Ask John: Who Are the Supreme Anime Superhumans?

Question:
When it comes to the world of highly powered anime characters which ones are the cream of the crop? Especially when you have characters such as Luckyman, Doraemon, Son Goku, Kenshiro, and Haruhi?

Answer:
An examination of supremely powerful comic characters in Japanese media reveals a unique character of Japanese psychology, particularly in comparison to similar characters in American media. Japan, with its collective social ethic of responsibility to community and nation, places limitations on its godlike characters to prevent them from becoming too distanced from ordinary people. Japanese characters that surpass these limits surpass not only their humanity but also their connection to humanity.

Luckyman’s superhuman power appears to have unlimited potential, but since his power is entirely based in luck, he can’t consciously control it or control the outcome of his actions. Similarly, Suzumiya Haruhi is literally a god, but she has no conscious awareness of her power, thus she also doesn’t consciously control her abilities. Doraemon has the ability to materialize any object from his magic pocket, but Doraemon is controlled by an external force. He’s programmed to be loyal to Nobita and look after Nobita’s best interests, so the combination of Nobita’s dull-witted shortsightedness and Doraemon’s programming prevent Doraemon from ever exploiting his magical ability to cataclysmic ends. Sailor Saturn and Keroro Gunso’s Angol Mois both have the ability to destroy planets, but both are hindered by their own nature. Tomoe Hotaru’s massive destructive power is restrained by the fact that using her ultimate destructive power will kill her. Hotaru is also physically anemic and prone to seizures. Angol Mois’ godlike power is restrained by her own good nature and her devotion to her “uncle” Keroro.

Other Japanese superheroes are likewise limited by ethical pressures. Dragon Ball’s Son Goku and his sons, as well as Hokuto no Ken’s Kenshiro, possess superhuman fighting ability but restrain themselves due to a self-imposed ethic to only use the amount of strength necessary, and only use their abilities in favor of justice. Unlike America’s Superman, who restrains or exerts his ability in accordance with the needs of the people he defends, Japanese supermen like Son Goku and Kenshiro don’t base their exertions on concern for other people; they base their use of power on their own, internal sense of justice and morality. While Superman is America’s hero, Son Goku and Kenshiro are just individuals who exist as a part of their society, not as prominent, outstanding pilars of their respective societies. The Japanese Superman-style costumed hero Paaman has a variety of superhuman powers, but he’s also restrained by external pressure. Paaman may be a hero, but his alter-ego is forced to remain an uncredited, anonymous member of society on punishment of death. While Superman chooses to keep his Clark Kent identity secret, Paaman is threatened to keep his identity as Mitsuo Suwa secret, thus keeping him an ordinary member of Japanese society.

Watchmen’s Doctor Manhattan has godlike powers. As a result, he loses his emotional, and eventually even his physical connection to human society and the Earth. The same thing occurs to Tetsuo in the Akira movie. Without limits on Tetsuo’s tremendous psychic power, his body deforms and grows unhindered until Tetsuo literally casts off his humanity, leaves the earth, and becomes a cosmic consciousness. Dr. Manhattan consciously chooses to reject humanity and depart Earth. His Japanese equivilant, however, does not have a choice. Tetsuo is forcibly expelled from human company because his infinite powers don’t have a limitation.

Attempting to classify an ultimate anime superhuman is a moot effort because every Japanese superpower has a glass ceiling that prevents the character from standing out too much from surrounding society. Anime and manga superhumans that dare to surpass socially acceptable limits, like Tetsuo, are expelled from Japanese society. American heroes stand head and shoulders above, as beacons of justice or superiority. In Japan’s don’t-rock-the-boat social culture, even individuals with godlike powers still exist and live within ordinary society, without standing out.