Shōnen anime has plenty of strong and capable protagonists with superhuman abilities, such as Dragon Balls Son Goku, One Pieceis Luffy, and Jujutsu Kaisenis Yuji Itadori. These protagonists are much stronger, leagues above ordinary people who usually take the role of bystanders, victims of war or simple background characters.
6 Shonen Anime with the Darkest Stories
Shonen anime are aimed at younger audiences, but that doesn't stop some of these series from exploring darker stories.
However, Shonen anime also have plenty of weak protagonists. These characters do not have the extraordinary gift of superhuman strength, magic, or even supernatural abilities. At their height, they can rely on only the slightest hint of unusual ability. They can also rely on their intellect and physical strength, none of which surpass the aforementioned shonen anime protagonists.
Baki Hanma (Baki the Gripper)
Baki Hanma is a top-level martial artist with strength that pushes the limits of human potential. His main purpose in life is to grow stronger, fight powerful opponents and officially defeat his monstrous father, Yujiro Hanma.
Throughout Baki's journey, he successfully defeated other martial artists who also possess peak human-level abilities. The more Baki trains and defeats opponents, the closer he gets to the top of the ranks. Baki remains human, however, and despite his almost godlike feats, he can't possibly keep up with sham powerhouses that operate on a scale of power that makes Baki's extreme physical feats seem modest.
Ippo Makunouchi (Hajime no Ippo)
At first glance, Ippo Makunouchi looks like a harmless, vulnerable teenager, with innocent, kind features that naturally attract school bullies. But his toned body and lean muscles are strong indications that he has been training a lot and is much more capable than he appears.
Messing with Ippo would be a foolish mistake because beneath his mild-mannered exterior hides a boxer with explosive power, lightning-quick reflexes and incredible stamina that earned him titles in the ring and respect from his fellow boxers. However, like the many characters on this list, Ippo may be physically strong in his own world, but he is still grounded in human limitations.
Ranma Saotome (Ranma ½)
When it comes to martial arts, Ranma Saotome's Anything Goes Martial Arts is known for being unpredictable, versatile, and incredibly effective in both offense and defense. He is a highly skilled martial artist, so much so that no other fighter in the series can overwhelm him in a solo match.
Even Ryoga, Ranma's ultimate rival, cannot match Ranma's fighting prowess, resulting in countless humiliating defeats that further angered Ryoga. In addition, Ranma has a trump card with his ability to switch genders which allows him to trick and tempt his opponents when necessary.
Despite all that muscle, Ranma Saotome's physical strength and martial arts expertise may be impressive, but he's definitely not strong enough to face other radiant protagonists with god-like powers or reality-bending abilities.
Senku (Dr. Stone)
The anime and manga gods blessed Senku with a brilliant mind Dr. Stone to compensate for his physical limitations. Without his intellect, Senku is just an ordinary human who would struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, rendering him helpless without the tools and innovations his brain provides.
As long as Senku's genius guides him, he can make the impossible possible in Dr. Stone. Defeating an opponent with his inventions is an easy task for him, but winning in an all-out physical fight would be a completely different story.
Conan Edogawa (case closed)
After Shinichi Kudo's unfortunate encounter with the Black Organization, his body has shrunk to that of a small child, leaving him incredibly vulnerable to criminals and bad adults who do not hesitate to use violence, even in a child like him. Although he retains his brilliant deduction abilities, his transformation greatly altered his physical abilities.
However, Conan's small body allows him to be faster and more agile than most adults, giving him an unexpected advantage when evading pursuers or coming after criminals or members of the Black Organization. Still, with his child-sized body, there are more physical limitations he has to work around.
Takemichi Hanagaki (Tokyo Revengers)
While Takemichi Hanagaki's determination to repeatedly protect his friends is admirable, the fact that he rarely wins a fight by himself is enough to reveal that Takemichi is physically outclassed by almost every fighter in Tokyo Revengers.
In each timeline, Takemichi is usually on the losing end of a fight and takes heavy beatings from various characters, including those he eventually befriends. As a result, most viewers do not think much of Takemichi despite his efforts to change the past and protect his friends. Unfortunately, for an anime series featuring criminal characters, Takemichi seems out of place for his constant losses.
Yukihira Soma (Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma)
Inside the kitchen, no one on this list compares to Yukihira Soma. He is a brilliant chef, able to handle several complex dishes at once while ensuring that each one still tastes delicious to most of the Food war.
Before Soma entered the prestigious Totsuki Academy, he worked in their family restaurant, so his body is well-trained for long hours of work and repetitive manual tasks. After entering Totsuki, he further honed his physical endurance, along with his cooking skills, to keep up with the intense competition.
But beyond these impressive cooking skills and delicious dishes, Soma is just an ordinary human with no exceptional physical abilities. His body is well versed in kitchen jobs like chopping, standing for long hours and the like, but these skills alone make him an absolute force in the culinary field.
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Yugi Muto (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Facing Yugi Muto as an opponent in a card duel is one of the fastest ways to experience a miserable defeat. As long as the Millennium Puzzle is in his possession and he can transform into Yami Yugi or Dark Yugi before the duel begins, the outcome is almost always guaranteed to be in his favor.
But beyond the card duels, Yugi Muto isn't exactly a tough teenager. In fact, Yugi has below average endurance, stamina, and physical strength compared to his friends. He has a small frame and is not particularly trained for athletics or any combat exercises. Unlike his fierce rival, Kaiba, Yugi does not spend his extra time training his stamina or building his body. This makes him more vulnerable to rival duelists who are also physically capable.
Anya Forger (Spy x Family)
A product of human experimentation, Anya Forger's mind can sense danger and deception as well as read the minds of those around her. She is a telepath but lacks the strong power to control others, meaning she can only observe and use her extraordinary ability for defensive and informational purposes.
And obviously, Anya Forger is still a growing child with limited physical strength, meaning she can't rely on herself in physical combat. Although she can avoid worst-case scenarios in Spy x Family, she still relies heavily on her adoptive mom and dad, as well as her guard dog, to keep her safe.
AE3803 (Cells at Work!)
Being a red blood cell in Cells at Work is a difficult and dangerous job for someone like AE3803. After all, she cannot defend herself, forcing her to rely on white blood cells or even these platelets for protection.
All she does is transport goods, from oxygen to other nutrients inside the body, making her defenseless against viruses, bacteria and more. The same goes for the other red blood cell characters in the series, who are just as vulnerable despite their pivotal role.
