons for tactical advantage in battling ghouls.

Every Ghoul in Tokyo Ghoul possesses a different Kagune that fits their character type and personal fighting style.

12. Tao (Hell’s Paradise)

Tao in Hell’s Paradise is revered as the power of spiritual flow. Tao is a unique form of energy that every individual from Hell’s Paradise possesses. You cannot see it but can sense it, so a fight between two Tao users can promise to be strategic.

Although Tao grants you great powers, it does come with a great cost when overused. An individual who overuses Tao can experience great burdens on their body and mind. You can interpret Tao as a strong, double-edged sword that grants special powers but can prove to be fatal.

11. Servants (Fate Series)

In the anime of the Fate Series, there is a Servant power system where the seven Servants participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War to battle for the Holy Grail.

Each Servant has a “Master” who orders them to use special spells to fight for them and protect them. Secondly, the level of power the servants possess depends on their class. There are seven different classes in total: Rider, Caster, Saber, Lancer, Archer, Berserker, and Assasin.

This anime power system is so cool because the Servants who get summoned are based on real mythological or historical figures like Alexander the Great and King Arthur. Each Master and Servant have unique and different personalities and abilities. As a result, you dive deep into history with legendary characters, along with epic dialogue and fight scenes.

10. Ki (Dragon Ball)

Dragon Ball is without a doubt the most influential and popular anime series of all time, and you can even call it the godfather of the shonen genre. Akira Toriyama created the Ki power system, which is the energy the characters possess and can develop through different approaches. You can increase your Ki through hard training, focus, discipline, and rage.

Ki is important for the fighters who use it because it boosts their attacks, abilities, and stamina.

It can also be used to sense other strong enemies and to fly. For example, you can use Ki to shoot powerful beams like Kamehameha, improve physical powers and speed, and perform different attacks.

Every Saiyan in Dragon Ball can transform into a Super Saiyan because of their Ki. Although the power abilities you can have are incredibly cool and amazing, the power system in this anime isn’t too complex.

9. Spiritual Pressure/Reiatsu (Bleach)

In the anime series Bleach, they use a cool power system called Spiritual Pressure or some call it Reiatsu. So Spiritual Pressure is the physical power/pressure that a person creates when they release this force. In Bleach, there are classes like Quincy, Bounts, Shinigami, and Arrancar who can alter their release of Reiatsu.

But the Bleach series showcases the Shinigami the most, as they use Spiritual Pressure for their special abilities. For example, Reiatsu refers to the spiritual pressure that a person’s Reiryoku exerts.

As a result, they can use abilities like Shikai which is the beginning part of a Zanpaktou. But the most important one is their Bankai, which is the final form of their Zanpaktou and the most powerful.

Once a Shinigami is called to the material world, they must materialize and successfully control their Zanpaktou spirit in order to unlock Bankai.

8. Abilities (Bungo Stray Dogs)

Characters in Bungo Stray Dogs possess “special abilities,” and each has their own distinct traits and limitations. An Ability’s energy source is also drawn from the user’s soul and will. As a result, the Ability of a deceased Ability User is destroyed.

This power system is so unique because the abilities often share names that originate from literal works.

For example, the character Arthur Rimbaud has the ability “Illuminations.” This allows him to create a hyperspace that he alone has complete control over.

Due to this hyperspace, he can create an almost impenetrable form of defense where explosives, physical attacks, or even guns have no effect.

As a result, the power system of this anime puts heavy emphasis on strategy while keeping the use of different abilities balanced.

7. Quirks (My Hero Academia)

Quirks in My Hero Academia are one of the most diverse and unique power systems in shonen anime.

So Quirks are superhuman abilities that a person is born with, and their power reflects the personalities and struggles of that hero/villain.

That is why there are heroes and villains, because these individuals choose to use their Quirks for either the safety of the public or to fight against them.

Some superhuman abilities are extremely powerful, like the Quirk One For All of protagonist Midoriya Izuku. On the other hand, you have the supernatural ability of Shinso, who has a quirk that can brainwash anyone who responds to anything he says.

Quirks are so diverse that they allow the heroes to create unique costumes and special accessories to boost their abilities and efficiency when using them.

That is why there are heroes and villains, because these individuals choose to use their Quirks

6. Alchemy (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood ranks as one of the greatest shonen anime series ever, and it uses alchemy as a well-rounded power system. Alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist revolves around science, (de)constructing material matter, and uses the law of equivalent exchange.

The laws of equivalent exchange goes as follows: to obtain or create something, something of equal value must be lost or destroyed. As simple as this sounds, only alchemists can use Alchemy which is referred to as Transmutation.

They have to use a transmutation circle with a complex design that allows them to channel this energy into a shape or form. However, in Fullmetal Alchemist there is the Philosophers’ Stone, a forbidden powerful tool that permits the user to use alchemy directly and ignore the laws of equivalent exchange.

Something as achieving immortality and creating something out of nothing can only be done with the Philosophers’ Stone

5. Devil Fruit & Haki (One Piece)

In the world of One Piece, these two unique power systems stand out: Devil Fruits and Haki.

Devil Fruits are special fruits that grant the consumer unique abilities reflective of the fruit’s nature.

They are classified into three types: Zoan, Paramecia, and Logia. These types offer a range of powers, from animal-based features to elemental controls like ice and fire.

So, Haki is a distinct power that harnesses spiritual energy for various purposes. It manifests in three forms: Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror’s Haki. Observation Haki acts as a sixth sense, predicting an opponent’s moves.

Armament Haki physically strengthens the user, while Conqueror’s Haki enables the user to overpower others’ wills.

These fruits are like forbidden treasures—granting incredible powers at the cost of the user’s ability to swim. From Luffy’s rubbery body to Doflamingo’s string manipulation, the variety of abilities is vast and continually expanding, thanks to the creativity of the series’ creator, Oda.

4. Cursed Energy (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Cursed Energy in Jujutsu Kaisen is a unique anime power system driven by negative emotions like anger and bitterness, which accumulate in all people over time. Unlike many anime power systems, it has clear rules that make fights feel grounded and strategic. However, cursed energy continues to get even more complex in the series.

Sorcerers use a finite pool of Cursed Energy to perform various jujutsu techniques, from powerful physical attacks to binding curses and summoning shikigami spirits. When someone’s Cursed Energy reaches a certain level, they gain the ability to see curses, which are manifestations of this special energy.

Jujutsu sorcerers, who eliminate these curses, possess large amounts of Cursed Energy. They manipulate it using a range of techniques, from innate abilities to advanced methods like Domain Expansions.

These techniques allow sorcerers to manage their energy reserves effectively and unleash powerful attacks, making Cursed Energy an interesting and well-structured power system in the series. What makes it even cooler is that fights in Jujutsu Kaisen depend on strategy a lot, battles aren’t always necessarily won by the stronger sorcerer.

3. Chakra (Naruto and Naruto Shippuden)

Chakra is the core fundamental of the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden series, where ninjas, known as Shinobis, use it to perform various jutsu-based techniques. This special energy is a mix of physical and spiritual elements, allowing for a range of abilities from basic ninjutsu and genjutsu to advanced techniques like Narutos Rasengan.

Chakra’s uniqueness lies in its different types, use, and affinities, the use of hand seals, and its connections to Tailed Beasts, powerful ninjutsu attacks, and Jinchūrikis. The hand signs, inspired by Hindu mudras, add cultural depth to the series. Especially during the Naruto series, you see many shinobi perform special hand signs before they release their Jutsu.

Chakra’s balance of body and mind aligns with the ninja warrior philosophy and creates dynamic tensions, such as Naruto’s struggle with the Nine-Tailed Fox spirit within him. Chakra control is something essential, as well as having enough chakra reserves. That is why ninjas have to train a lot to improve their physical and mental strength and to grow their chakra reserves.

This combination of energies shows you a wide variety of creative and powerful abilities, making Chakra a fascinating and crucial aspect of the Naruto universe.

2. Stands (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures)

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure features a unique and limitless power system centered around Stands, which are external manifestations of a person’s life energy. These entities perform superhuman feats, and their abilities vary widely, reflecting the user’s spirit and intentions—be they good or evil.

For example, Kujo Jotaro’s Stand, Star Platinum, can temporarily stop time.

Stands are unique due to their diversity and evolution. No two Stands are alike; some exhibit extraordinary strength, while others have intricate abilities. Introduced in Part 3, Stardust Crusaders, Stands have been a core element of the series, evolving to include non-humanoid forms, colony Stands, and independent Stands without users. This variety and innovation keep the series fresh and engaging.

Stands are notable for their diverse abilities and the physical representation of the user’s spirit. They evolve, introducing fresh dynamics to the series, such as non-humanoid forms and independent Stands. Introduced in “Stardust Crusaders,” Stands have remained central to the series, enhancing its legacy in the shonen genre​.

1. Nen ( Hunter x Hunter)

Nen is the unique power system in the Hunter x Hunter anime series, and it is as specific as you can imagine. This Nex system is quite complex with its many details, rules, conditions, and vows. But the system itself justifies its complexity by its detailed explanations.

What is Nen in Hunter x Hunter? Nen, similar to Ki and Tao is a form of life energy that needs to be sharpened and trained in order to use its full capacity. For example, there are four major principles that are crucial for Hunters to master Nen. Now before someone can even unlock their Nen abilities, they must train insanely hard in order to find out their Nen Specialty.

There are six distinct categories of Nen users: Enhancer, Transmuter, Conjurer, Emitter, Manipulator, and Specialist. Only in some special cases can a Nen user be part of more than one categories, few Hunter x Hunter characters fall in that category.

Nen abilities come with specific rules, conditions, and limitations so therefore is it the key to find this out in a fight between Nen users. The stronger ability does not guarantee a win, it is all about strategy, matchups and adjustment.