Anime, and especially anime in the shōnen genre, are defined bysignature attacks. A good, stand-out ability can make the series itself stand-out, giving fans across the world a move that they can recreate by shouting out and doing the same movements. The best signature attacks in anime are usually used by the main character. They can also be their most powerful attack, and when the move is being used, antagonists across the genre tremble.
There are a ton of great anime with some of the best, most memorable attacks around. These attacks aren’t always the strongest in the series, nor are they the strongest in the genre, but that’s not what they’re trying to be. They’re trying to be reliable, memorable, and above all, iconic.
10Hinokami Kagura
Tanjiro Kamado - Demon Slayer
Demon Slayeris one of the best animated series of all time. The visuals are always stunning, and with the wide variety of breathing techniques put on display, animators have plenty of chances to show off. One of the most visually stunning breathing techniques in the series is the Hinokami Kagura used by main character Tanjiro Kamado himself. Out ofall the breathing styles in the series,the strongest one is Sun Breathing, the technique the Hinokami Kagura is derived from.
Sun Breathing is passed down to each new generation of Kamado, with Tanjiro being the latest recipient and user of the form during the events of the series. His family also passes down his trademark Hanafuda earrings, symbolizing more than just his status as the heir to the Kamado lineage. Sun Breathing is one of the most versatile, unpredictable breathing techniques in the series, making it a perfect pick for Tanjiro.
9Titan Form
Eren Yeager and Other Titan Shifters - Attack on Titan
While not an explicit attack, the Titan Form fromAttack on Titanis one of the most iconic in anime.It’s so iconic that Olympians were seen biting their hands just like Eren Yeager did before their Olympic events.The Titan Form isn’t unique to Eren Yeager, as there are plenty ofstrong characters in the seriescapable of transforming. When a character inAttack on Titantransforms, it always leads to something massive.
There are several different Titan Shifters in the series, derived from the Nine Titans created by Ymir. Each of the Titans has their own strength, creating a range of uses for the Titans. There’s the Cart Titan, built to be extra mobile, the Jaw Titan, who can seemingly bite through anything, the War Hammer Titan, who can create any shape out of pure energy, and the Beast Titan, who can take on different characteristics of animals when it transformed.
8Jajanken Punch
Gon - Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunteris one of thebest anime series of all time. It has an incredible story, one of the most interesting worlds in anime, and a main character so wonderfully unhinged, viewers can’t help but fall in love with him from the very first episode. Gon is the star ofHunter x Hunteras he’s on a journey to leave his small hometown, become a Hunter, and hopefully find his father in the process. For the first portion of the series, Gon doesn’t really have a signature attack.
Everything changes when he discovers Nen, however.Once he figures out how to use the mysterious energy, he creates his textbook Jajanken Punch.The Jajanken punch comes from two words in Japanese: Janken, meaning rock, paper, scissors, and Jajan, which is similar to the word surprise in English. It’s the perfect name for an attack coming from a 12-year-old, but with the power that comes behind it, nobody would know that Gon isn’t even a teenager yet.
7Spirit Gun
Yusuke Urameshi - Yu Yu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakushois one of the most beloved anime of all time. It came before anime had really hit the mainstream like it has in the past few years, but that doesn’t mean that it hasn’t created a deep, devoted cult following who still talk about the series and appreciate it as if it came out yesterday.The most iconic attack in the entire series is unquestionably the Spirit Gun, used extensively by main character Yusuke Urameshi.
The Spirit Gun is one of the most simple anime attacks to recreate, adding to its popularity. For a fan to recreate the attack, all they’d need to do is point their figure at their desired target like a gun and yell “Spirit Gun!” just like Yusuke does in the series. It’s a great attack for the Spirit Detective that only gets stronger as the events of the series unfold.
6"Ora Ora Ora!"
Jotaro Kujo - JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
It’s hard to describeJoJo’s Bizarre Adventurein just a few words, and that’s exactly what makes the series so great. There are so many twists and turns, so many memorable moments, and above all, so many beloved JoJos. Each part of the story introduces a new JoJo into the series, letting a new member of the storied lineage take center stage. In part three,Stardust Crusaders, this role belongs to Jotaro Kujo.
Starting in part three ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure,stand are introduced to the series. They’re the life forces of a person taking shape, representing their personality and giving them a host of new abilities to use in a fight. One of the strongest stands in the series is Jotaro Kujo’s Star Platinum, a stand with insane speed, unbeatable strength, and later even the ability to stop time itself. However, what made Star Platinum iconic is its signature attack,a simple barrage of punches delivered while Jotaro yells “Ora Ora Ora!”. It’s basic, but it has become an iconic part of the series, to the point that every following JoJo has their own variation of the attack.
5Unlimited Void
Satoru Gojo - Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisenis one of the best shōnen anime to be released in the past few years. It’s dark, funny, and filled with some of the best fights in anime all at the same time. While even trying to pull off two of those three characteristics would hamstring another series,Jujutsu Kaisenthrives. It does well for a number of reasons, one of them being one of the most popular characters in anime, Satoru Gojo.
Gojo is more than just an instructor at Jujutsu High. Thanks to a combination of both the Limitless and Six Eyes techniques, he’s one of the strongest sorcerers in the world.He shows off his immeasurable strength through his Domain Expansion, Unlimited Void.In his Domain, Gojo can summon infinity itself, paralyzing his targets thanks to an overflow of information, and then finishing them off as he pleases.
4Spirit Bomb
Goku - Dragon Ball
While theSpirit Bomb might be less than reliable, it is still one of the most iconic attacks inDragon Ball.Dragon Ballis one of the most famous, most beloved anime series to exist, and its attacks are a big reason for it. When fans watch a shōnen series, they want to connect with the characters in it.Goku made that connection incredibly easy for a number of reasons, and the Spirit Bomb is one of them.
Goku, like the Spirit Bomb, gets his strength from those around him. By raising his arms upwards, with his palms facing the sky, Goku accumulates energy from the world, galaxy, and even the universe inDragon Ball GT.Fans across the world can contribute to the Saiyan’s fight by doing the same thing, thrusting their palms into the air like they’re in the world ofDragon Balltoo.
3Gum Gum Bazooka
Luffy - One Piece
There are a ton of reasons whyOne Pieceis so amazing, and the main reason might be Monkey D. Luffy himself. He’s a phenomenal pirate captain, an amazing friend, and a threat to face in battle.Luffy uses the Gum Gum Fruit in battle, and his attacks with it are iconic.There’s no real rhyme or reason as to where his attacks come from. Luffy is as inventive in battle as he is dangerous, coming up with different moves on the spot against some of the toughest enemies in the series.
His first attack, the Gum Gum Pistol, might be one of his most well-known thanks to the sheer simplicity of it. While later on Luffy will develop a plethora of new attacks thanks to his different Gears,the first one to make an impression on fans is probably the Gum Gum Bazooka. It’s the first “advanced” attack Luffy uses, multiplying the power of his Gum Gum Pistol, and it remains a powerful “finisher” for the early part of the series.
2Rasengan
Naruto and Other Characters - Naruto
The Rasengan is easily the most iconic ability inNaruto,and that’s saying something.In a series littered with legendary attacks like the Chidori, Shadow Clone Jutsu, and so many more, the Rasengan stands head and shoulders above the competition through its sheer versatility. At the start of the series, the Rasengan is Naruto’s best attack, even in its most simple state.By the end of the series, Naruto is able to transform the Rasengan into nearly whatever he wants.
What started as a simple technique created by his father, Minato, turned into anything but. By adding his own Wind Chakra to the Rasengan, Naruto was able to create the Rasen-Shuriken, an attack so powerful, it destroyed his enemies on a molecular level.
1Kamehameha
Goku and Other Characters - Dragon Ball
Out of every attack to come out of the wonderful art form called anime,there is no technique more iconic than the Kamehameha.The Kamehameha is so iconic that people who have never seen anime know how to do it. The textbook technique of the Turtle School is the most famous attack in a world of famous attacks, and that’s saying something. Like the Rasengan fromNaruto,the Kamehameha started as a simple Energy Wave attack andbecame so much more.
There are a ton of characters inDragon Ballwho use the amazing attack, including Goku, Gohan, Master Roshi, Krillin, Yamcha, Gogeta, Vegito, Cell, and more. It’s a simple attack that forces the user to shout it out before they use it, creating a connection to the attack nobody will ever forget.
