Anime has always been a fascinating medium for exploring supernatural abilities and forbidden powers. Whether it’s through magic, technology, or innate abilities, anime has given us some of the most incredible and powerful abilities that we could ever imagine.
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However, some of these abilities are so powerful and dangerous that they are considered “forbidden,” and their use can come at a great cost to the user and those around them. These forbidden powers often require a great deal of skill, willpower, or sacrifice to wield, and their use can lead to tragic consequences.
Think you’ve seen everything? Take a gander at this and see if you’ve witnessed some of them on the small screen.
BANNED ANIME ABILITIES AND SKILLS!
1. Human Transmutation – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Probably one of the most scarring and heartbreaking things to watch in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, Human transmutation is known as one of the three taboos of Alchemists whereas seen with what happened to Nina Tucker and Alexander it does not work and is banned for a reason.
2. Egyptian God Cards – Yu-Gi-Oh!
Created by Maximillion Pegasus who made them in the images of the three Ancient Divine Beasts of Egypt, these cards were considered too powerful to be used and thus banned, buried, and locked away. Even counterfeits of these cards do some incredible damage as some can leave you crippled or possibly dead as soon as you put the card into play.
3. Vectors – Elfen Lied
Supernatural telekinetic weapons that manifest as invisible arms that Diclonius use in this series. Although known to literally tear people apart they can still be disabled rendering the Diclonius species harmless – leading to them being able to be experimented on by humans.
4. Silence Glaive – Sailor Moon
With one swing this weapon at its fullest extent has the power to destroy an entire planet down to dust. Using this weapon’s power at full strength will also render its user – Sailor Saturn, dead.
5. Level Zero – Hellsing Ultimate
Having six levels of restriction on himself, Alucard releases all the souls he has possessed during his level zero state. Only being seen once in anime during the Battle of London, where he was able to wipe out most of his enemies.
6. Evil Containment Wave / Mafuba Wave – Dragon Ball
A sealing technique that uses a lot of ki from the user which was also used to seal Piccolo in the anime. Designed to seal demons by putting them into a container with a special seal. The mere use of this requires a lot from the user and may die from just a single use.
7. Yamamoto’s Ryuujin Jakka – Bleach
An incomparable attack from one of the strongest in the Bleach series, while sealed, presents itself as a walking staff that Yamamoto uses which then changes into a katana. This power is rarely used due to setting everything around it aflame.
8. Geass – Code Geass
Probably one of the most ethically questionable supernatural given powers in anime, the Geass is a power that is bestowed and manifested differently depending on the user’s desires and personality. The main character – Lelouch Vi Britannia can easily bend anyone to his will with just a look and a command, it just shows how far someone will go for their dreams and aspirations.
9. Anos Voldigoad’s Venuzdonoa – Misfit of Demon Academy
A reincarnation of the Demon King of Tyranny with his mere existence is against the law. With the dark power of destruction in his blood and immense magical power, speed, strength, and intelligence from the get-go to name a few, Anos is already a force to be reckoned with on his own. With the wielder itself being all-powerful his Venuzdonoa which is called ‘Abolisher of Reason’ is also something else as it can negate everything you throw at it from killing immortal beings to stopping regeneration factors.
10. Shinigami Eyes – Death Note
Quite literally making a deal with the devil. A major plot point in Death note, these eyes are given to you as part of the deal that you make with a Shinigami. You cut your remaining lifespan in half, but you gain the power to see the names and lifespans of other people. Makes you think how much you really want someone dead in exchange for half of your lifespan with no way of gaining it back.
11. Devil Fruit – One Piece
One of the easiest ways to gain powers in One Piece is by eating a devil fruit although at the cost of your ability to swim and with a random chance you get a good power in return, as some have proven disadvantageous depending on the creativity of the user. Scattered throughout the world with only one of each existing at a time, is it worth going through the tribulations for a chance of gaining a power that may or not prove to be useful?
12. Joy Boy – One Piece
The first person to have eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi and one of One Piece’s most mysterious figures. Its existence is censored by the ‘World Government’ as a means to control it, preventing people from attaining freedom from the government’s control.
13. Genma’s Yamasenken and Umisenken – Ranma ½
Two techniques that are equally lethal which can do as much as ripping someone’s heart out or cutting someone to chopped liver. This technique was eventually taught to Ranma at the reluctance of Genma.
14. Hiten Mitsurugi Ultimate Technique – Rurouni Kenshin
A move that puts the user in an immense amount of danger. Hesitating when doing this technique could be the end of you. The use of this fighting style in general actually ended Kenshin’s career for good as he needed to retire because of it.
15. Blood Sacrifice – The Rising of Shield Hero
One of Naofumi’s scariest attacks from the series is the Blood Sacrifice. It can absolutely wreck an enemy bringing them to the brink of death and as the name suggests, it will make the user bleed from numerous parts of their body to serve as payment. If you aren’t treated immediately then your odds of living drop by the second.
*Deep Breath* The rest of the list consists of Naruto content as most forbidden and powerful powers I’ve found and resourced both from friends and surfing the internet are largely found in that series.
16. Jinchuriki – Naruto
Humans that have tailed beasts inside of them, people who do show extraordinary mystical powers due to the amount of chakra in reserve that they possess. Also used to be considered taboo to hold a tailed beast because at the time, nobody understood how to ‘control‘ the beasts and whenever they appeared, destruction and chaos usually followed.
17. The Eight Gates – Naruto
A forbidden jutsu as its use is like a double edge sword. The “Eight gates” existence is to limit the flow of chakra within one’s body and with each opened gate individuals gain more access to their chakra which increases both their speed and physical strength but with increased power also comes serious harm. Talking about strength and power, see our list for the strongest Naruto characters and check if your favorite one is there!
18. Reanimation (Edo Tensei) – Naruto
Used to revive the dead but if that isn’t bad enough it also requires a sacrifice for it to successfully work. This Jutsu was created by Tobirama Senju, the second Hokage. If you have any respect for the dead at all you wouldn’t touch this with a ten-foot pole.
19. Reaper Death Seal – Naruto
The ultimate sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan. It is used to call upon the power of a spirit known as the “Shinigami”. Used to seal the soul of a target and bind it for eternity. Also considered a forbidden jutsu due to the harm it poses to the user.
20. Shinra Tensei – Naruto
A technique that can only be used if the user can manipulate all the five basic nature transformations. A user would be able to create a repulsive force which is commonly used to push away anything in its area.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, luckily we usually see these powers most of the time being used for good in our favorite anime by our adored characters. Ultimately, the forbidden powers in anime remind us of the importance of responsibility, balance, and the need to use power for good. While these powers may be awe-inspiring, they come with great responsibility and should always be used with caution and consideration for the consequences they may bring. Share your thoughts in the comments below!
