Dragons are terrifying creatures in all forms of media unless obvious efforts have been made to make them otherwise. Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon has a playful side, and Raya and the Last Dragon's Sisu is unique in her charm and humor, but these outliers are forgotten in the presence of the truly powerful dragons. Shows like House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones have shown what damage dragons can cause, but anime can explore these destructive beasts further with no limitations.
Anime dragons can exercise their power by destroying small opponents or objects, moving upward of buildings and towns, and even threatening entire continents, worlds, and beyond. Not all of the most powerful anime dragons come from the most popular anime, but a show's reception doesn't reflect how impactful a dragon, or any other creature for that matter, is within that universe.
10 Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Blue-Eyes White Dragon is one of the most iconic cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! and is often seen as the main dragon of the franchise. While this is by no means the case, as it is part of a stacked roster, Blue-Eyes White Dragon has still cemented itself as one of the most formidable anime dragons, not just for its appearances alongside Seto Kaiba but also in the other forms of Blue-Eyes.
From fusing three Blue-Eyes together comes the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Seto Kaiba was able to surprise Yugi with this reveal, overwhelming him with Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's staggering stat line of 4,500 Attack Points with 3,800 in defense.
9 Shooting Star (Record Of Lodoss War)
Shooting Star is a name that won't be too familiar to many new-gen anime fans, but this ancient dragon is a real menace in Record of Lodoss War. Shooting Star is one of five legendary dragons, each one cursed to guard various treasures.
Of the five dragons, Shooting Star is considered the most powerful, mainly for the devastation caused by its fiery breath and its mercilessness in cutting down any humans stopping it from hunting prey. Shooting Star represents not just its own terrifying offensive capabilities but the formidable presence of all five legendary dragons from Record of Lodoss War, inserting them in the conversation for anime's most powerful dragons.
8 Ryukotsusei (Inuyasha)
Ryukotsusei was a destructive force of a dragon daiyokai in Inuyasha, perfectly capable of tearing through almost anyone or anything. Despite his unnerving presence, towering stature, and immense power, however, he was once defeated by Inuyasha's father Toga and sealed away. He then faced off against Inuyasha himself after being revived by Naraka 200 years later in the hopes that Ryukotsusei would wipe out his enemy.
Ryukotsusei's primary source of formidable offense came from firing beams of demonic energy, which was backed up by enhanced defensive capabilities and incredible levels of resilience. Yet, this terrifying draconic foe's true power still wasn't enough to best Inuyasha or his father, a testament to their own skills.
7 Mega Rayquaza (Pokémon)
Dragons like Igneel, Acnologia, and Ryukotsusei seem on a whole other level in anime that reflect the devastating consequences of true power through violence and blood, but the Pokémon universe should not be overlooked for its own powerful Dragon-types. The Dragon-type roster is at an all-time high now after nine generations, but it is an enhanced form of a Gen III favorite that stands above the rest in terms of its true might and potential.
Known to generally exist above the ozone layer, Rayquaza is already a powerful Legendary Pokémon, but Mega Rayquaza can consume and destroy meteors — even the Meteor Pokémon Minior. In fact, Mega Rayquaza's evolution is a rare case of not relying on a Key Stone, as the required power lies inside it. For all of its destructive capabilities, the true sign of its power comes from how it can stop Groudon and Kyogre's destructive rivalry, no matter what form they are in.
6 Kaido (One Piece)
Humans transforming into dragons is by no means a new concept, but One Piece's Kaido, with the help of the Fish-Fish Fruit, is a whole different kind of intimidating, terrifying presence. Kaido is the main antagonist of the very long Wano arc, and he recently tested Luffy's resolve and true might.
Kaido has been called many things, from being one of the Four Emperors and the World's Strongest Creature to Governor-General of the Beasts Pirates. He is incredibly powerful, even without his Devil Fruit, but the Azure Dragon form takes things to a whole new level. As with many of the other tough anime dragons, Kaido also possesses near-impenetrable defenses, making for one terrifying and formidable foe.
5 Great Red (High School DxD)
Dragons are among the most powerful beings in High School DxD, but they don't get more formidable than Great Red. Great Red goes by many names, with examples like True Red Dragon God Emperor, Apocalypse Dragon, and Dragon of Dreams doing wonders in showing off this dragon's reach in reputation and standing.
Any dragon that has a hold over creation and destruction across both dreams and reality cannot be dismissed as anything less than a mighty being. The Dragon of Dragons is another apt title for one that possesses all this, plus the additional buffs commonly seen in other anime dragons, immense strength and durability.
4 Igneel (Fairy Tail)
Fairy Tail boasts two of the most powerful anime dragons — Acnologia and Igneel. Igneel is the Fire Dragon King and Natsu's foster father. His personality improves and softens thanks to his relationship with Natsu, but his reputation as a feared fighter and mighty dragon never fades.
Igneel may fall to Acnologia, but he takes an arm and plenty of effort out of the Dragon King, never yielding, fleeing, or flinching in the face of loss and defeat. Igneel's Fire Dragon offense is shown off throughout Fairy Tail by Natsu, but Igneel's own interpretation of these moves is on another level entirely. From claws and fists to ranged explosive and standard fiery attacks, Igneel's offense is relentless.
3 Acnologia (Fairy Tail)
While Igneel is a feared and formidable dragon in his own right, Acnologia deserves to be remembered on another tier entirely. Commonly known as the Dragon King, Acnologia was once just a doctor. However, through a thirst for vengeance against the dragons that destroyed his city and murdered his family, he became a Dragon Slayer. Then, once consumed by the overuse of Dragon Slayer Magic, he became what he despised.
There is a reason why Acnologia is used as a point of reference for the power levels of dragons both in Fairy Tail and across the overall anime sphere. Eternal Flare and Power of the End are destructive examples of his magical capabilities, while his manipulation of Time Magic is just downright unfair. Acnologia bested Igneel, albeit at the cost of an arm, but through other feats of strength and murderous intent, there are few dragons more powerful.
2 Bahamut (Rage Of Bahamut: Genesis)
As the title would suggest, Bahamut is the main antagonist of Rage of Bahamut: Genesis. Bahamut's destructive rampages prompted the humans, gods, and demons of Mistarcia to band together in a desperate bid to defeat him, but all they could manage was confinement. This course of action never bodes well, as these all-powerful entities always find a way to resurface.
Conflict ensues between those who want to keep Bahamut contained and those who would see him released. Yet the one thing more devastating than the thought of releasing Bahamut is Bahamut actually being free. He can seamlessly wipe out hordes in an instant with his bursts of yellow energy, while he is essentially impenetrable but for three weaknesses. Being sealed away didn't last forever, but the existence of Dromos and the Fragment of Bahamut signify hope in spite of Bahamut's overwhelming might and unrelenting rage.
1 Super Shenron (Dragon Ball Super)
The fact that Super Shenron is summoned when the seven planet-sized Super Dragon Balls are gathered should speak volumes for this Eternal Dragon's status and powerful capabilities. Super Shenron supposedly has no limits restricting his capabilities other than only being able to fulfill one wish per summoning.
As if Shenron wasn't already powerful enough, Super Shenron's true potential is believed to stretch to both destroying and reviving almost anything, from the smallest conceivable thing to planets and galaxies. This is not just a standard dragon seen in fantasy shows — this is an entity like no other.
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