Irrespective of the genre, anime series have often begun with MCs who were weak early on but became OP later. The plot usually begins with how they would struggle to keep up with those around them. But with extensive training or a twist of fate, they would eventually grow as a protagonist and become powerful enough to overcome all odds.
These main characters who grow with the plot are incredibly relatable. They have some of the best character arcs in the genre. Whether in fantasy, Isekai, sports, or slice of life, these protagonists surpass expectations.
Below is a list of some of the best anime where the MC starts weak but eventually becomes OP.
7 incredible Anime where the weak MC becomes OP
7) My Hero Academia (Izuku Midoriya)
Deku was born with no Quirks. He was one of the very few individuals in the world who did not have any special abilities. However, he always wanted to be a hero and idolized All Might, who was the number one hero at the time.
After a chance encounter, All Might passes down his One for All quirk to Midoriya. But controlling his new powers was easier said than done. Even if he was unleashing 5%-10% of the quirk, Midoriya was harming his own body the more he used it.
So not only did he have to work hard to control his powers, but trained his body to a point, that it would be able to execute more of his abilities. Deku went on to work tirelessly to be the best hero he could be and from a powerless teenager, he became an OP anime MC.
6) Gurren Lagan (Simon)
Simon starts off as a very timid and shy boy when the narrative begins in Gurren Lagan. He is rather unassuming and it’s only through his adventures with Kamina that he becomes more confident about his abilities.
Although timid, Simon has always had a keen aptitude for combat. His personality goes through a complete transformation after Kamina dies and he meets Nia.
He slowly starts to grow in confidence, and with the help of the rest of the crew, he is able to put up a fight against the Spiral King. Simon starts growing from strength to strength from that point onwards.
He masters the spiral energy and when the time comes to face the final intergalactic nemesis, Simon has already blossomed from a shy boy to a young man brimming with confidence and determination.
5) Solo Leveling (Sung Jin Woo)
Solo Leveling Sung Jin Woo’s rise as an OP MC comes from a mixture of twist of fate and hard work. The story starts with him being shown as an E Rank hunter. However, even in his rank, he is placed at the bottom of the pegging order and is widely known to all as the “Weakest Hunter in History.”
But fortune changes for Sung Jin Woo when he gets a second life after solving the “Statue of God” puzzle and getting killed as a result. While his magic levels remained what it was (that of an E rank) Jin Woo gained the new ability of a leveling system.
Like a video game, it improved his base stats and other skills if he could complete the quests and missions it provided.
While it sounds like a cheat skill to give anyone, Jin Woo had to work very hard to keep growing. The missions and quests got harder. However, Jin Woo’s biggest strength is that he never gives up. This once-weak anime MC overcomes all odds to become OP.
4) Black Clover (Asta)
Asta personifies hard work and perseverance. In a land where magic meant everything, the Black Clover protagonist had none. When it was time for all 15-year-old boys to receive their first Grimoirs, Asta got one with five leaves with an Anti-magic devil inside it.
Both Asta and his rival Yuno were raised at a church after having been abandoned there. His childhood was rather harsh, and his upbringing in the province was met with more criticism once he became a Magic Knight.
Asta’s lack of magic and his lack of control over Anti-magic often made him the weakest member of the Black Bulls. But even after being beaten down and broken, he always managed to pull himself together and keep a positive attitude.
Asta worked twice as hard to gain more control over his powers. He went through excruciating training to eventually become a reliable member of his squad.
His rivalry with Yuno fueled his desire to grow stronger by the day. As the plot thickened, so did Asta’s muscles, and he soon became one of the most powerful Knights in the kingdom.
3) Arifureta: From Common Place to World’s Strongest (Hajime Nagumo)
Nagumo started as the weakest member of the hero’s party in Arifureta. He was often shunned and bullied by the rest of the group because of his “Synergist” job skill set. It was considered the worst skill to have in the Isekai. To make things worse, Nagumo even had the weakest stats.
When exploring the Orcus Labyrinth, the entire level caved in. Nagumo was presumed dead. However, the weak Anime MC survived and went on to become OP during his time in the dungeon.
Nagumo’s desire to survive at all costs fueled his growth as a protagonist. He soon began to devour other monsters in the dungeon. This, coupled with his “Synergist” job, started providing him with the powers and abilities of those he ate.
Nagumo grew stronger, but the dungeon got harder to conquer as he progressed. He was often pushed to his limits, with there being moments when he almost lost his life.
Fortunately, he persevered. Nagumo eventually got even stronger than the Hero and his party.
2) Tsukimichi: Moonlight Fantasy (Makoto Misumi)
For an Isekai protagonist, Makoto’s adventure in the new world has been rather unfortunate. He was first whisked away by a Goddess from his world as a part of the contract his parents signed. But as she wants to maintain a standard of beauty in her world, Makoto’s lack of good looks causes him to immediately be abandoned by her.
However, as he plummets onto the wasteland, Makoto is rescued by the Moon God, Tsukuyomi. As the Moon God was the middle man of the contract, he felt responsible for the weak Anime MC and proceeded to give him certain blessings.
Makoto had to struggle quite a bit to get by early on. While he was quite weak at first, he had a talent for magic.
Through training and some strokes of good luck, he was able to recruit a lot of powerful monsters under his banner. The more servants he got, the more his magic grew, and the more OP he became. To contain his overwhelming strength, Makoto had to wear Draupnir rings, which would absorb and store his magic.
1) Ranking of Kings (Bojji)
The Ranking of Kings has been one of the most inspiring anime to have come out in 2021. It’s often hailed as a quintessential work in the fantasy genre. Much of the praise comes from how the narrative handled Bojji and his growth to become the greatest of kings.
Bojji was born weak due to a powerful curse. The curse was a part of the bargain between his father, Bosse, and a demon. To boost his power, Bosse sacrificed Bojji’s, and as a result, he was born deaf and weak.
However, instead of resenting his predicament, Bojji grew to be intelligent, had empathy for others, and was always aware of things going on around him. He always kept up a cheerful facade, irrespective of the harsh treatment he received. And unlike his half-brother Daida, Bojji only grew from strength to strength till he overcame the most impossible of odds.
From being the weakest Anime MC of all time, Bojji became the hero who won over hearts.
