From epic power-ups to magical girl makeovers, anime transformations never fail to dazzle! Join us as we count down the most iconic, jaw-dropping, and visually stunning transformation sequences in anime history. Get ready for hair-raising, armor-donning, mecha-merging action that'll leave you breathless!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most iconic power-up
00:14scenes in anime history.
00:21Number 30 – Shotaro Hidari and Raito Philip Sonozaki – Futo P.I.
00:33No series pulls off a legendary morphing sequence quite like Kamen Rider.
00:38In fact, the windy Cyclone Joker henshin is so clean, the only thing that could possibly
00:44be cooler is an anime version of it.
00:47Enter Futo P.I.
00:48This whole scene is a fist-bumping love letter to Kamen Rider W, sealed with some flashy
00:54animation and kick-ass music.
00:57You could practically put the scenes on top of each other and not miss a thing – that's
01:02how faithful it is.
01:04Whether you're a Kamen Rider or anime fan, you have nothing to complain about here.
01:13Number 29 – Ise Yoro – High School D.D.
01:17The dude already has a dedicated harem, along with an insta-strip technique that dismantles
01:22women's clothing.
01:23Did he really need a badass set of dragon armor as well?
01:30Apparently, so.
01:34And shockingly enough, it turned out pretty damn cool.
01:38It might be the biggest power fantasy you could give to a man with the moniker of Lord
01:42of Boobs, but the way in which the Breaker Booster scale mail latches onto him, the deep
01:47crimson of the armor, the overall excellent design… by itself, you'd never guess something
01:52so awesome would belong to an ecchi king like Ise.
01:57Number 28 – Optimus Prime – Transformers Armada
02:01Just when you thought Optimus Prime couldn't get any more awesome, Super Mode showed that
02:06no one transforms like an Autobot.
02:09Trust us here, things really are more than meets the eye.
02:22Rather than going all Car Mode on us, Optimus Prime's most powerful form sees him link
02:27up with his auxiliary trailer into a new kind of robot called Super Mode.
02:32It's twice the Prime, twice the power, and occasionally comes with extra toys.
02:43Like this time, when Prime uses his ally Sparkplug like a blaster to shoot the Decepticons back
02:50to the hole they crawled out of.
02:52Number 27 – Asta – Black Clover
02:55Who needs training or limiters when you've got Spunk?
02:59Asta's 100% perseverance at this point, and somehow, that gumption rewarded him with
03:05one of anime's darkest boosts in strength.
03:12While it may sound odd to cheer for a hero that's literally being overcome with anti-magic,
03:18Black Asta's debut fight is so next-level, it's hard to care.
03:23The high-speed animation does a lot of the heavy lifting, almost single-handedly characterizing
03:28just how ferocious and uncontrollable his new power is.
03:32Sorry Landros, anyone who bet on black won this one in spades.
03:42Number 26 – Mami – Madoka Magica
03:46This show may be a master of subverting the genre and expectations, but that doesn't
03:51mean it doesn't know how to nail the classic tropes.
03:55After she and her young chargers are caught inside a witch's labyrinth, Mami does what
03:59she does best and brings the pain as a veteran magical girl, but not before ramping up the
04:05animation quality and suiting up.
04:16Despite the design of her outfit being far more on the simplistic side, every twirl and
04:21movement made, combined with the elegant soundtrack, elevates the whole thing, to the
04:26point where you truly believe her beret is unstoppable.
04:37Number 25 – Yukimoto – Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters
04:46If you're going to have your ancient Egyptian body double swap places with you right before
04:51a duel, you might as well do it in style.
04:54Leaping right out of his prison within the Millennium Puzzle, the pharaoh takes over
04:58Yu-Gi's body as his own, with the only real difference being a sudden change in height
05:04and a much deeper voice to show for it.
05:11Try not to think about the same nonsensical hair, and the fact his clothes didn't stretch,
05:17and just marvel at how flashy, cheesy and glorious it is.
05:32There have been multiple incidences where this Survey Corps member's shift into a rampaging
05:37giant monster transcended into the realm of pure hype territory, but to our mind, nothing
05:43can compare to his fight against the Armored Titan.
05:52Following Reiner and Bertholdt's reveal as the traitors, Eren is overcome by both
05:56despair and rage, prompting him to bust out his rogue titan form and deliver one hell
06:02of a knockout punch, while he and Reiner cascade down the walls.
06:07The emotional ruination and the impact of that first punch remain staggering.
06:28This nameless wanderer needs three things to exercise a spirit – their form, their
06:34truth, and their reason.
06:36Once he's got all that, the medicine seller's sword can officially come out to play.
06:41In what can only be described as a visual tour de force, Mononoke's off-kilter aesthetic
06:47delivers dazzling transformation after dazzling transformation.
06:51It's got breathtaking animation, glowing symbols, and more particle effects than should be legal.
06:57But in true swordsman fashion, it always ends in a single, beautiful slash.
07:03It only makes sense that someone who sells medicine knows how to bring the pain.
07:15No matter how old you get, there's nothing quite like a healthy dose of nerdy nostalgia
07:20to really bring the shine to an already stellar fight.
07:24Once again taking on one of Akane's kaiju, the iconic robot takes a page out of his classic
07:29tokusatsu days by linking up with his five assist weapons all at once.
07:43Now in his full-powered form, Gridman is easily able to unload the monsters of the week thanks
07:48to the numerous bells and whistles now strapped onto his body.
07:53Trigger's signature flashiness channeling those days of watching Superhuman Samurai
07:57– you can't go wrong there.
08:06You know the saying, absolute power corrupts absolutely?
08:09Yeah, that may as well have been written about Tetsuo.
08:17But even so, it sure is fun to watch.
08:19His latent psychic abilities manifest in the power to crush just about everything in his
08:25path, and also force him to grow into a giant mass of grotesque flesh that eventually ends
08:31up taking his life.
08:33Pros and cons, y'know?
08:41It's not quite the heroic form Tetsuo wants, but seeing him succumb to his own power is
08:49one of the many things that makes Akira infinitely watchable.
08:5620.
09:00Shin Getter Robo – Getter Robo Armageddon
09:03Fittingly, this apocalyptic OVA blew up the series' old mecha transformations and replaced
09:19them with new, shinier versions.
09:22Everything all the way from the original Getter Change got updated with sleek new production
09:27values.
09:28But of course, the real engines of this mech are the new modes exclusive to the upgraded
09:33Shin Getter Robo.
09:35Each one is a marvel of design and animation.
09:43They're slick enough to satisfy on their own, let alone when you consider the duels
09:54they get up to.
09:55When it comes to animated mecha goodness, you won't find anything better than this.
10:0119.
10:02Rimuru
10:03This is the first time I got reincarnated as a Slime.
10:11Even for an all-powerful, formless Slime, the powers of a Demon Lord are no joke.
10:17But Rimuru paid that no mind and ascended the mantle with all sorts of style.
10:23Also known as mass slaughter.
10:24That's right, in order to complete the ceremony, Rimuru had to feed their demon seed
10:30with 10,000 souls.
10:32And wouldn't you know it, Falmuth's full army had just marched up and knocked on Rimuru's
10:37door.
10:49With a single overkill spell called Megiddo, this blob officially became a Demon Lord.
10:55Shapeshifting or not, Rimuru will never look as cool as they did here.
11:0118.
11:02Himari Takakura – Penguin Drum
11:09To describe the madness that happens on screen when Himari puts on the penguin hat would
11:14be a lost cause.
11:16Because this psychedelic fever dream has to be experienced, since it blurs the line between
11:20seductive and bizarre with the slightest tint of WTF.
11:26After being possessed by the spirit inside her hat and becoming the Princess of the Crystal,
11:32Himari proceeds to go from good girl to latex-bound dominatrix, courtesy of a rocket that becomes
11:38a giant bear which becomes a giant walkway.
11:44Yep, this is definitely a Kunihiko Ikuhara anime.
11:5217.
11:54Akira Fudo – Devilman Crybaby
11:57Out with the beanpole, in with the beast.
12:00Starting off as a crybaby with not an ounce of machismo to his name, Akira's life goes
12:05to hell in a handbasket when he's roped into an underground club by an old friend.
12:11for a bunch of demons to pop out and start slaughtering everyone.
12:15Normally, someone like Akira would be instant dead meat, if not for him mooching with the
12:20soul of a rogue demon, leading to one of the most hellish and brutal transformations to
12:26date.
12:33Glazed in blood and a crimson light, Akira slowly shifts from man to demon, while also
12:38ripping apart everything in sight with his bare hands.
12:4516.
12:50Toguro – Yu Yu Hakusho
12:52It wouldn't be the finale of a tournament arc without the villains pulling out a last-second
12:57ace in the hole.
13:07In Toguro's case, it's unleashing 100% of his latent power.
13:11Wherein he mutates his body, it's what might be one of the most unsettling things that
13:16Yoshihiro Togashi has ever created.
13:21Hulky, deformed, layered with disgusting muscle, the sight alone is enough to freeze Yusuke
13:30in his tracks.
13:31But then there's also the fact that Toguro also slaughtered the majority of the demon
13:36audience with his excess energy alone.
13:4115.
13:44Gao Gaigar – Final Fusion
13:47The King of Braves, Gao Gaigar
14:04Made series in, the Brave franchise constructed its best-looking mechs yet, and that's
14:09a high bar.
14:11But just look at Gao Gaigar's ultimate form, and try to say it's not sublime.
14:16After an iconic call to arms, the Final Fusion combines a jet, a drill, a train, and a life-sized
14:23robot into a mech capable of shattering both villains and fan expectations.
14:34The way all the high-tech pieces seamlessly slide together is satisfying, in a way only
14:42the best kind of animation can pull off.
14:45Even though Gai activates this so-called final form in just about every single episode, it's
14:50impossible for Gao Gaigar to ever overstay its welcome.
14:5514.
14:56Cars – JoJo's Bizarre Adventure – Battle Tendency
15:00It's pretty self-absorbed to call yourself the ultimate life form, but somehow, Cars'
15:05shiny transformation totally lives up to the name.
15:13The animation itself is something to behold.
15:16It's an insane, rainbow-coloured light show that makes it clear this isn't your average
15:21anime power-up.
15:22Then, with the power of all life at his fingertips, Cars makes a squirrel.
15:28That squirrel then proceeds to destroy the entire Nazi regime.
15:32If the colourful surge of energy didn't catch your eye, Cars' newfound strength definitely
15:37will.
15:38We don't say this lightly, but it really might be the ultimate transformation.
15:4713.
15:50Cure Selene – Star Twinkle Precure
15:52Oh, and you thought magical girl transformations couldn't get more whimsical?
15:57Well, say hello to the new generation, where all bets are off.
16:09After gaining access to her very own star-coloured pendant and pen, Madoka gains the power to
16:14turn into Cure Selene, to assist her fellow princesses in the battle against the Not Raiders.
16:20That is, after she completes a transformation sequence that is utterly dazzling.
16:25The animation is beautiful to behold.
16:28She sings her heart out, literally draws her own costume, creates blinding shapes, to the
16:33point where, by the end, you feel like you've watched a whole idol performance.
16:4012.
16:43Takuto Tsunashi – Star Driver
16:45Move over, you slack-jawed, unfabulous anime protagonists, because here comes the galactic
16:51pretty boy.
16:52When one imagines a mech pilot, you'd expect to see a grizzled veteran or a wide-eyed child
16:58in control of an engine of pure destruction.
17:09Not Takuto, who ramps up the glitz and glamour to such a degree that you're honestly blindsided
17:15at how he could make something so flamboyant look so badass.
17:20Just look at that hair!
17:28Though to be honest, when you're piloting something as slick as the Talburn, everything
17:33looks ten times cooler.
17:3811.
17:41Sosuke Aizen – Bleach
17:54While it would ultimately prove totally useless against Ichigo and his final Getsuga Tenshou,
17:59there's no denying that Aizen's fourth form was pretty slick.
18:08With emerging himself with the Hogyoku, the traitor Shunigami ascended to a being that
18:13wasn't so much all-powered mullet man as it was butterfly of death, complete with horrific
18:19living wings and a monstrous maw that split his original face in half.
18:24It's the best kind of final boss material, we just wish he had got to show it off in
18:29all its foul glory before getting wrecked.
18:3610.
18:44Ryuko and Satsuki – Kill la Kill
18:47They've tried to slice each other to ribbons countless times via their respective Kamui,
18:59in all their spectacular turbocharged erotic-esque glory.
19:03What makes this one so special?
19:05Because unlike before, these long-lost sisters have got each other's back.
19:15Following on from the reveal of their twisted parental heritage, Ryuko and Satsuki cast
19:21aside their previous rivalry and leap into battle together to defeat their wicked mother
19:26and the primordial Life Fibre.
19:29But not before simultaneously kick-starting Senketsu and Junketsu into action.
19:379.
19:39Omnimon – Digimon the Movie
19:42This is the scene that made all Digi-freaks in the cinema lose their minds.
19:54Surrounded by a million copies of Diaboromon, it appears that both WarGreymon and MetalGururumon
20:00are moments from getting deleted, until they find their spirits renewed via the most powerful
20:06force in the universe – the internet.
20:17Imbued by the hope shown through countless emails, the two unleash the very first Fusion
20:23Digivolution, becoming a mega-level capable of purging the world's biggest virus with
20:28nothing more than a sword and a cannon.
20:358.
20:36Alucard – Hellsing Ultimate
20:51Before we get to the nitty-gritty, we have to preface this form with some lore.
20:56Alucard, being the almighty vampire he is, needs barriers on his powers to stop him from
21:02going berserk on all of humankind.
21:05But when he finally reaches level zero and goes full throttle, well, the result looks
21:10something like this.
21:11Alucard summons forth so many demonic familiars, you probably can't even pick him out of
21:16the crowd.
21:25But he's there, ruling the undead army with an iron fist and bloodied fangs.
21:30In terms of brutality, level zero is number one.
21:357.
21:36Pansion Stalking – Pansion Stalking with Garterbelt
21:39Deviously divine and devoted to their desperate cause to dispense deliciously decadent justice
21:46against those devoid of humanity, all in the hope of buying their way back into heaven.
21:51They basically slay ghosts with their unmentionables before heading out for a quick romp and some
21:57dessert.
22:06Of course, when it comes time to do some angel-busting, the sisters need to get into character, where
22:12not only do they perform anime's most lethal striptease, but also get a massive boost in
22:18animation quality, going from Powerpuff Girls to Powerpuff Mamas in the blink of an eye.
22:336.
22:37Gone – Hunter x Hunter
22:39When a good soul is willing to exchange all they have just for the strength to kill, you'd
22:44better stop running.
22:54Broken by the revelation that Pitou had lied about reviving Kite, Gone gives in to the
22:59despair inside, and decides that it's time to skin this kitty.
23:04Using his very life force for the power needed to exterminate the Royal Guard, Gone's
23:09Nen explodes, forcibly aging his body to the point where he is on par with the Chimera
23:15Ant.
23:16It's as astounding as it is horrifying, especially as his shrouded form screams bloody
23:21murder.
23:31No surprise Pitou didn't last long after this.
23:415.
23:46Naruto Uzumaki – Boruto – Naruto Next Generations
23:508 tails, 9 tails, whatever, Baryon Mode is everything Kurama has, all tied into one epic
24:07new chakra mode for everyone's favourite knuckle-headed ninja.
24:11Firstly, it comes with a cape, and second, it gives Naruto more power than he's ever
24:17had before.
24:24The animation doesn't hold back on the spectacle of such a grand transformation, and unfortunately
24:29for Ishiki, that means one hell of a dramatic knockout.
24:34While Baryon Mode does come with a heavy, life-draining price tag, there's no denying
24:38that Kurama's last act was truly one of a kind.
24:424.
24:44Guren Lagan – Guren Lagan Sometimes bigger really does mean better, especially
24:49if your final battle consists of two galaxy-sized robots duking it out for the fate of all life
24:55in the universe.
25:09After saving his beloved Nier from the anti-spiral, Simon and the rest of Team Daiguren channel
25:14their spiral power to such a degree that all of their various gunmen fuse together, reaching
25:20such gargantuan size that they tower over the stars, and are all set to drill through
25:26anything and everything to achieve victory.
25:29Leave your brain at the doorstep, and just enjoy the magnificence of mecha machismo at
25:35its best.
25:403.
25:47Monkey D. Luffy – One Piece The wannabe king of the pirates has powered
25:51up a lot over the years, to the point you'd have to wonder how much further he can stretch
25:57his rubber limbs.
25:58But a thousand episodes in, Luffy shifted gears for a fifth time, and sent the internet
26:04into a frenzied tailspin.
26:10Gear Fifth's inaugural fight crashed just about every anime site in existence, and for
26:16good reason.
26:17Its fluffy design and bouncy powers made for a brawl like we'd never seen before, and
26:23may not ever again.
26:24Luffy's suit-up shot for the stars, and landed among the clouds of anime greatness.
26:322.
26:36Sailor Moon – Sailor Moon We'll take your typical magical girl transformation
26:41and raise you some moon prism power.
26:51The architect of all shoujo superheroines everywhere, Sailor Moon along with her fellow
26:57Sailor Senshi are arbiters when it comes to putting the glam into morphing sequences.
27:02With Usagi literally lighting up the screen as she accesses her signature natural satellite,
27:08along with her accompanying tiara, nails and short skirt.
27:16It's so over-the-top, yet brimming with the same exuberance that fans adore the franchise
27:23for, making every pre-battle costume montage a feast for the eyes.
27:451.
27:49Goku – Dragon Ball Z There's been no shortage of incredible moments
28:03where Goku attains a new level of power, often complete with a new hairstyle.
28:08But for this list, we'll have to go with the time Goku revealed Super Saiyan 3 for
28:13the first time.
28:14Moving from the dramatic music to Goku's most imposing screen to date, solidifies this
28:20as one of the most memorable scenes in Dragon Ball Z.
28:23There's just no beating that many hair spikes.
28:35Be honest, which of these power-up roars have you tried for yourself?
28:39Let us know in those comments below.