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Shonen anime has a lot of classic tropes that have defined the genre and one of the most prevalent are the iconic attacks, which is a trend that started with the rise of the Dragon Ball in the 80s with the Kamehameha.
There have been a lot of iconic attacks throughout the years since, although it is worth pointing out that there are some kicks that have become more prevalent than others in the genre.
Shonen anime has some powerful kicks, even if attacks of this ilk are as prominent as other types of abilities and skills. However, some of these abilities and attacks have defined the respective characters' personalities and fighting styles, which is something that adds a degree of variety when it comes to these shonen anime and their battle systems throughout the years.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for all the shonen anime on this list. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.
8 strongest kicks in the shonen anime genre
1. Maximum Speed – Tenya Iida (My Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia has a lot of characters with unique powers due to their Quirks and for Tenya Iida, it is his Engine abilities. It is all about speed and impulse, which is something that reached its zenith when he managed to execute the Maximum Speed technique in the final stages of the series.
In typical shonen anime fashion, when it comes to a character pushing his or her limits, Maximum Speed has Tenya charging his Engines to the absolute best of his abilities. Once he releases that charge, it allows him to go a lot faster than any other time in the series, even surpassing his Recipro Turbo.
2. Ring Beheading Layered Leg - Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)
Fist of the North Star is one of the most iconic and influential series in the history of shonen anime and Kenshiro's fighting style, Hokuto Shinken, is something that has added to the memorable nature of the franchise. While Kenshiro has a lot of important attacks, an underrated one, shown in the original anime of the '80s, was the Ring Beheading Layered Leg.
This is a special attack that Kenshiro uses when fighting several random enemies in an episode of the anime, spinning around and getting the most out of his massive strength. It is an ability that allowed him to destroy multiple opponents in a matter of seconds.
3. Flying Kick - Nezuko Kamado (Demon Slayer)
Demon Slayer has become one of the most popular series in shonen anime and Nezuko Kamado is usually the poster girl of the franchise, thanks to her fighting prowess. And while she doesn't have a lot of battles throughout the series, she does stand out when she fights and gets kicking, quite literally.
Most of Nezuko's attacks rely on her kicks and the flying kick is one of her definitive moves, often overpowering her enemies. That is mostly highlighted during her battle with Daki during the Entertainment District arc, with Nezuko getting the most out of that attack.
4. Hitmonlee's various attacks (Pokemon)
Hitmonlee is based on martial artist and actor Bruce Lee, which is why a lot of his attacks are based on kicks. That is part of the reason why he is often regarded as the "Kicking Pokemon."
He is a very peculiar character in shonen anime because he can stretch his legs and that leads him to have a lot of different abilities. That makes him one of the most unique characters in the Pokemon franchise, setting him apart from the crowd.
5. Flaming Kicks - Shinra Kusakabe (Fire Force)
Part of what makes Shinra such a powerful character in the Fire Force series is the ignition of his feet and how he can pull off flaming kicks that can cause a lot of damage. Shinra is one of the few shonen anime protagonists who relies a lot on his feet to fight and that is another element that makes him stand out.
His Flaming Kicks are strong enough to cut limbs and leave marks on the floor known as the "Devil's Footprints." It is a key element of his fighting style and only becomes a lot more prominent as the series progresses and he gets more power and learns new tricks.
6. Tiger Shot - Kojiro Hyuga (Captain Tsubasa)
Kojiro Hyuga is one of the most popular characters in Captain Tsubasa because of his temper and personality, usually clashing with people around him and always striving to improve. While Hyuga develops better techniques throughout the series in the manga, his Tiger Shot is always going to be his signature move.
The Tiger Shot is a technique that gets the most out of Hyuga's physical strength and the shot is all about power rather than technique. It has become one of the series' signature moves and reflects the character's personality and the way he goes about things.
7. Leaf whirlwind/gale/drop - Rock Lee (Naruto)
There is no denying that Rock Lee is one of the most popular characters in Naruto and part of what makes him stand out is the fact that he relies on physical combat, when most ninjas in the series focus on ninjutsu and genjutsu. He also has a lot of different techniques, including several kick attacks.
There are different strong attacks that Lee does with his kicks, such as the multiple variations of the Leaf technique, like the Whirlwind, Gale, and Drop. Several of these attacks have become iconic with the character and add a lot of variety to the way he fights.
8. Ifrit Jambe - Sanji (One Piece)
There is no denying that Sanji is the most-known character in shonen anime who fights using his legs and there have been several iconic moments involving the cook of the Straw Hats. However, his fight with Queen in the Wano arc is one of the best moments in the character's entire run in One Piece, as he used Ifrit Jambe.
Sanji's trademark attack was Diable Jambe, which focused on making his leg burn and deal a powerful attack. The Ifrit Jambe move is similar, but also includes Sanji using Armament Haki to make his flames burn even hotter, resulting in a massive finisher against Queen, which was further highlighted in the anime adaptation.
Final thoughts
There are a lot of iconic kicks throughout shonen anime, although these are some of the strongest and most memorable in the genre. Attacks based on kicks are not that common in shonen when compared to energy blasts, use of weapons, or simple fists-based attacks, therefore making them stand out even more.
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