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Anime has always pushed the limits of power and imagination. Mortal anime characters often take on gods in their universe. These battles show courage, strength, and willpower, proving that even gods can be challenged.
Mortal anime characters don’t always have divine powers, but their motivation and determination make them just as strong. Over time, many of these characters have inspired viewers around the world with their legendary feats.
This list looks at ten epic times when mortal anime characters stood toe-to-toe with gods and left a lasting impression.
List of mortal Anime characters
1. Edward Elric
Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
God defeated: Father
Father is the main antagonist of the Fullmetal Alchemist series. He starts as a mass of black gas with a single eye, but absorbs the entity behind the gate and attains godlike powers. Edward is a 16-year-old human who, for most of his life, has had a prosthetic arm and leg due to a failed experiment.
Father wanted to obtain “perfection.” But to do this, he planned on using humans as a power source. This leads to an all-out battle between Homunculi and humans. The battle is intense, with high stakes for the world. Edward's refusal to give up shows the power of human resolve.
His final punch, powered by pure determination, ultimately brings Father down. This fight was proof that with enough drive, mortal anime characters can stand up to and defeat gods.
2. Monkey D. Luffy
Anime: One Piece
God defeated: God Enel
This fight was shown in the thirteenth arc of One Piece, the Skypiea arc. Enel was the god of Skypiea. His power and control were absolute. There was nothing that the Skypieans and Shandians could do to go against him. Luffy, on the other hand, was a rookie pirate with a bounty of 100,000,000 berries.
When Luffy fights God Enel in One Piece, it’s more than just a battle. It's a clash between belief and strength. Enel sees himself as a god because of his power and control. But Luffy doesn’t care. Luckily for him, he’s immune to Enel’s lightning. Thanks to his rubber body. He pushes forward without fear.
Luffy’s victory is not just physical; it also breaks Enel’s illusion of being untouchable. This fight reminds us that mortal anime characters can take down even the most arrogant gods with enough courage and grit.
3. Ichigo Kurosaki
Anime: Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
God defeated: Yhwach
Ichigo Kurosaki is a Substitute Soul Reaper who, on many occasions, has saved the world from threats. His power, hot-headedness, and gifts have made him one of the most powerful mortal anime characters ever. Yhwach, on the other hand, is the son of the Soul King who ultimately absorbs his father and gains godlike status.
In Bleach, Ichigo faces Yhwach, a godlike figure with power over fate. Yhwach’s abilities make him nearly unbeatable, yet Ichigo doesn’t back down. As a human with Shinigami powers, Ichigo stands for hope and protection.
He uses every bit of strength and a lot of teamwork to stop Yhwach from reshaping the world. Ichigo’s final strike shows that even the future isn’t safe from a determined soul. Among all mortal anime characters, Ichigo proves he can change fate itself.
4. Team 7
Anime: Naruto Shippuden
God defeated: Kaguya Otsutsuki
Team 7 consists of Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura. They are ninjas from Konoha with Kakashi as their sensei. Kaguya is an Otsutsuki who came to Earth to cultivate chakra pills. Kaguya is the origin of all chakra, making her a literal god in Naruto.
Kaguya is the first person in the world to have chakra and has so many powerful techniques. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, though powerful, are still mortal ninjas. With the help of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, Sage of Six Paths, they take on the nearly unstoppable Kaguya.
Their teamwork and bond make all the difference. The fight is large-scale, filled with some unexpected twists and turns. But in the end, some mortal anime characters' spirit and will to protect shine through. This moment proves that even gods can be defeated by strong bonds and trust.
5. Joseph Joestar
Anime: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency
God defeated: The Pillar Men
The Pillar Men were some of the most powerful antagonists in the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure franchise. They consist of three ancient men named Santana, Wham, Esidisi, and Kars. They look like humans but are much more powerful than mortal anime characters. Joseph Joestar is the protagonist of Part 2: Battle Tendency of the series.
Unlike many others on this list, the Pillar Men did not want world dominance. They simply wished to transcend the limits of their body. And they were well on their way already. After declaring that he could beat them, Joseph trains alongside Caesar Zeppeli under Lisa Lisa. He ultimately faces these godlike beings.
Joseph uses his brain as much as his strength. His clever tricks and fast thinking help him win against monsters who have lived for centuries. Joseph’s fights show how smart strategy can overcome raw power. While the Pillar Men see themselves as gods, Joseph is a mortal anime character who brings them down a peg.
6. Kojiro Sasaki
Anime: Record of Ragnarok
God defeated: Poseidon
Record of Ragnarok has an interesting plot. Gods are battling humans to decide if they should leave them in existence. This caused 13 gods to go up in a one-on-one fight against humans in a tournament called Ragnarok.
In the Ragnarok battles, Kojiro Sasaki is a human swordsman chosen to fight Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. It’s a clear mismatch at first, especially with his reputation for being a loser. But Kojiro’s deep understanding of swordsmanship helps him stay one step ahead.
As he reads Poseidon’s moves, he gains the upper hand. This battle shows how hard-earned skill and patience can beat even divine speed and strength. Kojiro’s win is one of the biggest surprises and proves that mortal anime characters can step up to gods.
7. Goku, Vegeta, and Future Trunks
Anime: Dragon Ball Super
God defeated: Zamasu
Zamasu is a god who hates mortals, which makes it ironic when mortal anime characters defeat him. His objective was to destroy humanity. To do this, he did a lot of morally questionable things, like defeating the Supreme Kai of his universe, amongst many other things.
Goku, Vegeta, and Trunks team up to face him, even when he fuses with his future self, Black Goku, into a stronger form. Their teamwork and never-give-up attitude are key. Zamasu pushed them to their limits. Vegeta and Goku had to become Vegito Blue to beat him. Trunks lands the final blow with a sword powered by hope and the spirit of many.
This battle is packed with emotion and shows that even against a god, mortal willpower can shine through. Even though they did not deliver the final strike, these mortal anime characters defeated this god.
8. Light Yagami
Anime: Death Note
God defeated: Rem
Death Note had an interesting take on the supernatural theme. A high school boy, Light Yagami, finds a Death Note that is able to kill anyone if a few conditions are met. Every Death Note had a chauffeur, called a Shinigami. Light may not fight with his fists, but his mind is deadly.
In Death Note, Rem is a Shinigami—a god of death. Light creates a series of events that put Misa, another wielder of a Death Note, in danger. The Shinigami of Misa’s book was Rem, who had fallen in love with Misa. Though Rem is a god, Light uses human cunning to bend his will.
Light manipulates Rem’s love for Misa, and he ends up dying after breaking a cardinal rule of Shinigamis. This moment is dark but powerful, proving that mortal anime characters might be more dangerous and ruthless than some gods.
9. Natsu Dragneel
Anime: Fairy Tail
God defeated: Ikusa-Tsunagi
Ikusa-Tsunagi is one of the Yakuma Eighteen Battle Gods. This lion-faced character is big and powerful compared to mortal anime characters in Fairy Tail. His presence alone made it seem like he could not be defeated. The protagonist of the show, Natsu Dragneel, is a mage of the Fairy Tail Guild with fire abilities.
Natsu Dragneel, though not a god, takes him on without fear. This is arguably one of the most difficult battles in Natsu’s life. He had to become the strongest version of himself in that moment. Natsu’s fire magic burns bright, fueled by his love for his friends and guild.
Even though he’s facing a divine being, Natsu doesn’t hold back. His passion and strength burn hot enough to turn the tide of the battle. After running the great lengths of Ikusa-Tsunagi’s body to get to his head, Natsu delivers a fiery punch to end the battle. The battle shows that the heart of a human, especially one who protects others, can rise above any divine power.
10. Sora and Shiro
Anime: No Game No Life
God defeated: Tet
Tet is the God of Play. He exists in a world different from Earth called the Boardtop World, Disboard. Sora and Shiro are normal humans on Earth known as Blanks. For them, games were everything. They were the best in every game they played, holding the high score in more than 280 games with no losses.
One day, in the comfort of their home, they face Tet, the One True God, in a game of online chess. These mortal anime characters rely only on their smarts and wits to defeat him. After the match, they acknowledged that the game was challenging for them. They had not felt that kind of excitement in a while.
The show was centred around games. So, it is a little different from other entries on this list. But similar to some, they rely solely on their intellect. Their win over Tet proves that mortals were capable of going up against a god and winning.
Conclusion
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These epic characters show that mortal anime characters don’t need godly powers to stand out. What makes them strong is their courage, intelligence, and will to protect what they love. Whether through fists, swords, or clever plans, they prove that humans can match and even defeat gods.
These moments leave fans inspired and remind us that being human doesn’t mean being weak. In fact, it’s often the human spirit that shines the brightest when facing the impossible. Anime continues to give us stories where mortals prove that strength comes from the heart.
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