Summary
Anime plays host to a multitude of characters who, despite possessing superhuman abilities, also possess physical appearances that do not reflect their exceptional capabilities. This is a recurring theme within theshonen genre of anime, and it adds a layer of excitement to a character and their actions.
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The powerful old men of anime is a good archetype of this popular theme. In most cases, they are seen possessing unusual quirks and unique personalities, but when they get serious, not many can stand in their way. They are individuals who may seem unremarkable at first sight but are sure to leave a lasting impression after displaying their astonishing strength. Following this popular archetype, these are some absurdly powerful old men in the anime franchise.
Updated July 11, 2025, by Emedo Destiny:Despite their weary physique and aged features, some of anime’s elderly male figures boast outstanding power. In some series, they are the characters to beat and usually have rich backstories of when they were young and even stronger. Though their glory days may have passed them by, they have been able to retain a large amount of their strength and remain formidable characters as a result. Aside from being strong, many possess stout characteristics,displaying extreme charismaor profound leadership skills, carving a path for the younger generation to succeed. Some, however, are not so dignified and are known for being lazy or perverted. Regardless, they are all strong in their own right.
15Bomb – One Punch Man
Bomb is an 83-year-old man and the older brother of Bang, another character who appears on this list. Though the world ofOne Punch Manfeatures heroes ranked by a general rating system, Bomb does not apply to this ashe is not a registered hero. However, Bomb has displayed exceptional fighting prowess worthy of being classified as S-Rank.
He has immense physical capabilities that make him superhuman, and he is a martial artist capable of performing different powerful techniques. Bomb has stood up to some of the series’ strongest combatants and does not look out of place when fighting alongside other S-Class heroes.
14Van Hohenheim – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Hailingfrom the ever-popularFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodseries, Van Hohenheim is an alchemist who fathered the story’s protagonists, Edward and Alphonse Elric. He had lived for over 400 years and was present at the time of the fateful experiment that triggered many significant events in the series.
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Alchemy is a central concept in the anime, and since Hohenheim is basically a living philosopher’s stone, he is capable of performing advanced transmutations with ease. Coupled with his vast experience, this makes him an extremely powerful being, with not many in the series who can beat him.
13Monkey D. Garp – One Piece
Garp is the charismatic grandfather of Monkey D. Luffy, one of anime’s most popular protagonists. Right now, his strength pales in comparison to what it used to be during his glory days, as he was one of the most powerful characters in the One Piece world. He is known as the Hero of the Navy and could easily have become an admiral if he wanted.
He is still a very strong character, being able to sink ships with cannonballs thrown from his fists and shake islands with mere punches. Almost everyone in the Navy respects him and isresponsible for mentoringKuzan, a former Admiral.
12Orsted – Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Orsted isarguably the strongest characterin theMushoku Tenseiseries and holds the title of the Dragon God. He has lived for over a thousand years, and his main goal is to defeat the cunning Hitogami. In his few appearances in the anime so far, Orsted has intimidated dragons and inflicted great wounds on some of the series’ most prominent characters, including Rujierd and Rudeus.
He has complete mastery of various forms of magic and can easily pick up new techniques just by seeing them once. Orsted has also been stated to be capable of destroying the entire world, a feat that not many other beings are capable of.
11Zeus – Record of Ragnarok
Record of Ragnarokis an anime that features gods and humans doing battle, and even though age is not as significant a concept for the former, it is apparent that Zeus is a more senior deity. This also applies in terms of strength, as he isone of the strongest godsin existence, often referred to as the Godfather of the Cosmos.
He boasts a host of extraordinary feats, including defeating his Titan father, who was one of the rulers of the universe at the time. His powers know no bounds, as even when weakened, he is able to slay a dragon with one hand. He can also easily hold off and overpower other gods should they choose to oppose or attack him.
10Housen – Gintama
Gintamais ashonen comedy animeabout aliens and samurai with a humor-oriented take on almost every part of the show.. However, at its best, it is a show with engaging storylines and multiple powerful antagonists, one of which was the humanoid alien named Housen.
Housen was a former division leader of the Harusame Space Pirates, one of the most powerful alien groups in the world, and was also known as the King of Yato, an alien tribe well known for their outstanding physical strength and innate talent for battle. He possessed an absurd number of additional abilities including invulnerability and accelerated healing, and was considered one of the strongest beings in the galaxy.
9Hiruzen Sarutobi – Naruto
Sarutobi was a shinobi who acted asthe third Hokageof the Hidden Leaf Village, a position usually occupied by the strongest ninja in the village, serving as the ruler and defender of the land. He was much more proficient in battle during his younger years, but even with age, he still managed to put up a fight against some of the strongest individuals in theNarutoseries.
This powerful ninja was known to be able to imitate any ability he came across and was also responsible for creating brand new techniques of his own. He could wield the power of multiple elements and had precise control over them, sometimes combining two or more with remarkable results. As his final act, he manages to seal away reincarnated versions of the first two Hokage and drive off the incredibly powerful Orochimaru, effectively protecting the entire village despite his old age.
8Bang – One-Punch Man
The world ofOne-Punch Manis filled with several powerful characters and unique personalities. It is famed for its protagonist, who can eliminate any threat while exerting minimal effort. However, it also features side characters with impressive abilities who keep the story interesting through their more challenging battles. The anime is made up of heroes and villains, each fighting with their own goals, and Bang is no different.
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Bang is an S-class hero, a title reserved for individuals with outstanding strength that stand above regular heroes. He is a highly skilled martial artist known to be the best S class hero with regards to fighting ability alone. Despite his age, he possesses an outstanding physique and tremendous physical strength, displayed on many occasions, such as when he is seen destroying fragments of a meteor with his bare hands.
7Silvers Rayleigh – One Piece
The Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh, is the former vice-captain of the Roger Pirates, one of the most famous pirate groups ever to traversethe seas ofOne Piece. The anime is rich with history, containing phenomenal worldbuilding and multiple interesting characters. As an important figure in the story’s vast history, being a close associate of the late Pirate King, Rayleigh is an individual who possesses immense strength despite his old age.
Rayleigh is capable of fighting on equal footing with the world’s strongest powers, as seen when he faced off against Admiral Kizaru in the Sabaody Archipelago. Furthermore, he possesses frightening levels of endurance, being able to travel between islands by swimming alone while fighting off dangerous sea beasts with his bare hands simultaneously.
6Makarov Dreyar – Fairy Tail
Makarov Dreyar is the eccentric Guild Master of the Fairy Tail Guild in theFairy Tailanime series. This old man of extremely short stature is generally friendly and cares deeply about his guild members. However, he is not afraid to use brutal force if he feels the need to set things right. He is also a member of the Ten Wizard Saints, a title bestowed upon the strongest mages of the continent.
His most famous ability is Giant, a power that allows him to enlarge himself, once even reaching the size of an island. However, despite his repeated use of Giant, his most powerful magic is Fairy Law, a Legendary Magic that targets beings the user believes to be enemies and inflicts life-threatening damage to them.
