In anime, many characters have powers that surpass normal human beings. But only a few anime characters have achieved a demigod-like status that put them above the rest of the group, even above other cast members in their respective shows.

These characters have gone far beyond heroes or villains and have reached a state close to divinity. It's not just because they have superhuman powers, but their strength lies in an almost divine ability to overcome all the enemies they face. We've put together a catalog of characters who have come closest to becoming gods in their respective universes.

10 Saitama, One Punch Man

Saitama could kill gods with one punch

Little is known about Saitama's past life as an office worker, except that he suddenly grew tired of it and wanted to become a hero. His encounter with the Crab monster was the trigger for his transformation into 'Caped-Baldy', and although he despises this nickname, he carries the mantle of hero with pride.

Saitama is the strongest being in the world One Punch Man, this is evident by the fact that no opponent can resist him going all out. And even in the fight against Boros, a being close to a "space god", he showed that the fight was almost a warm-up for him. Saitama could easily kill a god or two with one punch, but people underestimate him all the time.

9 Ichigo Kurosaki, Bleach

Ichigo Kurosaki is the closest to becoming a true God

Ichigo Kurosaki's fate was sealed when he met Rukia, but his destiny was always to surpass Shinigami and Quincy and become something else. Throughout the passage of Bleach arcs, fans witnessed Ichigo overcome all enemies, even Aizen, who called himself a god.

In Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War, after successfully completing his training with Captain Ouetsu Nimiya, he was able to let go of the past that held him back and has now achieved a near-invincible state, with many fans comparing him to Aizen in his later stages. But will he achieve true godhood? Time will tell.

8 Eren Yaeger, Shingeki No Kiojin

Eren Yaeger came close to becoming a merciless god

Eren Yaeger is one of the most iconic anime characters of the last 10 years, and since he's not exactly a hero, nor a villain, the Attack on Titan the community is divided between hating him or loving him. But this character is part of this list of singular beings closest to divinity due to his access to all the powers of the Titans through possession of the Original Titan.

His connection to Ymir Fritz granted him access to many incredible powers, and some fans even theorize that he was able to travel far back in time, to influence hundreds of important events in the plot, ultimately reaching the conclusion he foresaw, by ending all wars. This is why Eren came closer than anyone else in the Attack on Titan universe to become a god.

7 Griffith, Berserk

Griffith's power places him above all humans.

In Furious, Griffith plays the role of the main antagonist, a former classmate of Guts, a traitor and a disgusting villain that every fan of this anime has learned to despise. With his questionable and twisted moral standards, he has manipulated countless victims to achieve his selfish goals.

After being reborn as a member of the God Hand, he has near invulnerability, an overwhelming presence capable of enchanting all beings around him, telekinesis, and gravity manipulation abilities. This combination of powers along with his sword skills makes him the closest thing to a Dark God in the world of Furious.

6 Zamazu, Dragon Ball Super

Zamasu's ambition led him to become a dark demigod.

By stealing Goku's body, Zamazu, the fallen Kai from an alternate timeline, was able to achieve a demigod-like state and promptly attacked other timelines in his quest for power. Taking advantage of Goku's natural ability to grow stronger, he was able to break the gap between a normal Super Saiyan and an SS God, transforming into a being of pure evil.

After that, he went on a rampage through other universes, accumulating more power, and even facing Goku, Vegeta, and Future Trunks in a confrontation, where he finally fused with his past self, becoming even more dangerous and unstable.

5 Lain Iwakura, Lain Series Experiments

Lain Iwakura Becomes a Technological Pseudo-Goddess

When Iwakura Lain discovers that a supposedly dead student is still alive and trapped in the net, she sets out to find out the truth. In a dramatic twist on the classic coming-of-age trope, Serial experiments performed covers deep philosophical and psychological themes considered avant-garde at the time of its release.

Lain delves into the underworld created by Protocol Seven, and gains knowledge of the Wired state, becoming aware of her true self: a technological being capable of incredible feats, with near-omniscience and omnipotence, and the ability to transcend time and space itself. She has become a pseudo-goddess, or at least a being far beyond the reach of mere humanity.

4 Vegeta, Dragon Ball Super

Vegeta is next in line to become the God of Destruction

Vegeta was the first to realize that Goku was about to reach the God Realm. This motivated him to train harder than ever, to the point where even Beerus, the God of Destruction, recognized him as his true successor and disciple.

Vegeta's power has been elevated to a demigod state, where he can channel some of the power of a God of Destruction through his Ultra Ego mode, a transformation that turns his hair a deep purple with a starry pattern. Unlike Goku's defense-focused Ultra Instinct, Vegeta's latest transformation unleashes his unbridled power, putting him one step closer to becoming a true god.

3 Seiya, Saint Seiya

The Cosmos of Saint Seiya has reached divinity levels

The immense power of Seiya's Cosmos has manifested itself throughout the series and has reached almost divine levels. Seiya is a noble spirit, and although he has always been underestimated by his rivals, this Bronze Saint has repeatedly proven his worth to belong to Athena's chosen ones.

His power has reached beyond the seventh, eighth, and ninth senses, a realm that can only be reached by deities. During his battle with Apollo, he was able to release the Miraculous Cosmos and Supreme Virtue and was able to injure the strongest of the gods. If this does not put him in the realm of the gods, at least he is on his way to being on par with them.

2 Accelerator, a certain magic index

Accelerator's Sensitive abilities grant him near-godlike power.

Accelerator is considered by many fans to be A Certain Magical Index as the most broken and powerful of all the characters in the series. Through his control of Vectors, coupled with his unshakable will and considerable intellect, he can calculate and redirect any force around him.

But his powers as an Esper go far beyond that. Other espers and powerful people, including Kamijou Touma, have witnessed Accelerator surpass his rank as a Level 5 Esper and go far beyond the powers of his world. You could say that Accelerator has godlike powers, earning him the nickname “He Who Wields the Power of God.”

1 Gilgamesh, Destiny Series

Gilgamesh, the hero king, is the mortal who came closest to becoming God

In terms of power, Gilgamesh is the strongest of all the servants of Destiny series. The King of Heroes is the strongest mortal who achieved near-divinity at the height of his reign. When the Grail turned him into a servant, it took into account that Gilgamesh was the origin of all myths, as he was literally the first Hero of Humanity, and also reigned over all heroes.

His Noble Phantasm reflects this by summoning all the armaments of all existing heroes in the world, and that includes his own Noble Phantasms. This power alone transforms him into a godlike existence that still has the power to go against his masters when summoned as a servant of the Grail War.