this is ashley with watch
mojo and today we're counting down our
picks for the top 10
overused superpowers in anime
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for this list we're going to be looking
over the superhuman abilities that are
the most
frequently used in anime to the point
where they've become a bit cliched
if there's an anime ability you always
see that we failed to spot
please let us know in the comments below
and as always you can catch me on
twitter
ashjaybo so head over there give me a
follow
let me know which anime list you want to
see next
number 10 immortality and invincibility
durability is pretty op and anime
characters have it in spades
the ability to just tank damage is
incredibly common in the medium
some characters are just unaffected by
whatever their opponents dish out
because their bodies are so innately
powerful that they can't be hurts
others are able to condition their
bodies to become as hot as steel
there are also those who can regrow
limbs and recover from any damage they
take
we don't blame anime for overusing this
power since it's a great way to show how
strong a character is
and create a threatening antagonist or
an invincible protagonist
number nine time manipulation time is
not on the side of anime characters
otherwise they wouldn't be constantly
messing with it
many of them have the ability to freeze
time for everyone around them
while they move about freely
others are able to rewind it or
accelerate it for themselves or
others this can have a variety of
offensive and defensive effects
including ways to cheat death or heal
injuries
time conquers all and those who can
conquer it are some of the most powerful
in the world
number eight super speed the flash
better watch out because a ton of anime
characters can lay claim
to being the fastest people alive
although some of them explicitly have
speed as a special power they have
through magic mutation or enhancements
in a lot of series characters can move
fast as a result
of training
superhuman speed is often the result of
extraordinary training
and there are a lot of shows or movies
that feature everyone
at a certain level being able to move
faster than the normal eye can see maybe
it's just the rule of cool at work
but nothing beats seeing someone move so
fast they might as well have teleported
behind their
number foe regeneration and healing
powers
healing isn't just something immortals
can do in anime
even more common than self-repair is the
ability to heal
injuries in others
every party needs a healer and anime's
casts have no shortage of them
everything from magically healing cuts
and scrapes
to completely regenerating someone's
severed limb is on the table
anime characters have it pretty easy
when it comes to healthcare a lot of the
time
because there's a good chance that
someone in their world is able to patch
them up
in no time at all it's very convenient
sometimes too much so since it can lower
the stakes
but we definitely get why it's so
popular
number six copying and stealing
abilities
they say imitation is the sincerest form
of flattery
and plenty of anime and anime characters
have taken this
to an extreme
with so many superpowers in anime one of
the most frequently seen
is ironically the ability to use someone
else's power
while this is sometimes simply an
imitation of the person's powers
in many cases the ability is straight up
stolen
meaning that the person who originally
used it no longer
can anymore
as fun or intimidating as this ability
could be
it's gotten so ubiquitous that it's
gotten a bit copy and paste
well so to speak
number five darkness emitting darkness
is often the provenance of villains
regardless of medium
but anime doesn't restrict it to the bad
guys everybody has
it
although you do get the typical
antagonists with control over shadows
and evil energy
heroes also utilize the same powers to
defeat their foes too the darkness or
shadows usually takes a physical form
and can often absorb
or control other things or even take on
a life of their own
given that darkness is a common fear it
can make for a haunting power base
but it becomes less scary when everyone
uses it
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number four transformations
transformations
are an absolute hallmark of anime
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characters gain some kind of huge power
boost along with a change in their
physical appearance
such as their hair or physique or even a
change of clothes
maybe there's a protracted sequence in
which they attain their new look
regardless it's basically become a kind
of visual shorthand
to indicate that a character has
attained a new level of strength
is it used too frequently well probably
but it's really not cool
and gives animators a new challenge so
we're not really complaining too much
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number three elemental manipulation
earth wind
and fire and water and
ice electricity well basically
any fundamental aspect of the world
anime sure loves its elements
superpowers based on the classical and
not so classical elements
are nearly the most overused superpowers
in all of anime
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entire franchises have been based around
the concept of characters
generating or manipulating the elements
just look at pokemon
it's not exactly a cliche limited to its
medium either
as stories in cultures the world over
and throughout history
have featured elemental superpowers but
it's become a hallmark of superpowers
for good reason
it's bloody awesome
number two super strength super strength
is pretty much the original superpower
and it's all over anime too anime
characters are often able to accomplish
absurd feats of strength and power
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a lot of the time it's not even their
main power it's just something that a
ridiculous amount of training can give
someone
but even the most die-hard muscle heads
in the real world
can't bench press a building
at this point it's honestly refreshing
when a superpowered anime character
can't accomplish everything with their
fists because it means they have to be
more creative and strategic
still there is a certain wow factor
involved with super strength
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on notifications number one anti-power
and nullification
oddly one of the most frequently seen
superpowers in anime
is the power to halt other people from
using their own powers
power or magic nullifier abilities are a
popular
and somewhat overpowered superpower
because they're a great way of bringing
other powerful characters down to size
with one touch
look or hit a previously unstoppable
power becomes void
giving the hero or villain a chance to
capitalize on their foe's weakened state
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this ability may be the great leveler
but it's become a bit overused
instead of discovering a clever wig
around to other powers
this one just cancels them out entirely
which is
a little too easy
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