Powers, Anime Powers.

As the only one in my family who likes/understands Japanese anime and manga, I often find myself gently needled about the common Western conceptions about anime. As my dad teasingly asked today at lunch, "Don't they all have weird magical powers?"

Yes, and no. It really depends on the series you read. Just like American literature, which has many, many genres, so does anime and manga. You wouldn't expect Tom Sawyer to bust out a mystical power, would you? Here in America we have limited access to the full range of manga (in particular) and usually only have access to the popular (i.e. sellable) series; these series are more pop culture and fall into the "fantasy" genre than anything and most lack true literary genius. Similarly, the Japanese aren't able to walk into their bookstores and have all the titles available we do in our local Barnes & Noble. They are also limited in their range of Western literature and are stuck with our pop culture equivalents: Harry Potter, Twilight, etc.

But, I digress. Despite this, most anime and manga characters do have a special power of some sort. There are varying kinds of powers, though, and I'll try and break down two of the most common ones.

The Prodigy:

In FullMetal Alchemist (FMA), it may seem like the characters are using magic; they are, in fact, using science. The world of FMA is a quasi-European world in the early 20th century that developed alchemy instead of science. In a nutshell, alchemy is the practice of taking one element, breaking it down and reconfiguring it into another element, i.e. turning lead into gold. Alchemists are the equivalent of our scientists, and their experiments and inventions are the center of the story. Anyone can be an alchemist (just like anyone can be a scientist), but it's those with a natural ability, desire to learn and propensity towards experimentation and discovery who become the most successful.

Ed Elric's arm after an alchemic transmutation.

The series hero, Edward Elric, is a alchemic child prodigy. He becomes the youngest person to become a State Alchemist -- a special agent for the military. Does Ed have "magical" powers? A similar question might be: did MacGyver have magical powers? Not exactly. His quick thinking and honed, latent abilities make him an average guy who uses what he's got at hand. It's the same with Edward Elric.

The Warrior's Edge:

Most characters don't have their own powers, they simply wield a weapon that is magical. This can be said of the Shinigami (Grim Reapers) of Bleach. Take a look at the battle scene between Hitsugaya and Gin in my previous post for an example of this. As spiritual beings/warriors, their only "power" is their spiritual pressure, or aptitude. This can give them a boost when it comes to hand-to-hand fighting, or when they deploy spells. It's rather unimpressive. However, when their spiritual pressure is combined with a magical weapon, it's another story.

Each Shinigami has their own personalized weapon, a katana called a Zanpakuto. When at rest, the weapon has the appearance of an ordinary katana. When drawn and infused with the wielders' spiritual energy, it changes its shape and becomes a fearsome weapon with "magical powers." Each Zanpakuto is different and its powers manifest in a form reflecting the wielder.

The physical manifestation of Renji's Zanpakuto named Zabimaru, a baboon and serpent.

Yes, that whole thing is his sword.

There are also various levels of "release" of the Zanpakuto's power, based on how refined the wielder is. The only thing Shinigami naturally have is their spiritual energy. It's their weapons that give them "powers." Without it, they are simply warriors.

Another series that uses magical weapons is InuYasha. As half-youkai (forest spirit), InuYasha has more stamina than the average human, meaning he can endure a lot more injuries and survive. He also has the ability to jump and leap long distance and he has claws. I wouldn't go so far as to call those "powers" though. What makes InuYasha powerful is his sword, Tetsusaiga. Very similar to the Zanpakuto of the Shinigami in Bleach, Tetsusaiga has various forms, each with a different power.

One of Tetsusaiga's attack variations: The Dragon Scale.

Most magical weapons "defy the law of conservation of mass." When drawn, they change shape and grow to an almost comical, un-wieldable size. But, as the sword is one with its master, it's all good. Plus, it makes some entertaining fight scenes!

Lady Otaku