Summary
Not all Isekai heroes have an awesome cheat skill or bonus ability to assist them after reincarnation, and yet, they still somehow manage to become the most overpowered protagonists around. Being underrated or underappreciated usually doesn’t last too long for these guys, especially after showing the world what they aretrulycapable of.
Isekai icons such as Kirito (Sword Art Online), Tanya (Saga of Tanya the Evil),Ainz Ooal Gown (Overlord), and many more adapted to their new world with ease and grace. However, in strong contrast, the following brave heroes had to unearth their talents the good old-fashioned way, through trial and error. Fortunately, their efforts are successful, and thus, some truly OP Isekai MCs are born.
Updated on July 22, 2025, by Oluwatokiloba Folami:Theisekai genre is one most fans are familiar with. It involves the protagonist being transported to another world and granted special abilities that significantly differ from those around them.Anime creators are constantly finding ways to switch things upwhich is why this trope of a weak character with overwhelming abilities exists. Unlike typicalisekai characters who possess power right off the bat, these characters start with little powers, and their abilities rank low, only to greatly surpass expectations. While some of these characters intentionally hide their powers, others do not, but regardless, they end up surprising everyone around them when their true abilities are revealed.
Black Summoner
Kelvin is not the average isekai hero. He craves adventure and power which is why he willingly traded his memories for overpowered abilities before finding himself in a new fantasy world. As he navigates his new life, facing threats without his memories, Kelvin’s true strength remains hidden beneath his carefree and unassuming persona.
Kelvin fits this trope of a seemingly weak character with overwhelming abilities because he begins his journey as a rookie adventurer and is not taken seriously by stronger adventurers. Unbeknownst, Kelvin is one of the most powerful fighters in his world, possessing one of the rarest and strongest abilities, Summoning Magic.
15Yusuke Yotsuya
Cellular Metabolism
Upon transporting to a fantasy world with two of his classmates, Yusuke gets the short end of the straw as he is assigned the useless job of a Farmer. This class he now belongs tomakes him appear weak and unimpressive to those around him. Yusuke does not let his class deter him as he quickly learns to exploit the game’s mechanics, relying on strategy, deception, and tactical planning instead of brute strength.
Yusuke’s overpowered ability is his resurrection ability, alongside strategic thinking, and adaptability. The ability to revive after death, as long as at least one teammate is still alive allows him to take risks others would not dare to, making him an unstoppable strategist.
After dying in her past life, Misato is reincarnated and asks to have average abilities in her new world, thinking she has a chance to live a normal life. However, the system misinterprets her request and instead makes her insanely strong. Misato, now Adele has ridiculously strong magic and physical abilities.
Adele’s average strength includes the power of dragons and ancient beings, making her stronger than almost any human. She punches through walls, defeats elite warriors effortlessly, and casts devastating magic without effort all while appearing to bea cute, harmless noble girl.
So I’m A Spider, So What?
Kumoko was a Japanese high school girl who got the short end of the straw whenshe reincarnated with her other classmates. Her classmates ended up as powerful creatures and individuals, whileshe ended up as a weak spiderin a dangerous and terrifying labyrinth. In this labyrinth, there are monsters more powerful than Kumoko, and she has to survive with nothing but basic human knowledge.
Luckily for Kumoko, an ability she has helps her greatly as she discovers that she has the predator ability, which allows her to consume her enemies and absorb their powers as hers, making her powerful. Slowly and steadily she increases in power, and her predatory ability evolves into gluttony, greatly increasing her chances ofsurviving in the dangerous labyrinth. Glutonny enhances her predatory ability and additionally allows her to duplicate and potentially enhance the skills of the monsters she consumes. Without this ability, there is no way Kumoko would have been able to survive in the labyrinth as a weak spider.
Subaru is a unique Isekai protagonist because, unlike most Isekai protagonists, he is not necessarily overpowered, and he finds himself in a complex situation that takes a toll on his mental health. Subaru is not blessed with special powers or abilities, but the main ability he has is thereturn-by-death ability, which is both a blessing and a curse.
When Subaru came into this new world, he was quickly murdered, and it was after he discovered his ability. Return by death gives him the opportunity to go back in time to relive his death, andeach time he dies, he returns to a checkpoint in the past, retaining all memories of the events leading up to his death. This ability makes Subaru powerful in the sense that he has valuable information about potential threats, allies’ motivations, and so on. In addition, knowing future events gives Subaru control over outcomes as he can change his strategies and actions based on what he knows will happen.
Satoru finds himself in another world after being stabbed by an armed man in his previous world, Japan. Initially, he was confused as to what form he took because he knew he was not human anymore. He soon realized that he had been reincarnated as a slime, and in this world, slimes are considered the weakest and lowest creatures. Slimes typically have no powers, butSatoru had overpowered abilitiesthat made him stand out andchange his status from weak to overpowered.
This ability is known as predator, and Satoru can consume anything in this world, replicating their powers, their appearance, and whatever abilities they have. It is this ability that makes Satorua major powerhouseand a known creature in his new world.
Physically speaking, there is nothing particularly special about this eleven-year-old, besides, perhaps, the company he keeps. Initially, reincarnation was a rather solitary affair for Ryoma, who spent three years living in the woods; however, his lack of human interaction essentiallyboosts his slime-taming abilities,as he learns all there is to know about these gooey beasts.
Ryoma must have the largest slime collection imaginable, with a vast selection of minions who can perform a wide range of tasks, from cleaning to construction to magic-wielding and more. By feeding his slime select substances, he can create all-new creatures, subsequently revolutionizing the world of slime for everyone.
Seiichi has always been a bit of an underdog, as the unathletic, forgettable student with not much going for him. He finds himself separated from his classmates after their collective reincarnation and begins eating his sadness away, filling the gaping hole with the seemingly unremarkable local fruit.
In a fortunate twist of fate,theseFruits of Evolutionbestow the boy with incredible powers, and just like that, he becomes the alpha male. Seiichi’s evolution grants him immunities and attacks that make him virtually invincible and maxes out most of his magic skills, too, while his devoted harem will fight tooth and nail to keep their beloved safe and content.
Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement
Poor Mitsuha has had a horrid life, but now that she has been given a second chance, she refuses to waste a single opportunity. Fortuitously bestowedwith a unique teleporting ability,this innovative go-getter can alternate between two worlds, swopping between the contemporary reality of Japan and her new Isekai setup.
To ensure she can retire in comfort, Mitsuha gathers up anything potentially valuable from her “old” world and barters it with the medieval residence in her groundbreaking general store. This entrepreneur can travel to any location she can clearly picture in her mind (from memories or “Woogle” images), across dimensions with some bonus language and healing skills, to boot.
7Naofumi Iwatani
Legendary Shield
Out of all the heroes summoned to the incorrigible Melromarc Kingdom, Naofumi gets the short end of the stick and is immediately labeled as incompetent. What use is a Shield Hero who can’t attack? Apparently, it’s best not to keep this waste of space around.
Naofumi’s defensive abilities are practically unparalleled (just leaveBofuri’sMapleout of it) but very limited on the offensive front; which is where his companions come in. He may be a sitting duck in solitude but Naofumi becomes an unstoppable force when teaming up with his loyal harem, as they compensate for each others' shortfalls with unwavering faith in the almighty Shield.
