Top 20 Zero to Hero Anime Characters
Bless our souls, these anime guys and gals are on a roll! Join Ashley as we go over the times where anime characters went from nobodies to the strongest around
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00:00 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 anime characters
00:11 who begin their series as weak, yet grow to become stronger or skilled.
00:22 Number 20, Hajime Nagumo.
00:25 Arifureta, from Commonplace to World's Strongest.
00:28 That's kind of right there in the title, isn't it?
00:39 Hajime and several of his classmates are summoned to another world to save it.
00:44 Unlike most of them, his skills are seemingly weak.
00:47 But after being betrayed and left for dead, Hajime eats powerful monsters and becomes
00:53 incredibly overpowered as a result of mutation.
00:56 Not only is he superhumanly strong, fast, and otherwise physically gifted, Hajime's
01:02 seemingly useless skill, Synergist, also lets him craft techno-magical weapons that can
01:08 obliterate entire armies.
01:10 Sure, the dude just wants to go home, but we almost pity the scumbag standing in his
01:15 way.
01:17 Number 19, Shomaru Fujii, aka Cyrus Truesdale.
01:23 Yu-Gi-Oh GX.
01:24 Joe or Cyrus if you're a dub watcher, is the best friend of protagonist, Jaden Yuki.
01:30 Much less confident than his friend, Cyrus struggles with self-doubt stemming from issues
01:36 with his older brother.
01:40 However, over the course of the series, Cyrus gradually becomes a more confident card game
01:50 duelist, standing up to his brother and becoming more successful.
01:54 Despite still getting dunked on occasionally, his dub version does gain arguably one of
01:59 the strongest powers a fictional character can have, the ability to break the fourth
02:04 wall.
02:12 Number 18, Ken Kaneki, Tokyo Ghoul.
02:15 The protagonist of this dark urban fantasy series, Kaneki is just an average college
02:21 student at first.
02:23 However, after being attacked by a ghoul and receiving an organ transplant from his attacker,
02:29 Kaneki becomes half-ghoul himself.
02:37 He is initially unable to control his new powers or associated hunger for human flesh.
02:43 But Kaneki eventually, after some literal torture, develops both a more intense drive
02:50 and better control over his powerful abilities.
02:53 This guy's half-ghoul nature makes him as strong or stronger than most full ghouls,
02:58 which he often uses to great effect against them, as he fights for the things and people
03:04 most important to him.
03:12 Number 17, Asta, Black Clover.
03:22 Given that he was born without magic in a world full of it, Asta is initially looked
03:27 down on by society at large.
03:29 But the spunky, young, aspiring wizard king obtains a power that makes him nigh unbeatable
03:35 – anti-magic.
03:36 By drawing several swords from his grimoire, Asta can negate, absorb, and/or destroy basically
03:43 every type of magic.
03:45 Oh, did we mention that he can also fuse with the demon that acts as the source of his anti-magic?
03:51 Further increasing its power, and his own.
04:00 All these powers combined with his "never say die" attitude, and Asta has a serious
04:05 shot at fulfilling his dream.
04:08 Plus, not gonna lie, the dude is jacked.
04:11 Number 16, Bougie, Ranking of Kings.
04:15 The most precious of cinnamon rolls, Bougie is a young prince with a lot stacked against
04:21 him.
04:22 He's deaf and mute, which makes many look down on him due to his difficulties communicating.
04:28 Plus, it's kind of hard for anyone to live up to his literal giant of a father.
04:33 However, Bougie may not be strong, but he's incredibly fast.
04:38 And once he finds a teacher to help him bring out his inner strengths, Bougie quickly becomes
04:43 one of the strongest in the land.
04:49 His speed and pinpoint-accurate attacks on his opponent's weaknesses prove a deadly
04:54 combination.
04:55 Upon returning to his kingdom, Bougie proves that he's not only adorable, he's also
05:00 a force to be reckoned with, and more than worthy of his father's throne.
05:09 Number 15, Sung Jin-woo, Solo Leveling.
05:14 Hunters are awakened humans that specialise in defeating monsters in portals that appear
05:19 on modern-day Earth.
05:21 And Sung Jin-woo is renowned as perhaps the weakest hunter of all.
05:25 However, while in a strange dungeon, his body is almost completely wiped out.
05:31 And through a strange ritual, he's able to awaken a unique ability, levelling up.
05:43 Through a video game-like interface, Jin-woo is able to increase his strength by defeating
05:48 monsters and completing specific quests.
05:52 Fans of the manhwa will tell you that this guy soon comes to overshadow every other hunter
05:57 out there, becoming so powerful that there is nothing he can't take down solo.
06:02 Let the monarch arise.
06:11 Number 14, Kobe, One Piece.
06:14 When Monkey D. Luffy first meets Kobe, the pink-haired young man is the brow-beaten choreboy
06:20 of a tyrannical pirate, Alvida.
06:23 However, the future pirate king inspires Kobe to not only stand up to Alvida, but also pursue
06:29 his dream of becoming a marine.
06:35 This may put them on opposite sides, but they still remain friends.
06:39 Through intense training with Luffy's grandpa, Garp, Kobe becomes a strong and speedy fighter.
06:46 He's no match for Luffy, yet, but still, it's impressive growth, in more ways than
06:52 one.
06:53 Talk about a growth spurt.
06:54 Regardless, Kobe is now seen as a promising marine, rising through the ranks and willing
07:00 to stand up to his superiors and pirates alike.
07:07 Number 13, Torfinn, Vinland Saga.
07:10 In the beginning of this epic Viking tale, Torfinn is just a kid.
07:15 The death of his father, Tors, motivates Torfinn to become stronger and to achieve revenge.
07:24 To that end, he joins the mercenary band of Ashlad, his father's killer, in the hopes
07:29 of avenging him.
07:31 Torfinn becomes a capable and deadly fighter, able to take on men much stronger and more
07:36 experienced than he is.
07:38 However, as skilled as he is, Torfinn's vengeance doesn't go to plan and he's
07:43 sold into slavery.
07:44 While working towards his freedom, Torfinn comes to realise that sometimes, choosing
07:49 not to fight can be the most heroic thing.
07:52 Torfinn is a great example of a weak to strong journey twice over, becoming strong in body
07:58 and then in spirit.
08:04 Number 12, Rimuru Tempest.
08:06 That time I got reincarnated as a slime.
08:10 As any old-school RPG fan can tell you, slimes are the weakest monsters.
08:15 So, when the newly-minted Rimuru Tempest is born as a slime, you'd think he'd be weak.
08:21 And he is, well, kind of, at first.
08:24 However, because he's reincarnated with several overpowered skills, including the
08:28 ability to absorb other things and a virtual assistant in his brain, Rimuru quickly becomes
08:35 a powerhouse with a bevy of abilities and a cute human form to boot.
08:42 The nicest slime around can defeat powerful opponents like demon lords and invading armies
08:47 who don't know not to mess with him and his nation of monsters.
08:58 And that's all before becoming a demon lord himself.
09:02 Number 11, Armin.
09:04 The Tekkon Titan.
09:05 As a kid, Armin always needed help from his friends to defend himself.
09:10 And as a fresh recruit in humanity's fight against titans, that much doesn't change
09:14 at first.
09:15 Armin is nearly titan food.
09:17 Yet, Armin soon proves his skills in other areas.
09:21 In addition to learning to stand up for himself and his friends, Armin possesses a keen mind
09:27 with an eye for details.
09:34 His insights prove invaluable on many occasions, either devising battle plans or uncovering
09:40 vital information.
09:42 Armin even adds brawn to his impressive brains after he acquires titan abilities himself.
09:48 And he proves colossally effective on the battlefield.
10:00 Number 10, Kenichi Shirahama.
10:03 Kenichi, the mightiest disciple.
10:05 He may be a little on the whiny side, but when this guy gets his mind set on something,
10:10 you'd better have your guard up.
10:18 Originally nothing more than a punching bag, Kenichi's determination to save those in
10:22 need eventually earned him the attention of the beautiful, yet skilled Miu, who led him
10:28 to the Ryozanpaku Dojo.
10:37 From that point on, Kenichi became the ultimate disciple, learning several martial arts styles
10:43 and going on to become quite the talented fighter.
10:46 Don't judge this guy by his build, he'll knock you flat before you know it.
10:56 Respectfully, of course.
10:58 Number 9, Shu Oma.
11:00 Guilty crown.
11:01 Let's be honest, if you had someone like Inori as a love interest, you'd come out
11:06 of your shell as well.
11:14 Burdened by a less than pleasant past, Shu was as aloof as they came.
11:19 That is, until Inori entered his life and gained the ability known as "The Power of
11:24 the King".
11:32 By accessing the void within a person, Shu became a one-man army and a great addition
11:37 to the resistance group known as Funeral Parlor.
11:40 Sure, he mostly joined up because he had the heart for Inori, but hey, if it means he fights
11:46 for a good cause, why not?
11:57 Number 8, Bell Crannell.
11:59 Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon?
12:02 We've all been there.
12:03 One day you're just this nerdy kid who dreams of being an adventurer, and the next thing
12:08 you know, you're diving into dungeons, slaying monsters, and earning the affections of goddesses.
12:14 Ah, to be young.
12:18 While he started out as just a novice, Bell's uncanny ability to earn the loyalty and affection
12:24 of others soon propelled him forward as a warrior worthy of recognition.
12:37 He's so humble that he even turns down the advances of the pint-sized beauty that is
12:41 Hestia.
12:42 Hey, Bell, being a gentleman is all well and good, but if a goddess wants to give you some
12:47 divine attention, you'd best heed it.
12:55 Number 7, Tsunayoshi Sawara.
12:58 Reborn.
12:59 He's easily startled, barely has any friends, and has no talents to speak of.
13:08 Sounds like the perfect candidate for the next leader of a mafia family.
13:12 Yes, Tsuna may have started the series with no qualities whatsoever, but as time went
13:18 on, we saw that what he lacked in intellect and raw strength, he made up for with an overwhelming
13:23 heart.
13:28 With the world's greatest home tutor reborn by his side, Tsuna is soon able to harness
13:33 the power of his dying will-mode and become a figure the Vongola Familia can look up to.
13:40 Try making fun of him after seeing him bust out that X-Burner of his.
13:50 Number 6, Subaru Natsuki.
13:52 Re-Zero starting life in another world.
13:56 Out of everyone on our list, Subaru might just have the worst luck of it.
14:05 Sure, he doesn't exactly have a dark and tragic past, but he is however, the only one
14:13 of them to die.
14:15 A lot.
14:16 After being transported into a fantasy world brimming with elves, magic and murder, our
14:22 unlucky hero discovers that every time he's killed, he travels back in time.
14:34 Despite meeting multiple gruesome ends, Subaru still somehow finds a way to turn this into
14:40 a strength.
14:41 Yeah, he didn't get with Rem at the end, but anyone who can keep coming back after
14:46 so many horrific ordeals simply deserves our respect.
14:55 Number 5, Akko.
14:57 Little Witch Academia.
14:59 She comes from a humble background and has very little talent for magic, yet still winds
15:04 up attending a school for witches.
15:06 Does this deter her?
15:08 Of course not.
15:11 This little lady is one of the most determined characters in recent memory, propelled forward
15:16 by her dream of becoming a great witch like her hero, Shiny Chariot.
15:27 With an unshakable belief in how magic should be used to spread joy, despite many originally
15:33 viewing her as the worst witch, Akko turned out to be a beacon of hope that all could
15:38 aspire to, even if she still has trouble flying a broom.
15:48 Number 4, Saitama.
15:50 One Punch Man.
15:51 You could make the argument that Saitama has always been the strongest hero and was never
15:56 once a zero, but that is not exactly true.
16:03 As we saw in a brief flashback, before he was a caped crusader and bald, Saitama was
16:10 a run-of-the-mill worker who hated his mundane life so much, he didn't care if a supervillain
16:15 crushed him.
16:24 After a sudden change of heart, he somehow gained his unstoppable strength, becoming
16:29 the one person capable of stopping threats that could annihilate Earth.
16:40 Despite the fact, all other heroes still regard him as the lowest of the low.
16:45 Number 3, Ippo Makunouchi.
16:47 Hajime no Ippo.
16:49 What does it mean to be strong?
16:51 As a perpetual victim who could never muster the courage to stand up for himself, Ippo
16:56 is the last person you would expect to become the Japanese featherweight boxing champion.
17:09 After finding a passion in the sport, Ippo soon finds himself with a shot at the big
17:13 leagues thanks to his unyielding fighting spirit, as well as backing one hell of a swing.
17:25 He can take a beating like no one's business, and dish out a blow that could cripple champions.
17:39 Just so happens he's also the nicest guy you'll ever meet as well.
17:43 Number 2, Deku.
17:45 My Hero Academia.
17:47 All he has ever wanted was to become a superhero.
17:56 Unfortunately for him, he hasn't got any powers.
17:59 Ridiculed and bullied for being quirkless, Deku refuses to give up on his dream of becoming
18:04 like his idol, the hero known as All Might.
18:13 After a run-in with said hero, Deku finally gets his chance when All Might recognises
18:18 that he does indeed possess the qualities of a hero, making him a worthy candidate to
18:23 pass down his quirk to.
18:34 Now imbued with the power of one for all, Deku has gone on to become such a force for
18:39 good that even Superman would be proud.
19:05 Number 1, Simon.
19:07 Grenlagan.
19:08 While he certainly has spirit, in the beginning, Simon was most definitely overshadowed by
19:13 his aniki.
19:14 That's no fault on Simon's part.
19:17 Any anime character would be dwarfed when stood next to the pinnacle of manliness that
19:21 is Kamina.
19:27 However, following on from his bro's tragic death, Simon went through one hell of a transformation.
19:38 Stepping up to lead Team Daiguren against the threat of Lord Genome and the Anti-Spiral,
19:53 by the time he makes the transition from kid to adult, Simon is the shining star of human
19:59 hope.
20:00 Who else do you know who could go from pipsqueak all the way to piloting a mecha the size of
20:06 a galaxy?
20:12 Is there a Zero to Hero anime character with Zero presence on our list?
20:17 Let us know in those comments below.
20:29 [music]
20:38 (upbeat music)