Anime Character Tier Lists

Strongest Jujutsu Kaisen sorcerers

Jujutsu Kaisen has one of the steepest power curves in modern shonen: two characters far above everyone else, then a large, competitive middle. This list ranks sorcerers and curse users at the height of what they show in the manga.

S. Gojo spends most of the series as the clear strongest sorcerer alive: Limitless and the Six Eyes make him untouchable, and his domain ends fights in seconds. Sukuna is the only character who can beat him, and does, in the Shinjuku showdown. Nobody else comes close to either.

A. Yuta is a special-grade sorcerer with near-bottomless cursed energy and Rika's copying ability, and he's the one sent in after Gojo falls. Kenjaku has a thousand years of techniques and planning. Yuki is the only other special grade, and her fight with Kenjaku is brutal. Yuji earns his A in the final arc, when his soul-striking punches and his own domain matter more against Sukuna than almost anyone's.

B. Toji and awakened Maki have no cursed energy and beat sorcerers anyway; Toji's defeat of a teenage Gojo is the series' most famous upset. Hakari's jackpot makes him nearly unkillable, and Higuruma's domain can strip anyone of their technique. Kashimo and Todo are elite but either lose or burn out in their biggest fights.

C and D. Megumi's ceiling is high, but most of his best feats arrive while Sukuna is using his body. Nanami and Mei Mei are skilled first-grades who are outmatched at the top. Nobara, Inumaki and Panda are strong fighters for their grade, and the story uses them well, but they don't win the series' decisive fights. Read about the whole cast in our Jujutsu Kaisen guide.

Demon Slayer Hashira ranked

The nine Hashira are the Demon Slayer Corps' best swordsmen. Ranking them is harder than it looks, because several die before the final battles, so this list weighs each one's best showing against the Upper Moons.

S. Gyomei is called the strongest of the Hashira in the story, and he backs it up by leading the fight against Kokushibo, Upper Moon One, and holding his own against Muzan. He's the only Hashira who doesn't need the others to justify his ranking.

A. Sanemi fights Kokushibo alongside Gyomei and survives to the end. Muichiro unlocks his Mark, kills Gyokko of the Upper Moons largely alone, and lands the blow that turns the Kokushibo fight. Giyu is the steadiest swordsman in the Corps and fights Akaza with Tanjiro.

B. Rengoku holds off Akaza, Upper Three, until sunrise without a Mark, which is a feat many fans would rank higher. Tengen takes down Gyutaro and Daki with help. Obanai is crucial in the Muzan fight despite having no Mark at first.

C and D. Mitsuri is physically gifted but loses ground at every big fight. Shinobu sits last on raw strength, not on impact: she can't behead demons at all. Her poison, though, is what kills Doma, Upper Two, and weakens Muzan, so her tier says nothing about how much she matters. Our Demon Slayer guide covers every Hashira in depth.

Naruto Kage, ranked at their peak

Kage are the leaders of the five great ninja villages, so this is a natural shortlist of the strongest shinobi. We've included every Hokage plus the Kage who appear at the Kage Summit and in the Fourth Great Ninja War, each at their best.

S. Naruto, with Six Paths power and Kurama's full cooperation, fights Kaguya and Sasuke, the story's last two opponents. Hashirama is the "God of Shinobi," the only person who ever fought Madara to a standstill.

A. Minato's Flying Raijin made him the fastest ninja of his era. Tobirama invented that technique and Shadow Clones, among others. Hiruzen in his prime was called the strongest Hokage, and even in old age he managed to seal Orochimaru's arms.

B. Kakashi's war-arc Kamui is one of the most dangerous techniques in the series, though he loses it afterwards. Gaara, Onoki and A each show they can hold their own against Akatsuki-level threats, and Onoki's Dust Release can erase almost anything it hits.

C and D. Tsunade is the greatest medical ninja alive, but her combat feats are mostly about survival rather than victory. Mei Terumi has two kekkei genkai and little screen time to show them. Mifune isn't a ninja at all; he's the samurai leader who hosts the Kage Summit and is included for completeness. See all the shinobi in our Naruto character guide.

Dragon Ball Z fighters

To keep this list stable, it covers Dragon Ball Z only, ending with the Buu saga. Dragon Ball Super adds gods and new forms that would push everyone below down a tier.

S. Vegito toys with Super Buu, which is the clearest dominance in the saga. Super Saiyan 3 Goku and Kid Buu fight on even terms until the Spirit Bomb ends it.

A. Ultimate Gohan outclasses Super Buu until Buu absorbs Gotenks, and Super Buu then absorbs Gohan too. That chain of reversals keeps these three close together.

B to D. Majin Vegeta and Perfect Cell were the peaks of their arcs and are now a step behind. Frieza, Piccolo and Android 18 were each the top threat or top ally at some point but fall well behind by the end. Krillin, Tien and Yamcha are the classic example of power creep. They were among the strongest humans on Earth, and they stay brave and useful, but they can't keep up with the Saiyans.

My Hero Academia pro heroes

The Hero Billboard Chart in My Hero Academia ranks heroes by public approval and results, not raw strength. This list ignores popularity and asks only who wins fights. Students are left out, though endgame Deku would sit comfortably in S.

S. All Might in his prime was a one-man deterrent: the "Symbol of Peace" whose presence kept crime down across Japan, and the only hero to beat All For One.

A. Endeavor defeats a High-End Nomu with Hawks' help, a fight that makes him the new Number One in practice as well as on paper. Hawks is the fastest pro and a skilled spy. Mirko takes on several Nomu alone during the Paranormal Liberation War.

B to D. Best Jeanist and Edgeshot are precise rather than overwhelming. Gran Torino trained All Might and still keeps up with the top tier in short bursts. Eraser Head's Quirk erasure is invaluable against stronger opponents, but it doesn't win a fight on its own. Present Mic, Mt. Lady and Midnight are excellent support heroes who are rarely sent into straight fights against top villains.

How to make a fair tier list

Tier lists get heated because people are often answering different questions without noticing. A few rules make yours easier to defend:

1. Ask one question — "Who is strongest?" and "Who is the best character?" produce completely different lists. Write your question at the top.
2. Fix the timeframe — Decide whether you're ranking characters at their peak, at the end of the story, or at a specific arc. Mixing them is the most common source of arguments.
3. Use feats over hype — What a character does on the page counts for more than what other characters say about them. Narration and databook statements can break ties.
4. Prefer consistent showings — One surprising win, or a loss that was clearly plot-driven, shouldn't outweigh a character's usual level. Our power scaling guide explains how to handle outliers.
5. Pick one canon — Manga, anime filler, films and games often disagree. Say which you're using. Our manga vs anime guide covers the usual differences.
6. Leave space in each tier — If you can't decide between two characters, put them in the same tier. That's the point of tiers.
7. Show your working — A sentence of reasoning under each tier turns a list people argue with into one they can argue about.

Once you've built a list, test your knowledge of the same casts with our character quizzes.