Normally, old characters in TV shows are just what their age allows them to be, however, if you watch anime then you should know these wrinkled faces are a menace. I recently watched Hunter x Hunter and I must say I was impressed by the feats of Issac Netero. His character made me think of other OP old characters in anime that I have watched, so I thought why not write a blog about these overpowered anime characters?
The following list is not ranked and doesn’t include all of the OP old characters in anime but the ones I know of and have admired for a long time. Furthermore, this post contains potential spoilers. That said, let’s begin.
Issac Netero
I am starting the list with one of the most OP old characters in anime history. Issac Netero is from Hunter x Hunter and is one of the strongest and most beloved characters of the show. Netero was the head of the Hunters organization until Chimera Ant arc where he met his demise. However, the feats Netero showed in that arc are unparalleled by any other character’s feats. Netero was faced with the King of Chimera Ants, Mereum, and was bound to lose to him due to the vast power difference between both characters but this didn’t let old man Netero hold back. He went all in and came victorious eventually.
Zeno Zoldyck
Zeno Zoldyck is also from Hunter x Hunter and similar to Netero, he can’t be judged by his looks. An assassin by profession, this old man is the father of Silva Zoldyck – the current head of the Zoldyck family, and grandfather of Killua Zoldyck – one of the main characters. Although Zeno admitted that he ranks lower than Netero overall, his dragon-based attacks and immense combat abilities make him one of the strongest characters in the show. We have yet to see the full potential of Zeno Zoldyck but what we have seen so far is enough to put him on the list.
Bang
Bang/Silver Fang is from One Punch Man and is undoubtedly among the strongest characters. Bang is essentially a martial artist but unlike any other. His special technique of “Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist” is enough to overpower the majority of the characters in the show. Although, Bang is past his prime and has retired as a hero, his feats in the Monster Association arc deems him worthy of praise. Despite being old, he was 3rd highest ranked S-Class Hero which says a lot.
Bomb
Bomb is the elder brother of Bang in One Punch Man. Although not associated with the Hero organization and not as fan-favorite as his younger brother, Bomb should not be underestimated. This old man is also a force to be reckoned with. Just like his brother, Bomb is also a martial artist. Despite also being past his prime, he is still on par with S-Rank heroes and has displayed multiple praise-worthy feats. He could even defeat Bang in his youth while holding back his true capabilities.
Hiruzen Sarutobi
The 3rd Hokage in the Naruto series is also worth mentioning as his fight against his former student Orochimaru proved how much he had in his arsenal even being an old man. Although Hiruzen lost the battle, he did substantial damage to one of the series’s major villains, which is commendable. Hiruzen was called the “God of Shinobi” and therefore was considered a very capable shinobi. We can’t expect anything less from the student of the previous two Hokage.
Chiyo
Elder Chiyo is also from the Naruto series and is the grandmother of one of the villains in the series, Sasori. She was an expert puppeteer and a medic. Her medical expertise was on par with the 5th Hokage of Konoha. But the reason she is considered so OP is because of her insane battle abilities. With Sakura’s help, she even managed to beat down her rogue grandson who was Akatsuki’s formidable member. The whole fight sequence was a spectacle to watch, especially Chiyo’s performance.
Ōnoki
One last mention from the Naruto series is the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki. Despite being very short, old, and grumpy in appearance, this old anime character is a beast. When a character like Madara acknowledges what a threat Ōnoki was in the final war, it leaves no one to judge. His abilities included the mastery of elements like fire, earth, wind, and as such.
Monkey D. Garp
The “Hero of the Marines” needs no introduction. Monkey D. Garp is simply a monstrous entity in the One Piece world. Grandfather to the series’ main character, Garp holds a lot of importance in the main story events. Despite not being in his prime, Garp has shown incredible feats like fighting alone with the titanic captains of the Blackbeard crew. This old Marine has no Devil Fruit power but that doesn’t stop him from wreaking havoc whenever he fights.
Silvers Rayleigh
Next up we have no other than Silvers Rayleigh from One Piece, the right-hand man of the Pirate King himself. Although like other old anime characters in the list, Rayleigh is not in his best form, he is still considered a threat. He managed to do very well against an active Navy Admiral and saved Straw Hat pirates back in Sabaody. And recently, his demeanor alone was enough to scare off one of the series’ main antagonists, Blackbeard.
Whitebeard
Edward Newgate aka Whitebeard is worth mentioning in this list. The “Strongest Man in the World” was one of the most revered and respected One Piece characters. Despite being very capable of finding One Piece, Whitebeard didn’t care about that much. His main goal was to have a big family which was his crew. We saw the earth-shattering abilities of Whitebeard when his sworn son’s life was in danger. Despite being very old and ill, he managed to handle most of the naval fleet including Admirals alone. Furthermore, there is no other way to define Edward Newgate as OP than when he dies standing.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
We cannot end the list of OP old anime characters without mentioning Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto from Bleach. In his own words, “There is no greater security than him“. Genryūsai was the supreme commander of the Soul Society and was formidable in every single manner. The old man boasts immense strength and abilities. Fitting to his personality, his powers are fire-based but he also is a master of Hakuda, Kidō, Shunpo, and the list goes on. He was considered such a big threat that multiple times the main villains had to strategize a separate plan only to take Yamamoto out.
That’s all about the OP old characters in anime. Don’t forget to check out our other anime-related blogs.
