Even the sky might not be the limit for the variety of superpowers an anime character can have. Some have a unique spin on standard elemental powers, while others wield unconventional magical weapons like puppets, hammers, and fans.
Of all the magic powers throughout anime, the ability to control insects is surprisingly convenient. It'd be easy to assume that only villains would control such grotesque little creatures, but some of anime's best heroes have put their collection of bugs to good use. Most people would call pest control on them, but these characters use them to take down their foes.
This article contains spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.
10 Koji Can Communicate With Animals & Insects (My Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia's Koji Koda's quirk allows him to communicate with animals and insects. They understand his orders and have no choice but to follow them. However, he's out of luck if they don't hear him.
During Class 1-A's final exams, Koji had no choice but to command a swarm of creepy-crawlies to attack Present Mic after he blew out everyone's eardrums by screaming. Interestingly, Koji is terrified of insects and apprehensive of approaching them under any circumstance. At first, he ran away screaming and crying.
9 Zouken Matou Has An Army Of Crest Worms (Fate/Stay Night)
Zouken Matou from Fate/Stay Night biologically altered his body with magic. He's barely human at this point. It takes extra effort to kill him because his body is made of worms, giving him extra durability and quick regeneration time.
Zouken also has an army of Crest Worms. They're his familiars, and if someone is implanted with one, Zouken can control their every move. They can't defy him, even if their mind tells them to. He has several variants of worms, including Lust Worms, Blood Worms, and even worms the size of a car.
8 Weevil's Entire Deck Is Based On Insects (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Weevil from Yu-Gi-Oh! loves insects so much that they inspired his entire card deck. His Insect Deck takes advantage of insect-type monsters to give him the upper hand during a card battle.
Weevil's cards mainly rely on creating insect barriers or cocoons for defensive purposes. He also has powerful attacks, like his Great Moth, which allows him to summon a monster to poison his opponent. He can also call upon a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth, which can only function after the Petit Moth has the Cocoon of Evolution.
7 Ponzu Wears A Hat Full Of Bees (Hunter X Hunter)
Ponzu from Hunter X Hunter's giant yellow hat just seemed like a bizarre fashion statement at first, but it serves a purpose. It's essentially a giant beehive from which she can summon bees if necessary. If Ponzu gets hurt or yells enough, the bees will come out and sting everyone, regardless of whether or not they harmed her.
Ponzu's bees will come out without attacking anyone if she calmly taps her hat. These aren't ordinary bees, either; they inject their targets with a paralysis poison. Bourbon was stung by these types of bees in the past, so getting stung again killed him because of the anaphylactic shock.
6 Aoi Controls Supernatural Insects (Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun)
In Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun, Aoi loves to freak people out by retelling spooky stories and spreading rumors about their school's supernatural history. However, nobody expected her to have a creepy power of her own.
Aoi can control supernatural insects. In retrospect, this ability was foreshadowed from when she threatened Nene with a centipede earlier in the series. Once, she controlled a swarm of insects when they were trying to climb out of No. 6's boundary. Later, she rode a giant centipede and used it to stab Akane in the stomach.
5 Mrs. Robinson Keeps A Bunch Of Bugs In His Left Eye Socket (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run)
The villains of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure have a reputation for being quirky, but Steel Ball Run's antagonists are on a whole other level. Mrs. Robinson, for example, is a jockey who can manipulate the insects he stores in his left eye socket. He'll force these flying critters out of his body when attacking someone.
They fly at high speeds, and their wings generate intense wind pressure in their target's direction. If he's near a cactus, it'll cause them to release their needles, which he can remotely control and aim directly at his opponent.
4 Suzaku Controlled The Demon World Insects (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Suzaku from Yu Yu Hakusho controlled the Demon World insects. He would command these creatures to bite humans en masse. After biting them, these bugs could turn people into mindless drones who obey all of Suzaku's commands.
Suzaku wanted them to become violent, zombie-like creatures with no mind of their own who only lived to carry out his evil deeds. Suzaku's demonic critters resemble mosquitos and can't survive outside of the Spirit World's barriers unless they constantly feel the Demon World Whistle's pulse.
3 Kurourushi Is A Special-Grade Cockroach Cursed Spirit (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Kenjaku released Kurourushi as a participant in Jujutsu Kaisen's Culling Game. It's a special-grade cockroach cursed spirit who resembles the critters it controls. It's surprisingly intelligent and even has minimal communication skills.
Kurourushi can summon an army of cursed cockroaches to attack his opponents. This cursed technique is so dangerous that it should be forbidden. These roaches kill their prey by devouring them for their master since Kurourushi has a bottomless pit for a stomach. It's definitely one of the series' most gruesome cursed techniques. Manga readers were deeply disturbed during Kurourushi's fight against Yuta.
2 Merraid Oarburgh's Wrigglers Are Powerful Weapons (Akame Ga Kill!)
In Akame Ga Kill!, Merriad is the current head of the Oarburgh Clan, so she inherited their signature insect-like weapons, the Wrigglers. They're a horde of creepy critters who Merriad can instruct to attack whoever she wants.
There are many different kinds of Wrigglers, each with different powers and distinct appearances. The Beetle has scissors for hands, while the Blood Butterfly can detect even the faintest scent of blood. Explosive Ants have an explosive enzyme in their blood that make effective sneak attacks. Merriad's Trump Card allows her to become a human and butterfly hybrid. She can create silk webs and fly with large wings in this form.
1 Shino Aburame's DNA Is Infused With Special Insects (Naruto)
In Naruto, Shino is a member of the Aburame clan. He inherited their insect-based ninjutsu. His DNA was infused with Kikaichu, a special insect breed, when he was born. They use his body as a nest and survive on his chakra.
These bugs are surprisingly versatile. They can attack his opponents and eat their chakra, create replicas of himself with the insects, and trap his enemies with them. They're also great for eavesdropping and gathering intel on his enemies. Shino can also protect himself from being followed because the bugs can create misleading chakra patterns to confuse anybody riding his tail.
