4 anime protagonists who had to work overtime for their powers (& 4 who got theirs easily)

Having the burden of an entire series' narrative circling them, anime protagonists have the responsibility of achieving a certain level of power and position to play their roles effectively. Some of them have to push extra hard to develop themselves, giving up a lot in life, while some others take it easy with the powers they are already given or possess.

With that in mind, here are some anime protagonists in the anime-verse who had to work overtime, even go through hellish routines, to become who they wanted to be and develop their powers. Also, those who just got it easily and relaxed in their positions without much training.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions.

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Tanjiro, Midoriya, and 2 other anime protagonists who had to work hard for their ultimate power status

1) Saitama (One Punch Man)

Saitama is one of the anime protagonists who went through intense training (Image via Madhouse)

Saitama from One Punch Man is the ultimate proof of what power can become if one is dedicated to even just the basics. Before becoming an absolute powerhouse whose one punch is the solution to every villain's problem, Saitama went through rigorous and intense training to reach that point.

His training routine started with 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups, followed by 100 squats. Then he would go on a run every day for 10 kilometres, despite any weather conditions or physical injuries he sustained. His training regime got so intense that at one point, he even lost his hair due to the intensity.

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2) Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)

Tanjiro is one of the anime protagonists who went through intense training (Image via Ufotable)

Coming from a family of charcoal sellers in the Demon Slayer anime-verse, one day Tanjiro found his whole family slaughtered by demons, and his sister Nezuko turned into one. While he couldn't save his family, he made it a mission in his life to avenge their death by killing Muzan and turning his sister back into a human.

After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, Tanjiro went through some of the most intense training under several Hashira. Some of them were so grueling that his comrades failed, but for Tanjiro, failing or giving up wasn't an option. Because of his training, he became an exceptional swordsman and justified his main protagonist title.

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3) Izuku "Deku" Midoriya (My Hero Academia)

Izuku Midoriya is one of the anime protagonists who went through intense training (Image via Bones)

Born quirkless in a world with almost every other person having some powers, Izuku "Deku" Midoriya from My Hero Academia always dreamt of becoming a hero, inspired by his role model, All Might. One day, his dreams come true, as All Might chooses him as his successor for the quirk, One for All.

However, to truly master the powers of One for All, Deku went through a hellish training that often landed him in the hospital. Nevertheless, he did not give up and trained under several pro heroes like All Might and Gran Torino, to truly become the successor of One for All and become what he always wanted to be, a hero.

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4) Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)

Ichigo is one of the anime protagonists who went through intense training to hone his powers (Image via Pierrot)

With a sudden turn of events one night, Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach became a Substitute Soul Reaper. Ever since, his life has been filled with challenging obstacles and opponents. To overcome them all, Ichigo started unlocking his true potential, bit by bit, training under several people, slowly but surely turning into one of the strongest characters in the series.

Ichigo had to face several near-death experiences throughout his journey to become the very best. His conviction towards helping his comrades in danger and performing his duties as a Shinigami pushed him through all the situations.

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Subaru, Yuji, and 2 other anime protagonist who got powers easily in their life

1) Meliodas (The Seven Deadly Sins)

Meliodas is one of the anime protagonists who got it easy (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Born as the eldest son of the Demon King, Meliodas from The Seven Deadly Sins was born a natural prodigy of intense power. From a very young age, Meliodas was already the strongest among the Ten Commandments with his inherited strength, which he didn't have to train for or put in any special efforts to achieve.

Every other power-up he received throughout the series was all somehow handouts due to his history, rather than him gaining them through intense training. Full Counter was something he already had in his arsenal, with his demon powers also coming from his bloodline as the son of the Demon King. Furthermore, he reached the god-tier status also through his inheritance, without breaking a sweat.

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2) Kirigaya "Kirito" Kazuto (Sword Art Online)

Kirito is one of the anime protagonists who got his powers easily (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Being a beta tester of Sword Art Online, Kirito had previous access to information like game mechanics and item drops, giving him a massive head start. Furthermore, he was gifted the Dual Wielding skill, which is exclusive to only one player in the game, literally as a handout. His plot armor even extended to him receiving several exclusive, overpowered weapons with little effort.

Kirito gave off the chosen one vibe throughout the series, with everything just falling into his lap, without him going through any rigorous training or putting in much effort. There were also some massive perks and power-ups he received in the series, which had no logical reasons.

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3) Natsuki Subaru (Re:Zero)

Subaru is one of the anime protagonists who didn't have to struggle for power (Image via White Fox)

While many Isekai genre anime protagonists have a backstory for their new world adventures, Subaru from Re:Zero didn't get an explanation for his arrival. Furthermore, he soon discovers his "Return by Death" ability, an overpowered ability, which was literally handed out to him from the get-go.

Without any effort, Subaru just gets the do-over button, repeating scenarios until he gets it right. Furthermore, the biggest perk of his ability was his immortality, which, to some extent, eliminates challenges from the series and makes it a straightforward narrative, where Subaru never dies.

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4) Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Yuji is one of the anime protagonists who got his powers easily (Image via MAPPA)

While many fans of the series might disagree, it is a fact that Yuji Itadori from Jujutsu Kaisen got his powers easily in life. Yuji becomes the vessel of the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, by just eating one of his fingers, which conveniently appears for him. From a normal high schooler to instantly becoming one of the most powerful beings in the world, just like that.

Furthermore, while most sorcerers have to undergo years of intense training to perfect their skills, Yuji suddenly gets access to immense strength, speed, and resistance thanks to Sukuna's presence. Within just a few episodes, he's learning to control Black Flash, fighting special grade curses, and even defeating curses that would normally destroy regular sorcerers.

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Final thoughts

Anime protagonists have always been the centre of their series, with their characters demanding to be powerful for the narrative to progress. However, while many choose the hard path, through hours of intense training and withstanding obstacles, many are often given handouts.

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