10 OP Shonen Heroes Who Could Actually Solo Goku (Yes, Really)
For decades, Goku has stood as the ultimate benchmark for shōnen power scaling in anime. Few characters have ever been able to challenge the limits of what a hero could be, and even fewer could compare to Dragon Ball’s protagonist, turning Goku into the global reference point for power comparisons in anime and manga. Yet over time, new series emerged, and long-running series underwent impressive developments that redefine power in shōnen anime. Some protagonists wield power that operates beyond conventional combat, whether through god-like abilities or outright gag physics. With these characters, traditional power scaling collapses, and even a character as iconic as Goku can find himself outmatched.
Luffy (One Piece)
Gear 5 Monkey D. Luffy grinning while crouching in One Piece anime
Monkey D. Luffy is the adventurous captain of the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece. Over the last couple of decades, Luffy has grown into a shōnen icon, best known for his optimistic spirit and dedication to freedom. After eating the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit, he gained a rubber-like body that is flexible, resilient, and allows for imaginative attacks. Luffy’s ultimate edge against Goku comes from his Gear 5, his latest transformation in the series. In this form, he gains reality-bending abilities, toon-force elasticity, and near-complete improvisational freedom. This allows his attacks to defy physics and excel both offensively and defensively, making him a difficult opponent to take on.
Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama (Mob Psycho 100)
Mob Psycho 100’s Shigeo using his powers while wounded and looking incredibly serious.
Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama is a seemingly unassuming middle schooler from Mob Psycho 100. Beneath his quiet, shy, and socially awkward personality, Mob hides an extraordinary psychic potential that grows exponentially with his emotions. His power scales from moving massive objects to reshaping environments, making him a formidable shōnen protagonist. His greatest advantage lies in the versatility and scale of his psychic powers. Beyond just raw force, Mob can project destructive energy and disrupt opponents, mentally or physically, without direct contact, making him dangerous when he goes all-out and giving him the potential to overwhelm anyone he comes into contact with.
Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)
Sung Jinwoo is the Shadow Monarch from Solo Leveling, evolving from the world’s weakest hunter into an unstoppable force of nature with an entire shadow army at his back. By the series finale, he possesses near-omnipotent abilities, rapid regeneration, and mastery over an army of powerful shadow soldiers. Jinwoo’s edge against Goku comes from his combination of overwhelming numbers and god-like power, granting him enhanced speed, strength, and durability. As a character who can manipulate shadows to attack or defend simultaneously, making direct confrontation nearly impossible, Jinwoo’s near-immortality makes him someone Goku would struggle against.
Sinbad (Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic)
Magi-The-Labyrinth-Of-Magic-Sinbad
Sinbad is the legendary king and adventurer from Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic. Fans who are only familiar with the anime and spin-off series have not experienced the full might of his power by the end of the manga. Sinbad evolves into a godlike figure, mastering multiple Djinn and wielding elemental and dimensional powers far beyond normal human limits. His advantage over Goku stems from his control over fate and reality through his god-tier Djinn equips, allowing him to create nearly indestructible barriers and unleash attacks on a cosmic scale. Paired with his intelligence, combat experience, and strategic mind, Sinbad’s arsenal allows him to challenge overwhelming power, giving him an edge most characters don’t have.
Saitama (One-Punch Man)
One-Punch Man Season 3 Opening Saitama
Saitama is the seemingly ordinary hero from One-Punch Man and is best known for his overwhelming power, which takes out every adversary with a single hit, no matter their size or skill. As a gag character, his story often plays up his feats for comedy and exaggerates his overwhelming power as a source of humor.
Unlike most fighters, he operates outside the rules of conflict, making him a difficult opponent to defeat.
Saitama defies traditional battle logic in the same way Arale does during her crossovers in Dragon Ball. His advantage comes from the nature of his abilities, which ignore traditional scaling, durability, and limits, making conventional combat irrelevant. Unlike most fighters, he operates outside the rules of conflict, making him a difficult opponent to defeat.
Rimuru Tempest (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
Rimuru Tempest (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
Rimuru Tempest is the protagonist of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, who begins their journey as a slime in another world and goes on to become the king of the monster nation, Tempest. Over time, Rimuru evolves into a near-omnipotent entity who can absorb powers, regenerate, manipulate space-time, and adapt to virtually any threat. Against Goku, Rimuru’s strength lies in the combination of powerful abilities and reality-bending versatility. Paired with their adaptive combat intelligence, Rimuru can anticipate, counter, and overwhelm even an opponent of Goku’s immense strength and speed, making them capable of defeating Goku in a battle.
Anos Voldigoad (The Misfit of Demon King Academy)
Anos Voldigoad is the titular Demon King from The Misfit of Demon King Academy. He is a reincarnated prodigy whose power surpasses entire civilizations. Anos is immensely skilled in magic, combat, and even reality manipulation, combining raw destructive capability with near omniscience. His edge against Goku stems from his ability to manipulate causality, his immortality, and his ability to resurrect. Conventional attacks against Anos are nearly meaningless, and he can reverse events, recover instantly, and overwhelm opponents conceptually rather than through brute force alone. His magical capabilities make Anos a serious contender who could claim victory over the Saiyan hero.
Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Haruhi Suzumiya
Haruhi Suzumiya is the titular character of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and stands out as far more than an eccentric high school girl. While she herself is unaware of this fact, she possesses reality-warping powers capable of reshaping the entire universe at her whim.
Haruhi’s unconscious manipulation of existence elevates her to a near godlike position whose influence extends beyond conventional combat and logic. Against Goku, her advantage lies in her ability to alter reality at will, rendering traditional battles meaningless. No matter how fast or powerful Goku becomes, Haruhi’s mere existence can nullify any threat, making her conceptually untouchable.
Arale Norimaki (Dr. Slump)
Dr-Slump-Title-Card
Arale Norimaki is an energetic android from Dr. Slump, and stands out as a shōnen hero defined by pure absurdity. Created as a gag character, she possesses limitless strength, speed, and resilience, often performing feats that blatantly defy logic and physics. Her cheerful personality hides an extraordinary level of power, making her a dangerous opponent to face. Unlike other characters, Arale has already had a crossover with Dragon Ball, where she directly proved her dominance over Goku. Her advantage stems from her complete immunity to conventional combat rules and ability to shrug off any attack. Arale is a character that Goku would likely never be able to defeat due to her defiance of all logic.
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo)
The main visual for Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo depicting the main cast smiling as hijinks ensue around them.
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is the titular hero of his own absurdly comedic series. He fights using nonsensical abilities that defy logic, physics, and traditional combat rules. Bobobo’s goofy antics hide reality-bending skills that make him a hero whose power is limited only by imagination. In a battle against Goku, Bobobo’s advantage comes from complete narrative and conceptual freedom. Attacks, defenses, and even the flow of reality bend to comedic effect, turning any conventional power scaling irrelevant. In a fight, Bobobo can manipulate absurdity itself and create outcomes that no conventional opponent like Goku could anticipate, making him the ultimate wildcard in anime.
Created by
Akira Toriyama
Latest TV Show
Super Dragon Ball Heroes
First Episode Air Date
April 26, 1989
已发布: 2025-12-26 03:00:00
来源: screenrant.com
