Six of the best iconic attacks in shounen series

Shounen Jump! It’s the biggest and most successful magazine when it comes to manga. If you’re on Twitter, you might be aware that One Piece is now supposedly the proud owner of the most iconic attack in anime, surpassing Goku’s Kamehameha!

While Luffy’s Gomu-Gomu no Red Roc has most definitely NOT surpassed the Kamehameha in my eyes, the series most certainly does have its own unique attacks! And so with that said, today I will be listing off six of the most iconic attacks in shounen anime and manga!

Goku’s Kamehameha – Dragon Ball Z

All memes aside, there is not even a shred of doubt in my mind that the Kamehameha is the MOST iconic attack in anime — this isn’t up for debate. Dragon Ball was one of those very few series that made waves big enough to cross the ocean and land here in the west, which then proved that there was interest in anime outside of Japan, which leads us to today where we have all sorts of series available to us through various streaming platforms. 

There is no other move from an anime or manga series that inspires people all over the world to mimic the pose for. Similar to something like the Hadouken from Street Fighter, Dragon Ball, Goku, and the Kamehameha are basically household names at this point with how well-known they are.

Naruto’s Rasengan – Naruto

Talking about the influence of Dragon Ball and its effect on anime/manga, it was one of the main inspirations for another author who would produce an extremely popular series — Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto. I must admit, I was kind of tempted to add the Sexy Jutsu instead, but the Rasengan is without a doubt Naruto’s most iconic attack, so I held myself back. 

The entire technique was based around the idea of harnessing your chakra and making it rotate at a rapid pace which meant the user had to be proficient in numerous chakra manipulation methods to even attempt the Jutsu. Naruto’s unique thinking was what allowed him to pull it off, and it become such a key attack in his arsenal that would later evolve into numerous different forms. 

Tanjiro’s Dance of the Fire God – Demon Slayer

Like almost every single anime fan on the planet, I too am an enjoyer of Demon Slayer — though I can’t quite tell you why it’s so popular besides the out-of-this-world animation and the fact the brother/sister relationship is genuinely nice and not incestuous for once. Regardless of my confusion at its insane popularity, I do enjoy the series for what it is. 

I would be the undisputed king of liars if I was to sit here and tell you that Tanjiro’s Dance of the Fire God wasn’t one of the most hype things I had seen in anime for a while. The life or death situation, the flashback through his memories as he tries to recall something that can save him, and the build-up from the music all culminate in a masterpiece of animation. 

Ichigo’s Getsuga Tenshou – Bleach

Of course, we have to include Bleach on here — the anime is coming back baby! It’s time to hear this attack yelled out a whole lot more come the autumn season anime. This attack had such a fantastic debut as the tension and stakes were sky-high. As Ichigo infiltrated the walls of Soul Society to save Rukia, he finally encounters Byakuya and they face off; it’s here that Ichigo formally introduces us to the Getsuga Tenshou. 

It’s a classic; one of the original sword beams that everyone has come to know and love. Bleach is full of characters with a ton of unique and interesting abilities, but there is something so great about Ichigo just hurling a mass of pure energy at his opponents. Plus, the way the colour changes to reflect his Bankai form is awesome as well.

Luffy’s Gum Gum Gatling – One Piece

Haha, I imagine you’re completely stumped as to why on earth I’m not including Red Roc, the new most iconic attack in all of anime! Well I’m sorry to disappoint you but I am a simple man who loves simple things, and Luffy throwing a barrage of punches as fast as he can is what I consider to be one of the most iconic attacks in One Piece. 

I think that the situation in which the attack shined definitely plays a part in why I think it’s such an iconic attack — that of course being during the final fight at Enies Lobby as the crew goes to save Nico Robin. It was something that took everything out of Luffy after being beaten down numerous times, constantly getting back up no matter how much pain he was in — all to culminate in one of the most hype endings to a fight. 

Deku and All Might’s Detroit Smash – My Hero Academia

While I still enjoy My Hero Academia, I can’t say the later arc of the anime has held my attention as much. Whether it be the fairly average animation which you really wouldn’t expect from a shounen as popular as MHA, or the pacing, something about it has just fallen off for me. However, those early seasons are still near and dear to me and the final fight between All Might and the Nomu will always be fantastic. 

It was here that cemented the status of the Detroit Smash for me. We had been seeing the capability of One For All as a power through Deku’s inheritance of the power during the first season, but it was in this final fight that we truly got to see exactly what it means to carry the mantle and to go beyond, Plus Ultra.

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