One of the best things about anime is the diversity. It doesn’t matter what your tastes are. There is a good chance that there is an anime that appeals to you. The anime industry is rapidly growing, so it’s hardly surprising that it covers almost every niche known in existence.
But the quick expansion comes with its own challenges, the biggest of which is finding a way to stand out since there are so many titles. Some authors try to make unique settings while others come up with intriguing power systems. The latter is, in particular, a strong denominator for action anime.
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One Piece
One Piece is Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus. Ever since the series debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump, it has become a staple. In the years that followed, One Piece has become the most popular manga of all time, selling over 500 million copies. Obviously, it would not have been able to accomplish such a thing without meeting the required standard of quality.
Most people believe that world-building is the best part of One Piece, but the power system is just as good, if not better. One Piece’s power system is dominated by Devil Fruits and Haki. Devil Fruits can be considered the shortcut to obtaining a ton of power in a short period of time. At the same time, it is also risky and could potentially give the individual a horrible ability. This balances things, and it ensures that there is some kind of cap to keep things in order. On the other hand, Haki requires training and skill to use. A person cannot just hope to have stronger Haki if they don’t put in the work.
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JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is based on Hirohiko Araki’s manga of the same name. When the manga started in 1983, it was Hamon that was at the center of attention, until Araki pivoted towards Stands. The concept of Stands is simple but rather remarkable at the same time. For a person to awaken a Stand, they need to be struck by the Stand Arrow. If they have the potential, they will awaken with a new Stand.
Stands differ in size and abilities. But the best thing about them is that there is no one definite way to beat a stand. The person has to either come up with a proper strategy or else risk being beaten, which is why the fights in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are always so unpredictable.
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Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunter is widely believed to be the best shonen in existence. Those who have watched it are confident that nothing else comes close. What makes Hunter Hunter stand out is its generous pacing. A lot of the longer stories suffer from a drop in quality or unnecessarily drawn-out episodes, but none of that applies to Hunter x Hunter.
Another reason why the series is so highly rated is the power system, which is focused around Nen. According to the anime, every individual has Nen within them, but it’s only after training that they are able to understand and use it fully. For example, if Gon hadn’t met Wing, the former wouldn’t have understood why being an Enhancer would be better for him. Also, the hero might never have understood how Ren works. Some people may make fun of how a lot of the pages in the manga are filled with plenty of dialogue, but it’s exactly why the power system is easier to understand. Togashi made it a point to add all the details so that fans wouldn’t be confused by it.
Hiromu Arakawa mesmerized the audience with her genius when she created Fullmetal Alchemist. When the manga was finally turned into an anime, it reached mainstream audiences, and they were able to appreciate the masterpiece it was.
Who’s That Character?
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Fullmetal Alchemist also has a power system, and it’s rather simple. As it works on the law of equivalent exchange, in order to use a certain ability, the person is required to offer something else in return. Basically, an individual cannot use alchemy without offering something else in exchange. Due to this reason, the fights in the series are actually interesting, and not all of them are one-sided.
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Naruto
Naruto is one of the biggest and most popular anime of all time. It is particularly popular among Western audiences because of its high-octane action. Anyone who watched the anime was blown away by the quality of the fights and the drama. The audience was also mesmerized by the amazing characters who were introduced in every arc.
Like all famous battle shonen, Naruto also has its own power system, which is reliant on chakra. According to in-world lore, chakra is basically the life force inside any human being. Chakra is then used to create powerful techniques. The concept of chakra is further expanded upon as the story progresses.
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Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen is arguably the most well-known modern shonen series. Ever since its debut, the anime has attracted a ton of attention from viewers, who often end up calling it one of the best action series of all time.
For some, it may be an exaggeration, but the general sentiment is that Jujutsu Kaisen is truly an enthralling series with an incredible power system focused on cursed energy. While every human being has cursed energy within them, not all of them can harness it.
