Anime is chockfull of individuals with rare powers and special abilities, many of whom are capable of leveling entire landscapes with a single attack. While these sorts of skills are helpful in combat, some characters benefit from an ability that is even greater — immortality.
In the history of anime, numerous characters have achieved immortality. Some of them wield the ability in the name of justice, while others use their eternal life to further their nefarious schemes. Regardless of how they utilize their immortal status, every single one of these characters exerts major influence over the world around them.
10 Ban (The Seven Deadly Sins)
The Seven Deadly Sins took the anime world by storm upon its release in 2015, due in large part to its enjoyable cast of heroes and villains. One of the series' protagonists, Ban, shows no regard for his body, having gained the power of immortality after drinking from the legendary Fountain of Youth.
Thanks to his immortality, Ban is incredibly difficult to defeat in combat. While he eventually sacrifices this ability to revive the love of his life, Elaine, it proves to be immensely valuable to the Seven Deadly Sins in their war against the Supreme Deity and the Demon King.
9 Beerus (Dragon Ball Super)
As seen during the events of Dragon Ball Super, the franchise's setting is split between 12 different universes, each of which includes its own Angel Attendant and God of Destruction. The God of Destruction assigned to the Z Fighters' universe (Universe 7) is none other than the beloved fan-favorite, Beerus.
Unlike other Dragon Ball antagonists, Beerus isn't just powerful — he's legitimately immortal. This makes him the perfect challenge for Vegeta and Goku, both of whom the God of Destruction develops a keen interest in after seeing their potential.
8 All For One (My Hero Academia)
While the world of My Hero Academia is largely defined by the actions of its heroes, this was not always the case. Decades before the events of the series, Japan was ruled by the tyrannical figure known as All For One. The megalomaniac's Quirk allows him to transfer Quirks to-and-from anybody that he touches — an ability that he eventually exploits to achieve immortality.
After acquiring various superpowers, All For One learns how to completely halt his aging process. Because of this, his reign of terror now threatens to rear its ugly head once again, despite spending decades in My Hero Academia's max-security prison, Tartarus.
7 Ryomen Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Satoru Gojo is generally heralded as the strongest character in Jujutsu Kaisen, yet there is another individual whose claim to the title is just as legitimate: Ryomen Sukuna. The King of Curses was born 1000 years before the events of the series and earned notoriety as the World's Strongest Sorcerer during his time at the top.
By transferring his being into twenty different Cursed Objects, Ryomen Sukuna was able to achieve immortality and lay dormant for multiple centuries. Now that Yuji Itadori has reawakened the villain by consuming one of these Cursed Objects, the King of Curses is once again poised to terrorize the people of Japan.
6 Muzan Kibutsuji (Demon Slayer)
In Demon Slayer's first episode, the majority of the Kamado Family is brutally murdered by a demon. These vicious creatures all carry the blood of a mysterious figure known as Muzan Kibutsuji, who has seemingly survived for centuries in spite of his notorious status.
Demon Slayer has yet to reveal the secret behind Muzan's potential immortality, but it's painfully clear that his impact has been felt across numerous generations. Considering that the oldest demons in the series are several centuries old, there's no telling how long their creator has been around.
5 Ryuk (Death Note)
Light Yagami's rise to power results in the death of countless individuals, but his exploits would have never been possible were it not for the help of Death Note's most terrifying figure, Ryuk. After becoming bored with the Shingami Realm, Ryuk decides to introduce the titular Death Note to the world of the living, eventually forming a tentative partnership with Light.
Although it's unknown how long Ryuk has existed, it's obvious that he's not at risk of dying anytime soon. Considering his interactions with the other Death Note characters, the god of death will almost certainly continue toying with the Human Realm until the end of time.
4 Sosuke Aizen (Bleach)
Given the fact that the majority of Bleach is set in the afterlife, many of its characters give the illusion of being immortal. However, when push comes to shove, only one member of the Soul Society has achieved such a feat — the treacherous Soul Reaper known as Sosuke Aizen.
Aizen formerly served as the captain of the Soul Society's Fifth Division, only to betray his familiars in pursuit of a means to immortality. After merging with the Breakdown Sphere, Aizen finally achieved his desire, instantly making him the most dangerous threat in the history of the Soul Society.
3 Fushi (To Your Eternity)
To Your Eternity took the world by storm upon its release in 2021, and its protagonist, Fushi, is a major reason for its success. The otherworldly being begins the series as a floating orb, adopting the appearance of various living beings before eventually settling on the form of a white-haired boy.
Fushi's ability to transform into anything that he comes into contact with allows him to survive indefinitely, making him the perfect cataloger of human history. As To Your Eternity's third and final season inches closer, the immortal being will need to use everything that he's learned to protect Earth from the incoming Nekker threat.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood pits its dual protagonists, the Elric Brothers, against several villains during their journey, yet none are more intimidating than the sinister figures known as Homunculi. These artificially created humans are incredibly dangerous, and their leader, Father, is so powerful that he ultimately attains immortality.
As the first Homunculus, Father is a testament to the danger of using alchemy for its most nefarious purpose — creating human life. From Father's being, the other seven Homunculi are born, ultimately aiding him in his pursuit of eternal life.
1 Orochimaru (Naruto)
When it comes to anime villains, few characters are more memorable than the Naruto franchise's most despicable antagonist, Orochimaru. The former Hidden Leaf shinobi spends most of the series pursuing Sasuke Uchiha in hopes of perfecting his immortality technique, sacrificing countless lives for the sake of his selfish pursuits.
Although Orochimaru never gains complete control over Sasuke Uchiha, he does demonstrate the ability to transfer his consciousness between bodies on a regular basis. This, as well as Orochimaru's unparalleled ability to escape near-death experiences, makes him virtually impossible to kill.
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