Sword users in manga are often depicted as lone wolves, roaming the world looking to polish their techniques, or as murder machines, flaunting their skills to oppress those unlucky enough to cross their paths. But there’s something mystical and eerie about swordmasters in manga. Some of them have some cool and unusual techniques that might be considered so overpowered as to be broken.
These manga characters have sword skills capable of defeating gods, demons, and in some cases, cutting through reality itself. From the traditional Ronin to the flamboyant shonen swordslinger, here come some of the most lethal characters to wield swords.
10 Saber (Fate: Stay Night)
Knight, King, And Heroic Spirit
- Technique name: Avalon
- Effect: Blast of light drawn from the sword that destroys her opponents. It can also protect and heal.
- Range: Single target (protection); wide area (blast)
The reincarnation of King Arthur herself, in the Fate series, is the most powerful Servant. Wielder of the legendary Excalibur, and user of the most broken Noble Phantasm, this King/Queen of Knights is capable of destroying every other Servant and winning the Grail Ward herself. Even the Hero King, Gilgamesh, recognizes her as the most accomplished swordmaster in history.
The only reason why Saber might be a little nerfed in Fate:Stay Night, is because she drew the shorter straw when being summoned by a weak Master. Emiya Shirou is weighing her down. If she were summoned by a capable mage, like Tohsaka Rin, she would have destroyed everything in her path.
9 Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)
Shinigami And Wielder Of A Powerful Sword
- Technique name: Getsuga Tenshou
- Effect: Releases a wave of spiritual energy that sweeps his opponents.
- Range: Wide, straight line, or directed in a semicircular pattern.
Ichigo became a Shinigami by chance, but from birth, he was destined for greatness. He inherited both Quincy and Shinigami’s powers from his parents, combined with his Hollow and Fullbringer abilities. But what makes this character overpowered are his sword skills.
Later in Bleach, Ichigo surpassed the most dangerous opponents using his Bankai. The true shape of his sword, Zangetsu, is said to be one of the most powerful Zanpakuto in history. Of course, having a broken sword helps, but Ichigo’s talent is undeniable.
8 Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)
He Bites The Sword, They Bite The Dust
- Technique name: Three Sword Style
- Effect: Several spining slices, varied forms, scissor attacks.
- Range: Melee
Roronoa Zoro has a unique sword style. He’s not only a dual wielder, but a tri-sword-user, able to carry one extra blade in his mouth. The Tri-sword-style is filled with unique moves that Zoro uses to break his opponents and deliver lethal blows from all directions.
Zoro can render his opponents defenseless thanks to his overwhelming speed and control. His signature move, The Ogre Cutter, consists of a scissor attack with both his handheld blades and the one he carries in his mouth. It is only a matter of time before Zoro acquires an ultimate Supreme Grade Sword. Then, he will be unstoppable.
7 Giyu Tomioka (Demon Slayer)
There’s A Reason Muzan Fears Him
- Technique name: Water Breathing
- Effect: Flexible and fast style that imitates the flow of water, and blasts like a lethal torrent.
- Range: Close and long range.
Though distant and aloof, Giyu has an intense sense of justice and takes his job as a Demon Hunter with the utmost seriousness. This quality has led him to perfect and polish his Breathing technique way above that of his master. For that, he is recognized as one of the strongest Pillars.
Giyu’s masterful techniques are the result of years of restless training. During his battle against Muzan, he was considerably weakened due to having one of his arms severely injured. Even so, he held his ground against the villain and even managed to instill fear in the soulless core of the ancient Demon.
6 Teresa (Claymore)
Able To Pick Up Every Sword Technique
- Technique name: Mimicry
- Effect: Can copy other sword techniques and adapt them to her own style.
- Range: Melee
Teresa of the Faint Smile, the strongest Claymore of the organization, wields her blade with a resolute attitude, even when facing the strongest enemies. This woman swordmaster can copy every sword technique, and though she never truly revealed her whole potential, she was thought to be undefeatable under normal circumstances.
Teresa is among the few warriors capable of surpassing the Abyssal Ones, considered some of the strongest beings. Her sword skills are paired with an overwhelming perception of the Yoki flow, and superhuman strength and speed. When deciding her execution, the organization had to send dozens of its top Elites to defeat her, but she managed to defeat them all. Ultimately, she is killed by Priscilla, who awakened at the last moment. If that twist of fate didn’t happen, no one would have been able to stop Teresa of the Faint Smile.
5 Saya Kisaragi (Blood-C)
Schoolgirl, Kuudere, And Broken
- Technique name: Unknown
- Effect: Wide range cuts at supernatural speed, able to split opponents in half.
- Range: Long Range/Melee
Since she was a child, Saya has trained with the local monk, Tadayoshi Kisaragi, to hunt down evil fiends known as Elder Bairns, creatures who murder humans and feed on their blood. Passing as a Shrine Maiden and a normal but detached schoolgirl, Saya spends the nights protecting her hometown from the danger that these creatures pose.
Saya possesses superhuman senses, speed, strength, and resistance to pain. She has developed her sword technique to the peak of mastery, and is capable of performing incredibly fast and lethal attacks that surpass even the strongest monsters.
4 Meliodas (Seven Deadly Sins)
With A Broken Sword, He Will Break You Down
- Technique name: Full-Counter
- Effect: Stops the enemy attack and redirects its energy into a powerful counterattack.
- Range: Melee/Wide Range
As the captain of the Seven Deadly Sins, Meliodas is one of the strongest Knights of the Kingdom. Even though he is a demon as well, he is reluctant to submit to his worst nature, though when enraged he becomes an unstoppable force of nature. No wonder he’s considered the Sin of Wrath.
Though his first weapon is just the handle of a broken blade, he is capable of destroying every opponent, showing that he doesn’t even need a complete weapon to break their will. Later, when he re-acquires Lostvayne, he is able to exert his full sword skills, proving that he’s one of the strongest sword masters in the world.
3 Guts (Berserk)
Don’t Make Him Angry
- Technique name: Unknown
- Effect: Powerful sword swings capable of splitting opponents in half.
- Range: Melee
Guts is a regular human being, but one has trained himself to the brink of death throughout the years, thus acquiring strength, endurance, and sword skills that rival even the most dangerous demons. His abilities are considered superhuman, and he can wield the enormous Dragonslayer with ease.
In addition to his monstrous strength and sword skills, he is also quick-witted and cunning. His survivability is related to his awareness and sense of strategy. It’s no surprise that he survived countless encounters with the worst beings in the world, including the infamous apostle Rosine.
2 Atomic Samurai (One Punch Man)
Slice And Dice Atoms With A Sword? Bad Idea
- Technique name: Atomic Slash
- Effect: Cuts his opponents at a subatomic level, reducing them to bits in seconds.
- Range: Long Range/Melee
One of the most broken swordmasters in the history of manga and anime is Kamikaze, also known as Atomic Samurai. As one of the members of the Hero Association in One Punch Man, this S-Ranked hero ranks 4 in the power echelons and is respected by the higher seats.
The Atomic Samurai is capable of cutting through all matter, slicing it at a subatomic level, splitting every piece of his enemies into dust. His technique is the result of polishing the sword technique and taking it to super-human levels. Like Saitama has reached the peak of absolute power, Atomic Samurai represents the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
1 Kenshin Himura (Samurai-X)
Imagine If He Had A Real Sword
- Technique name: Hitten Mitsurugi-Ryu
- Effect: A combination of highly polished techniques to fight multiple opponents, and powerful draw techniques to overpower single targets.
- Range: Wide Range/Melee
Himura Kenshin, also known as The Battousai, is the most skilled swordsman to have ever emerged from a manga. His technique is based on unsheathing his sword at superhuman speed, and wide swings that deal precise strikes to several targets in his path.
Kenshin has renounced his former identity as a cold-hearted killer, and throughout the series, he constantly struggles to keep his worst nature in check. He overpasses all his opponents without the intention of killing them, using a Sakabatō, a reversed-edge sword that is incapable of cutting. Imagine if he didn’t apply this disadvantage to himself.
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