There are plenty of anime that are more pacifistic in nature and don’t feature grueling battles and unbelievable and magical weapons. However, those that do sometimes showcase some inspired tools of destruction.
Scythes are often weapons that are associated with death and grim reapers, but they’re surprisingly popular in anime and there are some very powerful individuals that prefer to wield giant-bladed scythes as their weapon of choice. Many individuals in anime understand just how deadly a scythe can be.
Updated on September 15, 2022 by Daniel Kurland: Anime continues to be one of the best places to experience over-the-top action sequences. Many characters love to settle dramatic feuds through fisticuffs or the release of deadly energy blasts. However, there’s still something to be said for the personal nature of a blade that requires close-quarters combat to execute. Scythes may seem extreme in certain circumstances, but they’re surprisingly plentiful in anime. Some of these big blades are just for show, but most of the time there’s a deadly, proficient person behind the weapon.
15 Black Rock Shooter’s Dead Master Turns Her Scythe Into A Fashion Statement
Black Rock Shooter is an engaging alien warfare narrative that shares a lot in common with other sci-fi/action series. But between its two anime series and OVA installment, Black Rock Shooter separates itself from its peers through its incredible character designs, fluid action choreography, and inventive spins on weapons.
This is perhaps most evident in one of the anime's central villains, Dead Master, who seamlessly incorporates her scythe into her bone-based armor. It's a strong combination of style and strength that immediately establishes this character's vile intentions.
14 Giselle of GATE Is A Dragon Girl With Godly Blade Abilities
GATE is a fantasy-action anime where Tokyo is forever changed after a mysterious gate appears and begins to release a myriad of fantastical monsters and warriors. GATE includes an entertaining mix of fantasy and grounded warriors, with Giselle falling firmly into the camp of the former.
Giselle is a humanoid dragon girl who's one of the strongest characters in GATE due to her esteemed status as one of the Twelve Apostles. Giselle is excellent with a scythe, but she can also tame dragons (and pilot a sizable warship), which frequently prove themselves to be just as vital skills.
13 Black Clover's Jack The Ripper Uses Slash Magic To Generate The Powerful Death Scythe
Jack the Ripper is a notorious serial killer who terrorized London during the late 1800s. This macabre killer has oddly turned into a popular figure in anime, and Black Clover is just one of many series to offer up their genre-heavy interpretation of the character.
Black Clover’s Jack the Ripper is the captain of the Green Mantis squad who wields deadly Slash Magic as his signature ability. Slash Magic manifests in the form of the Death Scythe, a massive blade forged through mana. The Death Scythe also consistently adapts its cutting abilities based on the opponent’s magic.
12 Naruto Shippuden’s Hidan Wields A Triple-Bladed Scythe Blessed By Dark Gods
Naruto: Shippuden is a satisfying extension of the shonen theatrics of the original series, and it features some particularly explosive ninja showdowns. Hidan is a Shippuden villain who doesn't get enough attention considering that he manages to acquire immortality for an ancient, evil God named Jashin.
Hidan is pure evil in the sense that his goal is simply to claim as many lives as possible and thrive on that pain. Hidan begins to forge weapons out of his own bones, one of which happens to be a supreme scythe that sports three fearsome blades.
11 Goku Black’s Sickle Of Sorrow Is An Apex Mortal Exterminator
Akira Toriyama’s rich shonen world of Dragon Ball has kept its audience entertained with superpowered battle theatrics for nearly forty years. Dragon Ball Super, the latest series in the franchise, features bolder villains than ever before, one of which is even an evil duplicate of the series’ hero, Goku.
Goku Black functions as Future Zamasu’s partner in crime in a comprehensive scheme to wipe out all mortals from existence. Super Saiyan Rosé Goku Black wields a formidable weapon made out of God ki that he gives the foreboding title of the Sickle of Sorrow. This scythe substitute is almost enough to take out Super Saiyan Blue Vegito.
10 Haqua’s Scythe Of Testament Is Almost More Weapon Than She Can Handle
The World God Only Knows initially comes across as an isekai series with heavy harem influences. But The World God Only Knows introduces fun characters and Haqua du lot Herminium is a welcome change of pace when it comes to those that swing scythes.
Haqua is a brilliant overachiever and her Scythe of Testament is a result of her high intelligence, but The World God Only Knows has a lot of fun with how Haqua’s book smarts don’t necessarily translate over to her real-world scythe experience. It takes time for Haqua to find her groove with this new weapon.
9 Celty Sturluson Is An Anachronistic Nightmare With A Big Blade In Durarara!!
Durarara!! Is a very dense anime series that creates a complex community with a rich underbelly of crime and dangerous individuals that roam the streets. Celty Sturluson, also known as the Black Rider, is one of the anime’s most iconic characters and an inspired modern take on the Headless Horseman legend.
Celty hunts for her missing head as she zips through the streets on an ultra-cool motorcycle, but she also wields a stylish scythe that makes sure that she’s not faced with any unnecessary hassles. Celty isn’t an overpowered character, but she creates such a striking visual.
8 Shuhei Hisagi’s Soul Reaping Zanpakuto In Bleach Gives Scythes A Deadly Makeover
Bleach’s anime turns into a bit of a mess, but it still tells a powerful story with some incredible action sequences. Bleach is full of Soul Reapers and various Shinigami that wield scythes or comparable weapons. Shuhei Hisagi stands out because he always tries to avoid conflict and leaves violence as a final resort.
That being said, the Gotei 13 lieutenant can do some serious damage when his Zanpakuto is unleashed. Hisagi's unsealed weapon takes the form of two scythes that are linked together through chains, which makes it even more dangerous and versatile than a standard blade.
7 Maka Albarn Reflects The True Embodiment Of The Blade In Soul Eater
It'd be difficult to talk about the most adept scythe-wielders in anime without touching upon Soul Eater, which heavily features the weapon and focuses on the next generation of reapers. Soul Eater differs in how the weapons are also humanoid companions and so the bond between weapon and wielder becomes much more intimate and important.
At the center of all of this is Maka Albarn and her scythe, Soul Evans. Maka begins with intense confidence over her weapon and her mastery over the blade only becomes more impressive over time.
6 Shinoa Hiiragi’s Scythe Contains A Deadly Demon In Seraph Of The End
Set in a post-apocalyptic version of the world where a virus has taken out the world's population and left a group of pre-teens in charge, Seraph of the End features an unlikely group of warriors, all with very dangerous weapons. Shinoa Hiiragi is the perfect example of why a book shouldn't be judged by its cover.
Shinoa leans into the innocent schoolgirl angle, but she leads a demon army and her scythe also houses the spirit of a vicious demon. Shinoa’s ability to control this temperamental weapon and subvert her opponents' expectations makes both her and her scythe very dangerous.
5 Zorin Blitz’s Most Sadistic Tendencies Are Amplified By Her Weapon In Hellsing Ultimate
Many of the characters in Hellsing Ultimate already have a heavy advantage due to being undead vampires with amplified strength and immortality. The addition of a gaudy blade to a deadly bloodsucker seems like overkill, but it’s why Hellsing Ultimate's Zorin Blitz is so feared.
Zorin is perhaps so scary because she doesn’t need to use her scythe. That being said, she truly relishes the torture that she can inflict with it as she dismembers those that get in her way.
4 Fairy Tail’s Erigor Is Obsessed With Being The Best & Taking Out Whoever Gets In His Way
Fairy Tail takes some time to connect because its protagonist, Natsu Dragneel, initially leaves a lot to be desired. However, the rest of his Guild members and the other mages that he faces are all quite fascinating. Erigor is a member of the Dark Guild Eisenwald, who quickly makes waves due to his status as an assassin and the vicious "Death God" nickname that he brandishes.
Erigor uses a scythe as his weapon of choice to instill even more fear in his opponents. Natsu is committed to growing stronger, but Erigor makes excessive sacrifices purely for more physical power.
3 L'Arc Berg Sickle Makes A Scythe Deadly In New Ways In Rising Of The Shield Hero
Rising of the Shield Hero's L'Arc Berg Sickle does for a scythe what Captain America does for a shield. Plenty of anime heroes and villains know how to swing a blade when in close quarters, but L'Arc basically reinvents the rules on how to use the weapon.
L'Arc frequently tosses his scythe around to turn it into a projectile and he can even make the blade levitate and attack that way. L'Arc deserves special attention because he truly makes the scythe his identity and even has a tattoo of one if his commitment was ever in question.
2 Duo Maxwell’s Gundam Deathscythe Hell Is A Mecha Nightmare
The Mobile Suit Gundam franchise has helped the robot genre gain prominence and the series has expanded in drastic ways over the years. Gundam Wing establishes its own timeline. It’s a smaller Gundam series, but it was also one of the first Gundam titles to really connect outside of Japan.
Gundam Wing features some very over-the-top and unique Gundam designs. For instance, Duo Maxwell’s Gundam Deathscythe is a gigantic robot that attacks with a massive energy scythe that’s hundreds of feet tall. Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz features the upgraded Gundam Deathscythe Hell that gains an even more intimidating mecha scythe.
1 Ruby Rose’s Sniper-Scythe In RWBY Is A Testament To The Grandiose Nature Of Anime
RWBY has grown into a rich series that’s an inventive change when it comes to animation, yet it still falls back on many of anime’s character and action staples. Ruby Rose is front and center in RWBY and she's especially gifted when it comes to fighting the God of Darkness' Creatures of Grimm.
Ruby is often on a rampage against these creatures. She's always highly prepared thanks to her gonzo Crescent Rose sniper-scythe, an exaggerated anime weapon that puts all other exaggerated anime weapons to shame.
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