Iconic Instant-Kill Moves In Anime

Key Takeaways

• Anime techniques like Decay from My Hero Academia and Suzumebachi from Bleach ensure instant and intense battles.
• Scar’s Deconstruction in Fullmetal Alchemist represents revenge and questions moral paths.
• Saitama’s Punch in One Punch Man is a comedic take on an overpowered character in battle.

Anime battles can often get intense to the point that they can leave the viewer in awe. Some of the techniques in anime, however, are so overpowering that they completely outclass the opponent. They can often become the reason for the popularity of the anime by raising the stakes so high that they must be prevented at all costs.

Other times, they can become so overpowered that it seems ridiculous, like in One-Punch Man. However, it’s worth remembering that not all instant-kill techniques are played on the battlefield literally. Some are strategic instead, which, although ensures instant death, can require a lot more intellect to execute.

Spoilers for various anime below.

8

Decay

My Hero Academia

Shigaraki is the main villain of My Hero Academia, and his Decay quirk is easily one of the most destructive ones in the world of anime. If Shigaraki touches anything, he can quite literally disintegrate it until all that is left is dust.

Although the quirk wasn’t too much of a threat at the beginning of the series, things changed quickly after Shigaraki’s awakening. After that, it becomes a force to reckon with — so dangerous, in fact, that Shigaraki can touch the ground and decay things that are in contact with the ground itself.

7

Suzumebachi

Bleach

In Bleach, Soi Fon’s Suzumebachi is one of the deadliest weapons, ensuring an instant kill in two strikes. The first strike marks the target, and the second one leads to immediate death. This makes a battle with Soi Fon of extremely high intensity since there is no room for error. Even a tiny mistake can cost you everything.

The skill, precision, and lethality required to use Suzumebachi deserve their own praise, and Soi Fon wields it gracefully. Every single time she uses Suzumebachi, it shows the resolve and burden she carries as a protector. This makes all of her battles extremely dramatic, especially due to the bittersweet history she has.

6

Deconstruction

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

In Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Scar’s Deconstruction ability is both terrifying and powerful. Similar to how Shigaraki’s quirk works, Scar can touch something and break it down into its atomic components.

Deconstruction is a testament to the revenge that Scar seeks against the state alchemists after what they did to the Ishvalan people in the Ishval War. It also makes the viewer see the Ishvalan people in a new light, especially since the war was a mass genocide, raising questions as to whether Scar is correct in continuing his path.

The technique is, nevertheless, a constant reminder of Scar’s painful past, making him almost as dangerous as the Homunculi and a massive reason to watch the show.

5

Saitama’s Punch

One-Punch Man

One-Punch Man has become somewhat of a cult classic due to it consistently not taking itself seriously. Saitama, the protagonist, is just an average man with an extremely non-average power: the ability to defeat anything that stands in his way with literally a single punch.

You don’t worry about who will win the battle in this show, but more about when it will happen. As Saitama faces foes, the hilarity and absurdity of the entire encounter are highlighted even more.

While we cannot say that it is a technique, Saitama’s entire character is so powerful that pretty much anything he does with the intent of harm will achieve its goal.

4

Killer Queen

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is already one of the best anime shows, but Diamond is Unbreakable pushed it even further. Kira is the main antagonist in this season, and his Stand, Killer Queen, is literally a bomb waiting to go off.

What makes this stand so dangerous is that Kira can turn almost anything — even a simple household item — into a bomb with a timer. This makes Killer Queen a strategic weapon in a continuous game of cat and mouse, leaving viewers on edge until the next explosion goes off. Kira’s personality makes this even worse: the juxtaposition of his need for a peaceful, simple life with his vicious tendencies makes him one of the best villains in anime.

3

Death Note

Death Note

You can’t talk about instant death techniques without mentioning Death Note. It’s somewhat similar to fate manipulation, but it’s specific to death. Although the lines of how instant it is can be blurred, its use is what makes it so lethal.

Light Yagami is the owner of the Death Note, a book that originally belonged to Ryuk, a Shinigami. Light can essentially kill anyone by simply writing their name in the book. If the cause of death is not mentioned, the person will die in 41 seconds.

What makes it all the more grim is the intention and complexity with which Light uses it, literally developing a god complex in the process.

2

True Death

Overlord

Ainz Ooal Gown in Overlord was once a human who became trapped in an online role-playing game and took on the abilities of his character to become an undead Sorcerer King. His ability, True Death, allows him to completely erase anything from existence, leaving no chance of resurrection or redemption.

This makes True Death an extremely overpowered technique, raising the question of whether it should even be used. It also adds weight to Ainz’s character as he struggles with the morality of his actions. Since Ainz retains his memory of being human, it adds complexity to the burden of wielding this ability.

1

Hakai

Dragon Ball Super

Hakai is a technique used by the gods of destruction in Dragon Ball Super, and it’s essentially the ultimate form of destruction. It can be used by a deity to obliterate anything in their vicinity.

This makes the character of a destroyer all the more difficult, almost equating them to an antihero narrative, especially due to the nature of their abilities. The high stakes involved here bring back a lot of gravity to the concept of death, which had previously been dulled down due to Shenron.