Anime characters are always trying to improve their strength to defeat their opponents. Every battle shonen anime has a different kind of power system, and by mastering this system, a character can gain an immense amount of power. However, there are other characters who do not restrict themselves by focusing on just a single method.
These characters try to improve their physical strength by using science. Depending on the scientific advancements in the respective series, the bodily modifications can range from minor limb transplants to changing the body chemistry entirely. Mostly, the characters do not tinker with their natural limbs unless they are in a predicament, and while they lose their human parts, the mechanical additions more than make up for them. They help these characters in fights as well as in their day-to-day lives. With that in mind, here are the most iconic anime characters that have undergone body modifications.
7 Franky (One Piece)
Franky is one of the main characters in One Piece. He joined the Straw Hat Pirates before they left Water 7. Franky used to have a normal body, but after nearly being crushed by a huge train, he had no other alternative than to modify his body.
He used the parts from his battleships to improve his own body, and these parts made his body much more durable, which meant that he could withstand more attacks than a normal person. Franky was also able to put several weapons inside his body, such as lasers, cannons, etc. During the time skip, Franky modified his body even further, and currently, he's one of the strongest characters within the crew.
6 Genos (One Punch Man)
Genos is a very popular character from ONE's superhero manga, One Punch Man. He sacrificed his normal body for a noble cause, which was to take down a notorious villain. Unfortunately, Genos' bodily enhancements were not enough to help him find the monster, albeit they have helped him to become an S-rank hero.
Genos' entire body is protected by durable material, which allows him to fight recklessly. Dr. Kusano has made other modifications to his body, and they have helped Genos a great deal as he fights against evil monsters all the time.
5 Stroheim (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Originally, Von Stroheim was the enemy of Joseph Joestar. He was a German officer who wanted to make sure that his country would be at the very top. Stroheim and his group were researching Santana, one of the Pillar Men, and before they knew it, he managed to escape from his confinement.
Stroheim tried everything in his power to stop Santana from escaping into the world and wreaking havoc, and in the process, he suffered many injuries. Luckily, Germany had made a lot of progress in science, which allowed the doctor to save him from the brink of death. He also received numerous enhancements that aided him in his battles against humans and the Pillar Men.
4 Jet Black (Cowboy Bebop)
Before becoming a bounty hunter, Jet Black used to work for the Inter-Solar System Police. He worked tirelessly to eradicate all criminals, but a betrayal by his partner made him look at things in a new light. Jet lost his left arm, and he opted to have a mechanical arm replace it.
Even though he could have used the cell regeneration technique to get a brand-new arm, Jet chose the mechanical arm as he wanted something to remind him of the tragedies of life. After quitting the police force, Jet became a bounty hunter and gained quite a formidable reputation.
3 Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Edward Elric is the eldest of the Elric brothers. Both Edward and his brother, Alphonse, took an interest in alchemy at an early age. They would read the books left by their father. The boys were happy living with their mother, but after she died of illness, their world came crashing down.
In a last-ditch effort to resurrect their mother, Edward and Alphonse tried to indulge in the most forbidden practice in Alchemy—Human Transmutation. Not only was the experiment a complete disaster, but both the brothers lost parts of their bodies. Edward lost his arm and leg, while Alphonse lost his entire body. Edward replaced his lost limbs with automail.
2 Jeremiah Gottwald (Code Geass)
Jeremiah Gottwald is an overconfident man, who considers himself to be better than the other people around him. Jeremiah was humbled by Lelouch on several occasions, and his attempt to get back at the latter failed badly, and left him in a terrible state.
Fortunately for him, the scientific advancements of the era managed to save him. In addition to the other improvements, he was given a special eye, known as the Geass Canceller, which allowed him to cancel the effects of any Geass. Surprisingly, after getting this power, Jeremiah became much more grounded, and in fact, he became a supporting protagonist.
1 Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost In the Shell)
Motoko Kusanagi is among the most well-known anime characters in the world. She is the main protagonist of Ghost in The Shell. Motoko is a very complicated character, who is part robot and part human. For a long time, she loyally served in the defense forces.
At some point in her life, she had an existential crisis that made her question her entire life and all the choices that she had made so far. As the main character of a futuristic anime, her body has been equipped with some incredibly powerful equipment.