The shonen genre was made for a young male demographic, and as a result, it had always focused more on themes like the power of friendships and relationships, and perseverance, but mainly action and fast-paced fight scenes. Consequently, the idea of a protagonist who is strong enough to defend his ideals has been a main staple in shonen anime and manga.
The year 2023 has hosted some of the best shonen anime recently, with some big titles like Jujutsu Kaisen and Spy x Family returning with highly anticipated sequels. In this regard, here are some of the strongest shonen anime protagonists of 2023, ranked.
10 Loid Forger
Spy x Family
Agent Twilight, the best spy in the whole of Westalis, is tasked with creating a make-believe family. He takes on the persona of Loid Forger, father of Anya Forger and psychologist, to further Operation Strix and get one step closer to world peace.
He has at least ten years of spy experience under his belt and has survived all those years by constantly staying one step ahead of his opponents due to his superior intellect and ability to adapt. Only Yor Briar has shown the ability to match him physically, and she is a master combatant too.
9 Kamado Tanjiro
Demon Slayer
Tanjiro’s journey from a regular boy who sells coals to a formidable demon slayer has been great to observe. He has improved in all aspects of his swordsmanship and decision-making, as evidenced in his fight against Hantengu, the Upper Moon Four, in the decisive battles during the Swordsmith Village Arc that aired this year.
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His use of the Demon Slayer Mark has also improved drastically, with more training to come in the Hashira Training Arc. Tanjiro still has a ways to go if he is to defeat Kibutsuji Muzan, but he is getting there, slowly but surely.
8 Itadori Yuji
Jujutsu Kaisen
Despite being born with no innate cursed techniques, Itadori Yuji has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. During the Shibuya Incident Arc which aired this year, he had the lead role in the fight against several special grade cursed spirits, including his arch-rival, Mahito, who claims to be just like him.
Yuji was forced to undergo a lot of character development due to the level of trauma he underwent, losing many close friends, but like all Shonen protagonists, he learned to pick himself up and keep advancing.
7 Midoriya Izuku
My Hero Academia
Midoriya has gotten much stronger in recent seasons, both mentally and physically. He has always risen to the occasion to match the ability of Shigaraki to protect his loved ones and friends.
With the addition of his new quirks and his tactical ability, he continues to separate himself from the rest of his peers, making every battle a testament to his growth and adaptability. His growth in strength still does not shield his emotional depth, as his resilience can still resonate with the audience.
6 Mash Burnedead
Mashle: Magic And Muscles
Mashle: Magic And Muscles
- Creator
- Hajime Kōmoto
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Mash Burnedead is an anomaly in his world, born without magic in a world where it is integrated into everyday life. He was abandoned as a baby for that sole reason, before eventually being picked up by a man who raised him outside the city, away from the forces who would seek to harm him for not having magic.
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He has been training ever since, learning self-defense and increasing his physical strength to compensate for his lack of magic. Despite going up against very gifted characters, he always finds a way to come through with his muscles.
5 Shiki Granbell
Edens Zero
Shiki is the adopted grandson of the Demon King and the King of Magimech, Ziggy, so it is no surprise that he also inherited his Ether Gear. Satan’s Gravity allows him to control and manipulate gravity, including changing the gravitational force's direction around him.
With this ability, he has created so many variants and use cases of gravitational attacks due to his creativity. When he channels the power of Overdrive, his physical ability and Ether Gear powers are increased greatly, drawing comparisons between him and the Demon King.
4 Gabimaru
Hell’s Paradise
Gabimaru spent all of his childhood in the care of the Iwagakure Village Chief, training to be the ultimate ninja assassin. He has supernatural durability and a fire application ability that comes with years of training under the very best, making it impossible for him to be executed using normal methods.
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Picking up the concept of Tao was child’s play to him, as he quickly learned it despite the life-or-death situation he was in. Gabimaru is skilled in several forms of taijutsu and ninjutsu which places him above most other characters in Hell’s Paradise even without his use of Tao.
3 Eren Yeager
Attack On Titan
The final episode of Attack On Titan aired this year also, with Eren and his genocidal plans taking center stage. With the power of the Founding Titan, he activated the rumbling, an event that claimed the lives of over 80% of the world’s populace.
During his final stand, he displayed the ability to manifest and control Titan Shifters of the past, which proved to be a formidable force against the Paradis and Marlyan Allied Forces. With the power of Ymir at his fingertips, Eren proved to be one of the strongest protagonists and antiheroes of the year.
2 Monkey D. Luffy
One Piece
The highly anticipated end to the Wano arc also aired this year, with Luffy finally awakening his devil fruit and getting a hang of the advanced conqueror’s haki, and Wano country’s Ryou, which negates durability.
The resulting Gear Fifth was strong enough to finally end the year-long battle between Kaido and Luffy, and the suffering of the residents of the Wano Country. He was eventually named one of the Four Emperors and acknowledged by the World Government, garnering a bounty of 3 billion berries.
1 Kurosaki Ichigo
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
The Thousand Year Blood War Arc returned this year, making waves with stunning animation befitting the introduction of the big bad Yhwach, the Quincy King. Several characters had their moments, with Ichigo discovering the real form of his Shinigami powers and his Zanpakuto, Zangetsu.
He also trained under the supervision of Ichibe Hyosube, the leader of the Zero Squad, raising him several levels over most characters in the series. With the show reaching its climax in the Soul Palace, Ichigo will have more opportunities to display his new heights.
